Blade flipping?

[Yuritau]

As shown in the picture posted by @Ron R, the blade edge will roll with use. If you flip between each shave, you can kinda chase it around the center point. If you wait until the blade starts to lose performance before flipping, you're probably not going to get much benefit from it. Even with constant flipping, it might not extend the blade life by much, cause the blade will also be chipping and denting with use and those kinds of damage cannot be mitigated with flipping.

I personally don't bother with flipping for two reasons, 1) I only disassemble and clean my razor between blades not between shaves, and 2) for me it might get me 1 or 2 more shaves out of a blade, which would increase the expected lifespan of my current blade supply from ~12 years to to ~15-18 years. I can get the same increase from spending $10-30 on another 100 pack. I'm fine with that.

 

[silverlifter]

Flipped my blade today (Polsilver Stainless) for its fourth shave: no discernible change in smoothness nor efficiency.

 

[tehnothing]

I like a sharp blade and blades are cheap. I don't shave every day, so every blade starts to tug after 2 shaves. When I lived in a house with well water, I broke everything down after the 1st shave to clean and dry. Now living in an apartment with softer water, I no longer clean and dry after the first shave, but still toss blades after 2.

I shaved a seven day beard today with a blade on it's fourth shave. It was still sharp and smooth. Do what makes you happy.

I have been going five days of late regularly. I also like a sharp blade. I just seem to get more life out of my prefererred blades. Blades are cheap. When it does start tugging or losing efficiency I discard it. It just seems I get more life than the couple of shave guys, and fewer than the Excalibur guys.

 

[ackvil]

When I slice a piece of meat with a knife I change hands from left to right so that it gets even wear!

 

[HoosierTrooper]

When I slice a piece of meat with a knife I change hands from left to right so that it gets even wear!

There’s a reason you’re a Moderator Emeritus!

 

[drb1956]

So, the other day, while talking wetshaving in another venue, I made mention that I flip my blade after every use and was promptly told that it was a pointless waste of time. Considering that I open up my razors to remove the blade and dry them out after every shave anyway, I don't see it as any time wasted, but I was wondering if anyone else flips their blade for each shave. To my thinking, just like stropping a straight razor, each side of the cutting edge should get equal attention. Especially considering that the blades we use have coatings of Teflon, platinum, chrome, etc., that wear away a little each time it is used. So, are there any other blade flippers or am I just "wasting my time"?

I start a new blade with 2 shaves on one side, then flip it every shave after. Just something I do, don't know if it makes a difference how long the blade lasts. I just feel I get the most out of the blade by doing this.

 

[hairless wonder]

I flip after every shave, but mostly because I disassemble and wipe and every part of my razor dry after every shave. Since I use a 3-piece razor, when I drop in my freshly wiped razor blade on to the top cap, it means the blade will be flipped upside down for my next shave.

 

[BigJ]

Not worth the effort for me! I don’t remove a blade until it’s time for another.

 

[kyleifornia]

I flip after the second use and toss it after the fourth use. I don't know if it does anything; I just do it because there are numbers on the blade

 

[Halfblade]

I do flip my blades but only after it's had at least 10-15 shaves on it. I dont see the point of doing it before that, because I dont notice any difference. When I flip after a large number of shaves the difference is immediately perceptible.

 

[Maxima1]

I think it probably does work, but it's minor -- notice more with just rubbing. I haven't really flipped much; certainly not after every use.

 

[TomCan]

Rinse the blade well, flip, a spray of alcohol.
Routinely get a month out of a decent blade, i.e. GSB.

Of course, there was that time a got a crappy blade right out of the wrapper
but that 's another story..

Happy New Year everyone!

 

[Ivo4u2]

Does flipping works?
Well uh yes if I flip feathers in a oneblade it will give me another shave. And the same applies on my de and ac blades.

However it does not always work like you shave until your blade is done and flip it and have a couple of other good shaves left in it. Sometimes that works and sometimes it does not.

Flipping it more regularly works better imho.

Ps: I will be happy if these fireworks are gone it writes like cr..

 

[musicman1951]

Everyone should have a process. I like to start with gloves: latex first, with the white gloves over the top. Be sure to size your white gloves so they will fit properly with the extra layer.

Next is a short moment of meditation to calm my mind before the process begins. I take the razor apart and place each piece in a silk lined cotton carrying bag. I formerly used a home sterilization process, but for a small fee I found a local dentist that uses their autoclave on the razor parts. For some blades it can be confusing trying to remember which side to reload, so I have them professionally etched with "even" and "odd" to correspond with the calendar. On months with 31 days I simply discard the blade after the 31st as dealing with that conundrum would cause brain damage.

