Tungsten Carbide Straight Razor

[WittyAg]

Tungsten Carbide is cheap and is an incredibly dense and tough metal, so why don't we try making straight razor blades out of it instead of steel? I know there is a BS product on tv called the infinity razor that is supposedly made out of the stuff, but the problems associated with it are that it ships as dull as a spoon. I'd be more than willing to try out a test pilot of such a blade if its even possible to make a straight out of this stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten_carbide

 

[leighton]

For the same reason we don't make knives out of the stuff. There is more info on why it is a bad material for sharp blade applications on the knife & sword forums.

 

[Seraphim]

Tough often equals brittle, which is no good for the fine edge of a straight.

 

[luvmysuper]

For the same reason we don't make knives out of the stuff. There is more info on why it is a bad material for sharp blade applications on the knife & sword forums.

Tough often equals brittle, which is no good for the fine edge of a straight.

You mean like Ceramics?

 

[WittyAg]

For the same reason we don't make knives out of the stuff. There is more info on why it is a bad material for sharp blade applications on the knife & sword forums.

Where are these forums? I couldn't find what you were referring to.

 

[leighton]

Where are these forums? I couldn't find what you were referring to.

www.swordforum.com is probably the most reputable swordsmith hangout.

Have no idea where the knife smiths hang out. Maybe knifeforum.com (google that one because I probably got the url wrong). Perhaps Bill or TZ or LR Harner knows of a good bladesmith forum.

Anyway, the fine folks at swordforum will definitely be able to tell you exactly why only steel is good for sharp implements. That is until they find something that does the exact same thing as steel and keeps its edge forever. I'm still waiting for that. Had hope for ceramics, but nope. No bueno there.

 

[Seraphim]

You mean like Ceramics?

Yes, that is a prime example.

 

[Hughies_online]

TC is poor quality steel and I for one hope to never have to sharpen a TC blade

 

[WittyAg]

TC is poor quality steel and I for one hope to never have to sharpen a TC blade

You do realize that anything that is "steel" has iron and carbon in it. Tungsten Carbide has no iron in it, though sometimes has some cobalt thrown in.

 

[mainaman]

www.swordforum.com is probably the most reputable swordsmith hangout.

Have no idea where the knife smiths hang out. Maybe knifeforum.com (google that one because I probably got the url wrong). Perhaps Bill or TZ or LR Harner knows of a good bladesmith forum.

Anyway, the fine folks at swordforum will definitely be able to tell you exactly why only steel is good for sharp implements. That is until they find something that does the exact same thing as steel and keeps its edge forever. I'm still waiting for that. Had hope for ceramics, but nope. No bueno there.

the knifesmiths hang in the knife forums

 

[Thebigspendur]

Tungsten Carbide is cheap and is an incredibly dense and tough metal, so why don't we try making straight razor blades out of it instead of steel? I know there is a BS product on tv called the infinity razor that is supposedly made out of the stuff, but the problems associated with it are that it ships as dull as a spoon. I'd be more than willing to try out a test pilot of such a blade if its even possible to make a straight out of this stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten_carbide

people keep coming out with all kinds of exotic stuff to make razors with and in the end the old standards are the best. Instead of messing with Tungsten carbide how about just pure Tungsten? heck I've been looking for a Talonite razor for years and that's not going to happen either.

 

[Fnord5]

I've been looking for a Talonite razor for years and that's not going to happen either.

Call Robert.

 

[Try em all]

Carbide & ceramic blades already available in single edge format.

Injector Razor Slitting Blades | Cadence Blades

Injector Blades

 

[JohnEzra]

Carbide & ceramic blades already available in single edge format.

Injector Razor Slitting Blades | Cadence Blades

Injector Blades

Only 8 years late on the reply there bud...

 

[Try em all]

I Don't think the carbide blades were available earlier...

 

[WildWest74]

Carbide & ceramic blades already available in single edge format.

Injector Razor Slitting Blades | Cadence Blades

Injector Blades

 

[Try em all]

 

[Rey Zhourej]

I don't recall ever having seen tungsten carbide used on razor blades but I have two knives that sport TC edges. The first is an Anton Wingen paring knife that has what appear to be small TC segments affixed to the blade.I believe they used a vapor transfer process to achieve this. A good friend of mine designed several processes to do this using a vacuum metallizing machine in his aerospace business.
The second one is an Imperial hunting knife that appears to have had the same procedure done only in a continuous edge. As this is a fairly old knife(1950's era I believe)it would seem the idea isn't exactly new.
I've used both knives and neither seem to be any better(or worse)than a standard edge.Can't comment on the sharpening as I have never attempted it. I would assume that a diamond stone would have to be employed as that substance is the only thing I know of that is harder than tungsten carbide.

 

[eKretz]

Most of the time when this is used on knives its only on one side of the blade - this produces a sort of self sharpening effect because the steel side wears away faster than the tungsten carbide side. It's a bit of a ragged edge but quite sharp. Tungsten carbide is considerably more brittle than hardened and tempered steel. This can be applied to knives with an electrical "plating" type process known as "carbidizing."

Regarding cobalt content, pretty much ALL tungsten carbide contains cobalt. What we call tungsten carbide is mostly formed by sintering very well mixed TC powder and cobalt powder in a mold under very high heat and pressure. The less cobalt, the harder but more brittle the finished tungsten carbide is. The more cobalt, the softer but tougher the finished tungsten carbide. There are grades from C1 to C6 for plain TC that range from least cobalt to most cobalt content.

The correct grade of tungsten carbide could probably make a fine razor blade. In addition to ceramic there are also diamond blades out there nowadays.

 

[Zungaron]

... weren't Personna 74's tungsten carbide, titanium coated?