The first shave of a brand new blade

[Highspeedlane]

It's amazing how our shaving "tastes" can change in time. Up until recently, I never really looked forward to the first shave of a brand new blade, finding as often as not that it would not be as forgiving as subsequent shaves after it began to smooth out. I even went through a phase in which I was corking or palm stropping in an effort to simulate having already accomplished the first shave. Nothing seemed to really work.

In the past several weeks though, I've turned 180 degrees and now find the first shave of my go-to blade, the Gillette 7O'clock Super Stainless to be the very best. Now I look forward to the first shave and find subsequent shaves to be lacking in efficiency!

I hate to toss a blade too early (I know, why bother pushing them when they're this cheap) but I'm trying to go at least 3 shaves before binning. Something about that first shave though...clean, smooth, efficient...the least irritation the blade is capable of. Always look forward to it.

 

[GBerry]

I usually have mixed feelings about the first shave on a blade because I know it is as sharp as it can ever be. It is easy to forget you can not be care free like the last shave of the used blade. Minor changes to technique seem needed.

 

[Grundi]

I'm still in the camp that, for me, 1st shave isn't the best that I'll get from the blade. YMMV, but, again for me, 2nd shave sets the bar for blade performance.

And I very much like the Gillette 7O'Clock Greens blades.

 

[BSAGuy]

Proof of YMMV.

 

[adamchur]

It depends on the blade -
Some of mine are at their best when new and gradually get duller every day afterwards
Others, although good when new, get better on the 2nd day
Living proof of the old saying "Variety is the spice of life"

 

[Joe blow]

I have always used blades only once. Tough beard, only shave every 3-4 days and I can afford it. I still view blades as ridiculously cheap. Cost to manufacture I hear is one cent each. I just find that a shave with a new Gillette Platinum or Muhle blade in the R41 is heaven, so close it is hard to believe this quality shave can be had for 1/10th of the price of a cup of Starbucks coffee. One for me ... IMHO

 

[Highspeedlane]

It depends on the blade -
Some of mine are at their best when new and gradually get duller every day afterwards
Others, although good when new, get better on the 2nd day
Living proof of the old saying "Variety is the spice of life"

I do still tend to get decent efficiency with the 7OC SS on shave the second shave but lately after shave two there's a spot on my neck that just doesn't cooperate. Had a brand new one in the razor (NDC Old Type) this morning and once again, an amazing shave.

 

[BigJ]

Often the second/third shaves are smoother for my top blades!

 

[Bookie]

I'm not a fan of blades on a last shave, no matter the brand. GWP on it's fourth-fitfht shave, still good but not as first shave.
It's great how it's always YMMV.
My friend tosses blade after one use, he uses only GWP's but he shaves every 2 weeks and makes ritual out of it.

@Highspeedlane can you please tell what is the name of the razor on the photograph?

 

[JimWms]

I enjoy shaving with a new blade for the first time, especially if it rewards me with a non-tugging, smooth shave that feels like there's no blade in the razor. To me, that's the essence of a really fine, enjoyable shave. Once I find some blades that meet that criteria, they're on my top rotation. The most recent blade I got that shave with was a BIC Chrome Platinum. It doesn't matter whether the blade lasts for 3 shaves or 10. With the low cost of blades these days, I look for one that gives me that AHHH, what a silky, super-glide, tug-free shave on the first pass!

 

[Highspeedlane]

I'm not a fan of blades on a last shave, no matter the brand. GWP on it's fourth-fitfht shave, still good but not as first shave.
It's great how it's always YMMV.
My friend tosses blade after one use, he uses only GWP's but he shaves every 2 weeks and makes ritual out of it.

@Highspeedlane can you please tell what is the name of the razor on the photograph?

That's my Gillette thick cap Old Type. No question my favorite of all and my daily work-day shaver.

 

[frstplce]

I also think it depends on the blade. My current red Personna gave a flawless first shave. 7 o'clock Black I can't seem to walk away from shave #1 without a least a couple of tiny nicks. With my Gem SE, the first shave is often akin to torture. But then I get 9 more wonderful shaves out of that blade, so I find it worth the trouble.

I do get at least 3 shaves out of most every blade, aside from carbon steel types. So perhaps my skin just prefers a blade after it's been worn down slightly.

 

[Bookie]

That's my Gillette thick cap Old Type. No question my favorite of all and my daily work-day shaver.

Nice looking razor, I was never a fans of golden razors but since this is vintage, it looks really really good.

 

[cw62803]

Nice photo, Lane. How can anyone not like this way of shaving???

I find some blades (like 7 O'clock SS) are great out of the package, and some (like 7 O'clock yellows) are better after you wear a little of the harshness off of them. There is something extremely satisfying about opening up a wrapper, installing a new blade, and taking it out for its first run....

 

[Highspeedlane]

Nice photo, Lane. How can anyone not like this way of shaving???

I find some blades (like 7 O'clock SS) are great out of the package, and some (like 7 O'clock yellows) are better after you wear a little of the harshness off of them. There is something extremely satisfying about opening up a wrapper, installing a new blade, and taking it out for its first run....

When I was using GSB regularly I never looked forward to the first shave, and this was when I was on a TTO kick, using Fatboy's and Schick Krona among others.

Now that I lean heavily on the Gillette 7O'clock SS, maybe it's a combination of the blade, plus the fact I'm using 3 piece vintage almost exclusively. I went from "dreading" the first shave to anticipating it!

 

[Bookworm]

With my Gem SE, the first shave is often akin to torture. But then I get 9 more wonderful shaves out of that blade, so I find it worth the trouble.

Try corking it first?

 

[Hoka Hey]

I love the first shave with a Feather. I get an audible "Scritch". Less so on subsequent shaves.

Mark

 

[Maritime Storm]

I find the first shave can be harsh, the 2nd and 3rd shave best, and rarely use a blade beyond a 4th shave.

 

[muzichead]

Definitely a YMMV topic like @BSAGuy mentioned. I find when using a new blade, the razor its used in makes a difference as well. Generally speaking, I find the 1st shave on a new blade isn't the best shave for me. I will say though that from said 1st shave, regardless of which razor I have it in, I pretty much know if it will be a good blade for me or not. I usually get 6-8 good shaves out of most blades on average in my DE razors. Overall of all the DE blades I've used to date in all my razors, Feathers are the ones that just don't pass the test for me. I much prefer the Shark SS, Voskhod, and Astra SP's for now and have several other Gillette, Lord, and a few other blades to test over the coming weeks. I find in my SE razors, the AC ProGuard blades give me the best shaves. That is for either the Feather or the Kai... I think as well, I prefer my General over any of the DE's I have used to date. It gives me the best shave with the least passes and irritation is very minimal if any at all.

 

[Highspeedlane]

It's also definitely razor related too I believe. I just completed a "first shave with new blade" yesterday morning with pre-war Gillette Tech and the results were NOT what I would categorize as smooth. Yet I can take that same 7O'clock Super Stainless and load it in my Gillette thick cap Old Type or my German OT travel razor (the head is a thick cap clone) and the results are night and day. Much smoother in the Old Type head.

I'm somewhat convinced the way the blade is supported in the Old Type contributes to this. Also, blade longevity appears to be lower in the Old Type (at least to the point its efficiency starts dropping off), but that's an acceptable trade off for me.