Thread: Emerging Technologies to Consider for Straight Razors

Any change in technology should be seen as cost cutting or profit boosting not product improvement. Ceramic blades that hardly wear would be like Gillette going back to making the DE. Planned obsolesence is an important concept in the manufacture of everything these days from cars to coffee makers to pens.

Think how could a process make the blade better for it's purpose and there's a prayer, but thinking how will technology save this industry or what technology can do for our company tends to lead down the wrong path.

Ceramic would lend itself to a blade insert, more like a feather than a complete blade of it since it's so brittle and expensive.
MIM is promising, but Personally I don't trust molded metal in stress situations as there's little control over the grain of the metal, and a knife of any kind needs grain control for a good edge.

MIM is probabily going to have a large impact on many application in the future, but I don't know how soon the knife will be a serious contender. Even a major manufacturer (or two) of knives commercialising the process will not make the product better for the sake of the product, nor will it provide a guaranteed consumer acceptence.

IMHO, there seems to be a significant increase in intrest of straight shaving thus increasing the demand for new quality razors. If The makers in Solingen want to remain in the industry then quality must be maintained at all costs (improved, actually from some of the reports on some major players offerings...) and production should simply increase. There's not always a need to use newer technology just because it's available. Made in America did a segment on Cutco, the kitchen knife company. Their operation is amazing and that kind of technology should be standard throughout the industry so really production, or lack of supply seems more of a company management decision, a company not realising the demand, or a bottle neck in supply chains.
I know a razor is not a kitchen knife and production is different, but I question how different is it really?


Henry Ford was always behind the times with a model because he disliked change. The model T and model A ran with minor changes for such long times, but customers STILL bought them. GM had endless trouble with it's Northstar engines in the Cadillacs, and BMW and Mercedes Benz had major tarnishing on their image and reputation when their major technological advances in the cars had problems because technology was not in line with production or consumer demand.

Why not change the offerings to suit just as they used to in times of old.....the same blade at different price points based on the scales and acutrements. If the basic blade can be sold for $50 then they should do so, and make additional profits from the upfitting just as many other industries do. Smith and Wesson are a prime example- base gun can be sent throught their custom shop. Gibson guitars makes basic models and custom models.

Let someone looking for a basic razor get one cost reflective and someone wanting a custom inlayed and scripted blade do so as well.