128 shaves on a NOS Wilkinson blade

[bazemk]

It's a question of challenging yourself and your preconceived notions of what's possible. Taking small steps in a planned direction. Nobody does this 'out of the blue' so to speak. I have been actively bettering my shaves for well on to the 11th year now - I started DE shaving (mindlessly) in 1980...

It's like getting to the top of Mount Everest (or to Carnegie Hall). It takes practice, lots of practice!

To be honest I can see my self getting up to 20 shaves from GEM PTFE, but that's a thick and sturdy blade and when it gets dull it don't bend or tries to chatter like DE blades when they get dull. The only way I can think of using a dull DE blade without getting irritation is to drop down on the aggresivness, I shave with super aggressive razors and dull blade + aggressive razor = blade bending even when trying to do shorter strokes than usual. The only way I can prolong DE razors life is to step down in razor aggressiveness so I can buff troubled spots more freely. To be honest blades are so damn cheap that even the most expensive DE if used only 3 times its still dirt cheap, I mean really dirt cheap LOL. that's why I love DE and SE shaving

 

[bosseb]

... To be honest blades are so damn cheap that even the most expensive DE if used only 3 times its still dirt cheap, I mean really dirt cheap LOL. that's why I love DE and SE shaving

Yes - the blades are cheap. I don't strive for blade longevity to save money, that ship has sailed a long time ago for me.

The blade longevity is just the metric for how developed the shavers technique is, it's not a competition. A good technique will result in good shaves, a splendid technique will render even better shaves every day. This is what I strive for - effortless and comfortable shaves every day. My method of getting to this goal is to develop my technique. It's really as simple as that.

The main thing is to enjoy the shaves - every day.

 

[lloydrm]

Bosse, I see you have expanded your soap selection. Any leads on how/why that happened? You missed variety? I know I would.

 

[John Rose]

After each shave I strop the blade 4 times on each side on my shower towel while it is in the razor.

What do you suppose is the major effect of doing that?
Is it the stropping action, or is it from drying the exposed edges well?

 

[Highspeedlane]

What do you suppose is the major effect of doing that?
Is it the stropping action, or is it from drying the exposed edges well?

Not intending to answer for Bosseb here but I've done a bit of stropping in my day.

"In theory" (because I don't have microscopic photos to prove it), the action of shaving breaks down the fine edge of a sharpened blade with time, and if it is thin enough, slightly rolls the edge a bit.

Stropping is intended to reverse that effect to an extent, and serves to polish and realign the damaged edge. We see barbers and straight users perform this action before every shave with their straight razor. It is not commonly performed by DE and SE users because it is more convenient to simply toss the blade, not to mention that hardened and coated stainless blades generally don't respond to stropping as well as carbon steels tend to do.

Again, just my theory, certainly not intended as authoritative.

 

[bosseb]

What do you suppose is the major effect of doing that?
Is it the stropping action, or is it from drying the exposed edges well?

Since I "strop" 3-4 times on my towel I don't think the action is really stropping per se. It's IMHO more of a cleaning and drying than sharpening. I does however have a good impact on the edges - on the other hand the effect of the flipping of the blade when I load it into a new razor is more undefined, IMHO I do not think it has much of an effect.

 

[paintflinger]

Not intending to answer for Bosseb here but I've done a bit of stropping in my day.

"In theory" (because I don't have microscopic photos to prove it), the action of shaving breaks down the fine edge of a sharpened blade with time, and if it is thin enough, slightly rolls the edge a bit.

Stropping is intended to reverse that effect to an extent, and serves to polish and realign the damaged edge. We see barbers and straight users perform this action before every shave with their straight razor. It is not commonly performed by DE and SE users because it is more convenient to simply toss the blade, not to mention that hardened and coated stainless blades generally don't respond to stropping as well as carbon steels tend to do.

Again, just my theory, certainly not intended as authoritative.

I think it is more accurate to say that it is more difficult to strop since it doesn't have a built in bevel guide the way that straights or valet autostrops do rather being easier to just toss. I'd happily strop a DE blade, but the bevel changes from blade to blade and I don't have a good way to strop each type of blade or even one type for that matter.

