Thread: Why are some straights heavily Magnatized?

I've not done a search for threads related to this question but I doubt I'd find much. Somebody will prove me wrong now:-)
Anyway my question is this why are some razors magnatized? In fact some are heavily magnatized. I have one razor that is so magnatized it will pickup a large W&B wedge with no problem at all. I don't mean be careful and you can pickup one end I mean yank the whole razor up by the blade with no fear of dropping it. This particular razor is a Lauderjung in 5/8th inch size and is probably from the early 20th century. In fact when I take it out to use I have to be careful because it picks up whatever is next to it.
Any ideas on whey this is useful or why it was done?

If it's deliberate, I think it was a bit of a sales gimmick. A bit like a titanium coating. I've got one, but it wouldn't pick up a wedge.
Or maybe you've just stroked it too much!

Some of the straight restorers use a magnetic doohickey to hold the blades in place while working on them. Bill Ellis sells one of these doohickeys.
Result is sometimes you get a blade that has been magnetized.

i suspect it's a gimmick, but perhaps it helped keep the blade flatter on certain ferrous hones?

Originally Posted by JMS

Some of the straight restorers use a magnetic doohickey to hold the blades in place while working on them. Bill Ellis sells one of these doohickeys.
Result is sometimes you get a blade that has been magnetized.

Is that really all there is to it? I have a blade that looks like it has no restoration (except for mine) whatsoever and yet it's horribly magnetic. I only say horribly because I used wire wool on it. Big mistake.

Originally Posted by AlanII

Is that really all there is to it? I have a blade that looks like it has no restoration (except for mine) whatsoever and yet it's horribly magnetic. I only say horribly because I used wire wool on it. Big mistake.

It's only one reason. they may have actually magnetized razors from the factory but I highly doubt it. Some young kid could've been playing with his fathers razor with a magnet for all I know...who knows.

I have Bills tool to hold your razors in place to work on and those magnets are very strong. The tool doesn't impart and magnatism to any blades I've used on it.
I've had razors that said magnatized but they wouldn't pick anything up where this thing is just crazy strong.
This razor is marked magnetic so it is intentional even to this degree I suppose. It could just ne a gimmick I guess. maybe back then there was some craze going on about magnetizing steel curing your ills or something---LOL!

Here is something I found under patents:
Magnetic razor blade conditioning device
United States Patent 4615436

Abstract:
A magnetic conditioning device whereby a magnetic influence acts upon a cutting edge, such as a razor blade, at an angle of substantially 45° incident thereto so as to maintain the sharpness of the cutting edge.


“Razor Mate” Magnetic Blade Saver Giveaway
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At first I was skeptical - a little box you set on your bathroom counter that sharpens your razor blade with magnets. But after reading the concept about how a blade’s edge actually contorts after use, and how the magnets simply pull it back into place keeping the blade sharp, it started sounding logical. But too good to be true? I wanted it to work, after all. I hate paying $20 for a pack of razors, using them a few times, then tossing them in the trash. It makes me feel so wasteful and very “ungreen”. So I gave the Razor Mate a go, and I’m so glad I did.

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Just out of curiosity... does it attract both poles of a regular magnet or does one side repel?

I have no idea why they magnetized some razors, but I have seen a few with "magnetic" etched into the blade as advertising. Perhaps it was for storage purposes, you could stick the razor to the inside of your medicine cabinet and not risk it falling out

It just attracts no repel whatsoever.