In an article on (gah!) Pyramid Power, I read that at the micro-scale, the
edge of a razor is soft like a piece of sharp clay. It cuts for awhile,
but soon the edge becomes bent and folded backwards. "Stropping" with a
leather belt can grab the edge and flap it back again. Traditional
straight-razors can be stropped repeatedly before they finally need a
grinding on the whetstone. Modern razor blades are supposedly different,
and because they are brittle, they sustain permanent damage over time.
The "pyramid power" phenomenon was originally thought to be some sort of
microwave effect. Presumably it caused the metal in the razor to
relax, so that the backwards-flapped edge would uncurl. Later it was
found that only poorly-made Russian razor blades would respond to the
"pyramid treatment". American researchers declared the whole thing bogus.
However, they were using modern razor blades, not the soft and
fragile kind found in Russia, they never really replicated the experiment.
Once the decision was made against "pyramid power", the objections of the
supporters went unheard, or were regarded as trying to "weasle out" of the
fair decision. Another "Pons/Fleichman" event, perhaps?
I've never messed with pyramid power. For those who shave with ancient
technology, it might be interesting to set up a cardboard pyramid and see
if an overnight treatment of a straight-razor is equivalent to "stropping"
the blade.
And then we can all go build Kirlian Photography devices?!! :)