SEVENTH ANNUAL "One Blade in February" Challenge - 2016 Edition

[goby]

It's that time of year. Time for the world famous "One Blade in February" Challenge!!!

Last year we again had 20+ participants. In the first year many used the Personna 74 blade. The next five years participants used "mortal" blades, like Derby, Dorco, Astra, Feather, and Lions. It shocking how many shaves you can really get out of a blade, even a lowly Dorco or Derby.


Here are the "rules":

1. "Try" to use one blade for the entire month of February. That means if you want to try a "mortal" blade, like a Derby or a Dorco, and you can get it to last 15 days, feel free to use a new Derby Day 16 and continue.

2. Push your blade as far as it can go

3. Have fun!

4. There are no rules! (see Rule 3)

This isn't a "contest," so if you want to use some magic gizmo to extend the life of your blade, feel free. I will be cleaning my blade with water each day, then swishing in a jar of rubbing alcohol. Some may hand strop it. Just share your method, shaving hardware and software, and have fun!

Feel free to use injectors or SE's. And if there is a way for you straight razors users to play, feel free (like no honing for a month?)

As usual, I'm going to offer a couple of Personna 74 blades in exchange for a donation to Sue Moore's fund. I'll post them today or tomorrow. They'll be $10.00 each. As always, I don't profit...you'll make the donation directly to Sue's fund and I'll send out the blade to you.


Good luck and have fun!!!

 

[jamesspo]

I am, of course, in! The question for me will be what blade to use. I'm currently at 40 shaves on an original Polsilver. I may just use that and see if I can get to ~70 on it. Or I may put that one away and try something else. I'll have it figured out by the 1st .

Goby, I'll take one of the P74 blades. I'll PM you.

 

[DrAwkward]

This is my third year in the Challenge! For the first two rounds, I used vintage English-made Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade blades. These blades are legendary and it was no problem making it through 28 shaves on one blade. Indeed, I kept going after February in 2015 and made it all the way to 52 shaves on that one Wilkie.

This year, I am going to try another vintage blade: Schick Platinum (made in Netherlands). I think it is the European version of the Schick Plus Platinum. It is the last one I have, so it might as well go out in a blaze of glory.

Certain blades are well known for longevity (e.g., the Wilkinson Light Brigade, the Personna 74, the Gillette Spoiler, the Gillette "Swede," etc.). My plan is to find out if the Schick Platinum blade belongs in the same category.

 

[kevdogg329]

I'll play. I have a vintage English-made Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade blade that I will try this year.

 

[talibeard]

Certain blades are well known for longevity (e.g., the Wilkinson Light Brigade, the Personna 74, the Gillette Spoiler, the Gillette "Swede," etc.). My plan is to find out if the Schick Platinum blade belongs in the same category.

I wish you good luck. I like the Amsterdam Schick Platinums a lot and have a small stash of them and I load one up from time to time, they are really smooth. But longevity is only average with 3 to 4 shaves per blade for me. This is a typical to good score compared to other blades overhere so you might be able to stretch its life as I can't get 52 shaves out of a light brigade either.

 

[DrAwkward]

I wish you good luck. I like the Amsterdam Schick Platinums a lot and have a small stash of them and I load one up from time to time, they are really smooth. But longevity is only average with 3 to 4 shaves per blade for me. This is a typical to good score compared to other blades over here so you might be able to stretch its life as I can't get 52 shaves out of a light brigade either.

Good to know. I guess I have my work cut out for me. Regular blades usually last 4-5 shaves for me, but I've learned a few tricks from the Excalibur crew.

 

[Shakey-and-twitchy]

Fat boy with Gillette black. I am ready to go.

 

[goby]

I've done it with a Lord, Derby, and Astra. I think all of them went the distance. The P74 did it without any problems.

 

[countrydirt]

I have Persona Lab blues and Wilkinson Swords. I guess I have a few weeks to try them both. Or, I might just try with whatever blade ends up being available on February 1 in my den. Right now I'm using an Astra SP

 

[SanKaloon]

Enjoyed this last year - I'm in again! Not sure what blade I will go with yet. Definitely not a Treet Black Beauty again.

 

[CigarSmoka]

I'm in! Will probably go with a Russian blade, Astra seem to last for me although I get better shaves from others. I'll name which blade before the first. I may live dangerously and just go with a blind pick.

There are no rules but are we required to shave every day? I will because that's what I do, but it seems if you only shave every other day that's kind of cheating, sort of.

 

[showard]

I'm in. I made the whole month last year with a Polsilver SI, so I'll give another blade a chance to prove itself this year.
I'll check the blade selections as the 1st draws near and try to pick a blade that's underrepresented or missing from the list, just to add some variety.

 

[whosaidpigeon]

I'm in again. Used a Polsilver last year and only half way through. This year I'm using another Polsilver, but I'm going to try to push through the whole month. Might need to up my prep skills to give the blade a helping hand.

 

[TexLaw]

Hmmmmm . . . . I may need to get back into this. I did it last year with a P74 and made it three weeks (started a week late and just stopped at the end of the month). I hadn't really gotten my technique working, though. This could be fun!

 

[goby]

I've done it with a Lord, Derby, and Astra. I think all of them went the distance. The P74 did it without any problems.

I'm in! Will probably go with a Russian blade, Astra seem to last for me although I get better shaves from others. I'll name which blade before the first. I may live dangerously and just go with a blind pick.

There are no rules but are we required to shave every day? I will because that's what I do, but it seems if you only shave every other day that's kind of cheating, sort of.

There are no rules! Skip a shave or two. That's not "cheating."

 

[CigarSmoka]

I'm picking my blade now. Going all out with one I technically haven't used before. DrAwkward was kind enough to PIF me 2 Voskhod blades from the 80's. I love the current Voskhod so will be using one of these from the 80's for the entire month. I haven't used one yet and have no idea how it performs but I like to live dangerously!

 

[CigarSmoka]

There are no rules! Skip a shave or two. That's not "cheating."

Ok. I was just asking because I could join and only shave once a week, but that's not really in the spirit of the one blade for the month. I will be shaving daily, perhaps a rare missed shave on the weekend.

 

[bosseb]

Alright gents! This year I'm in again. I will probably use the red IP I loaded fresh into my US C2 Tech today.

This might be quite amusing since I don't have any recollection of how many shaves I usually do an a red IP. Anyway it will have 13 shaves on it by 1st of February.

My secret agenda here is to try to fit at least two razors into my current rotation so that I will be able to do 100+ shaves by weekly rotation. Presently I have 13 razors in my active rotation but I would like to have 15 because 15x7 shaves= 100+. I have my eyes on my Goodwill, pre-war US Tech and my US NEW SC.

I will also participate in the RFB v NEW Deluxe challenge in another thread.

Looks to be an interesting February this year...

 

[Cal]

Please count me in.

I'm a relative newb around here. This looks like fun, and a great way to improve/polish one's skills. I'll decide on the blade before the 1st.

Cheers!

 

[AsureDawn]

I'll do it, though you may or may not get daily updates.
I think I'm on my 5th use of this Astra SP blade, maybe 7th. I stopped counting. As far as the method, just a simple rinse and then "stropping" on my towel 10-12 times on each side when I'm done. I can see a small chip in the blade I'm using now, so it may not last much longer, but that may be because I forgot to clean it the other day when I finished shaving. :/