How easily do these steels stain?

J

JoshEarl

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Sep 30, 2007
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On the scale of carbon steels, how easily do 1084 and O1 stain or tarnish?

I make straight razors, and I'm looking for some carbon steels that are least likely to stain.

What are some of the more stain-resistant ones?

Thanks,
Josh
 
ALL steels stain. Proper maintenance is the only way to avoid it.
Surely 1084 stains easily, like all simple carbon steels. But, with proper maintenance, it won't stain and it won't rust.
Without proper maintenance, even the best stainless steels will develop stains or even red rust.
 
You may consider prestaining. Like blueing or browning. This will get a layer or oxide on the outside skin of the piece and increase the difficulty of another undesirable stain
 
Yes. Most antique razors were blued or browned.
Others were silver or gold plated. While this added to the beauty of the tool, it also offered protection.
Blueing and browning are forms of passivating oxidation that protects the steel from further oxydation.
 
Hope this helps . . . D2 is considered Almost stainless, A2 is stain free, as is 4240 pre hard chrome moly. "X 50 Cr Mo 15" is a European Chrome Moly Steel that the famous maker Wusthoff uses exclusivly to make there knives from. On the high end try Talonite or Stellite 6K. there a Cobalt based alternative to steel. So no rusting there. Although it's very difficult to work and shape, it will cut all day long. also have you thought of using High Speed Steel? not really rust or stain free but would stay sharp for a very long time.
 
Carbon steel and Staining/Rusting are almost to be used in the same sentence. Non of them are stain resistant and only application of some type of oil or wax will prevent staining. Both the steel you mentioned will rust while you watch it. All is not lost though, just maintain the steel with a light oil or wax and it will be fine.
 
I use a mustard patina on many of my carbon steel knives to patina them. This layer of patina will assist with helping to slow down staining and rusting. In addition it is a beautiful finish. Proper maintenance is still required, but a helping hand that is attractive doesn't hurt.
 
Thanks for the tips, guys. I actually do a mustard or vinegar etch on about half of my razors, and it's been popular with my customers. But mirror and satin finishes are popular, too, so some of my razors will always be unprotected.

I know all carbon steels are rust-prone, but I'm hoping to find an oil-hardening steel that's slightly more rust resistant than "don't look at it funny." :) I've been using a razor made of 1084 without problems, but a customer had one get tarnish the first time he used it. :(

On the vintage razors thing, I've restored and honed hundreds of antique straights and it's not true that most of them were blued or browned. Many have developed a patina over the years, but it wasn't an original "feature."

These razors will rust or stain if you're not careful, but with normal use they stay shiny. Not sure what the steel is, but apparently it was less stain-prone than what I'm using.

Josh
 
Josh,

I use 52100 for straight razors and give them an etch in ferric. I then either buff lightly or rub with flitz or similar. All blades are mirror fininshed before etching. I do damascus in the same way. I have been using a damascus razor that I made about eight years ago and it is still shiny.
 
Josh, I'm not sure how your customer used it, but it might be the shaving cream used. Maybe a light acid? If the customer expects to use the knife, I'd either patina it or disclaim it and say that proper care must be used.

A mirror polish is going to be hard for most folks to maintain on any blade they use, even though a razor shouldn't get in contact with too much stuff that can scratch it.
 
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