I suspect that we over-strop straight razors. If the edge has the right geometry off the stone, it typically is not as keen (Science of Sharp definition) as a DE blade. One can take a DE blade for 31 shaves without too much loss of closeness and comfort. I don’t see why that can’t be done with a straight.
Maybe sputtering the edge with platinum or tungsten or whatever different manufacturers do with their disposable blades held with longevity. It’s the only thing I can think of why a disposable could outlast an unstropped straight.
Pure speculation on my part, and I’m curious to follow your AA story
Yeah, I thought of that too. Normally, that wears away after the first few days, though. (Among the many useful takeaways I’ve had from previous AAs 🙂)
Yes. It’s generally gone within the first few days. I think, now, that the added comfort of the sputtered material comes from reducing the harshness of a freshly machined edge.
I’m a bit confused here. My understanding is that the polymer coating is here to increase glide and reduce the harshness. The sputtered tungsten, titanium and whatnot is sputtered onto the edge, under the coating to add wear resistance, but it makes the surface rougher, which I thinkshould translate into a harsher feel.
I obviously don’t know, but from videos I’ve seen of making DE blades, the tradeoff between cost and precision favors cost. My assumption on the sputtering is that it normalizes the edge and that the coating reduces harshness when the blade is at its sharpest.
My scope is calibrated so the 50 micron scale at the bottom left is reasonably accurate. It’s amazing how much better the resolving power of a SEM is at similar magnification.
After AA I’ll do a sequence with a DE blade. I’ve only done a GEM and Kismet so far.
I suspect that we over-strop straight razors. If the edge has the right geometry off the stone, it typically is not as keen (Science of Sharp definition) as a DE blade. One can take a DE blade for 31 shaves without too much loss of closeness and comfort. I don’t see why that can’t be done with a straight.
Maybe sputtering the edge with platinum or tungsten or whatever different manufacturers do with their disposable blades held with longevity. It’s the only thing I can think of why a disposable could outlast an unstropped straight.
Pure speculation on my part, and I’m curious to follow your AA story
Yeah, I thought of that too. Normally, that wears away after the first few days, though. (Among the many useful takeaways I’ve had from previous AAs 🙂)
I must have missed our forgotten the evidence of that. Is the sputtered metal (and its removal) visible under your microscope?
Yes. It’s generally gone within the first few days. I think, now, that the added comfort of the sputtered material comes from reducing the harshness of a freshly machined edge.
I’m a bit confused here. My understanding is that the polymer coating is here to increase glide and reduce the harshness. The sputtered tungsten, titanium and whatnot is sputtered onto the edge, under the coating to add wear resistance, but it makes the surface rougher, which I thinkshould translate into a harsher feel.
I obviously don’t know, but from videos I’ve seen of making DE blades, the tradeoff between cost and precision favors cost. My assumption on the sputtering is that it normalizes the edge and that the coating reduces harshness when the blade is at its sharpest.
My scope is calibrated so the 50 micron scale at the bottom left is reasonably accurate. It’s amazing how much better the resolving power of a SEM is at similar magnification.
After AA I’ll do a sequence with a DE blade. I’ve only done a GEM and Kismet so far.