Thread: O1 or D2? Which is best for Straight razors?

Hi again,

Well I've just figured out that Bohler k110 and Bohler K460 are just the Bohler-Uddenholm names for D2 and O1 respectively. I have access to both, and since I'm looking to get into making straight razors, I was just wondering if you guys who are in the know could assist me in deciding which is ultimately 'better' for the purpose of straight razors. I know this is a subjective thing, and there probably isn't a clear best option, but I guess I just want to hear which steel more people prefer and exactly why.

Bearing in mind that I'm having either properly heat treated by the actual manufacturer, so the heat treatment will be solid for both..

Also from what I've read, the K110 (D2) is far superior in terms of it's dimensional stability when heat treated, so to me that seems to go a long way for ensuring straight edges - am I correct in this thinking?


as always your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Yes you are correct about the D2. D2 also can achieve a higher hardness, which can make it more brittle. But you can double temper it and come up with the same hardness, maybe, as O1. If you are considering D2 you may also want to consider A2. Very similar to D2 but a tad more stable and a little easier to machine. D2 can be very tough to machine but not as bad as stainless. If you want the hardest blade D2 will give you that. A harder blade is not always the best edge. You really need to understand the metals better and choose the properties you desire most. Only you can decide the best or better material to use based on what results you are expecting. The more detailed your requirements the better the choice you can make.

less you could get CPMD2 (finer grain then std D2)
i would go with O1 (it can be hardened to 62 no problem) but doesn't have to be that hard to take a good edge
i use it all the time as my HC kitchen knife steel
SS i use cpm154

Thanks guys,
I knew there would be a vote for each steel - since as you say, there is no clear 'better' steel, just different based on the unique properties of each.
The D2 has a much higher chromium content which makes it pretty resistant to corrosion, also it is much more resistant to abrasive wear - which is good for edge retention but bad for machining. I'm thinking that once a proper grind has been set, and a precise bevel established - then the razor should be great at holding a nice edge - perhaps with a bit more skill and labour on the hone than with an ordinary steel - but thats seems a fair deal to me.

Uddeholm can heat treat the D2 for me with a vacuum harden and then a double vacuum temper to relieve the stresses and bring it down to the final hardness of 61-63 Rc - so I'm sure with that kind of professional heat treat, I can really get the best out of this steel. The only downside to D2 from what I can see is the 'orange peel' finish you get when trying to mirror polish it. But I may choose to leave a more textured finish on the blades in any case.

Are O1 and D2 not just as brittle at the same Rc hardness? I think at 62 Rc all razors will be acceptably brittle - I mean we're not throwing these blades into tree stumps right..

I also have access to AEB-L martensitic stainless steel. Not to complicate things, but what are your thoughts on this steel. It seems to have been specifically created for fine blades

a slight bauble burst here
D2s orange peel finish id from the large carbides in te steel and alloy banding
guess what that hinders a super fine edge like most razors have. now that said there are a few razor makers using D2 and making it work

for my $$ CPM D2 is made in a way that you will not get the alloy banding and carbide separation (barring poor heat treat ) that plain D2 can get

again i have to say that i have made blades both razor adn kitchen out of steel that no onw thought would work and i got lucky on some and missed on others its all about tring it out and testign
then testing more then maybe selling

O1 was what famed knifemaker W.D. Randall of Orlando, Florida always used on his carbon knives and still does I believe.

Here is a steel faq I found that you might find interesting. When you get to the bottom of the first post click "read more".

I would pay attention to what LR harner is saying about D2. He has the experience.

One question I would ask is if D2 is better then why isn't Dovo or TI using it? D2 has been available for some time.
The other question that I have asked myself is why make a razor so hard/abrasion resistant that the average guy will have a lot of difficulty/frustration honing it? If your making the razor just for yourself is one thing, but if your going to sell to others......?

I am making razors now also and my choice is 1095 steel. If I were to use a SS then I would go with CPM 154. Both are proven blade steels.
O1 and ATS 34 would be other good choices.

Hope this helps,

Hi guys, points taken. Thanks.
Randydance, I am looking to make custom razors to sell, so definately think I'll leave D2 alone for now. I'm gonna go with Bohler N690 stainless steel, which is essentially 440C with added cobolt, and from what I can gather is a lot like VG-10 and is said to be a fine blade steel.

I'll report back when things are gettin going.

Originally Posted by Jasper Kade

Hi guys, points taken. Thanks.
Randydance, I am looking to make custom razors to sell, so definately think I'll leave D2 alone for now. I'm gonna go with Bohler N690 stainless steel, which is essentially 440C with added cobolt, and from what I can gather is a lot like VG-10 and is said to be a fine blade steel.

I'll report back when things are gettin going.

N690 is probably a very good choice. It's a fine-grained steel, and should take a fabulous edge. I've never made razors from it, but I do own a couple knives made of it, and they've proven to be very good. That steel takes (at least in knife-blade thicknesses) a very keen edge. D2 is a good steel, but I don't think it's really suitable for razors. Maybe CPMD2, but not the standard variety. A famous maker once said about D2 "it takes a lousy edge and holds it forever." It's an aggressive cutting steel, but not, I think, suitable for razors.

Thanks Joe! I really appreciate getting the nod from the likes of you with regards to my steel choice. From what I can see based on my little research, there doesn't appear to be any razor makers using N690, so it's cool being able to perhaps bring something new to the table..

I'm wondering if maybe you or anyone else could advise on the amount of dimensional shift after heat treatment of N690 - I mean, once I've profiled the blade and roughed out the master grind, what kind of distortion can one expect after hardening and tempering? If I left 2mm at the cutting edge, will that be enough to do final grinding and create a perfectly straight edge? Also if the spine is 6mm thick, would there be noticeable warpage when laying the blade on a flat surface? should I then increase the thickness of the blades and flat grind both sides to correct the warpage? Or does heat treatment not affect the blade in such a severe way...?

Thanks for any and all help with this.