Newbies: How long do you use your blade?

[dangerousdon]

Hey You New Guys! Okay that was a lame attempt to reference the "Electric Company." A show I watched as a child. Anyway...How many of you try a razor blade, shave with it once or twice, and then throw it away. How many of you try a blade but give it at least four or five shave? Just kind of curious. When I first started out, I would give a blade at least four shaves...unless of course my sink looked like the chainsaw scene from Scarface! And then ones I didn't like, I revisited a some time latter to see if they were good blades and my technique was off back then. So...what do you all think?

 

[Dachshund63]

I usually give a blade 3-4 uses. Which is about how many times a week I shave. So I try to use a blade a week. Sometime I get away with less shaves so it'll carry over. Very rarely I might have to do 4-5. I do like, especially when I get a blade I never tried, to get 4-5 out of it to see how well it "ages" with each shave. Some loose edge quickly, others retain a comfortable shave all the way through.

 

[StoutME]

I'll usually try a new blade for 3-4 shaves before grading it. If things go really south 2 shaves before I give it/me a break before trying it again.

 

[dangerousdon]

Thanks guys for the responses.

 

[Marco]

I get an immediate feel on a DE blade or straight edge after one pass. Well, I'm not exactly a newbie...

P.S. Nice thread, Don!

 

[JackC]

I have been using DE since Feb 15 this year, and was tossing a blade after two or three shaves. Now, I am getting 7 shaves, all CCS.

 

[mightyeskimo]

I'll use a blade 2-4 times depending on the brand. Ones I consider duller get used less and the sharper ones more. Some blades really improve the second shave (or after corking) for me. Feathers are great on the 2nd and 3rd shaves.

 

[alex2363]

I get an immediate feel on a DE blade or straight edge after one pass. Well, I'm not exactly a newbie...

P.S. Nice thread, Don!

No your not. .your the oldest reigning Steward on B&B

 

[Poster]

I haven't tried a lot of razors yet, only 4 - Dorco,Shark, Red and Blue Personnas. Usually, I give the blades two shaves to understand what they are; Dorco and Shark haven't passed the test and went to a trash bin, luckily I got them as samples with some gear. With Personnas I make 4 shaves till the replacement.

 

[dangerousdon]

Thanks Gents! Just trying to gauge how a new guy evaluates his blades.

 

[bazza1]

I've only been using a DE razor in the last month or so, i've found i have stopped using my blade after 4 to 5 shaves. (three passes each shave) i find Personna blues , Astra superior platinum and Gillette 7o'clock SharpEdge (yellows) last around the save amount of time, i shave every second day, so all in all, they are great value, and most of all give me a great smooth outstanding shave.

 

[macnutty]

I usually get about three or four out something like an Astra SP, maybe four or even five out of a Feather or GSB. As soon as I feel tugging, I change it out.

 

[MedicDave]

I have been at wet shaving with DE razor for about a year now. When I first started I was bouncing between blades quite a bit. Some I used only once, decided they were horrible for me, then moved on. However, I then read some advice that changed my approach completely. The guidance was that a newbie needed to eliminate variables and master technique before trying a variety of options. So I took the advice and settled in with one soap (Ludington from Detroit Grooming), one razor (RazoRock Protoge) and one TYPE of blade (Shark Super Chrome). I used precisely this setup for 4 weeks straight. In the end I felt like I was consistently getting a good, comfortable shave.

The moral of the story is this: I have actually returned to a couple of the "one and done" blades and found them to be good options. So I advise those even more newbie than me to be sure that the technique is down before you try to evaluate too many different blades.

In case anyone cares: Current favorites are Rapira Platinum Lux, Voshkod and Personna "Lab Blue". I generally get 4 days of 2 or 3 pass shaves out of any of these before they start to become uncomfortable.

 

[Lord Fatboy]

Once, then toss it, with everything: Usually Wilkinson Sword for the two and a half pass (in a Parker 26C or 97R), or a Voskhod - with the R41 - for a one and a half pass. Sometimes, if necessary when abroad: 2 with a Permasharp (it works best in the cold, cold air in Norway). YMMV, That's Just My Personna Opinion, and so on.
I don't have any problem with people who say "I can get 5 shaves out of my blade", more power to 'em, and infact I'm a little jealous, but if it's causing problems, I tend to think that a razor blade should do it's job right out of the wax paper, and that's the best you can expect of it. To give an example, there is a certain cache, with certain blades, that can blind the inexperienced. Recently, at the barbers, we were talking about wet shaving and favourite blades, when a young guy - who has only been shaving 4 or 5 months - joined in:
"I love Personna platinum. Love, love love 'em, but not until maybe the fifth or sixth shave" (!). He was disappointed, to find out that if your favourite blade is a blunt(ed?) Personna, then your favourite blade is probably gonna be a Derby. Derby aren't cool. While you say "All razor blades are sharp, just some are sharper than others" it's probably worth saying "...and the right razor blade for you should work immediately. If it's tearing you up until shave number 6, it's the wrong blade for you".

 

[dangerousdon]

Good to hear all of your thoughts on the issue.
[MENTION=109277]lord[/MENTION]Fatboy I can agree with your statement that I think that a blade should work for you right out of the box. I honestly don't see any difference from out of the box to the next shave. I know blades are cheap enough but I just can't get behind tossing after each use. It is a personal preference thing so there is obviously nothing wrong with what you do, but I can get at the very least three shaves without diminishing quality and usually for or five. That's about where I am willing to draw the line.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts on this matter!

 

[Lord Fatboy]

Good to hear all of your thoughts on the issue.
[MENTION=109277]lord[/MENTION]Fatboy I can agree with your statement that I think that a blade should work for you right out of the box. I honestly don't see any difference from out of the box to the next shave. I know blades are cheap enough but I just can't get behind tossing after each use. It is a personal preference thing so there is obviously nothing wrong with what you do, but I can get at the very least three shaves without diminishing quality and usually for or five. That's about where I am willing to draw the line.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts on this matter!

I've totally revised my opinion on that. Wilkinson Sword - my daily blade - I can only get 1 shave, maybe 1 and a half, but I've recently re-discovered Rapira Swedish Supersteel, and I'm on my 5th shave with one of those blades! Thanks for the reply.

 

[GenuineGentleman]

With my VDH blades, they're good for 2 3 pass shaves and by the 3rd day you can tell they're pretty dull and tug a lot. Personnna Blues I can get about 4 days out of

 

[Elvergun]

I use them twice and then I toss them. I have so many sample blades to try that it would take me forever to go through them if I used them more. When I find some favorites (Gillette 7 O'clock greens from Russia is the only blade I "love" so far) I will see how long I can make them last.

 

[Lord Fatboy]

With my VDH blades, they're good for 2 3 pass shaves and by the 3rd day you can tell they're pretty dull and tug a lot. Personnna Blues I can get about 4 days out of

I didn't know Van Der Hagen had their own blades (VHD is not really a readily available brand here in the UK). I must give them a try. Thanks.

 

[mwinne63]

I use them twice and then I toss them. I have so many sample blades to try that it would take me forever to go through them if I used them more. When I find some favorites (Gillette 7 O'clock greens from Russia is the only blade I "love" so far) I will see how long I can make them last.

Love the 7 O'Clock greens, I also have the Gillette Silver Blues, and Astra SPs in my keeps list.