A razor blade having a substrate with a cutting edge being defined by a sharpened tip. The substrate has a thickness of between about 1.3 and 1.6 micrometers measured at a distance of four micrometers from the blade tip, a thickness of between about 2.2 and 2.7 micrometers measured at a distance of eight micrometers from the blade tip, a thickness of between about 3.8 and 4.9 micrometers measured at a distance of sixteen micrometers from the blade tip, a ratio of thickness measured at four micrometers from the blade tip to the thickness measured at eight micrometers from the blade tip of at least 0.55 and a ratio of thickness measured at four micrometers from the blade tip to the thickness measured at sixteen micrometers from the blade tip of at least 0.30.
1. A razor blade comprising:
a stainless steel substrate with a cutting edge being defined by a sharpened tip, said substrate having a thickness of between about 1.3 and 1.6 micrometers measured at a distance of four micrometers from the blade tip, a thickness of between about 2.2 and 2.7 micrometers measured at a distance of eight micrometers from the blade tip, a thickness of between about 3.8 and 4.9 micrometers measured at a distance of sixteen micrometers from the blade tip, a ratio of thickness measured at four micrometers to the thickness measured at eight micrometers of at least 0.55 and a ratio of thickness measured at four micrometers to the thickness measured at sixteen micrometers of at least 0.30.
2. The razor blade of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a martensitic stainless steel having a carbide density of at least about 200 carbides or more per 100 square micrometers as determined by optical microscopic cross-section.
3. The razor blade of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a tip radius of from about 125 to 300 angstroms.
4. The razor blade of claim 1 further comprising an interlayer joined to said substrate.
5. The razor blade of claim 3 wherein said interlayer comprises niobium.
6. The razor blade of claim 3 , further comprising a coating layer joined to said interlayer.
7. The razor blade of claim 5 wherein said coating layer comprises an amorphous material containing carbon.
8. The razor blade of claim 5 further comprising an overcoat layer joined to said coating layer.
9. The razor blade of claim 7 wherein said overcoat layer comprises chromium.
10. The razor blade of claim 7 further comprising an outer layer joined to said overcoat layer.
11. The razor blade of claim 9 wherein said outer layer comprises a polymer.
12. The razor blade of claim 9 wherein said outer layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.