Wow: Razor blades under a microscope

Would you shave with that edge? I would — it’s a highly-magnified straight razor. For comparison, 100 um is about the average width of a human hair.

Joel Johnson at Gizmodo took a look at several different razor blades under a microscope, and discovered that, brand-new, even the cheapest disposable Bic will give you a pretty good shave:

The straight razors are solid blades meant to last a lifetime—you could cut through bone with them if you put enough force behind it. The thin blade of the Bic would snap or bend long before you found success at outlaw amputation.

Moreover, the straight razor can easily be brought back to a state of near perfection after each use, while the disposables are subject to whatever wear and tear they undergo before they are eventually tossed out.

There’s a ton more pictures, as well as erudite discussion on the merits of the Gilette Fusion and Mach 3 razors, in the original post.

In my own life, I use a Fusion, though it was tough to switch from the tried, trusty and true Mach 3. Many times, I’ve tried to switch to different razors, though. I’m particularly attracted to the Wilkinson Sword blades. But for some reason they just don’t cut as well for me, or they gunk up too badly. I suspect that each brand has a specific “angle of attack” and the Gilette angle works best on my skin.

That said, Amy bought me a *very* nice straight razor and strop set for Christmas (easily my favourite Christmas present this year) and I’ve been slowly working up the nerve to try it. Every now and then I just look at it, and I feel my stubble, and I think … not yet. But soon.