Very nice it's really taking shape now.
I machined the cut-out on the top of the razor to be just about 0.002" wider than the blade, and deep enough to allow a Feather Light, Feather Guard, Feather Pro, and Feather Super to stick out past the edge. So except for the cutting edge, the whole blade surface is supported while shaving. So I literally built the razor around this one type of Feather/KAI blade:William
thanks for sharing. It is a great concept. I too would be curious about one that uses a DE blade cut in half. Your appreciation for the Feather KAI blades is understood, but with a DE the sky is the limit on blades. I have a Shavette that I chose to accept half DE blades just because I didn't want to be locked into a few blades.
Yes, that was my "Plan B" if the magnets did not work. Note that since the blade is fully supported on the back (edge opposite to the cutting edge), and both sides, even with extremely small magnets, as long as you are shaving at 45 deg or less to the face, the forces against the blade keep the blade in place. Here is a quick and crude hand drawing showing what I mean:Had you considered imbedding the magnets in the base and having the magnets in top affixed to a hinged door that could be lifted for blade change? that way it would be a one piece razor with no individual magnets to place. With these modern magnets, it could really clamp the blade in tight. I am definitely subscribed, so keep us posted.
Yes, absolutely, and I though of that before posting pictures. I do have a patent through a past employer, so I have been through the whole process already. But what does a patent "really" does? It provides a legal standing so that you can go into court and sue a person/entity for using your idea for profit. That means that you have to still have ten's of thousands of dollars out of your own pocket to defend your idea, and try prevent others from making a profit from your idea. If you are a large corporation like Samsung, Apple, Intel, etc. who has reams of lawyers in their personnel, it is very worthwhile to patent your ideas since you are talking about 100x, 1000x or more times, the money making potential, than your cost for the lawyers. For me, a home tinkerer, doing stuff as a hobby and for personal use, I would never afford the legal fees, so it is not worth spending $5-10K to get a patent in the first place.William
I was wondering if your idea is sufficiently different than other razors. Enough so that it could/should be patented? I think the concept has real merit. watch out for s
Yup, a total different blade holding system than mine. Here a picture of my own SS Parker Shavette:the Shavette razors that use them don't rely on the position of the cut to index the blade. They use the same holes that the pegs in the conventional razor index on. So the half blade is slid against the pegs or other stop embedded in the body to mate with the half holes. In this way the position of the cut is not that important so long as it is close-ish.
I still have to spend $5-10K just to get the patent processed through all its stages, which is a process that takes several years (I got my patent awarded 4 years after it was accepted by the patent office, of course my employer at the time paid for everything, since they get to "keep" the Intellectual Property). Bottom line it is just too costly for a "small" guy to do the whole patent thing and then hope to be able to defend it, and get enough money back to at least break even. I rather avoid the whole problem, and simply don't worry about it. If somebody wants to copy/incorporate my ideas, go ahead... you'd be in a better position to negotiate with a law firm willing to take the case for a cut...
My thoughts didn't quite pan out ...
I need to get a second magnet. The ones I'm using are strips/slabs of neodymium and when placed on a piece of metal, they like to jump to the middle of whatever it is they're magnetising (to). So, narrow strips (like 10mm deep) are too short for GEM blades; 40mm deep are too deep, covering the edge. Furthermore, the spines cause issues.
What I thought would be a simple case of a magnet on each side of a GEM with a Rolls Razor handle has not worked out. Conceptually, great ... something that can still work if the exact correct dimensions for the magnets can be procured for de-spined GEMs. Understand that Feathers are a slightly different size and so would require their own custom size.
Finally, removing the blade was a pain, even dangerous.
This concept with a metal frame to position the magnets is super! Perhaps thinner, a top and a base, using slab magnets would make a really good looking and safer razor?
Inspiring stuff!