DE razor users. What technique do you use?

[Frank Discussion]

I am curious. How do you all use your DE razors. Do you shave with one edge of a blade multiple times until it starts to wear and then switch to the other edge? Or do you use both edges switching back and forth multiple times during a shave? I usually switch from one side to the other using both edges during a shave. I just started a new Gillette blade and intend to shave with one edge as many times as I can until I have to switch to the other edge.

According to this advertisement, I should get "ten to thirty perfect shaves" with one blade.

 

[Beefdrippings]

“the cleanly delight of home shaving.” Great ad copy!

 

[CCS]

Razor blades are 10-25 cents each, don't be cheap. I load up one side with lather, switch to the other side and take a few more swipes then rinse and repeat.

 

[Frank Discussion]

Razor blades are 10-25 cents each, don't be cheap. I load up one side with lather, switch to the other side and take a few more swipes then rinse and repeat.

I bought 100 Shaverboy blades for $7.95 w/free shipping last January. I gave a couple of packs away to a friend. Down to 55 of them left. Plus, I have another 40 random blades from sampler packs. I figure I am good for another two years at this rate.

It's not about being cheap it's just an experiment as part of the "hobby". I am also just curious to know how other folks shave their faces.

 

[silverlifter]

I load one side with lather, and then switch to the other. Rinse and repeat.

I've also never excalibured a blade: I have too many to try and nurse them past 5 shaves, I need to get through the damn things!

 

[Alum Ladd]

I have had 47 great shaves from a single Israeli Personna, which I still have stashed. I like to think it is ageing, like a fine wine. I must re-visit it to get it up to 55 which will be a personal best.

Ditto a Crystal on 30+. Both have the characteristic of sharp/smooth, then a 'buttery' quality, where they just chug on, like at shave 30 they are putting many other high-tier blades after 6-8 uses to shame. Oddly they get smoother, and worked best in their latter days in my open combs.

@Frank Discussion there is an amusing club here which analyses whether blades become dull or useless, or merely change their characteristics. Here they are Excalibur Club - Blade Longevity DE, SE and Injector - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/excalibur-club-blade-longevity-de-se-and-injector.431416/

Some Gents have had 100+ shaves from a blade, and they are no slouches, in terms of technique or suffering shaving foolishness lightly. You may find it useful to visit.

I am a member, but I have been very lax lately, too obsessed with trying too many different blades without checking out their long-term characteristics. *Sigh*

Visit the club thread, as there is much useful advice on technique discussed there too.

 

[timetofly]

Razor blades are 10-25 cents each, don't be cheap. I load up one side with lather, switch to the other side and take a few more swipes then rinse and repeat.

^^THIS^^

 

[Invicta]

....do you use both edges switching back and forth multiple times during a shave? I usually switch from one side to the other using both edges during a shave. I just started a new Gillette blade and intend to shave with one edge as many times as I can until I have to switch to the other edge.

According to this advertisement, I should get "ten to thirty perfect shaves" with one blade

I use both edges and then rinse so should get even wear on both edges. Using one edge at a time makes it harder to keep track.
That advertisement was decades ahead of it's time; with a GSB it is achievable.

 

[ajkel64]

I use both edges, I normally take a stroke then rinse the blade and every couple of strokes I flip the razor and use the other side. When I wash everything when I am finished I put the razor and blade back together and I don’t know what side it is on. I use a blade for a week and the toss it. I have to laugh when it is mentioned about blades costing only only a few cents. Out here in Australia most brick and mortar stores sell blades for around $1.00 each. My work sells a tuck of 10 Indian Wilkinson Sword blades for $14.00 and a tuck of 12 Jack the Barber Blades for $16.00. Yes, they are cheaper to buy off the World Wide Web but if we don’t patronise these stores they close or stop selling these items.

 

[CCS]

I use both edges, I normally take a stroke then rinse the blade and every couple of strokes I flip the razor and use the other side. When I wash everything when I am finished I put the razor and blade back together and I don’t know what side it is on. I use a blade for a week and the toss it. I have to laugh when it is mentioned about blades costing only only a few cents. Out here in Australia most brick and mortar stores sell blades for around $1.00 each. My work sells a tuck of 10 Indian Wilkinson Sword blades for $14.00 and a tuck of 12 Jack the Barber Blades for $16.00. Yes, they are cheaper to buy off the World Wide Web but if we don’t patronise these stores they close or stop selling these items.

