Just how fragile is a razor's edge?

How fragile is a razor's edge? Over the months I've found myself treating the razor with kid gloves, not just because of safety but also because I'm hyper-aware of the condition and quality of the honed edge. Then last night I shaved with a new razor. My other razors are antiques and while I cleaned and dried them well, they have a dull patina on them that seems to hide soap buildup. The new shiny razor showed every last bit of dirt, smudge and soap and I found myself having to polish with a little more effort to get it all off.

So just out of curiosity, what seems to be the most a razor can handle before you blunt it? I wonder if sometimes I treat it with more trepidation that I need to.

I think it is a very good idea to treat it with care, like the delicate instrument it is. The razor's edge, while steel, is honed very thinly and the cutting edge is very fine. I think the most a razor can handle before you blunt it is less than the hairs that make up your beard, since actual shaving in fact will blunt your knife. Anything more severe than hair certainly merits attention in my book.

As for the patina - that would be on the face of the razor blade, not on the actual cutting edge I believe? Patina certainly can help protect a razor, but would be unwelcome on the actual cutting edge.

They are probably more robust than you think, but I agree with the previous comment by str8fencer - it doesn't hurt to be careful so long as it doesn't spill over into the realms of OCD.

James.

Really it's just an idle thought on my part. The edges on my razors are pretty shiny and polished, but I was just thinking about it last night while I was wiping the razor down. I was wiping pretty close to the edge and it just made me wonder. It certainly is stronger than I originally thought when I started. I imagined a razor edge as being as fragile as tin foil, as if a stiff breeze would ruin it. I still treat them that way, but it was an interesting thought.

All I can tell you is it doesn't take much to cause a chip or tear in the edge. it's best to think of it as a delicate instrument and just treat it as such.

The other day I accidentally chipped a blade while using my thumbnail on it. Thank God it was one of mine and not someone elses.

If you really want to know how fragile the edge of a razor is, just ask any faucet. Mine knows.