Blog posts of '2011' 'March'

            Often Razor Blades are described as 9 razor blades or #9 razor blades.  This means that the razors have a thickness of .009” which is considered standard duty strength for a single edge razor blade.  12 razor blades or #12 razor blades refer to blades with a thickness of .012”.  These #12 razor blades are considered heavy-duty razors and are suitable to tasks where the blade is under more pressure.  Both razor blades fit all standard razor blade tools and can be interchanged depending on your task. 

            Some tasks require the single edge blade to be bent slightly.  9 Razor blades have more give whereas 12 razor blades are harder to bend.  Another feature that affects the pliability of a razor is the construction; number 9 blades with stainless steel back are much harder to bend than those with an aluminum back.  The backing of a single edge razor blade is the folded over portion at the top of the blade.

            #9 Razor blades are more common and thus we carry a larger variety of #9 options including carbon steel, stainless steel, blue carbon steel, un-backed, and extra sharp varieties.  We offer #12 blades from the American Line brand as well as unbranded versions.  All of our #12 blades are constructed from carbon steel, however, we accept custom orders for #12 blades in stainless steel or with a double honed edge.

           If you are trying to match the thickness or construction of a blade you already use, we can always send samples of our #9 and #12 razor blades so you can compare and test the product for your specific application.

            The Razor Blade Co. is a proud distributor of American Safety Razor Products including razor blades from their name brand of American Line Razors.  American Safety Razor represents the world’s largest manufacturer of high quality industrial and specialty cutting tools.  Internationally recognized and requested, Personna products have both a name and reputation that stand for both high-quality blades and consistency in excellence.  With 136 years of experience, American Safety Razor manufactures millions of blades annually with exceptional quality control.

            American Line products feature cutting and scraping tools used by professionals.  Predominantly featuring a line of single edge razor blades, utility blades, utility knives, wide scrapers, and scraping tools.  American Line products are always branded with the signature logo and attractive red and black packaging, ideal for retail sales.  We offer American Line Single Edge Razor blades that are heavy duty and extra keen.  We also offer assorted colors of American Line breakaway knives in both 8 and 13 point snap off models.

            Our Personna Specialty Blades expands on the American Line collection offering single edge razor blades, double edge razor blades, hobby blades, injector blades, contour blades, and GEM brand single edge razor blades.  We stock these popular items to ensure fast shipping and easy ordering so you can get back to work.  Through Personna we are able to offer the much-requested Injector Blades in Dispensers in small quantities as well as bulk.  We can ship small hundred pack boxes of single edge razor blades or a pallet with many cases of blades direct to your business.  Our popular 94-0186 Single Edge Razor Blade is a top seller for its dependable quality used across industries; this item is usually in stock so we can ship your products the same day you order.

             Both Personna Specialty items and American Line razor blades are excellent choices in fine cutting tools.  We offer the largest selection of these blades; if you don’t see the American Safety Razor blades that you are looking for, give us a call and we will help to locate your product.

              Hobby blades are ideal for use in a variety of applications where accurate cuts are required. Each blade has its own distinctive shape designed for different aspects of  cutting, scoring, trimming wood, clay, wax, leather and stenciling paper.  At The Razor Blade Co. we carry a range of hobby blades from light duty carbon steel blades to medium and heavy duty carbon steel blades.  We also offer some blades in stainless steel; we can also do custom stainless steel hobby blades upon request.

 Our most common hobby blades sold are the# 11 hobby blades, which are the same shape as an exacto knife, and are mainly used for intricate hand trimming and precise cuts. These blades are ideal for do-it-yourself arts and crafts projects, scrapbooking enthusiasts, artists and model builders. These blades are also popular in industrial uses where precision cutting is required.  Other frequently purchased hobby blades are the Stencil Edge Blade which is a small hobby blade used for trimming and scoring.  Our Whittling Blade is best used for trimming, cutting foam, linoleum, plastic, wood, and rubber. Our hobby blades are usually packaged per hundred blades or in smaller quantity tubes, while some bulk packs offer 1000 hobby blades per pack.

We also carry an assortment of hobby blade handles, from simple aluminum handles to our comfortable soft-grip handles which include one number 11 blade and safety cap each. Our No. 2 Aluminum hobby blade handle fits # 18, 19, 22 & 24 hobby blades. The No. 1 Aluminum hobby handle and Sure Grip Hobby Handle fit # 10, 11, 16 & 17 hobby blades.

Our hobby blades are priced at wholesale prices excellent for reselling and always a great deal.  Hobby Blades represent highly requested customer favorite and are confident you will be pleased with the quality of our hobby blades. If you are unsure what hobby blade is best for your application, please call as (310) 452-1034 or email us at [email protected] and one of the representatives will gladly assist you.

How do you know the quality of a razor blade when the tip is so small?  Gizmodo recently took on this question in the blog post “Razors Under a Microscope.”  By examining some retail store disposable razors as well as classic straight edge razors at the microscopic level, the author sought to find the difference between fancy packaging and a quality razor blade.  Johnson describes the simple mechanism of a razor saying, “the sharpest razor is just a few molecules wide at its edge, persuading the molecules it meets that it would be easier to decouple from their mates and let the razor pass through.” 

              Only the sharpest razors are suitable for fine precision cutting or personal shaving.  To see the quality of different razor blades, Johnson magnified his samples showing in his legend the distance of 100 microns, the width of one average facial hair.  Johnson was looking to see if “there really is a difference between sharp and really sharp,” while also keeping in mind the importance of how long a blade will hold its edge.  Furthermore, when looking at razor blades for industrial uses, some customers request a blade to be double honed, or extra sharp, while others need thicker blades for heavy-duty cuts.  These thicker blades can also be extra sharp and should not look jagged under a microscope, however, they still maintain a quality edge.  In the end, it comes down to the quality of manufacture.  A quality razor blade will have a sharp edge from the outset and will stay sharp longer than other equivalent blades.  

