# Was there a column about a razor that didn't get dull? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 14, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162 "2006-12-14T18:21:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tutton)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/1 "2006-12-14T18:21:14Z")
I read about a razor that never gets dull. I could have sworn I read it in the Straight Dope, but I can’t find it in the archives. The razor was invented in Italy. Gillette bought the rights to it, and they are not interested in selling it (for obvious reasons). However, the inventor kept the Italian rights, so it’s sold in Italy. I would like to get one of these razors, I’m trying to track down more information. I was 101% sure I read it here. Did Gillette suppress this story, as well as the razor? 😉 I also check the urban legends website, but it’s not there either. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/2 "2006-12-14T23:13:48Z")
From [here](http://forum.physorg.com/index.php?showtopic=8502&st=45): > [@](#): > > I remember, back in the mid fifties when someone invented a razor blade that would never get dull. Guess what happened to that? Gillette bought up the patent and it’s been filed away forever. > [@](#): > > Patents are PUBLIC. > > You can buy the rights to a patent, but the patent is STILL PUBLIC. > > The patent rights EXPIRE in 20 years. > > So, if this story WERE true there would be a PUBLIC PATENT AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY who wanted to use it to manufacture a blade that NEVER gets dull. > > While Gilette might not be interested in a razor that NEVER GETS DULL, the manufacturers of any number of devices would be scambling over themselves for such a thing. > > This SAME CONCEPT applies to all other supposed patents that Big Oil or Big who-ever has supposedly “bought up”. > > This is Urban Legend 101 stuff. Interesting little variation on the UL you’ve got there, the bit about it being in Italy. Unfortunately, Italian patents are [public, too.](http://www.uibm.gov.it/) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/3 "2006-12-15T18:56:35Z")
Hee-hee. One of the first collections of science fiction I ever read (back when I was in 4th grade) was Heinlein’s _The Man Who Sold the Moon_. The edition I read carried not only the original novella, but also some short stories, one of which was titled “Let There Be Light”, which centered on a couple of scientist/engineers and their quest to develop an inexpensive solar-powered light/energy device. In one of the conversations the two have (discussing the potential for the invention to be suppressed by corporate interests), the girl tells of her brother and this fabulous razor that he’s owned for years on end, that never loses its edge. She goes on to say that if he ever loses the razor, or breaks it, he’s out of luck, because the razor blade companies bought and suppressed the patent for the manufacturing technology. If somebody wants to light up the One-Trick-Pony beacon, we might be able to get **Fenris** in here to expand on it. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/4 "2006-12-15T20:20:57Z")
Another variation on the never-dulling razor tale is the idea that you can store your razor in a miniature pyramid in between shaves. The focus of cosmic rays or some other pyramidic miracle would resharpen the edge. The population of the world has increased since Barnum’s day, so it’s probably a faster rate than one every minute. ---
**Author:** ![WritteninStone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@WritteninStone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WritteninStone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/5 "2006-12-15T22:11:05Z")
There exist knives made out of ultra-hard ceramic (usually zirconium dioxide) that are much sharper and last much longer then metal knives. Plus they dont rust. If razor blades were made out of this ceramic, then they could exist for a very long time and some who like exaggerating would say forever. 🙂 They might be too sharp for the skin to handle though. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/6 "2006-12-15T23:31:18Z")
Or they might be too fragile when made that thin. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/7 "2006-12-15T23:57:32Z")
[QUOTE=John W. Kennedy] Or they might be too fragile when made that thin. [/QUOTE] That’s what I’m thinking. Sharp, but inflexible. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/8 "2006-12-16T00:23:07Z")
[QUOTE=WritteninStone] There exist knives made out of ultra-hard ceramic (usually zirconium dioxide) that are much sharper and last much longer then metal knives. Plus they dont rust. If razor blades were made out of this ceramic, then they could exist for a very long time and some who like exaggerating would say forever. 🙂 They might be too sharp for the skin to handle though. [/QUOTE] does anyone here have any experience with these ceramic knives? Are they good? are they durable? can you resharpen them? will they survive my wife using them in the garden? since the time I worked at a butcher shop, I only buy $2 knives and resharpen them myself with amazing results. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/9 "2006-12-16T02:16:36Z")
[QUOTE=WritteninStone] If razor blades were made out of this ceramic, then they could exist for a very long time and some who like exaggerating would say forever. 🙂 They might be too sharp for the skin to handle though. [/QUOTE] [Too sharp, you say?](http://www.mingspantry.com/kyoccerkniff.html#q12) I don’t think ceramic is good for heavy duty use in a garden. It’s too brittle, steel blades will flex under heavy use, ceramic will snap. ---
**Author:** ![WritteninStone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@WritteninStone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WritteninStone)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/10 "2006-12-20T19:50:25Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] [Too sharp, you say?](http://www.mingspantry.com/kyoccerkniff.html#q12) [/QUOTE] Make them less sharp? ---
**Author:** ![Defective\_Detective](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Defective\_Detective](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defective_Detective)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-column-about-a-razor-that-didnt-get-dull/384162/11 "2006-12-21T02:59:56Z")
Slight hijack. Have you guys tried the new Gillette 6-BLADE RAZOR called Fusion??? Yeah, ridiculous, I know - I only tried it 'cause I got one for free in the mail. I couldn’t say the shave was any closer than the Mach 3, but it was PAINFUL, that’s for sure. I guess that’s what it feels like when the blades are too sharp.