Double Sided Razor: Which side is which?

[Jobol]

Sorry guys if this questions seems a bit dumb, but I want to make sure I get this right.

I purchased a 1904 Open Comb today and I am really excited to get my first DE shave later this week. So I start going through shaving tutorials and all seems fine and dandy. But then I asked myself one question that I could not find any answer to:

How do you identify which side is which on a DE Razor?

I am guessing the razor has two sides so the blade lasts twice as long (can be used at 2 different edges). So if I shave one time with side "A", how do I make sure that I use side "B" next time if there is no visual way to identify them?

Or maybe I got this all wrong?

Thanks.

 

[82R100]

You're best off not trying to keep track. Most of us alternate sides as we do the strokes, so we only have to rinse the foam off half as often.

It all averages out.

- Chris

 

[Jobol]

Makes sens. It's weird that none of the articles I read so far about DE shaving technique mention the rotation of the razor.

I guess you could also do one half of your face with one side, and the other with the other side as well.

 

[Pumpkin]

You're best off not trying to keep track. Most of us alternate sides as we do the strokes, so we only have to rinse the foam off half as often.

It all averages out.

- Chris

+1

Or you could borrow your wife's nail varnish and put a wee dab on one side!

 

[Master-Classter]

good point actually. It's not anything I've covered. From personal experience I just sort of alternate randomly here and there as I'm going. I do a few scrapes, flip, scrapes, then wash and repeat.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

you're best off not trying to keep track. Most of us alternate sides as we do the strokes, so we only have to rinse the foam off half as often.

It all averages out.

- chris

+1

 

[Jobol]

So you rotate with each stroke? doesn't that become a hassle though having to rotate it that often?

 

[82R100]

So you rotate with each stroke? doesn't that become a hassle though having to rotate it that often?

No more of a hassle than having to rinse it that often

 

[americanarmsdealer]

I just wait until one side fills up with lather, then rotate. Once both sides are full of lather, rinse and repeat until all wayward whiskers have been vanquished.

 

[Oldguy]

I usually make three passes every time I shave. Each pass consists of between 10 and 15 strokes per pass. Rotating the razor after each stoke is quite silly. Actually worrying about which side of the blade to use is silly. Don't even think about it. I get between 5 and 7 shaves per blade and set the razor down between each pass to wipe my face with a warm wet cloth before re-lathering. That means I randomly pick up the razor up to 21 times per blade. It will average out.

Len

 

[mrscottishman]

If it is one of those things you really need to worry about, unless you are using a Kai blade there are probably lines on the edge of your razor blade that can be seen with the razor closed. One line for side one, two lines for side two. When blades are used in the medical field (say for slicing tissue for microscopic examination) or industry I am told they use the lines to keep up with which has been used.

If you find a blade lasts longer if you use one side at a time please let me know.

best,
mrscottishman

 

[BillC]

i just wait until one side fills up with lather, then rotate. Once both sides are full of lather, rinse and repeat until all wayward whiskers have been vanquished.

+1

 

[Oldguy]

If it is one of those things you really need to worry about, unless you are using a Kai blade there are probably lines on the edge of your razor blade that can be seen with the razor closed. One line for side one, two lines for side two. When blades are used in the medical field (say for slicing tissue for microscopic examination) or industry I am told they use the lines to keep up with which has been used.

If you find a blade lasts longer if you use one side at a time please let me know.

best,
mrscottishman

That's the silliest thing I've heard. I have been wet shaving off and on for nearly 60 years and have never had a problem with which side of the blade to use. If it were a big deal there would be warning labels or at least instructions on the blade boxes.

Len

 

[HerrHepcat]

I just wait until one side fills up with lather, then rotate. Once both sides are full of lather, rinse and repeat until all wayward whiskers have been vanquished.

+1

And don't worry, the first thing my best friend asked me when I gave him a DE was exactly that.

Just fill one side up with lather, use the other side.

Rinse when they are both full.

 

[Go West Young Man]

So you rotate with each stroke? doesn't that become a hassle though having to rotate it that often?

You realize that 'rotate' means 'turn your hand 90 degrees', not 'take the blade out of the razor and turn it over', right?
Stroke-stroke-stroke turn stroke-stroke-stroke rinse.

Anyways the most important sides are the inside and the outside. Don't try to shave with the inside of the razor, that's an advanced move you're not ready for yet!

 

[jrowen]

That's the silliest thing I've heard.

I didn't find that silly at all. I believe scottishman was only implying that in the medical field they mighlt like to keep track of which side has been used, and possibly on which tissue it has been used. I'm assuming, then, that KAIs are known to be used for medical purposes. Further, he has not stated that a blade would or wouldn't last longer when used only one side at a time, only that if someone finds that they think it does to please inform the board.

That said, I too find it unlikely that a blade will last significantly longer when used one edge per shave. It seems to me that it will all average out in the end, or so nearly as to be unimportant.

 

[mrscottishman]

That's the silliest thing I've heard. I have been wet shaving off and on for nearly 60 years and have never had a problem with which side of the blade to use. If it were a big deal there would be warning labels or at least instructions on the blade boxes.

Len

The lines are not for shaving, they are for when a blade is used for medical or industrial purposes. We had plastic film splitters in industry for example that we used one side of the blade and then the other. If the two line side was up then we knew that side one had been used and it was time to insert another blade.

best,
mrscottishman

 

[amishmotorboat]

You realize that 'rotate' means 'turn your hand 90 degrees', not 'take the blade out of the razor and turn it over', right?
Stroke-stroke-stroke turn stroke-stroke-stroke rinse.

Anyways the most important sides are the inside and the outside. Don't try to shave with the inside of the razor, that's an advanced move you're not ready for yet!

And don't try to shave with the side of the blade as was suggested here either! Turn it a full 180 degrees until you master that first.

 

[ajkimmins]

Amishmotorboat? That'd be a canoe right?

 

[amishmotorboat]

Amishmotorboat? That'd be a canoe right?