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Scanning Electron Microscope Blade Edge Images

Here's the last set of profile scans until I get more/new blades. I've exhausted my collection for now. I do have some Bolzanos in route.

Shark Super Chrome:





Shark Super Stainless:





Baili:





7am:





The Baili blades were a throw in when I bought my Cadet razor and I haven't tried them yet, but the scans look pretty clean. I may have to give them a go.

The other 3 blades look pretty bad, the 7am (green pack) look the worst in my opinion.

I'm going to start another thread with some different type of SEM work. This tread will be used to house these profile images and the elemental analysis.
 
I have some Viking's Sword blades that are supposed to be made in Israel. Super Stainless Steel, polymer coated. Shave-wise, I would rate them with the Gillette Super Blues. PM me if you'd like to add it to your study population.
 
Perhaps I've missed it but has anyone tabulated the wt % of the constituents for these various blades? Also, it's been mentioned but I wonder what the variation for, say, analyzing a 10 pack of the same blade? Are these differences we're seeing between blades significant or do they represent the normal variability within the manufacturing process? I would assume there would be minimal variation within a single brand/model but who know?
 
NM. I see them now. Thanks! This is awesome! I bet if I start to branch out trying blades similar to the Indian Wilkinson I'll have a great time!
 
This thread is full of freaking AWESOMENESS!

Love the images, though now I know what I am dragging across my face I just may have to grow a beard.
 
Not to mention that the only platinum to be found is in the name. I wonder how can they get away with this? Are these blades made by Gillette?

I think sometimes they use the term Platinum like a credit card company does. You know, Diamond, Titanium, Gold cards. Someone else mentioned that in this thread, and I'm leaning towards believing it the more blades I scan.
 
In the most recent batch, I really don't see much difference in the blade edge. I do see difference in the debris that seems to be collected on the bevel back from the edge. Does this debris seem to effect the shave? from looking at the edges, I am hard pressed to say which ones are good and which are bad. Can anyone point me to the quality shown in the image and how it relates to shave quality?
And this thread is most awesome.
 
In the most recent batch, I really don't see much difference in the blade edge. I do see difference in the debris that seems to be collected on the bevel back from the edge. Does this debris seem to effect the shave? from looking at the edges, I am hard pressed to say which ones are good and which are bad. Can anyone point me to the quality shown in the image and how it relates to shave quality?
And this thread is most awesome.

I don't think you can really ascertain shave quality from any of these images. The intent of this post was to just give everyone here a slightly closer look at these blades and the different manufacturing processes. The only true judge of blade quality is your face...as horrifying as that statement sounds.

What we can see in these images is the different grinding/sharpening processes that different companies use. We can also see the care that some companies take to clean their products before they go out the door. I have yet to see a truly terrible blade edge though, so that's somewhat comforting.
 
I wish I could keep them all together up top, but I can't seem to figure out how.


Any chance of someday dumping all of these images into a gallery so we could see all of them together without having to surf through the thread. That wouldn't enable the great discussion everyone's presenting, but it might be good for posterity. You might also, I know it's a time thing, write up your explanation/findings as a contributor and post that eventually.

Just a thought, love following the thread.
 
A few interesting things...the Super Thins claim to be platinum coated, but my elemental analysis doesn't show any platinum on the razor surface. The blade edge does have some sort of coating or oxidation, but it's not elementally different than the rest of the blade.

The Silver Blues don't claim to be platinum coated (I believe) but platinum show up in the analysis.

The Silver Blues DO claim to be platinum coated on some sites that sell them online they say "Platinum coating insures outstanding smoothness, comfort and longevity" as part of their marketing. Some sites also mention a PTFE coating but not platinum. On the other hand i wonder if some of the blades with Platinum in their name but none on their blade did at one time contain platinum but have since moved to a different manufacturing process that does not use platinum for one reason or another. Thanks for a very interesting thread !
 
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The Silver Blues DO claim to be platinum coated on some sites that sell them online they say "Platinum coating insures outstanding smoothness, comfort and longevity" as part of their marketing. Some sites also mention a PTFE coating but not platinum. On the other hand i wonder if some of the blades with Platinum in their name but none on their blade did at one time contain platinum but have since moved to a different manufacturing process that does not use platinum for one reason or another. Thanks for a very interesting thread !

You're correct, I miss spoke. In general, it looks like Gillette seems to mean platinum when they say platinum. Other companies, not so much.

I know I've said this earlier in the thread, but it bears repeating. The elemental analysis is a surface analysis only. This means it should only pick up the elements found on the surface of the sample. There is some penetration, but not much, so you should get a general idea of the composition of the alloy as well. These value, while quantitative should be observed as more of a qualitative analysis.

I do have the capability to perform Optical Emission Spectrometry, which would give us exact totals of the elements used, including trace metals, but the razor blades are to thin to safely test. The manufacturing factory would run this test on raw stock, prior to being made into razor blades. Unfortunately, I can't do that.
 
...I know I've said this earlier in the thread, but it bears repeating. The elemental analysis is a surface analysis only. This means it should only pick up the elements found on the surface of the sample...
I believe that's all we need to know about the coating. If it says Platinum Coated then Platinum should come up in the elemental analysis results. Unless other factors come to play, factors that we are not aware of.

Once again, thank you for all your time and effort. It is much appreciated.
 
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