Thread: Steel: the final cut?

Originally Posted by fpessanha

But lets bring back the practical aspects, then... how about silver or gold or platinum, or even aluminium. What do you think. Isn't there a possible alternative to steel? Mind me, I do like steel. I'm just trying to figure if there might be something else...

If you can figure out a way to get the crystalline structure necessary to make a decent blade out of silver, gold, platinum, titanium, etc., you'll make a big splash in the world of cutlery.

Jimbo, ROTFLMAO

Okay, I'll just start by saying although I have never dropped anything ON a cat, I've dropped quite a few cats. They do NOT always land on their feet, myth.

second, a light saber would not require an alum block, it would cauterize the nick.

gold, silver too soft. aluminum I think could be hard enough but probably a sharpening problem. obsidian is used in scalpes by some eye surgeons, I think the problem again would be with honing. however i can't say how long the edge would last so maybe would work. I think though it would have to be more like a japanese style razor than a folder, too delicate to risk hitting the scales and wouldn't want to risk a pivot pin.

titanium would likely work, but again you get into an easy of maintenance issue. honing it might be difficult.

I think if a wedge shape was used glass might be possible. after being ground since it is a wedge it should be possible to maintain it. just thinking.

Red

BigSpender is onto something there with the 'space age plastics'.
I remember Kevin McClung. (Mad Dog Knives) made a knife out of a then 'state of the art glass/epoxy composite in 1991.
Anyone know these ? They were called 'Frequent Flyers" Can't tell you much more

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Then what are the restrictions? How about diamond?
Or possibly some form of plutonium that could stunt all hair growth for a really long time?

I wonder if a razor can be made out of a real light saber, that would be pretty cool!

Laser razors are already a reality of sorts...

Doesn't sound like much of a hobby though...

And that guy trying to make a ceramic razor must be some sort of quack!


Aluminum is too soft. Titanium is too flexible (I think?), Gold is too soft. I looked up berylium, but it is apparently very brittle, and highly carcinogenic when ground!



Diamond coated milling tools are currently available. Perhaps that would make for a pretty good maintenance free razor?

You'd have to use a FIB to put the final, shaving edge on there, but not impossible by any means.


Diamond is the natural end of the high-carbon progression, as it is pure carbon.



Let me say though from my brief encounter with the ceramic razor, that a strop-free, hone-free razor just really is not that appealing at all. You may as well just buy disposables!

I like steel.

The main thing with razors is that you need a long uninterrupted edge to shave with. That rules out diamonds since the tools made out of these are just really small diamonds set in steel. That edge also needs to be a tad flexible for ease of use and sharpening, so that rules out ceramics to a certain point and most plastics and other compounds.

Then you're left with metals. Most precious metals are too soft and anyhow too expensive to be of any use other than in alloys. Titanium might work if you can temper it, it's a bit softer than steel though. Some steel alloys are quite interesting, for example acid proof steel is self-tempering, so it might take an edge harder than a standard stainless or carbon razor, but when you have that edge it would probably keep it longer as well. Problem is that regular honing and tempering methods wouldn't work since as soon as it starts to get a little hot it hardens something awful. When drilling acid proof steel you need carbide-steel bits, and still you usually have one heck of a job getting holes done in it. Still, a bit of research would probably overcome these problems, and a razor that could be dipped in acid would be a bit cool! ^^

Steel is the only metal that can bend within a certain limit (to where the molecules starts sliding relative to each other) without fatiguing at all. All other metals will fatigue even from small movements. My thought is that since the edge is being worked on at each stropping, that might lead to fatigue and chipping in other metals. Or it might not be enough to affect them within a lifespan, idk.

Titanium is too hard. Problem is, its too expensive when pure. I'm gonna get to drivers in a minute, but note how a 300cc driver in Ti costs $400; and the same size driver in steel is $190 or so. Ti can't really be readily be sharpened into an edge at home, i.e. on a hone. Ti is very brittle, hence why its replacing steel as the metal of choice in golf clubs, because people don't really realize that you need some degree of elasticity in your clubs for the ball to fly farther. People assume that since Ti is harder, that the ball is going to fly farther. They're wrong; looking what happens when a golf ball explodes off a golf club's face is that the face actually bends back a little, then quickly returns to its previous shape, and propels the ball off the face as it returns to flat. Steel bends more with impact on a golf ball; thus sends it farther than a Ti face.

Also, steel drivers, irons, wedges, and putters definately give more "feedback" to the golfer than Ti does, even according to the manufacturers. I feel like a razor needs to provide more sensory feedback rather than less, hence steel. Also, steel is more of a "do-it-at-home-metal" than Ti, so it can be honed well and easily on stones that one can get oneself.

Titanium can typically achieve a hardness 30's to mid 40's HRC, high carbon steel can easily get into the 60's thats no contest really.

Yeah, so Titanium is softer, not harder. And the reason you see more titanium in clubs and other sporting equipment is mainly due to weight and corrosion reasons.