Care and Feeding of Blades

[Kindest Cut]

I have read that some use corks--like wine bottle corks--to somehow prepare or treat blades for a better shave. What's the deal and how does this work?​

 

[badger123]

From my limited reading, all the evidence is anecdotal and no strong data supporting corking. I believe some people do it because their blades have a thin film of wax or glue..

 

[Maxime D.]

I heard guys were doing this back in the carbon steel days, I would not do this on a coated blade.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Kindest Cut:
I enjoy shaving with Russian Voskhod Teflon Coated blades and happen to lightly cork these blades 3 times on each side which I feel 'removes' any burs and/or rough spots and gives me a '2nd shave' smoothness on the first shave.

Hey, you might like these other Threads;

a) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

b) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

c) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...king-technique

d) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

e) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

f) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

g) http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...hlight=corking

"Dа...Время от времени, лезвие может быть между фокусами и изумление". (Translation...“Yes...at times, a razor blade can be between gimmickry and amazement”. CBJ

 

[Eeyore]

From my limited reading, all the evidence is anecdotal and no strong data supporting corking. I believe some people do it because their blades have a thin film of wax or glue..

The Gillette patent on razor blade coatings (I would have to look it up) does; The patent describes baking a teflon coating on the blades. It says that the excess of coating is removed during the first shave. Corking does that already, leaving your with a smoother blade.

Edit: "Any excess material remaining on the cutting edge which does not bond to the substrate during the baking step is in the form of a loose film which can be readily removed by brushing or rubbing. It is not essential that this excess material be removed before the blade is used."

US Patent US 3071856 A

 

[Nosebud]

Thanks for the thread. I thought people just corked blades to dull them for the trash.

 

[The Dean]

There is one thing I don't feed my blades: Blood.

I don't cork, but I hand strop before the 1st use and then again after every shave.

 

[Haegar]

I only cork those blades with no "do not wipe blade" remark on the wrapper!

Seriously though: I occasionally wipe the blade carefully dry, but never would cork it. If a blade is not good without additional effort at its first shave it is not good and I won't use it.