Chemically sharpening blades

Abstract

A method for forming a cutting tool includes masking a metal base with one or more masks, the one or more masks including at least one variable permeability mask, and chemically etching the masked metal base to form a blade of the cutting tool.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A cutting tool comprising:
 a main body including a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a main-body centerline between the first side and the second side of the main body, the main-body centerline is equidistant from the first side and the second side; and   a blade extending from the main body and formed by masking with at least one variable permeability mask and chemically etching, the blade including a first side, a second side, a blade centerline, and a tip aligned with the blade centerline.   
     
     
         22 . The cutting tool of  claim 21 , wherein a profile of the first side of the blade is different from a profile of the second side of the blade. 
     
     
         23 . The cutting tool of  claim 22 , wherein the profile of the first side of the blade is a gradual slope compared to the profile of the second side of the blade. 
     
     
         24 . The cutting tool of  claim 22 , wherein the profile of the second side of the blade includes a steep slope proximally compared to the profile of the first side of the blade. 
     
     
         25 . The cutting tool of  claim 22 , wherein the profile of the second side of the blade includes a flatter profile distally compared to the profile of the first side of the blade. 
     
     
         26 . The cutting tool of  claim 21 , wherein a first angle between the main-body centerline and the blade centerline is between 20 degrees and 32 degrees. 
     
     
         27 . The cutting tool of  claim 26 , wherein a second angle between the blade centerline and a distal end of the second side of the blade is less than 5 degrees. 
     
     
         28 . The cutting tool of  claim 21 , wherein the tip is distal from the main body. 
     
     
         29 . The cutting tool of  claim 21 , wherein the blade centerline is parallel with the main-body centerline. 
     
     
         30 . The cutting tool of  claim 21 , wherein the blade extends from the main body up to 400 micrometers (μm). 
     
     
         31 . A method for forming a cutting tool, the method comprising:
 masking a metal base with one or more masks, the one or more masks including at least one variable permeability mask; and   chemically etching the masked metal base to form a blade of the cutting tool, the blade extending from a main body and including a first side, a second side, a centerline and a tip aligned with the centerline.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein chemically etching the masked metal base to form the blade of the cutting tool includes removing metal of the metal element underneath the at least one variable permeability mask at variable rates along the length of the variable permeability mask such that a profile of the first side of the blade is different from a profile of the second side of the blade. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the profile of the first side of the blade is a gradual slope compared to the profile of the second side of the blade. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the profile of the second side of the blade is a steep slope compared to the profile of the first side of the blade. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the profile of the second side of the blade includes a flatter profile distally compared to the profile of the first side of the blade. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a first angle between a centerline of the main body and the centerline of the blade is between 20 degrees and 32 degrees. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a second angle between the centerline of the blade and a distal end of the second side of the blade is less than 5 degrees. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the centerline of the blade is parallel with the centerline of the main body. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the tip is distal from the main body. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the blade extends from the main body up to 400 micrometers (μm).