 

[meanpr]

Part what I love about DE is the massive blade selection, I've been wetshaving for around ten years and feel I missed the boat with blades. I bought 200 derby's and were happy with them for long time, they seem to be the perfect combo for my Merkur 37C. I've gotten a EJ89 and have been trying different blades sampler packs. Its a given me a good way to evaluate blades, but its hard to stay patient with blade longevity, I'm excited to try the next blade in the rotation. So I have to give you huge props having that much patience with one blade.

-LJ

 

[bosseb]

Bosse, I see you have expanded your soap selection. Any leads on how/why that happened? You missed variety? I know I would.

Sorry for late answer!
I haven't really expanded the selection - on pucks I have switched from mainly Mystic Water to Vitos Green croap. The sticks remain the same as since many years.

The reason for the change was simply that I do not need the post shave properties of the Mystic Water line of soaps any more, since I use my home mixed moisturizer. Make no mistake about this: the Mystic line of soaps is the best line I have tried in my life, but I don't need it any more.

The reason I chose Vitos Green from about half a dozen Italian croaps I tried is that it suits my shaving and skin the best now. I also managed to snatch a 400 ml bottle of the Vitos after shaving splash that I remember from a visit in 2003 in Rome. It defines barbershop scent for me...

 

[lloydrm]

Thanks.

 

[Screwtape]

Bosseb, it sounds like your username should be changed to Methusaleh. Because at 3 to 4 blades per year, the only way you're going to even make a dent in your 2400-blade stash is if you live as long as he did...

 

[ruckin]

I glad I am only averaging 3-4 weeks per blade... my 2400 blade stash is going to last long enough!

Ruckin

 

[bkatbamna]

The most I get is a week of 3 pass shaves with either a Nacet or Silver Blue. The German Wilkinson Sword and Polsilver also gets me about 6 to 7 3 pass shaves as well. Voshkod gets me 2 to 3 days. Ladas and Rapira Swedish Supersteel and Lord Platinum, and shark stainless gets me about 3 to 4. Astra SP maybe 5 3 pass shaves.
Those are all BBS(well except the Voskhod which I cannot get bbs regardless of technique or razor).
I got 10 days of 2 pass DFS from Lord Stainless and about 3-4 days of bbs shaves with 3 passes.

 

[Screwtape]

Bosseb, do you find now that pretty much any blade will work for you in your razor, or do you still have some brands that you cannot / will not / do not like to use?

 

[bosseb]

Bosseb, do you find now that pretty much any blade will work for you in your razor, or do you still have some brands that you cannot / will not / do not like to use?

Actually I am convinced that I could use just about any blade. I would really like to try out a Yellow 7 o'clock Gillette - it used to be my go to blade but I dumped it before realizing that using only one razor had deteriorated my technique. I am reasonably convinced that I could now use it - but as I have PIFed all blades I won't be able to try it in practice.

 

[bosseb]

Bosseb, it sounds like your username should be changed to Methusaleh. Because at 3 to 4 blades per year, the only way you're going to even make a dent in your 2400-blade stash is if you live as long as he did...

 

[bosseb]

Yesterday I did my 126th shave on the Black Indian 7 o'clock Gillette and retired the blade.

I consider this the most comfortable long run I have ever made. I have only implemented one smallish change during this one: I have consistently flipped the blade every week when changing razor. I am now convinced that this does affect the quality of the shaves.

For the method I use in shaving please read the earlier posts in this thread.

Old type on aftermarket handle, Speick stick, Geoff Anderson custom 2 bander and Cade ASB​

Please remember that this is not a competition on how many shaves on a blade you get; it's all about the quality of each shave. I am convinced that a better technique produces better individual shaves and as a result of this the blade wear is lessened, resulting in more shaves for each blade. The number of shaves per blade isn't really important or interesting compared to the comfort of each shave.

Enjoy your shaves gentlemen!

 

[Joe blow]

I just have one question, say for example your 128th shave , about how long would the shave take?? very curious. thanks

 

[rabidus]

I just have one question, say for example your 128th shave , about how long would the shave take?? very curious. thanks

Takes me longer as the blades dulls, but nothing to write home to mom about. Time stands still for my shower, face and head shave...

 

[Joe blow]

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks, it is just so hard to fathom the the blade is not dull after 128 shaves, that is miraculous ... enjoy