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- Mar 22, 2014
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Only problem is the low hardness. High hardness is important for razor performance along with the finer structureThe only "newer" steel I would want to try a razor in would be LC200N. In fact, I probably will.
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Only problem is the low hardness. High hardness is important for razor performance along with the finer structureThe only "newer" steel I would want to try a razor in would be LC200N. In fact, I probably will.
I'd be curious to see your opinions on Nitrobe 77From what I can gather, 62 Rc is about the minimum for good razors. The only "new" steel razors I have are 3 (or 4?) Thiers Issard C135 carbonsong blades which is claimed to be 63-65 Rc.
I'd far rather have a Tim Zowada custom Tim-ahagane razor than any PM vanadium steel.
If high alloy tool/stainless steels (modern super steels) out perform more simple steels when it comes to fine edge holding. Why aren't more high end straight razors or straight razor enthusiasts and makers using them on their blades?
Thanks to the kindness of a member here, I have a razor made from CPM-M4, a supersteel with fine carbides. It has become both friend and nemesis. Friend, because when honed to a razor edge, it gives me a great shave. Nemesis, because it has some difficult characteristics.
The most important of those is that it seems to chip. Shaving with anything produces little chips (and I'm talking about chips visible only under a microscope), but shaving with the CPM-M4 produces chips more quickly. And it's harder to hone than carbon steel razors.
On lower-grit stones (4000 and below), it will chip on leading-edge strokes. I finally figured out that I needed to go all trailing-edge until I get to a higher grit. I am currently in a honing sequence, and I only switched to leading edge when I hit the 16000 SG stone. This is the best honing run so far. I have high hopes.
It also likes to hang onto a burr, as though it were stainless.
I do like the razor a lot, because it shaves really really well when it's sharp, and I actually enjoy the challenge of sorting out how to hone it properly. But I can understand why people aren't making razors from this steel.
Thanks to the kindness of a member here, I have a razor made from CPM-M4, a supersteel with fine carbides. It has become both friend and nemesis. Friend, because when honed to a razor edge, it gives me a great shave. Nemesis, because it has some difficult characteristics.
The most important of those is that it seems to chip. Shaving with anything produces little chips (and I'm talking about chips visible only under a microscope), but shaving with the CPM-M4 produces chips more quickly. And it's harder to hone than carbon steel razors.
On lower-grit stones (4000 and below), it will chip on leading-edge strokes. I finally figured out that I needed to go all trailing-edge until I get to a higher grit. I am currently in a honing sequence, and I only switched to leading edge when I hit the 16000 SG stone. This is the best honing run so far. I have high hopes.
It also likes to hang onto a burr, as though it were stainless.
I do like the razor a lot, because it shaves really really well when it's sharp, and I actually enjoy the challenge of sorting out how to hone it properly. But I can understand why people aren't making razors from this steel.