• reddit_sux@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Autoclave will deform the needle even more. The edge of the tip is made from softer steel so that it is sharper while at the same time more deformable.

    • Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 days ago

      Assumably also for manufacturing and safety reasons. You don’t want the tip of a needle to shatter inside you, softer steel won’t do that. And it’s a little bit easier to manufacture with softer steel as well.

    • emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      Needles were autoclaved and re-used once upon a time, so it should be possible. But disposable needles are probably made of softer material than reusable ones.

      • reddit_sux@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Those were made up harder steel which can’t be sharpened to the degree softer steel can be. Harder steel shatters if sharpened since harder it is brittle it becomes.

        So reusable needle are blunt, so injections are painful. And as mentioned by @Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de they used to shatter inside the body after a few cycles of autoclaving.