So I have been doing some research into coatings on razor blades and why they are there. Gillette discovered in 1958 (US2937976) that a Silicon Coating on the Blue Blade (Super Blue) yielded a "remarkable reduction in pull." However, they specifically said they did not understand why? They also patented (US3071856) in 1959 the Flurocarbon (PTFE) coating. Again, even with their understanding of the Silicon coating, the PTFE coating yielded yet again a "remarkable increase in shaving effectiveness." However, no explanation as to why!?
After, doing some research, I believe that there is a special "stickiness" that occurs between a whisker hair as it is being cut and the steel. The Keratin protein in the hair and the steel adhere to each other and this is experienced as a pulling at the follicle and discomfort etc. This adhesion occurs at the atomic level (or molecular level) and no amount of blade polishing will reduce the friction. I have yet to understand the chemistry behind these atomic bonds.
To understand this adhesion, I stumbled upon why metal pans are coated with PTFE. My research led me to cooking science. Apparently proteins are highly adhesive to fry pans. Who knew eggs stick - ha ha?! Even highly polished uncoated stainless steel ones stick. The solution to eliminate the "stickiness" is to put a barrier between the metal and the protein. So, if you want to understand why a modern PTFE coated razor blade is better than one of the old crappy Gillette Blue Blades, look to the pans man, look to the pans.
PS: Oh and cooking heat has nothing to do with it either. Cooking science says proteins stick to metal even without heat.
After, doing some research, I believe that there is a special "stickiness" that occurs between a whisker hair as it is being cut and the steel. The Keratin protein in the hair and the steel adhere to each other and this is experienced as a pulling at the follicle and discomfort etc. This adhesion occurs at the atomic level (or molecular level) and no amount of blade polishing will reduce the friction. I have yet to understand the chemistry behind these atomic bonds.
To understand this adhesion, I stumbled upon why metal pans are coated with PTFE. My research led me to cooking science. Apparently proteins are highly adhesive to fry pans. Who knew eggs stick - ha ha?! Even highly polished uncoated stainless steel ones stick. The solution to eliminate the "stickiness" is to put a barrier between the metal and the protein. So, if you want to understand why a modern PTFE coated razor blade is better than one of the old crappy Gillette Blue Blades, look to the pans man, look to the pans.
PS: Oh and cooking heat has nothing to do with it either. Cooking science says proteins stick to metal even without heat.
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