You have to ask yourself why you're supporting them when they charge 1000% more for a blade than buying online. No skin off my nose what you do but I'm not going to buy blades locally (in our case, it's Walmarts, Targets, and other chain retailers). But the little retailers are a dying breed no matter what you do. Think of how different the world is from 20 years ago. I can hardly imagine how different it will be 20 years in the future.

 

[ajkel64]

And what a lot of members here forget is that the Australian Dollar is only worth $0.63 US cents so everything is going to be dearer out here especially if we buy US products.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I use both sides. One blade in the razor for 15-16 days. I change on the 1st and 16th of each month. They go longer, but this lets me me move the old blade to my Old Type razor as I use that once in a while and now I always know there are shaves left in that blade.

And the shaving itself is one pass ATG.

Stan

 

[DeBladeRunner]

I use both sides..

The most I ever got out of a blade is 5 shaves out of a Tatra blade. I can get two good shaves out of a feather blade..The third shave starts to drag and tug…

On average I use a blade 1 to 2 times before replacing it. I get way less irritation with a fresh blade.

 

[BigJ]

I load one side with lather, and then switch to the other. Rinse and repeat.

…

+1! Precisely! My ‘top-tier’ blades typically deliver 7-10 comfortable 3-pass shaves, sometimes more.

 

[@ngel]

Load both sides, rinse, repeat.

After the 3rd shave I flip the blade (Thinking that fliping the blade gives me the leftover sharpness on it, I really don't know if that makes a difference, just routine at this point) and change the blade after the 6th shave (run of the dice).

Wether there is still life on the blade or not at that point I don't care, I’ve never ran a blade till its dull point, no need, they are cheap, my face is not!

 

[ERS4]

I never care which edge to use and never flip the blade, but I can shave my head for two months with one blade and I have thick black hair.

Enough cost, no need for more.

 

[Frank Discussion]

I use both edges, I normally take a stroke then rinse the blade and every couple of strokes I flip the razor and use the other side. When I wash everything when I am finished I put the razor and blade back together and I don’t know what side it is on. I use a blade for a week and the toss it. I have to laugh when it is mentioned about blades costing only only a few cents. Out here in Australia most brick and mortar stores sell blades for around $1.00 each. My work sells a tuck of 10 Indian Wilkinson Sword blades for $14.00 and a tuck of 12 Jack the Barber Blades for $16.00. Yes, they are cheaper to buy off the World Wide Web but if we don’t patronise these stores they close or stop selling these items.

I bought the sleeve of 100 Shaverboy (made in China) blades for $7.95 online but they are sold by a Canadian online seller. For me they are pretty good blades, and I can get quite a few shaves out of one before tossing it. Where I live the only DE blades you can buy off the shelf are the Wilkinson Sword or the King C. Gillette Platinum ones. Both are sold at Walmart, or a big pharmacy chain called Shopper's Drug Mart. They are selling them for around $6.95 for a pack of 5 blades. I do not feel bad for not patronizing either of those big box stores.

 

[Frank Discussion]

Thanks to everyone so far for your thoughtful comments!

 

[@ngel]

I bought the sleeve of 100 Shaverboy (made in China) blades for $7.95 online but they are sold by a Canadian online seller. For me they are pretty good blades, and I can get quite a few shaves out of one before tossing it. Where I live the only DE blades you can buy off the shelf are the Wilkinson Sword or the King C. Gillette Platinum ones. Both are sold at Walmart, or a big pharmacy chain called Shopper's Drug Mart. They are selling them for around $6.95 for a pack of 5 blades. I do not feel bad for not patronizing either of those big box stores.

Thats right, I can get a pack of 5 Wilkis for around ~$3, $4 +tax here, or an overhyped, overpriced $6 pack of 5 “ice tempered” (whatever the heck that means) VdH blades….or:

$7 pack of 100, proven, trusted and loved Sharks that I’ve estimated, according to my shaving habits, will last me about close to 4 years. I make $7 bucks in about 15 min work time (doesn't seem much with this economy going down the drain) so straight to the point…big chain stores can suck it!

 

[Ron R]

I usually take my DE blades out of my razor after used and rinse clean + tap dry on the towel and sandwich between 2 modified business cards until needed again. Then I will flip the blade to the other side, I'm not sure it makes a difference but in theory it should make a slight difference, it is like stropping the blade using your face instead of a leather strop. When I first started on this forum 5 years ago it was talked about then and it will go on for generations I'm thinking which is healthy talk. I usually toss a blade after 6 shaves regardless other than DE Kai SS blades, they just seem to last longer(10 then tossed) than my other blades & they should for the price a person pays for them.