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Switching blades between razors, rotating blades, and trimming blade tabs.

OK, this is a three part question.

I see that some guys switch blades between razors; what's your opinion?

I've learned from here that the 1-4 numbers are for quality control purposes but also know some guys rotate their blades. What's your opinion here?

Last, I trim the tabs/ends off the blade from some razors, any negative impact here?
 
I see that some guys switch blades between razors; what's your opinion?

I've learned from here that the 1-4 numbers are for quality control purposes but also know some guys rotate their blades. What's your opinion here?

Last, I trim the tabs/ends off the blade from some razors, any negative impact here?
  1. I always put a new blade when I switch razors but don't have a razor rotation.
  2. I always flip the blade after each shave to use all the bevels and use both edges on each shave.
  3. I have never found the need to trim the tabs but trimming the tabs should be okay.
 
Oh boy, I think you're right. I joined it at level 3. Just in the last month I got a bunch more stuff, mostly vintage. My brother introducing me to wet shaving has changed my life (mostly for the better LOL)
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Interesting questions that come up over time.
-I take my blade out of the razor after each shave if possible, the Schick injectors I usually leave in and some fellows will remove them also.
-When installing a blade I flip it usually because I kind of got sold on the idea and it makes sense but have not noticed really a difference.
- for cutting the tabs I do not do that, folks who head shave might do it because of nicking their ear lope. There are lots of razors that cover the whole blade now a days in stainless steel, brass, aluminum, Plastic, Titanium & bronze.
The Gem SE razors have been covering the whole blade for well over 120 years and I enjoy the shave they offer. ASR SE Razors are rarely mentioned but they are very good razors with the modern PTFE blades.
Schick injectors are also good razors in the SE category and lots of modern SE have the complete covered blades with good performance IMO.
Gillette vintage razors have the tabs protruding for a reason and it was meant for placing and removing blades safely and it worked well for that purpose. Modern razor manufactures have moved slowly away from this to capture the head shavers and other folks who shave different areas of their body.
 
Interesting questions that come up over time.
-I take my blade out of the razor after each shave if possible, the Schick injectors I usually leave in and some fellows will remove them also.
-When installing a blade I flip it usually because I kind of got sold on the idea and it makes sense but have not noticed really a difference.
- for cutting the tabs I do not do that, folks who head shave might do it because of nicking their ear lope. There are lots of razors that cover the whole blade now a days in stainless steel, brass, aluminum, Plastic, Titanium & bronze.
The Gem SE razors have been covering the whole blade for well over 120 years and I enjoy the shave they offer. ASR SE Razors are rarely mentioned but they are very good razors with the modern PTFE blades.
Schick injectors are also good razors in the SE category and lots of modern SE have the complete covered blades with good performance IMO.
Gillette vintage razors have the tabs protruding for a reason and it was meant for placing and removing blades safely and it worked well for that purpose. Modern razor manufactures have moved slowly away from this to capture the head shavers and other folks who shave different areas of their body.
Yes, I'm a head shaver and did it for the earlobe and also under the nose, I kept nicking in both places.
 
I have always wondered why the worry about blade tabs ! How is this possible to nick yourself with tab. Especially with the mantra about NO PRESSURE in mind !
Maybe are there some blades with sharpened tabs around ?
 
I see that some guys switch blades between razors; what's your opinion?
I use the same blade until it is done, typically around five shaves for me. If I switch razors between those shaves, the same blade goes into the new razor.

I've learned from here that the 1-4 numbers are for quality control purposes but also know some guys rotate their blades. What's your opinion here?

I've never seen the point; if I take the blade out, I pay no mond to which way it came out or which way it goes in. Life's too short... :p

Last, I trim the tabs/ends off the blade from some razors, any negative impact here?

I wouldn't think so. I nicked myself once under the nose when spinning the head to change sides. It's a mistake I'm ulikely to repeat!
 
Good and fair questions.
I see that some guys switch blades between razors; what's your opinion?
I do sometimes when I am testing a new blade, but I tend to leave the blade in the razor it started in. All my razors usually have blades loaded ready for use (and I entertain multiple brands at a time). I say usually because the numbers have gone up lately :blushing: and some are empty at the moment. And I might keep it that way until a razor comes up for rotation.
I've learned from here that the 1-4 numbers are for quality control purposes but also know some guys rotate their blades. What's your opinion here?
Yeah, read that too and tried it once or twice, but found no difference in shaving. And like Silverlifter I tend to forget how the blade came out. What I do do though is clean and dry each blade - and not just patting but really dry as in buffing. That might have the same effect. And by happenstance I could even be flipping the blade without knowing!
Last, I trim the tabs/ends off the blade from some razors, any negative impact here?
I don’t touch blades. I think I nicked myself only once with the tabs near my right ear.

Guido
 
To answer your questions:

1. I do not move a blade from one razor to another.

If there is excessive blade-to-blade variation within a tuck, then there is a major quality control problem IMO.

2. I do not ’flip’ or remove stainless blades between shaves.

I tried flipping and have found little/no benefit. With carbon steel it is worthwhile to dry the blade between shaves.

3. I do not trim tabs, but doubt that there would be a negative impact on the shave.

Tabs are useful in adjusting alignment of the blade in the razor.

Hope this helps!
 
I don't see any particular reason for the end tabs to stick out of most razors as much as they do?

I further do not see why there should be the need to align a DE blade in any razor?

High end Feather AS-D2 razors have small square pegs in each corner to align the blades.

My $6 Lord L6 has these same tabs. You pop in a razor blade and it is automatically aligned perfectly.

Yet, my DE89 and other razors lack these feature, for reasons I can't figure out?

Cutting off the tabs is perfectly fine, they don't effect the shave.

A big question I have, is why are not the edges of the tabs really rounded?

As I feel them, they are not and have sharp corners on them. I hit somewhere behind my ear earlier today. Can't be sure if it was a tab corner or not placing the blade against my skin evenly. I didn't feel anything at the time. Noticed the small cut when I was drying my face.

Still, if these unimportant tab edges were perfectly rounded, then they wouldn't have those small but sharp edges on the corners.
 
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