Flip the blade in the razor?

[Darkbulb]

I've only shaved with my DE twice now and one thing that struck me is that I don't know if I am ever to flip the blade over in the razor.

Does any of you ever open up your razor and flip the blade over to the other side when starting a new shave...or do you just keep it in there for 4-5 shaves (or however many one can get out of it) - and then just toss it?

Bonus question: On average how many shaves should I expect to get out of a blade (I know this may vary with beard type and blade - but on average)? 3-4?

 

[Lakebound]

I've only shaved with my DE twice now and one thing that struck me is that I don't know if I am ever to flip the blade over in the razor.

Does any of you ever open up your razor and flip the blade over to the other side when starting a new shave...or do you just keep it in there for 4-5 shaves (or however many one can get out of it) - and then just toss it?

Bonus question: On average how many shaves should I expect to get out of a blade (I know this may vary with beard type and blade - but on average)? 3-4?

I've only been wet shaving with DE's since June. At first, I flipped the razor blades after each shave and then decided to go for awhile without doing it. My take on this was there was no realized benefit to flipping blades and the only possible downside was the risk of cutting myself (I never did).

In short, I would suggest that you focus on your technique and stay with one type of blade and one razor for a week to a month and then take note of what your findings are.

As for blade life, that is entirely up to each person to determine. For example, I can only get 3 shaves from a Feather but enjoy up to 5-7 with a Pol Silver SI. Others here are one and done with the Feather and can stretch the SI's much farther.

In short my advice is to do what you want to with flipping blades but after doing it for a few weeks myself, I'm over it and I find it unnecessary for me.

Good luck.

Frank

 

[chgruver]

I am new and wondered the same thing, I personally don't flip the blade and probably toss blades that still have some use as I only use a blade for a week and start fresh each Sunday (which for me is about 3-4 shaves). I figure that way I don't have to try to remember how many times the current blade has been used.

 

[Shutterbug57]

I put the blade in and let it ride for 3 shaves then toss it. I do loosen the head for rinsing purposes, but then spin it right back down.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I have been wet DE shaving since 76. I use a blade for a week, flipping it over on day 4.

Stan

 

[Haggises]

Flipping doesn't do anything. Each side of the blade rectangle has exactly one edge. The edge is thin enough that for our purposes it doesn't really have two sides, just one sharp line.

 

[mjclark]

Flipping doesn't do anything. Each side of the blade rectangle has exactly one edge. The edge is thin enough that for our purposes it doesn't really have two sides, just one sharp line.

This.

I've verified this for myself by comparing the longevity of an Israeli Personna in a safety razor (without flipping), and a shavette (where the blade is flipped automatically between shaving each side of the face).
I can get three decent shaves from the IP in the safety razor without flipping the blade.
Using a halfblade in a shavette, I can get two shaves from each halfblade, though the blade is getting tired by the end of the second shave. In the shavette the blade is flipped automatically when I switch from shaving the right side of my face to the left, so this equates to four shaves from the blade but again only three decent ones.
In other words, flipping makes no difference.

Luckily for us, blades are cheap disposable items and stretching another shave out of a dull blade isn't really necessary for anyone in Europe or US in the way that it might have been in the first half of the 20th century.

I've been wincing at having to pay 48p per blade (!) for my Durham Duplex and with lots of stropping I can get seven shaves out of one of those beauties, but for me it's worth a few extra pence to toss the blade early and get the greater pleasure and better result that a newer factory-sharp blade delivers.

 

[FaceScraper]

I put the blade in and let it ride for 3 shaves then toss it. I do loosen the head for rinsing purposes, but then spin it right back down.

+1 I do EXACTLY the same thing as above!