METHOD OF FOLDING METAL BLANK MADE OF HIGH-STRENGHT MATERIAL WITHOUT CRACKS

A method of manufacturing a component from a high-strength blank metal strip or sheet (MS) having a tensile strength of at least 850 MPa. The method comprises reducing the thickness (T) of the strip or sheet (MS) in a folding section (FS) so that a shaped section (SS) having a predetermined shape is obtained in at least a part of the folding section (FS). The strip or sheet (MS) is then folded along the shaped section (SS), so that a surface of a first section (1S) becomes arranged adjacent and parallel to a surface a the second section (2S) of the metal strip (MS). Finally, the first and second sections (1S,2S) are joined, so that the strip or sheet (MS) remains folded. With this method, it is possible to use high-strength steel, e.g. AISI 301 stainless steel, and still fold a thin strip or sheet (MS) without undesired cracks in the folding section. For example, the invention is applicable for manufacturing of plate-shaped hair-pulling elements (HPE) for a cutting unit (CU) of a shaving apparatus.