eli5 why is the guillotine blade diagonal?

Question

I’m guessing bc of friction

In: Engineering

Answer 1

It’s always easier to start a small cut than a large one. Angled blade starts a small cut instead a blunt, across- the-entire-neck cut (basically a chop), though with a heavy enough blade that wouldn’t be a concern with the soft squishy flesh of a human. Pulverized or sliced, dead is dead.