Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 28/09/2007 17:40:20

Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 28/09/2007 17:40:20
Dear Sharp Looking Gals and Guys,

Here's a razor blade;

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Careful !!...Ouch !!..ewe might want to put a plaster on that !

razor blades are my old time favourite beard cutting shaving blade orientated sharp thing !

But, how wide is razor blade edge ? what cutting implements are even sharper ?...I don't mean laser things I mean real cutting things that do not need turning on and off !

Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: ukmicky on 28/09/2007 21:56:03
Apart from you its probably a needle
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: another_someone on 28/09/2007 22:19:28
What about paper, or in certain cases, broken glass or diamond cutters.
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/09/2007 22:30:22
I remember my dad having a Rolls razor. It had a triangular blade that he used to sharpen on a leather strop. How does the strop work? Can leather really grind away steel?

But to add my halfpenceworth to the question, I'm sure I remember reading a while ago that someone had produced a scalpel the edge of which is only 1 atom thick. I'll see if I can find a reference sometime when I can be bothered.
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: paul.fr on 28/09/2007 23:27:09
a blade of grass
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: paul.fr on 28/09/2007 23:28:12


But to add my halfpenceworth to the question, I'm sure I remember reading a while ago that someone had produced a scalpel the edge of which is only 1 atom thick. I'll see if I can find a reference sometime when I can be bothered.

Hay Doc, i think that was on TNS radio show.
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: JimBob on 29/09/2007 02:12:10
Actually, the proven sharpest object is freshly broken chert or obsidian. The edge has been shown to be about one molecule thick.

See http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9798/Sep10_97/surgery.htm
 
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 29/09/2007 07:37:34


But to add my halfpenceworth to the question, I'm sure I remember reading a while ago that someone had produced a scalpel the edge of which is only 1 atom thick. I'll see if I can find a reference sometime when I can be bothered.

Hay Doc, i think that was on TNS radio show.

You could be right
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: another_someone on 29/09/2007 14:07:15
a blade of grass

Actually, I think this almost comes under the classification of broken glass.

I believe I remember hearing somewhere that grass creates small crystals of sharp silica on its surface for protection (although it also occurs to me to wonder what the optical qualities of this might be).
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: lyner on 01/10/2007 13:54:57
The Rolls razor had a stone and a leather bit. The stone was for getting a good shape to the blade and the leather was for finishing it off.
When you hone a razor on a leather 'strop' you stroke the blade and 'burnish' it. Rather than 'grinding' the edge, you move a few molecules of the metal across the surface, over the edge, extending it with a new, thinner bit. Very little material is actually lost from the surface in this process. Metallic bonding allows this - remember from school - metals are ductile and malleable blah blah.
When you sharpen a chisel / plane, you need a stronger edge than on a razor and, having cut into the edge with your grinding stone, if you want the best edge, you are supposed to wipe your palm over (not along!) the edge to break off the tiny ragged overhanging bits and clean up the edge. An old carpenter showed me this and it works well.
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 01/10/2007 18:23:28
Arigato for that info, centaur san
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 01/10/2007 19:09:38
Apart from you its probably a needle
THANKS MICHAEL

LOL !!!...I am the king of slobs !!..I hate suits !!.....and if you're referring to IQ..I'm as blunt as Ayres rock !!
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 01/10/2007 19:11:02
What about paper, or in certain cases, broken glass or diamond cutters.

THANKS GEORGE.

Would Paper really be thinner than a razor edge ?....hmm...perhaps a diamond cleft could be sharper !..
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 01/10/2007 19:14:05
I remember my dad having a Rolls razor. It had a triangular blade that he used to sharpen on a leather strop. How does the strop work? Can leather really grind away steel?




But to add my halfpenceworth to the question, I'm sure I remember reading a while ago that someone had produced a scalpel the edge of which is only 1 atom thick. I'll see if I can find a reference sometime when I can be bothered.

oooooh !!!..I have not read further down the thread  yet......the anticipation of whether ewe were finally bothered to look up the scalpel is overwhelming me !!.....and the way you word it makes me feel so very special !!
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 01/10/2007 19:15:46
a blade of grass

THANKS PAUL.....Hmmm a blade of grass eh ?.....I have to say I would be surprised if so.......but ewe never know !!....hey !!..I can make a mean ear piercing whistle with a bade of grass !!
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: neilep on 01/10/2007 19:17:51
Actually, the proven sharpest object is freshly broken chert or obsidian. The edge has been shown to be about one molecule thick.

See http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9798/Sep10_97/surgery.htm
 


Woooo !!..that is like well cool !!....and the link leads to piccy with a non-typical looking scientific bloke too !! [::)] [::)]
Title: What's sharper than a razor blade ?
Post by: Karen W. on 01/10/2007 19:50:48
Apart from you its probably a needle
THANKS MICHAEL

LOL !!!...I am the king of slobs !!..I hate suits !!.....and if you're referring to IQ..I'm as blunt as Ayres rock !!

 And I am the Queen of sheba!

LOL No fair Michael stole my comment! LOL~