Enough Blades

[Nick Styptic]

I did a rough calculation of my blade stash and found that in late July of 2347 I will need to buy new blades.
Needless to say, I am done with razor blade acquisition..........................................................(for now).

 

[pdieten]

*does math*

100 ea. GSB and Derby Premium = 199 (used a Derby already)
2 10-pack store brand Personna = 19 (used one already, another in a razor)
5 5-pack Wilkinson Sword Classic = 25
4 9-pack new Gillette Platinum Plus = 36 (one in a razor not used up yet)
4 misc. dispensers of vintage Gillettes = 32
Miscellaneous = 27
Total = 338

3.5 blades per month average = 96 months = 8 years. I'm likely to outlive my current blade stash.

But I'm going to want to pick up a pack of SEs to feed my future Micromatic, and I have probably a year's supply of various cartridges too.

I think I'll hold off on buying any 100-packs for a good long while unless it appears something I like is going to disappear from the marketplace. I'll likely grab Wilkies when the store puts them on sale, they just raised the price to $1.19 / 5 from 99 cents last month. I really like those blades.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I tallied mine up earlier too...

Round numbers, I only counted tucks, not blades in each one:

Wilkinson Sword Classic - 90
SuperMax BDT - 190
SuperMax Super Stainless - 80
Gillette SharpEdge - 15
(+25 on the way)
Derby Extra - 25
Derby Premium - 25
Feather - 30
Astra SP - 50
Gillette Platinum - 15
Personna Platinum - 20
Gillette Wilkinson (India) - 20
Perma-Sharp - 10
Misc. Loose Assorted Blades and part used tucks - 40

That's enough for me, and at an average of 10 shaves a blade, it's unlikely I'll ever need more. Despite wanting to remain minimalist in everything else, I don't mind having a nice array of blades to dip into, and not worry about the blade shortages that I have faced several times in the past. I have a few blades of all my favourites in case I want to revisit one, as well as several cheap ones for shaving away from home, when they tend to get ditched earlier than normal. The only thing I might add a few more of, is the Derby Premium half blades for the Dovo Shavette.

 

[lancre]

It looks like I've got more than enough blades to last until I die or enter a nursing home, so I can't justify buying any more blades.

Yeah, right. Like that's going to stop me.

 

[razorhead63]

I can go around 20 years with the amount of blades I have now...give or take a few. The addict in me still wants more. I reason “we’ll if I make it to 80 years old I’ll need about 200 more!” Adding that many would bring me up to around 800 blades. There are many brands too that I’ve never tried. Maybe I should get a sampler... or do tryablade.

 

[razorhead63]

I am glad this thread got this many replies. Never thought it would happen...!

 

[nav]

These threads come up often and the only answer about what is too many depends on the individual.

If I could use a variety of blades, I'd not stock up more than a couple of hundred.

But since I only like the one blade and am too paranoid about it's discontinuance, I stocked up on 7,000 of them.

That blade is the Polsilver Super Iridium.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

One thing that needs keeping in mind with stocking up on blades, is whether they'll maintain their sharpness in storage. I know we have a couple of members here who stick to using vintage blades, but the only "vintage" (I have no idea how old) blade I've used was very tuggy, and a few people here have said similar thing when they've tried older blades too.

It would be interesting to know what the effective shelf life of a blade is, before the edges start deteriorating, even under good storage conditions. If that was 15 years (for example), then a 30 year stash of blades will gradually become less than optimal after the halfway point.

 

[lancre]

One thing that needs keeping in mind with stocking up on blades, is whether they'll maintain their sharpness in storage. I know we have a couple of members here who stick to using vintage blades, but the only "vintage" (I have no idea how old) blade I've used was very tuggy, and a few people here have said similar thing when they've tried older blades too.

It would be interesting to know what the effective shelf life of a blade is, before the edges start deteriorating, even under good storage conditions. If that was 15 years (for example), then a 30 year stash of blades will gradually become less than optimal after the halfway point.

My experience with carbon steel vintage blades has been less than ideal. Vintage stainless blades, however, have been fine.

 

[razorhead63]

Yeah... to protect the blades even more I may put the bulk of them in a sealed plastic tote box. And just keep a small ready stash out. Currently they’re in an end table drawer. Some are 7 yrs old but still appear fine.

 

[SuperMax_fan]

Ok... I'll join this as well. The more, the merrier, right?
295 SuperMax Blue Diamond Platinum
200 SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium
120 SuperMax Super Stainless
17 SuperMax Super Platinum
100 Polsilver SI
100 Astra SP
100 Voskhod
50 Rapira Platinum Lux
Approximately 230 Gillette Platinum (old edition and new edition)
150 Shark Super Chrome
100 Bic Astors (red packaging)
57 Feather
50 Kai
50 Trig
50 Lord Platinum Class
20 Wilkinson Sword Classic
Forgot 35 Lord Super Stainless
And a few scattered others. Grand total of these ? 1724 without the other few I have...

 

[BenBest]

Have more than I’ll need, I bought 100 packs of personna blue,Astra sp,Gillette 7oclock yellow,Big Ben,Wilkinson sword, voskhod
(bought 600 of theese. Love them to bits) plus 50 feathers. I shave with them twice max though.
I got my hands on some big pouches of the moisture absorbing crystals(1kg) leave them in the draw with the blades.
Ben

 

[psfred]

Stainless blades should be unchanged for decades. Carbon steel will rust, although PTFE coatings greatly reduce that tendency.

 

[BenBest]

That’s a relief. I wasn’t sure if the edges of the blades would oxidise/rust over time and lose their sharp edge.
Thank you

Stainless blades should be unchanged for decades. Carbon steel will rust, although PTFE coatings greatly reduce that tendency.

 

[Frank Shaves]

During my first year of using a safety razor, I have bought 100 packs of 7 brands of blades, plus some 5 packs of other brands. My goal is to enjoy what I have, provide friends and colleagues with sample packs, and not become a hoarder. At this point, I am not too worried about an apocalypse - so I am hesitant to buy more blades unless I discover a brand that just knocks me out.

 

[dmshaver]

I don't buy more than 50 blades of any brand at a time. I still enjoy trying different blades so I have a large variety. I was recently sent some I haven't tried, so those will be tested & perhaps an order for somewhere between 10 - 25 blades (not tucks) will be placed. I have a few hundred blades on hand, with no blade accounting for more than 50. I know this costs more than buying 100 at a time, but that's how I prefer getting my blades.

 

[albsat]

Stainless blades should be unchanged for decades. Carbon steel will rust, although PTFE coatings greatly reduce that tendency.

What about the Platinum coated blades? Are they going to be changed in your opinion?

 

[psfred]

Platinum is decidedly LESS reactive than stainless, so I'd guess even longer life.

 

[Moody]

When I first started this about 3 years ago I got two 100 packs of sharks stainless. I have gotten maybe 250 other blades since. In the last year my usage has dropped dramatically. I think if I shaved every day I would probably go 4 weeks to a blade. Given the aprx 400 I have left that should last me 30 years. so i probably need to double what I have.

 

[Fred D]

I save the moisture crystal packs from other purchased items and tuck them in with my blades.

Great idea!