On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 17:45:29 GMT, Ken Muldrew wrote:
"Leon" wrote:

Have you noticed that a carbide tipped blade is harder than wood and it also
dulls?

Yes, and I find that confusing as well. Although wood can have a lot
more inclusions of hard minerals than beard (or so I would guess). I
have a piece of desert ironwood that works as sandpaper.

I think it's more that the edge is _brittle_. Sure, glass is harder
than wood, but you can break bits off of the edge of a sheet of glass with
a piece of wood. On a microscopic level, I imagine this is what is happening
to our nice sharp edges when we touch wood (or whiskers) to them.

Lacking an electron microsocope, I can't personally test this theory.

That's the part that I don't understand. Why does it wear away. The
hair should wear before the steel.

I think it's chipping away, not wearing away.

Dave Hinz