stainless vs carbon - how do you tell?

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by RocketMan, Feb 12, 2009.

  1. superbleu

    superbleu Active Member

    Hi Tony, I was going to suggest a magnet test, but I noticed my Stainless steel DE blades stick to a magnet I keep mounted on the wall, I just checked my DOVO Renaissances and it too is attracted to the magnet.

    Off topic, but I just got the Horsehide/Latigo combo Strop Mr Tadashi sold here last week. Your workmanship is fantastic and deserved all the praise you get. Very impressive work.
     
  2. Tony Miller

    Tony Miller Member

    Thanks Joe.......and that is why I make strops and not razors :D

    Tony
     
  3. Joe C

    Joe C New Member

    And for that, we love you. Well, your strops, anyway. I LIKE you, though. :happy102 Your strops are top notch quality stuff.
     
  4. RocketMan

    RocketMan Active Member

    Thanks for all the info on this thread folks. It is really quite an interesting topic. It also seems rather complex.

    The staining test seems like it indeed can be completed with different types of acidic and other liquids.

    The idea that stainless is not stain free is important too!

    The magnetic topic really intrigued me and thanx for the input on that. Soon as Tony posted I ran upstairs to the kitchen - where I keep both fridge magnets and stainless steel henckels. Dern magnets stuck like crazy! I started to look it up and it is a little complex, but it seems that certain formulations of SS (and there seem to be multiple) are magnetic - certainly the 'cutlery' grades of SS. We can probably use more info on this topic - it is really fascinating!

    I have already learned lots - thnx. Keep it coming!!!! We can all be experts at this for sure!
     
  5. moviemaniac

    moviemaniac Tool Time

    I've never heard of gun blue before, might have to check it out. Citric acid is a safe way, I wouldn't feel safe using something like HCL or aqua regia :D
     
  6. sturgeon

    sturgeon Member

    A magnet will stick to carbon steel, but not stainless steel. That's why magnets won't stick to "silverware", which is usually made from stainless steel.

    Tim
     
  7. JimR

    JimR Active Member


    Dude, look a little further up in the thread...this conversation has been had...
     
  8. Robert Voss

    Robert Voss Well-Known Member

    The best way to tell for sure is maybe check with a pawn store or jewelry store and see if they have one of those x-ray guns that test the metal. No marks, they just put the gun on the metal, pull the trigger and the metal composition is shown on the display. I am lucky, I work at a plant that melts titanium and they have one to test titanium alloys.
     
  9. Lavachild

    Lavachild Active Member

    I just have to say I enjoyed this thread from start to end.
     
  10. Robert Tonnies

    Robert Tonnies New Member


    This thread is very interesting. I have two razors that I'm unsure whether they are stainless or carbon.

    I'm going to take them to a jeweler as Robert here suggested and see what comes of it. Will update w/ my experience...
     
  11. gssixgun

    gssixgun At this point in time...

    Supporting Vendor
    Honestly, there are very few Vintage SS razors out there that are not stamped Stainless or Inox or No Stain etc: etc: it was a big advertising point and they used it rather well
     
    GDCarrington and lindyhopper66 like this.
  12. Fatandskint

    Fatandskint New Member

    Hi Guys
    Please forgive me if this has already been stated ( I have not seen it ) One way of distinguishing between carbon and stainless steel is with a magnet. Generally stainless is not magnetic ( there are a few exceptions, but this should suffice for razor blades I think

    _ whoops just spotted someone has said this - sorry
     
  13. Mr. Droid

    Mr. Droid Well-Known Member

    That is kind of what I was thinking. I am not a straight expert, I only have a dozen or so, but it seems to me that razor makers weren't the least bit shy about labeling their products.
     
  14. lindyhopper66

    lindyhopper66 Well-Known Member

    What Glen says. Also, steel is carbon steel. The stainless part can mean extra chromium or magnesium and such added to the carbon steel.
     
    178-bplatoon and gssixgun like this.
  15. js98367

    js98367 New Member

    I have noticed that manufacturers make a big marketing deal out of using SS for their blade and usually stamp it somewhere using words in different languages that usually have "inox" in them. German-made steel can also say "rostfrei".
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2015
    gssixgun likes this.
  16. pundi64

    pundi64 Well-Known Member

    You can also use a magnet on the blade.
     
  17. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Hmmm
     
  18. andrew murphy

    andrew murphy New Member



    Most blueing dont have to be a home brew thing i blue and reblue guns all the time and u can buy a stripper or remover last time i check to remove the blue after u put it on
     
  19. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    A 9 year old thread :p...

    With no comments since 2015 :happy097:
     
  20. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I enjoy the thread resurrections. It’s certainly a threat I hadn’t seen before.
     
    Dansco likes this.

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