Razor Sharp
The problem with razors is that they tend to get dull after a few shaving sessions, forcing consumers to stock up on them.
But that might be a thing of the past.
That’s because scientists have finally solved the mystery as to why razors have a short lifespan, according to New Scientists.
In a recent study, researchers at MIT placed a device that used razor blades to cut hair inside a scanning electron microscope to get a better glimpse at the shaving process. They also looked into the molecular make-up of the blade to understand how soft materials, such as hair or cheese, dull steel razors and knives – which are harder and stronger.
The team found that the razor blades had tiny chips on their edges that were formed from the process that hardens the steel. These little cracks widened every time a blade cut a hair: The damage caused depended on the angle between the blade and the hair, and whether the hair met the blade at a point where one of the cracks lie.
While it’s difficult to control the angle and position of the hair, scientists suggested the solution is to create new blades that minimize these microscopic cracks.
The researchers are working on a new blade that might even resolve the problem of razor burns.
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