Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate, in which the first and second outer sides converge at a tip, the first outer side comprises a first coating disposed substantially thereon and extending from the tip region toward the base, and a first portion of the second outer side is substantially free of any coating, the first portion extending from the tip region toward the base or being spaced apart from the tip region and the base. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade.

Abstract: A razor blade having a substrate with a cutting edge being defined by a sharpened tip and novel dimensions is provided. The substrate has dimensions of volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The substrate is coated with one or more materials and has novel volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The thickness of the substrate at 2 micrometers back from the ultimate tip is at or below about 0.977 micrometers and at or below about 1.173 micrometers for a coated substrate at the same distance. These dimensional values are measured robustly with an atomic force microscope and provide reduced cut forces for improved blade performance.

Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate that converge at a tip; and first and second coatings disposed substantially on the first and second outer sides, respectively. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade, including: applying a first coating to at least a portion of the first outer side; and applying a second coating to at least a portion of the second outer side. The first and second coatings each extend from the tip region toward the base and are substantially different, as compared to each other.

Abstract: A razor blade having a substrate with a cutting edge being defined by a sharpened tip and novel dimensions is provided. The substrate has dimensions of volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The substrate is coated with one or more materials and has novel volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The total area of the substrate at 2 micrometers back from the ultimate tip is at or below about 1.093 square micrometers and at or below about 6.511 square micrometers for a coated substrate at the same distance. These dimensional values are measured robustly with an atomic force microscope and provide reduced cut forces for improved blade performance.

Abstract: A razor blade having a substrate with a cutting edge being defined by a sharpened tip and novel dimensions is provided. The substrate has dimensions of volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The substrate is coated with one or more materials and has novel volumes, cross-sectional areas, and thicknesses at or near the ultimate tip (e.g., at a distance up to about 2 micrometers from the sharpened tip). The total volume of the substrate at 2 micrometers back from the ultimate tip is at or below about 27.3 cubic micrometers and at or below about 33 cubic micrometers for a coated substrate at the same distance. These dimensional values are measured robustly with an atomic force microscope and provide reduced cut forces for improved blade performance.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a manufacturing process or a blade array of a razor cartridge using spatial information for a tip portion of a razor blade comprises the steps of: measuring, using an atomic force microscope including a probe having a high aspect ratio of a length to a half side angle and a probe tip with a radius less than a radius of an ultimate tip of the tip portion of the razor blade, the spatial information by traversing the probe across the tip portion of the razor blade; analyzing, by one or more processors, the spatial information as measured by the atomic force microscope, to determine one or more blade characteristics; and using the blade characteristics to adjust the manufacturing process to improve a design of the razor blade or to adjust a design characteristic of the blade array to improve a design of the razor cartridge.

Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate that converge at a tip; and first and second coatings disposed substantially on the first and second outer sides, respectively. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade, including: applying a first coating to at least a portion of the first outer side; and applying a second coating to at least a portion of the second outer side. The first and second coatings each extend from the tip region toward the base and are substantially different, as compared to each other. One or both of the first and second coatings comprise a plurality of layers of material.

Abstract: A method of modifying razor blade edges prior to a first use, the method comprising providing at least one razor blade having a coated razor blade edge, and mechanically modifying at least one coating of said coated razor blade edge. Also provided is an apparatus for modifying one or more coated razor blade edges, the apparatus comprising a support member for holding a plurality of razor blades with said coated razor blade edges, and an applicator for contacting a mechanical modifying material with at least a section of said coated razor blade edges.

Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate, in which the first and second outer sides converge at a tip, the first outer side comprises a first coating disposed substantially thereon and extending from the tip region toward the base, and a first portion of the second outer side is substantially free of any coating, the first portion extending from the tip region toward the base or being spaced apart from the tip region and the base. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade.

Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate that converge at a tip; and first and second coatings disposed substantially on the first and second outer sides, respectively. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade, including: applying a first coating to at least a portion of the first outer side; and applying a second coating to at least a portion of the second outer side. The first and second coatings each extend from the tip region toward the base and are substantially different, as compared to each other. One or both of the first and second coatings comprise a plurality of layers of material.

Abstract: A razor blade including: a substrate having a tip portion including a tip region, a blade body including a base, and first and second outer sides disposed opposite a split line of the substrate that converge at a tip; and first and second coatings disposed substantially on the first and second outer sides, respectively. Also provided is a method of coating the razor blade, including: applying a first coating to at least a portion of the first outer side; and applying a second coating to at least a portion of the second outer side. The first and second coatings each extend from the tip region toward the base and are substantially different, as compared to each other.

Abstract: A razor cartridge having a first blade proximal to a front of the cartridge and having one or more first coatings disposed thereon, a second blade proximal to a back of the cartridge, the second blade having one or more second coatings disposed thereon, wherein a thickness of at least one of the one or more first coatings disposed on the first blade is less than a thickness of at least one of the one or more second coatings disposed on the second blade.

Abstract: A method of modifying razor blade edges prior to a first use, the method comprising providing at least one razor blade having a coated razor blade edge, and mechanically modifying at least one coating of said coated razor blade edge. Also provided is an apparatus for modifying one or more coated razor blade edges, the apparatus comprising a support member for holding a plurality of razor blades with said coated razor blade edges, and an applicator for contacting a mechanical modifying material with at least a section of said coated razor blade edges.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a razor blade by providing a razor blank strip having an edge. The razor blank strip is hardened to a hardness greater than 600HV. A pre-bending zone that is spaced apart from an edge of the razor blank is melted with a laser beam. The pre-bending zone is cooled after melting to form a re-solidification portion. The razor blank strip is segmented into individual blades. The individual blades are bent in the pre-bending zone.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a razor blade by providing a razor blank strip having an edge. The razor blank strip is hardened to a hardness greater than 600HV. A pre-bending zone that is spaced apart from an edge of the razor blank is melted with a laser beam. The pre-bending zone is cooled after melting to form a re-solidification portion. The razor blank strip is segmented into individual blades. The individual blades are bent in the pre-bending zone.

Abstract: Cutting members for razors are provided that have a blade portion and a base portion, the blade portion having a cutting edge region terminated at a free end thereof and an opposing non-cutting edge region, the blade portion being bent relative to the base portion in a bent portion spaced from the cutting edge region and adjacent to the non-cutting edge region, wherein the bent portion extends about 108 degrees to about 115 degrees from the base portion, the bent portion having a radius of about 0.30 mm to about 0.45 mm, at least part of the cutting member having a hardness of about hardness of about 540 HV to about 750 HV, and a thickness of the bent portion is less than the average thickness of the cutting member.