Keep razor blades sharp 6

[IFRs]

What is the best way to keep razor blades sharp? I read somewhere that most modern razor blades dull from corrosion long before they get dull from cutting beard hair. If that is true, how can I keep them from corroding?

 

[Metalguy]

He had some close ones, especially after he went to Burma.<g>

 

[metlsmith]

Metalguy,
Interesting experiment. One more variable to consider though - does crevice corrosion/underdeposit corrosion contribute to failure? It seems that no matter how long I rinse the blades or how hard I shake them I still end up with whiskers trapped between the blades (I use Atra blades, a new one every Monday). I'll try to remember to bring my old blades in on Monday and look at them under the microscope to see if there's pitting or wear.

Knobhead,
I like the idea of the razor blade protection gizmo. You could sell it in one of those gadget catalogs right beside the cathodic protection systems for cars and the clip-on magnetic water softeners!

 

[tomwalz]

Sorry about the pyramid power post. I forgot to wear my aluminum foil hat that day.

http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

Or, plan B, just feeling silly about the holiday.

Have a good weekend.
tom

 

[metman]

IFR's,
Is that a philosophical or religious question? Either way I guess my hands are tied since this is a TECHNICAL forum.

tom,
psycotronics eh? Maybe that's the ticket. If we all put on our AFDB's and place our razors under pyramids, we can delude ourselves into believing the red stars on our cheeks are from an attempt at mind control via the forum that got deflected off our brain and fell on our cheeks.

Jesus is THE life,
Leonard

 

[Sodha]

I stopped using blades a while back but reading through all the postings, it is odd that a couple of guys have had little problem with using the blades over extended periods. Perhaps corrosion is not the primary driving mechanism for the dullness experienced. Perhaps it si purely and simply mechanical damage that occurs during handlign, such as when putting the blade down on ceramic washbasin. Perhaps some of you can change your handling habits and give us some feedback.

kind regards

 

[Sodha]

I stopped using blades a while back but reading through all the postings, it is odd that a couple of guys have had little problem with using the blades over extended periods. Perhaps corrosion is not the primary driving mechanism for the dullness experienced. Perhaps it is purely and simply mechanical damage that occurs during handling, such as when putting the blade down on ceramic washbasin. Perhaps some of you can change your handling habits and give us some feedback.

 

[Metalguy]

After ~25 wetting and drying cycles, I looked at the new SS razor with a good 45X stereo microscope. No sign of any corrosion so far.

I suspect that you are correct-corr. isn't involved at all.

Another interesting--a sharp razor makes a different sound than a dull one while being dragged across your face.

 

[Skogsgurra]

&quot;Under a pyramid&quot;?

There are some comments and questions to that:

1 The Egyptian government does not allow anyone to dig under the pyramids anymore. It was in the 19th century that such excavations could be undertaken without legal penalties.

2 IF you are permitted to dig a tunnel under a pyramid and put your razor blades there, you should think about the humidty level in such a location. It is true that the desert often is an extremely dry place, but keep in mind that there is a vertical RH gradient, which means that humidity goes up as you go down.

3 Is it really worth the trouble?

4 Should this posting be red-flagged?

5 Or, perhaps, red-stared?

 

[gvh]

Metalguy, do you really meen the sound the blade makes, or the sound that you make as a result of using the sharp, versus the dull blade?

 

[Metalguy]

I mean the sound the blade(s) make while shaving. A sharp razor makes a different sound than a dull one that tends to pull hair out rather than cut it cleanly. When I go to a barber who uses a very-well sharpened straight razor it makes a similar sound.

I suspect some of the sound is transmitted right thru the skin.

 

[drwebb]

I was astonished I had to drill through 30 posts to see a magnet suggestion!

Actually, I saw a gizmo in one of the gadget catalogues a few years ago that was a stand for safety razors that immersed the head in a special oil ($7.95/bottle). It showed some pretty dramatic microscopy shots in the copy- (as one would expect!).

So I started storing my razor immersed head-down in baby oil. It did seem to improve longevity and performance marginally, probably by keeping shaving detritus (especially hard water deposits) from drying and adhering to the blades. You have to use a razor without the 'lubricating strips' because the oil will start to dissolve the low HLB surfactants they're made of, and the resulting rough leading-edge will plow your face pretty effectively.

BTW, nothing sets up your whiskers for a shave like a genuine boar's hair brush (available for about $7 on the bottom shelf at most drug stores, and will last 5-10 years). These are still popular in Europe- where Men take their toilet more seriously than most convenience-minded Americans.

 

[JimMetalsCeramics]

I doubt that you can improve on anything Gillette is doing. When a blade corrodes it actually (initially, at least) makes for a better shave. The corrosion splits open the grain boundaries in the blade metal and gives it some flexibility. If you made a razor out of a perfectly sharp, non-corroding blade, you would cut your face up. If you take a dull razor and wet it and leave it out for a few days it will often sharpen itself.

Possibly the only option would be to corrode the blade and then sputter coat a very thin layer corrosion resisnt metal over it like chromium or gold.

 

[Metalguy]

We're about to see what happens via corrosion. At the time I started the wetting/drying cycles on a new Gillette 2 blade razor, I also started using another new one for shaving. This one is just about due for a date with the trash can, and I'll try the test razor. It now has ~60 cycles on it-many more than the one I've been shaving with.

My bet says it will shave just like new.

 

[Skogsgurra]

KUTGW Metalguy! We can hardly contain ourselves.

 

[Metalguy]

Viagra helps me keep it up. <g>

 

[drwebb]

&quot;Possibly the only option would be to corrode the blade and then sputter coat a very thin layer corrosion resisnt metal over it like chromium or gold.&quot;

Or lay down a layer of non-stick Teflon- readily accessible technology, comparatively economical, and brand-differentiating marketing potential. Who says Gillette has a monopoly on new ideas?

 

[JimMetalsCeramics]

Actually Gillette does have a Monopoly. The materials work they have tried is impressive, including sputtering Cr and coating Teflon on relief surfaces.

 

[Metalguy]

This morning I put the test razor to the test-my face. Result was that

 

[BRT549]

Metalguy - are you shaving in the Castle of &quot;ARRRUGGG&quot;? Is the Holy Grail on the windowsill? What a cliffhanger!!

 

[Metalguy]

Oops, another computer screw-up! So sorry. Anyway, the razor shaved just like new! AFAIC, that's the end of any corrosion concerns, at least with SS blades.

Last one to leave this thread please turn out the lights!