Method of shaping a surface coating on a razor blade using centrifugal force

1. A method for shaping a coating on a razor blade, comprising the steps of:

providing a razor blade having a tip end defined by at least one tip surface;

applying a surface coating having a first thickness on at least one tip surface; and

shaping the applied surface coating on the at least one tip surface to have a second thickness using a centrifuge, which second thickness is less than the first thickness; and

sintering the applied surface coating, including heating the applied surface coating to a temperature at which the applied surface coating is in a plastic state;

wherein the step of shaping the applied surface coating includes centrifuging the razor blade with the applied surface coating in a manner that causes a portion of the applied surface coating to move away from the tip end of the razor blade and thereby leaving a residual surface coating layer having the second thickness; and

wherein the step of shaping the applied surface coating further includes shaping the applied surface coatings in an inert environment comprising a non-reactive gas.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sintering the applied surface coating includes sintering the applied surface coating in an environment of gas that is non-reactive with one or both of a surface coating material or a razor blade material.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises at least one of Nitrogen and Argon.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises at least one of Nitrogen and Argon.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the residual surface coating layer extends over substantially all the tip surface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge has a central rotational axis, and the razor blade is rotated around the central rotational axis, and the blade is oriented in the centrifuge with its tip end in a direction toward the central rotational axis.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge has a central rotational axis, and the razor blade is rotated around the central rotational axis, and the blade is oriented in the centrifuge with its tip end in a direction away from the central rotational axis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface coating comprises a fluoropolymer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. A method for shaping a coating on a razor blade, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of razor blades, each razor blade having a tip end defined by at least one tip surface, and an applied surface coating having a first thickness applied on the at least one tip surface;

loading the razor blades in a centrifuge with the tip ends of the razor blades disposed within the centrifuge in a common orientation; and

centrifuging the blades to shape the applied surface coating on the at least one tip surface of each razor blade to have a second thickness, which second thickness is less than the first thickness;

wherein the step of centrifuging the blades includes centrifuging the blades in an environment of a non-reactive gas.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of sintering the applied surface coating on each of the razor blades, including heating the applied surface coating on each razor blade to a temperature at which the applied surface coating is in a plastic state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of sintering the applied surface coating includes sintering the applied surface coating in an environment of gas that is non-reactive with one or both of a surface coating material or a razor blade material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the gas comprises at least one of Nitrogen and Argon.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of centrifuging the blades includes centrifuging the razor blades in a manner that causes a portion of the applied surface coating on each razor blade to move away from the tip end of that razor blade and leave a residual surface coating layer having the second thickness on that blade.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the residual surface coating layer extends over substantially all the tip surface.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gas comprises at least one of Nitrogen and Argon.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the centrifuge has a central rotational axis, and the razor blades are rotated around the central rotational axis, and each razor blade is oriented in the centrifuge with its tip end in a direction toward the central rotational axis.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the centrifuge has a central rotational axis, and the razor blades are rotated around the central rotational axis, and each razor blade is oriented in the centrifuge with its tip end in a direction away from the central rotational axis.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the surface coating comprises a fluoropolymer.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the surface coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.