Thread: Alternate materials for blades

I can contribute a 6/8ths razor for this or a 5/8ths. Just send me the address to send it to. [email protected].

I do want the razor returned. Please.

The maximum I would spend for the straight razor blade is $125. I can make my own handles. I would be interested primarily from an investment standpoint. I would want a letter to accompany the blade from the company stating what material this is made from and the quantiity made.

So are they planning on supplying this tungsten blade already shaving sharp? (I'm sure that stuff would laugh at my hones...or I'd be honing for a LONG time, anyway...)
John P.

Well, this whole thing sounds interesting. If you ever come up with a blade let me know, I'm in.

I've requested a mailing address so we can move forward with this. Too bad we don't have a monkey tail we could send in... Anyway, it should arrive shaving sharp, but I'll confirm that and I'll send them some pictures from microscope shots people have provided.

Don't reference them to the microscope pics... They are man made edges. They will sharpen by machine (laser?). Just indicate you want best shaving edge they can achieve...

Nenad

Good point Superfly, thank you for that suggestion. Anyway, I have the shipping address and I've forwarded that to Randy. I'm suspecting we'll have a quote some time in the next two weeks. Chances are the larger a run they can do, the cheaper the blades will be. If you can think of anyone else that might be interested in these, please let me know and I'll get a hold of them.

I just recently started following this thread and do have a question. Just what material are we talking about here, tungsten like that used in welding electrodes (pure, not thoriated) or tungsten carbide? It looks like in the e-mail you posted from the supplier they are talking about tungsten carbide such as used in metal cutting tools, lathe bits, milling cutters, etc..... this is a very brittle material if anyone here has ever used it. Even on a lathe bit with a near 90 deg. edge angle it will quickly chip if bumped or dropped. I can't imagine that holding up on something as thin as a razor.
Now the pure tungsten used in welding electrodes is far more durable but I don't know how hard it is or if it is hardenable.
I work with these two materials on a daily basis at my "real" <g> job and can't imagine a razor from either so maybe you mean a similar material?
Thanks,
Tony

It looks like in the e-mail you posted from the supplier they are talking about tungsten carbide such as used in metal cutting tools, lathe bits, milling cutters, etc..... this is a very brittle material if anyone here has ever used it. Even on a lathe bit with a near 90 deg. edge angle it will quickly chip if bumped or dropped. I can't imagine that holding up on something as thin as a razor.
Now the pure tungsten used in welding electrodes is far more durable but I don't know how hard it is or if it is hardenable.
I work with these two materials on a daily basis at my "real" <g> job and can't imagine a razor from either so maybe you mean a similar material?

Hi Tony, I looked over the email thread and can confirm that they are indeed speaking of tungsten carbide. I've sent Gale an email regarding the brittleness of such a fine edge and if this will have a problem with chipping and I think this is something Joe Lerch brought up earlier in the thread. She's been really good about answering emails so I should have an answer for you tomorrow.

I suspect they will tell you it won't have a problem with chipping...in use...but tap it on the faucet and look out!

I may be wrong on this but I think this is why we don't see tungsten carbide knife blades either. It is useful in the metal cutting trades since it is so tough against other steels but even there you cannot sharpen a carbide lathe tool at anywhere near the angles used with HSS tools. Even angles like that would be like comparing an axe with a staright razor edge.

Not trying to rain on anyones parade and as I said I could be wrong on this. My experience comes from metal cutting tools in a machine shop environment. My "day job" is in process engineering and NDT testing for an aerospace machining/foundry contractor. www.dankoarlington.com

Tony "as a matter of fact I am a rocket scientist" Miller <g>

I think Tony's on to something regarding the included angle of the edge. I can't recall any examples of a t.c. edge in sharpness even in a chisel edge. I've made my share of swarf with such bits in a lathe, and Tony's points are dead on. I'm willing to learn new and wonderful things about str8s in general, and t.c. in particular, but more details are desired.



Wayne