            After his examination of various razors’ edges, Johnson argues, “all razors are by their very nature pretty much the same, right down to the edge.”  Why sacrifice the most important feature of a product?  Here at The Razor Blade Co., we don’t believe you have to choose between cost and quality.  We handpick only the best razor blades with proven success and quality for you and your customers.  Don’t believe us?  Pull out a microscope and see for yourself!

           The Razor Blade Company carries a variety of blades for upholstery, fiber and fabric cutting.  Our customers use our textile blades to shave props for stage, cut upholstery for bus refurbishments, craft fine leather interiors for luxury cars, meanwhile fabric and upholstery supply stores stock our products for general use.  We serve a wide range of businesses from textile, car and bus upholstery, to tailoring and below we share the top blade choices of those satisfied customers.
            For your basic fabric cutting use, we recommend the traditional single edge blade shape in our extra sharp blade 94-307 which is double honed for excellent cutting potential. These blades are carbon steel with a thickness of .009” and have a non-rust aluminum backing. The double honed blade quality allows for sharp, clean fabric cutting.

            If you are looking for a blade with a longer-lasting sharpness that holds up to long cuts or heavy fabric the 62-0163 Extra Keen Blue Single Edge blade is a top requested blade among our textile customers. Similar to the 94-307 blades, these extra keen blue blades are also carbon steel and have a thickness of .009” with a non-rusting aluminum backing. With these blue blades, you will be able to work longer cutting your fabrics allowing for clean cuts without the need to change your blade mid-cut.

            Looking for a blade that can cut and trim through leather fabric? Try item 26-101, our number 26 hobby blade. This hobby blade is not only great for fabric cutting but is also used for cutting foam, linoleum, plastic, wood, and rubber. These blades have a thickness of .025” and are carbon steel. They are sold in bulk of 1000 blades per case, excellent for industrial uses.

            Other textile blades that we carry are the Gru Gru blade, Celanese blade, Hercules blade, Teijin Seiki blade, Krupp Blade, Mark IV tow cutter and the Mark V tow cutter. For more information on these blades please contact one of our customer service representatives at (310) 452-1034.

 The Razor Blade Co. carries a large range of breakaway blades, scoreless blades, and breakaway knives. Breakaway blades are blades that have several score lines that allow the piece to snap off easily once the tip has become dull. These blades come in two standard sizes.  The 9mm breakaway blade like our 01-331 is the smaller blade and has 13 points which is perfect for precision cutting, and the 18mm breakaway blade like our 01-771 blade with 8 snap-off points, ideal for heavier cutting. These snap-off blades are well suited for de-burring plastic, laying flooring, trimming wallpaper, films, and so much more. We also carry item 01-776 scoreless blades that are great for when you just need a long blade that can cut deeper than normal.

The breakaway knives come in both inexpensive plastic handles and quality metal handles for repetitive uses. The simple and plain plastic handles like the 66-0455 are usually used for uncomplicated jobs where the blades will only be replaced once or twice. The 8 pt. breakaway knife 66-0456 has a metal track which gives the breakaway knife a longer life and more stability.  These blades are individually wrapped and are featured in bright neon colors, perfect for retail.  Our highest quality snap off knife 66-0397 is made completely of metal that offers sturdiness and long life.

Breakaway blades and breakaway knives are ideal for rapid and accurate cutting. They have higher durability, especially for abrasives materials. Using breakaway blades allows you to have less overall blade changes saving you time and ensuring greater working efficiency.

Impulse buys are a staple of any retail store, whether it’s gum by the register or a magazine with a grabbing headline.  Impulse buys in hardware shops and janitorial supply stores seek both to offer small-sized “buy me!” deals as well as to allow customers to try new products and hopefully come back for the full case.   The Razor Blade Co. sells wholesale industrial razor blades and cutting tools while also featuring items packaged for grab-and-go retail. Here is a countdown of some of our top choices of go-to items to keep stocked near the register:

5.  Our metal safety scrapers are sold in units of one hundred scrapers but are handy tools that stand-alone.  These all-purpose scrapers are retractable and use the traditional single edge razor blade, something the customer probably already has.  The metal design is sturdy and well built to easily change out blades while holding up to heavy-duty scraping tasks.  A great product to keep in a bin so they can test out the locking mechanism and grab some to go.

4. Our plastic scraper is the counterpart to the metal safety scraper.  These plastic scrapers and sold in boxes that pop open ready for retail.  Each mini scraper comes with a single blade and holder suitable for cleaning and scraping surfaces where metal would scratch.  Un-stick old gum, bird droppings, paint and stickers with this handy tool.  The plastic refill blades can also be sold in a hundred packs for when customers come back for more.

3.  Utility knives are easy to lose but handy to have around.  Feature some inexpensive but well-made utility knives such as our die-cast utility knife for quick replacements on the go.  Fully retractable and lockable for safety, the knife also features blade storage in the handle. 
                      

2.  Breakaway knives or snap-off knives are another handy cutting tool.  Our brightly colored and individually wrapped snap-off tools are a feature in both 13 pt and 8 pt models.  The plastic knives are inexpensive so while they can be re-filled, it’s easy to grab a new knife when your old one is done.

1.  Finally, these handy 10 pack dispensers of GEM razor blades are perfect for customers who just need a quick refill of single edge blades.  Featuring our stainless steel uncoated razors, the quality of the blade will not disappoint.  These handy little dispensers are safe to use and convenient to buy.

Check out more recommendations of products stocked in hardware and janitorial supply shops in our industry section for Janitorial Supplies.