Diamond coated razor blades anyone?

[BigDawg]

check out this article I found today.

If these things hit the market and aren't too expensive, I'd give 'em a try.

http://www.designnews.com/article/509839-Diamond_Razor_Blades_Boast_Long_Life.php

 

[michiganlover]

I seem to remember this being discussed a month, or two back. He has a concept, but may not yet have a manufacturer, or marketing for them.

Who would agree to market these blades? Gillette, and Schick are not interested. I just don't see any company with enough capital getting behind this effort.

Personna made the very long lasting Personna 74's in the 1970's, and they were made of tungsten steel, so making a long lasting blade is not exactly a new concept.

 

[TxPhoto09]

I've never even shaved with a carbide blade, that's how far behind the times I am.

 

[Seraphim]

Try this, a blade made of sapphire!

I'm thinking of loading one into my KAI Excella

 

[Speedwell68]

I seem to remember this being discussed a month, or two back. He has a concept, but may not yet have a manufacturer, or marketing for them.

Who would agree to market these blades? Gillette, and Schick are not interested. I just don't see any company with enough capital getting behind this effort.

Personna made the very long lasting Personna 74's in the 1970's, and they were made of tungsten steel, so making a long lasting blade is not exactly a new concept.

I doubt any of the current crop of blade makers would be interested in making an extra long lasting blade as it would effectively mean less sales. I know they could charge a premium price to off set that, but why bother when the market is already flooded with trusted brands.

 

[michiganlover]

I doubt any of the current crop of blade makers would be interested in making an extra long lasting blade as it would effectively mean less sales.

A big +1

Gillette, and Schick make their money selling blades. They have designed their blades to fail at a certain point, ensuring the customer needs to buy more blades, and quite often. As such, marketing a blade that lasts longer would be a major hit to their bottom line. So they are certainly not interested in this concept.

At best there is a really limited market, especially considering that trying to make blades that fit the Fusion/ Mach 3 would very likely be infringing on existing patents.

I think on the whole, this is an idea that simply has zero potential to actually make it to market.

 

[Triple Beam]

From a consumer standpoint -- I wouldn't want it. If I drop $150 bucks on a razorblade, I would be scared of dinging the blade on the faucet/sink or in my dopp kit (ask the straight razor guys about that). Just not really a good idea for me. I sort of need the semi-disposable, cheaply-replaced situation that DE blades give me.

 

[peacefrog33756]

I can't see this from either a sales or marketing perspective.

 

[Sydney Guy]

Wow, lasts 50 times longer than a steel razor blade - one blade for a year's shaving! If this thing takes off Gillette & Schick will go bankrupt. Then maybe a bunch of us B&B-ers could pick up the remnants and reintroduce production of the SuperSpeed and Schick Injector. We can but dream .......

 

[eyeguy]

For cataract surgery, the difference between a very sharp "metal" blade & a diamond blade is huge! I know one blade where I use to work is over 10 years old & probably averages 1 use per day!
I would use one, but not without a way to protect it. They are extremely fragile.
I should mention too that our diamond knives were solid diamond, not a coating.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I doubt any of the current crop of blade makers would be interested in making an extra long lasting blade as it would effectively mean less sales. I know they could charge a premium price to off set that, but why bother when the market is already flooded with trusted brands.

To be the first and for a short time the only company selling such a blade. Gillette didn't want to sell stainless blades, either, until the competition decided the time was right, and did it. The company that sells a true long-life DE blade will have a lot of credibility with the consumer, which would help in sales of other products.

Then again, the blade I shaved with this morning is probably 80 years old or so, and still going strong.

 

[Maul555]

To be the first and for a short time the only company selling such a blade. Gillette didn't want to sell stainless blades, either, until the competition decided the time was right, and did it. The company that sells a true long-life DE blade will have a lot of credibility with the consumer, which would help in sales of other products.

Then again, the blade I shaved with this morning is probably 80 years old or so, and still going strong.

yes, but has it been used every other day for 80 years? I think not... Hell, i would be willing to buy a diamond coated razor blade if it lasted me even 1 whole year.... mabey $20 a blade.... I would hoard them and use my existing stock up first.... but I would buy a few, and the reputation would certiantly spread... I would show it to people, saying, "and this is my doomsday blade"

 

[Eclectic]

This goes against the fundamental business model of the razor industry, they want the blades to be as disposable as possible. The shorter blades last the more get sold.

30+ years ago Personna tried to make the perfect blade using the technology available then, using tungsten steel coated in titanium. It was called the Personna 74 and is probably the best blade ever made. But they dropped it when they realised what it did for sales. Some users were going for months with just one blade.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Very interesting technology, but I'm not sure if it would be a good business model. I'd consider buying one, but I'd be terrified of dropping or damaging it. Cheap DE blades work very well and I can toss one without worry.

 

[BBrad]

The diamond blade technology, when applied to a razor blade, is the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. At best, it is a high-tech answer to a low-tech requirement.

 

[enc0re]

The blade is polished until the cutting edge is sharpened to only a few nanometers, consisting of merely a few atoms.

Take that, Feathers! Also, apparently these Germans don't understand planned obsolescence.

By the way, these guys produce their own blades and have been selling them for a while to pharma and industry. There, the lifetime of the blades is 1,000 times that of a steel blade. The novelty is that they are considering making razor blades too.

 

[Slash McCoy]

yes, but has it been used every other day for 80 years? I think not... Hell, i would be willing to buy a diamond coated razor blade if it lasted me even 1 whole year.... mabey $20 a blade.... I would hoard them and use my existing stock up first.... but I would buy a few, and the reputation would certiantly spread... I would show it to people, saying, "and this is my doomsday blade"

No, it hasn't been used every day for 80 years, but it certainly has been used a lot. I wouldn't have any way of knowing how much it was used before I bought it but there is substantial hone wear on the spine and I have probably used it 30 or more times myself.

A diamond DE blade for $20? It would probably cost a good bit more than that. But at any realistic price, I would probably get one and start using my DE razrs more often.

There are solid sapphire blades already being made. They are used for slicing tissue samples for microscopic analysis, and apparently they are almost supernaturally sharp, keep their edge for a very long time, and are nearly the size of a DE razor blade. The downside is they cost several hundred bucks apiece. The vendors generally will resharpen them for you for a sticker-shock-worthy price shold it ever become necessary.

 

[tripper]

the sad thing is, it just seems like an excess. what a waste of material and research.

jeez.

 

[enc0re]

Quite the opposite. The research is mostly done for the industrial uses and it will save tons of material.

Imagine walking into a store and buying a razor with a permanently attached blade (like a disposable) that will last for the rest of your life with an edge only a few molecules thick. That isn't waste; it's perfection.

 

[michiganlover]

Imagine walking into a store and buying a razor with a permanently attached blade (like a disposable) that will last for the rest of your life with an edge only a few molecules thick. That isn't waste; it's perfection.

Such a razor has already existed for well over 100 years, it's called a straight razor!!