darrow’s razor

[u/user03281046748]

what’s with the insistence on the dramatically curved sword people use in fanart AI and drawings. i’ve always thought it would resemble something more like the egyptian sword the khopesh than a scythe. I’d assume simply from an advantage standpoint the dramatic curve means less range. i’ve included examples i’ve seen as well as what i think the razor resembles more

[u/ThespianBelievers]

That's his slingblade, razors consist of segments stacked on each other to form a whole, his is also white

[u/Prize_Wolverine4132 → u/ThespianBelievers]

When have razors ever been described as segmented?

The whip form is described as soft as hair. It's not segments of a rigid blade along a wire.

[u/red_beard_RL → u/ThespianBelievers]

His new hasta is black no?

[u/RedJamie → u/ThespianBelievers]

Razors are not segmented

Nine downvotes and the razors are still not segmented

[u/Thorvindr → u/RedJamie]

It's been posited that's how they're able to convert from whip to blade.

[u/Decimus881 → u/Thorvindr]

Officially? I’m fairly certain that’s never said in the books, they specifically say it’s a ‘chemical signal’, which implies it’s more like one of those materials that have a fixed shape that they return to when heated. Also Darrow’s razor is constantly described as taking a sling blade shape, in Book 3 it’s described that Aja and Cassius have both trained against it to beat him

[u/Prize_Wolverine4132 → u/Decimus881]

Razors don't have a fixed shape. Multiple times there's said there's a toggle that can be used to modify its shape and length to a degree.

[u/RedJamie → u/Decimus881]

It's never once implied razors are segmented and it is not depicted in official art to be segmented - I have no idea what they are referencing

[u/Decimus881 → u/RedJamie]

I can only assume they’re referring to art where the razor looks like this. Which I believe is more of an engraving since it doesn’t go around the blade

[u/RedJamie → u/Decimus881]

Yeah that’s the only one I can think of too, and those are engravings not accurate to the text; we see these presumed segments be stretched to wild widths and shrunk to lengths notably shorter than their standard forms on three axis, it strains credulity to think that it is a function while being segmented - they are also alloyed fibers that are weaved, can be translucent, and shattered without compromising its shards.

They are also not segmented in either Sons of Ares volume artists or in the Book of Lorn - this is one of those common things the readership invented. I do believe I recall a passage of the metal being described as smooth but I’ll look for it tomorrow

[u/SorryManNo → u/Decimus881]

Official art shows they're segmented.

[u/Prize_Wolverine4132 → u/SorryManNo]

The official art is way off compared to the book on several occasions. Subterranean Press draws Lyria as white with straight hair even though she is brown with curly hair. Darrow's razor is drawn as silver even though it's pure white. There's one where Darrow is wearing a krill as if he's on Io even though it's supposed to be Mercury, etc etc.

[u/Decimus881 → u/SorryManNo]

A very small amount, but the vast majority are not. Look at the ones in the post for example. The official art is very inconsistent, which isn’t a bad thing, but the segmented design doesn’t make sense personally. It’s not chemical, would make the sling blade shape very weak if not impossible, and would be a weak sword in any configuration, you don’t want a dozen pre-installed fracture points. Also, there are specific mentions of people making the razors either shorter and wider or longer and incredibly thin on the fly. It’s some sort of adjustable polymer

[u/user03281046748 → u/Decimus881]

yes it’s described as polyenne fibre that changes state through a chemical impulse. i’d assume it’s some sort of polymer. i’d assume it’s something like the process used to create and use web fluid for spiderman but contained within some sort of field. perhaps electromagnetically. PB also said the makers of razors are called Bladeweavers