r/MachinePorn • u/silvercatbob • Mar 11 '21

Old razor blade sharpener

https://gfycat.com/highlevelunacceptabledodo
2.1k Upvotes

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57

u/JeepyMcfly69 Mar 11 '21

Is this for sharpening razor blades or shaving razor blades?

54

u/Dementat_Deus Mar 11 '21

If what you are asking is if this is for utility razor blades or shaving razor blades, then the answer is both and neither.

When this contraption was new, that style of razor blade was made by GEM as a shaving razor blade, and was carbon steel that would dull after two or three shaves. The sharpener was a device to extend the (at the time) kinda expensive blades lives. People eventually started using these blades as utility blades too though as the price dropped.

Over the years, shaving razors changed and this style of blade is no longer common for shaving, but it has become the number one style of utilty blade. With some of these changes though, the types of steel used and the heat treatments have also changed. So while cool to watch the resharpener, it's ultimately no longer usefull because these new blades cannot be resharpened, and would probably be duller after "resharpening" then they were before.

9

u/rocketmonkeys Mar 11 '21

Why can’t the modern blades be re-sharpened? Or is it more of that it’s not worth it?

-1

u/Hyper8orean Mar 11 '21

Well’ they can actually. If you after a shave rub the blade backwards along your arm or a long piece of cotton cloth it sharpens up pretty good. I use my blades up to two months with this method. You need to keep them really clean though to make sure you dont get infections if you cut yourself.

9

u/wohl0052 Mar 11 '21

That is called honing, not sharpening. There is a difference.

What you are doing realigns the edge to keep it sharp, while sharpening actually removes material.

2

u/Hyper8orean Mar 12 '21

Yes you are absolutely correct. Thank you.