Comment on Do you think aluminum bronze would be a good razor material?
empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
Not hard enough and thus not sharp enough.
Aluminum bronze can be strong but it cannot get very hard (my Google says around 27 Rockwell C hardness). A typical razor blade is at least 60 HRC.
The hardness of a material generally dictates how sharp of an edge can be put on it. Harder materials do not deflect away from your grinding wheel and can thus keep a narrower, sharper edge. Also harder materials keep an edge longer and better.
That aluminum bronze would make a good corrosion resistant blade, but you wouldn’t be able to get (or keep) it sharp enough to make for a comfortable shave.
Jake_Farm@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
I am not asking about blades but the razor handle and head.
empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
Ahhh. Important distinction.
In that case it is likely just a cost and practicality thing. Copper alloys are significantly more expensive than stainless steels or plastics. They’re a little harder to form and shape as well due to their cold work hardening properties (the more you bend it, the harder it gets, until it breaks; stainless is more ductile in this regard).
It would be pretty, but I guess manufacturers have likely not determined an economic benefit to making a higher end, more expensive, harder to manufacture razor body out of these metals.
Jake_Farm@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
Then why are stainless steel razors often more expensive than brass? Also with its lower melting point means it can be cast and I have heard machining stainless steel is difficult to machine.
prex@aussie.zone 1 week ago
Super good looking. It will get a patina to it but its famously corrosion resistant. There is a reason they make propellers out of it.
I’m not sure how it will go for galvanic corrosion from the blades. Should be fine with stainless screws/parts.