When I return home with the sterilized parts I store them in a hermetically sealed container until the next morning. While reassembling the parts the next morning I like to chant "no weepers" repeatedly. I'm not sure the chanting really is effective, but there is no reason to take unnecessary risks.

I read on the interwebs that a shaver didn't flip his blade and died, and it was online so it must be true. Be very careful out there!

 

[Joshua223]

The design of DEs means that just screwing the head of the razor on (or closing the doors etc) ensures that each side does get "equal attention"; otherwise the blade wouldn't properly shave, it would be scraping.

One side of my Slim doesn't shave as well (guess something is bent slightly) so I tend to favor one side. Need to get that fixed....

 

[Medivh]

I don't believe that there's any benefit from flipping the blade between shaves. I do dry my blades after each shave, but I do it because I want my blade to be clean and reduce the chances of getting rust, but I don't think that helps the blade to retain its sharpness. I've done a couple of experiments and tested most theories on how to store a DE blade in the best possible way to extend it's life even a bit and I didn't felt any difference whatsoever.

Along with the wet and dry blade test I also did palm stropping and storing the blade inside mineral oil and none of those tests improved the quality of the blades even the slightest.

Or perhaps I didn't do it right, who knows? Those are just some of the most common myths and legends of the wet shaving and like many others are popping up from time to time and confuse people.

I think the mods should create a new section on the forum for debunking those myths and legends using common sense, facts, logic and of course - testing those theories by unbiased people. Even YMMV must have its limits.

 

[drb1956]

Everyone should have a process. I like to start with gloves: latex first, with the white gloves over the top. Be sure to size your white gloves so they will fit properly with the extra layer.

Next is a short moment of meditation to calm my mind before the process begins. I take the razor apart and place each piece in a silk lined cotton carrying bag. I formerly used a home sterilization process, but for a small fee I found a local dentist that uses their autoclave on the razor parts. For some blades it can be confusing trying to remember which side to reload, so I have them professionally etched with "even" and "odd" to correspond with the calendar. On months with 31 days I simply discard the blade after the 31st as dealing with that conundrum would cause brain damage.

When I return home with the sterilized parts I store them in a hermetically sealed container until the next morning. While reassembling the parts the next morning I like to chant "no weepers" repeatedly. I'm not sure the chanting really is effective, but there is no reason to take unnecessary risks.

I read on the interwebs that a shaver didn't flip his blade and died, and it was online so it must be true. Be very careful out there!

I think that is a little extreme, unless you are restoring an old razor. If my cleaning in the sink with a little alcohol, and a toothbrush, every couple of weeks is not sterile enough, oh well. I have a newer razor, cleaned it before I used it, and keep it clean throughout the year. Good rinse after every shave, then dry. Hangs on a stand to air out, with the brush. And yes, I flip my blade after the 2nd shave.

 

[musicman1951]

I think that is a little extreme, unless you are restoring an old razor. If my cleaning in the sink with a little alcohol, and a toothbrush, every couple of weeks is not sterile enough, oh well. I have a newer razor, cleaned it before I used it, and keep it clean throughout the year. Good rinse after every shave, then dry. Hangs on a stand to air out, with the brush. And yes, I flip my blade after the 2nd shave.

You're breaking my heart. I spend quality time trying to provide you with my best sarcasm and you take it literally????!!!

I never, ever flip a blade and don't even use alcohol with my toothbrush cleaning. After many years I'm still here, so I guess it's OK.

 

[drb1956]

You're breaking my heart. I spend quality time trying to provide you with my best sarcasm and you take it literally????!!!

I never, ever flip a blade and don't even use alcohol with my toothbrush cleaning. After many years I'm still here, so I guess it's OK.

That was pretty good!! In todays world, you never know about people, and their strange habits. Folks that know me say I am OCD about certain things, especially on my job. I am a local truck driver(18 wheeler), and I do things that a lot of today's younger drivers don't, or won't do. About 2 years away from retirement. I enjoy all things DE. Nothing intended for your post, just did not see your humor coming.

 

[ERS4]

I have used a blade 30 times without flipping it , including a shaved head.
I also don't want flipping to get along with the same blade for a lifetime.

The idea of "flipping to straighten the edge of the blade" has no scientific basis, because the shaving process cannot control how the hair passes through the blade accurately.
The higher possibility is that the blade wear will continue to increase.

The mark on the edge of the blade is for quality control purposes only.