straight razor material

K

Knifeclerk

Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,083
Most straight razors are made with a titanium alloy. There are some cheaper ones made with simple 440 stainless steel. Which of these will be softer? I was under the impression that the Ti was softer, thus easier to maintain with only stropping, and then yielding a finer edge. My manager overheard me explaining this to a customer (he wouldn't know the difference either way) and my manager began 'correcting' me right in front of the customer. I found this to be in bad ettiquette, but whatever. Which is harder? If I am right, can someone please point me to a chart or something of that nature?
I realize that 'titanium' is only a title like 'stainless steel' so I'm assuming that that is where the misuderstanding is.
-KC
 
Huh? Straight razors out of titanium?

I was under the impression that they were mostly carbon steel, with some being stainless. Carbon steel will take an edge easier and hold a finer edge, but will rust (duh).
 
I've never seen a titanium straight razor, links? Titanium should be softer (mission knives are only hardened to 47 Rc)
 
Now that I think about it, I have no proof at all that those razors are titanium. Back in my first few days at work, a Straight Razor Afficionado explained the difference to me. I gladly accepted his word as he clearly knew more than me at the time. He was also the one who told me about the stropping and whatnot.
Ah well Cest la Vie.
But I am right, am I not? Could someone please direct me to such a chart with an Rc scale between Ti steels and stainless?
-KC
 
I have never heard of a straight razor being made from a titanium alloy. I have never known titanium to get as sharp as steel. There are many products that use "titanium" in their names that actually do not use any titanium in their manufacture. I found some "Titanium" brand kitchen knives in a store once that you could pick up with a magnet, obviously not titanium, but steel. Not only is titanium soft and not inclined to get sharp, it is very elastic and doesn't respond well to a strop. I hope you will look at the literature for those razors and see what goes into them.

The favorite material for a classic straight razor is English Sheffield crucible type steel (some Germans insist on a Solingen equivalent, but it is not as good). This is nothing but a very pure carbon steel. Next in line would be a very pure stainless like Sandvik 12C27 or 13C26. These stainless alloys have about .7% carbon and are purer and have less chrome than the 440 series. I wouldn't want to use a razor made from 440 stainless. You might find a razor with a little tungsten or vanadium in the alloy to reduce the grain size, but I don't think you can get titanium to alloy with iron. So I'm still at a loss as to how you would have a titanium alloy razor.

I would look at your razors and check boxes, literature, and websites to determine what is really in the alloys. I suspect that somehow you have been misinformed.
 
Yeah, Jeff. The problem all started with the fact that the razors don't come in boxes. The have plastic sleaves and no paperwork with them! The handles are all plastic, so I assumed the difference had to be in the steel. We have had one or two with straight 440c (or so) and they have been noticeably heavier. I would have liked to check out the maker's info from the start, but the only markings I have found were "Solingen Germany" on the blade.
-KC
 
Jeff Clark said:
I have never known titanium to get as sharp as steel.
Click to expand...
Jeff,
Titanium will get as sharp as steel, but it will not hold an edge like steel. I've used a titanium knife to shave hair from my arm.

I agree with everything else you said.
 
Straight razors are most definately carbon steel. Nothing else would keep a fine enough edge.
 
Knifeclerk said:
My manager overheard me explaining this to a customer (he wouldn't know the difference either way) and my manager began 'correcting' me right in front of the customer. I found this to be in bad ettiquette, but whatever.
Click to expand...

I used to feel the same way until I realized the problem was more my own ego than anything else. Is it more important to look good in front of the customer or to give the customer correct information?

You may be right that the customer didn't know the difference. However, if you got them interested enough to research it online, or ask questions on the straightrazorplace group at Yahoo, and they learned that titanium isn't used in razors, odds are good they're not coming back to you when they decide to buy.

That being said, there's no point in your manager correcting you if he's not very, very sure that he's right. And since straight razors are made from carbon steel or stainless steel, it looks like he wasn't. And kudos to you for finding the answer here; now you know infinitely more than he does. :D

I've been shaving with straights for a few months now, so I'm still a total newbie but learning. I was surprised how many misconceptions I had about straights when I started.

Chris
 
Have you taken a look at the Razors forums ? (under general forums, close to the bottom of the page), you may find some more good info over there.

I´ve owned two stainless razors, one German (Wusthoff) and one American (can´t remember the brand), they were fine but I liked my non-stainless Boker much better, I´ve never tried one from Sheffield, haven´t used a straight razor in many years.

I don´t think titanium would make a good razor, perhaps a titanium nitrate coating on a steel blade would be good.
 
As was mentioned, most of the older razors were Cast Steel. Later most straight razors were just a clean carbon steel.

Here's the chemical analysis of a standard straight razor of the day:

Carbon: 1.35%.
Manganese: 0.20%.
Phosphorus: .016%.
Sulfur: .030%.
Silicon: .12%.
Chromium: .004%.
Nickel: <.03%.
Molybdenum: <.01%.
Vanadium: <.01%.
Titanium: .003%.
Copper: .02%.
Aluminum: .005%.

Razor was 61-62Rc.

From Metal Progress, June 1961.

Reprinted in the Gun Digest, 1976.
 
Hey all, thanks for all of the information. This has really helped a lot. I appreciate your willingness to teach/rebuke me.
-KC
 
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