uscom

A method for manufacturing surgical blades (2402) from either a crystalline or poly-crystalline material, preferably in the form of a wafer (202), is disclosed. The method includes preparing the crystalline or poly-crystalline wafers by mounting them and machining trenches into the wafers. The methods for machining the trenches, which form the bevel blade surfaces, include a diamond blade saw (502, 504, 506, 508), laser system (900), ultrasonic machine (100), and a hot forge press (1052, 1054). The wafers are placed in an etchant solution (1402) which isotropically etches the wafers in a uniform manner, such that layers of crystalline or poly-crystalline material are removed uniformly, producing single or double bevel blades (20A-G). Nearly any angle can be machined into the wafer which remains after etching. The resulting radii of the blade edges is 5-500 nm, this is equivalent to a diamond edged blade manufactured at a fraction of the cost.