Magnets, how do they work? Apparently well enough to sharpen razor blades…

Mr J A Nones was granted a patent for a self sharpening razor in 1933 that employed the power of magnets to keep the blade sharp and the razor head clunky…

In the inventors own words from the patent description:

…a safety razor with means for automatically sharpening or readjusting the minute particles of the functional or executive edges of the blade…

… a safety razor of the type noted with a magnetic means by which the edges of the wafer-blade may be reconditioned or sharpened…

According to my invention, the extremities of the pole portions of the magnet are inwardly curved toward the guard fingers 10 and terminate midway the length of the downwardly extending portions of said fingers; and said terminal portions or poles of the magnet are spaced apart from but are close to the line of guard fingers from end-to-end of the razor. The pole terminals of the magnet are also arranged sufficiently close to the cutting edges of the razor blade to exercise the necessary magnetic attraction for the minute deflected portions, produced during the course of shaving or while the blade is in use. It is this forceful attraction which reconditions the edges of the blade and sharpens the same, and restores the so-called teeth of said razor blade’edges to the normal plane of the blade-body.

It is my belief that the huge success of Mr Nones’ razor in the marked place clearly shows how effective magnets are for keeping your razorblades sharp. If you put this invention in a pyramid – which as we all know keeps milk fresh and razors sharp – it is quite possible you’ll end up going back in time… or just look like a fool.