Within a couple of years the competitor's stainless steel blades were substantially cutting into Gillette's dominant market position and their market share went from 70+% to 60+%. Also, Wilkinson had to pay royalties (after a law suit) to Gillette to use their patented technology to manufacture the stainless steel blades. However, Gillette was not in a rush to bring stainless steel blades to market in that there was no improvement to the shave inherent in a less corrodable base metal. Wilkinson beat Gillette to the market with the first stainless steel blade, which had the benefit that it could last longer without corroding. Later, Gillette patented a process for manufacturing stainless steel blades but sat on the development. A chemical engineer by training at MIT prior to coming to Gillette, Mr Shnitzler's solution to the problem was an organic silicon coating to the steel so that the protein in the hair would not adhere to the steel yielding a better cutting action with less pulling at the follicle. ![]() ![]() Shnitzler, the improperly moistened whisker is harder to cut and the hair itself will adhere to the steel, as it is being cut, causing the hair follicle to be pulled with the consequent pain/tugging feeling. But guess what? He determined blade sharpness could not readily be detected by the shaver and sharper blades did not alleviate the pain and irritation from poor prep. Mr Shnitzler, in his research lab, started experimenting with various steel blade configurations that would allow for sharper blades to be produced. He, among other things, invented the DE razor blade dispenser with used blade slot, the plastic razor case, the Toggle and Bottom Dial Adjustable razors and he also invented the Silicon coating on Blue Blades which caused them to be renamed Super Blue Blades.Īpparently, on reading the patent application (US2937976) for the silicon coating and news interviews of Mr Shnitzler, men were not adequately prepping their faces prior to shaving and this was causing pain and irritation while using Gillette's product. I came across news articles when researching Meyer Shnitzler (1912 - 2007), the VP of R&D at Gillette from 1933 till 1967. So, I have been getting more interested in the innovations in razor blade manufacturing technology and why and how those innovations were implemented. Science Magazine Academic Paper - How Hair Deforms Steel However, heating is essential to PTFE application which Gillette found to be a more important factor in blade durability or shave comfort. Patents have been applied for which will allow for the manufacture of blades which provide more homogeneity by compressing the steel at the blade edge instead of heating it causing less chipping and micro-fractures that lead to edge loss. Closeness: Shaving enthusiasts look for a “BBS” shave-“baby’s butt smooth.” Having changed a lot of diapers in his day, Dan can tell you that that’s a somewhat spurious attribute, but we looked for a close shave without cuts and irritation.UPDATE Research on why razor blades dull from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aug 6, 2020. ![]() Some people will do better with five blades-but these more densely packed blades can clog more easily, and no matter how many blades are in the razor, it has to rinse well. But we’ve done enough testing to believe that you get a quicker, smoother shave from three-blade razors. ![]()
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