Best steel for razors?

[ToG]

I'm thinking of making straight razors - I've found too many variables for what to make them out of. Any suggestions?

[Frosty]

There're lots of variables because there are so many different methods and materials that will work well. Razors were made of bronze only a few thousand years ago.

This is just a guess from a non-bladesmith guy but I'd probably start by making test blades with 1070 or higher and test to destruction before deciding on what to use. Also my intuition says razors can or maybe should be higher C than utility knives, they need to hold an obscenely sharp edge under bad for edges contitions but also need to be resilient enough not to shatter. Used properly there is very little bending or shock stresses on a razor, however it's always good to have a safety factor just in case.

As to holding an edge, a person's hair has a pretty high mineral content and is pretty hard on edges. This brings to my mind how you sharpen a razor. The general blade is typically hollow ground but this makes for a fragile edge. A convex edge is a robust edge, it has lots of material backing it and when it cuts it parts the subject so minimizes friction. This is one of the secrets of the Samuri blades. A hollow or flat ground edge has to wedge itself through the subject with an increasing contact surface all the way. A convex edge only contacts the subject for a very small percentage of the edge after which the material is driven away from the blade. Means lower friction and increased edge life. All my axes, machetes, shovels and such have convex edges and last a good time and are sharp. Yes, I sharpen my shovels and spades, they don't call them blades for nothing you know. <grin>

Okay, like I said, I'm not a blade guy but I do like understanding how things work so I look into and remember stuff like blade dynamics. AND don't forget the above is intuitive deduction by a non-bladesmith guy so it's FWIW.

Frosty The Lucky.

[pkrankow]

Heh. Good luck. Even among users of straight razors there is no best. Stainless variaties are considered difficult to hone by some, plain carbon varaities patina and rust. Patern welded suffer from hone wear similar to engraved spines and goldwash.

http://badgerandblad...To-quot-Threads

Bill Ellis makes some sweet looking blades and freely shares information.

old razors were similar to 10xxx between .9 and 1.2 % carbon
http://badgerandblad...ntage-Straights
http://straightrazorplace.com/forge/21523-great-razor-analysis-project.html

Use of recycled old files, O series and A series tool steels (O1 and A2 are supposed to be good), and quite a few other materials also are considered desireable materials.

In the end look at how you intend to process the heat treat using your capabilites, and pick. Whatever you choose there will be haters and lovers of the material.

Phil

[metal99]

I'm not a razor guy but I have seen quite a few of them made from 1095. I know 1095 can make a pretty good blade from experience.

[pike3e]

Any steel that will work for a knife, will work for a razor, that is where the similarity of the two tools ends. A straight razor has one purpose, to shave the hairs off your face, using it for anything else will damage the edge you will work so hard to get correct. The edge has to be very thin and honed to a high degree of polish, usually 8, 000 to 10,000. The spine of a razor acts like a built in sharpening guide on the stones, thus the final edge will actually be a flat grind, trying to convex the edge or leaving extra meat at the edge for some measure of safety is a sure way to get a razor that does not work. I have made a few and shave with one I made regularly, i still had someone more experianced than me do the final hone in order to get the best out of the razor. there is a ton of info on straight razor place and badger and blade forums. Good luck.

[jimmy seale]

may consider 52100..

[Justin Carnecchia]

I think 52100 is a top choice although the heat treat needs to be precise, salt pots or digital furnace. At least to get the best out of the steel. W-2 is another good choice, very fine grain, holds a fine edge well. And can be treated in a forge.
Those would be my top choices but any number of steels can make a usable razor , 1084, 5160, 1095, etc. Match the steel to your skill level. If your a beginer start with 1084 its easy to work and the heat treat is as simple as it comes.

[Robert Yates]

I think 52100 is a top choice although the heat treat needs to be precise, salt pots or digital furnace. At least to get the best out of the steel. W-2 is another good choice, very fine grain, holds a fine edge well. And can be treated in a forge.
Those would be my top choices but any number of steels can make a usable razor , 1084, 5160, 1095, etc. Match the steel to your skill level. If your a beginer start with 1084 its easy to work and the heat treat is as simple as it comes.

 

agree as a beginner start with what you know .

 

Sam

[ToG]

I think 52100 is a top choice although the heat treat needs to be precise, salt pots or digital furnace. At least to get the best out of the steel. W-2 is another good choice, very fine grain, holds a fine edge well. And can be treated in a forge.
Those would be my top choices but any number of steels can make a usable razor , 1084, 5160, 1095, etc. Match the steel to your skill level. If your a beginer start with 1084 its easy to work and the heat treat is as simple as it comes.

 

I do not have an oven to work with.

[pkrankow]

1084, 1095, O1 tool steel

 

Nice short list to choose from that will respond to a "backyard" heat treat process.

 

O1 will perform well in this application without the dwell at temperature the specifications ask for because it is a thin section and the highest hardness it can achieve is not required. 

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/276998-W-amp-B-9-8ths?highlight=

I have one of Paco's kamisori heat treat with this method.  It is nice and holds the edge quite well.

 

 

5160 may also be suitable but will be very easy to temper too soft as razors are left harder than knives. 

 

Phil

[Steve Sells]

Have you read anything in the knife forum yet? like the pinned and sticky posts? one can temper with out an oven. its just a but more work, its in one of the heat treat sticky.  read all you can, and post when you dont understand womething you read :)

[Unforgivun]

Fairly new to the straight razor world and I'm not a knife maker.  But I've done some research on the few blades I have.

 

 

From what I've found these razors were made by another company for the hardware store and were manufactured out of something very similar to 1099. 

 

 

Before attempting to make a straight I would highly recommend joining a secondary forum such as Badger and Blade, or The Shave Den and learning all that you can about using a straight razor and why certain ones perform better than others etc.  It's always a Y.M.M.V. situation of course, and some cheap razors like the gold dollars are often modified to create very attractive and usable razors.  By learning the "WHY" certain cheap razors can not be used to shave with, you will learn what not to do when making a blade.  Go at it with the intention of learning how to use a straight razor and you'll learn what you need to know.  Be warned though, it is almost as steep a learning curve as blacksmithing itself.

 

After re-reading this post I felt it needed a post edit... You will learn what you need to know in regards to blade geometry and requirements.  Not how to make them.  But more so how they should be when they're completed.