After a quick search the best I could come up with was the one below:
That was posted on November 26, 2016. ciderguy was last seen on January 11, 2017 but that appears to be his last post on this thread. So I have no idea if he got more, and if he did how many more.
After a quick search the best I could come up with was the one below:
That was posted on November 26, 2016. ciderguy was last seen on January 11, 2017 but that appears to be his last post on this thread. So I have no idea if he got more, and if he did how many more.
You could PM him I guess...
I got 7 with a Carbon PAL. Go for it!
Well, my first try with a carbon blade was much like yours. I think that too many unknowns exist with carbon blades. How long ago were they made? How were they stored? Things that don't matter with SS blades, unless taken to the extreme ends of the spectrum. I stumbled across these blades at a local grocery so felt obligated to purchase (to encourage them to stock traditional products). They had both SE and injector blades, but no DE blades if you can believe that!
Good conditioning allows me to shave very frequently when I want, perhaps I should shave slightly more aggressively instead., of course that can be seen as a positive if you don't already have a huge selection to try . Carbon or Stainless, coated? OKay, other than trying utility blades all bases covered by those two choices. I do think Feather makes some as well though.
Yeah, skin conditioning is very important IMO. I use pre-shaves to help, and soaps such as PdP and Cade, although currently I'm working my way through soaps I'd purchased and tried, but aren't what I consider my top tier. Not bad soaps at all, those I just use to cycle brushes to get tips to split and odors to dissipate
I used to think that too. When I did my long Polsilver SI run I ran out of "more aggressive" razors, so I restarted on my "least aggressive" and it worked just fine. I now tend to think it's "all in the mind."
Of course changing the razor for another one (no matter whether it's up or down in aggression) automatically changes the angle you use the blade at. So more often than not the blade will feel better (rejuvenated).
That's just my two cents, and opinion, for what it's worth.
I am forever grateful to @bosseb for this post (#1240 on page 62):I really like it when the blades start to get smoother! I almost dread opening a new blade now.
| Shave | Blade Characteristics |
| 1 - 8 | Devilishly sharp, watch out for weepers when loading into the next razor |
| 9 - 25 | Roughness as the blade loses its initial sharpness ( coating?) |
| 26 - 80 | Buttery Edge, smooth sailing |
| 81 - 120 | Onset of diminished cutting capacity, cleanup needed after two passes |
| 121 - ? | End of useful life, as noticed in a longer clean up pass and earlier stubble |
I usually always shave BEFORE showering or bathing. My only pre-lathering prep is slapping some water on my face.
I usually always shave BEFORE showering or bathing. My only pre-lathering prep is slapping some water on my face.
You'll notice once you've lathered (no Santa Claus stuff, please) that your whiskers stand to attention much more than they did when you started. That's the idea of shaving soap, it stiffens the whiskers ready to be chopped down (no matter what people tell you). So getting whiskers really soft and hydrated is a mugs game. Let's say you have two identical pieces of wood; except one is soaking wet and the other is bone dry... which would be easier to saw in half?
So my virtually NO-PREP method hasn't stopped me from getting great blood free shaves, or high blade counts.
Green logs are easier to split than seasoned. 
However, laziness means that I can't be bothered chasing that softness, and so tend to shave with stiffer bristles.
I am forever grateful to @bosseb for this post (#1240 on page 62):
This just might be a question that has some general interest among the Excalibur members.
I also know from experience that the prejudice about how a blade should behave might just be the hardest obstacle to handle in extending blade longevity. So here is my personal view of the number of shaves in each part of the cycle. Keep in mind that I change razor every Saturday
Typical Sequence of Blade Character Changes over Prolonged Use
Shave Blade Characteristics 1 - 8 Devilishly sharp, watch out for weepers when loading into the next razor 9 - 25 Roughness as the blade loses its initial sharpness ( coating?) 26 - 80 Buttery Edge, smooth sailing 81 - 120 Onset of diminished cutting capacity, cleanup needed after two passes 121 - ? End of useful life, as noticed in a longer clean up pass and earlier stubble
I hope this chart will tear down some of the mental barriers that I have had problems in overcoming!
I'd just like to mention that the reason I removed the Excalibur badge from my signature was because the thread seemed to be going far too much in the "bragging rights" direction, rather than the original intended "technique improvement" (and who the hell cares if you reach 100 or not). Sure, it's fun to be able to reach high numbers, but if you then can't handle "a sharp new blade" what was the damned point?
I get sick of people moaning about weepers and such, even high scorers. To me this is simply an indication of poor technique. If you're good enough to take your blade from new to high numbers, you should also be good enough to get a great (and blood free) shave (nearly) every time.
Don't get mad at me. It's only MY opinion.
+1000
I'll have to disagree with you on the green forewoof logs easier to split than dry. I burn firewood too, it's a lot easier to me pop open when it's dry and showing cracks between the wood fibers. And if you can get it in one of those cracks already you're halfway there. To each is own.Now back to shaving.Clogging saw teeth and hardness/toughness are very different things
I find a 48 hour shave, easier on the blade than a 24 hour shave. The increased of exposed stubble surface area to wick up the water, leads to a higher intake and softer stubble (assuming skin oils have been washed away first), without over hydrating the skin. A waterlogged hair, also gives some extra lubrication as the blade passes through the cross section, compared to a dry hair. They are the differences that I perceive (rightly or wrongly) anyway.
As to blade life, when my blades are spent, there's flat spots and edge chipping. I can't see a way of delaying that without softening the bristles more.
