How long should a blade last?

[tryphon]

I remember quite well, back when I was a little lad in the 1960s, that regular carbon steel blades like the Gillette Blue blades and most other blades had to be discarded after a single shave. Some men tried to extend their use to a second shave, but it was a lot less smooth. I also remember the arrival of stainless steel blades and the fact that they were good for 10 shaves! Now I replace my stainless blades after 5 shaves or so. What is your experience?
AND:
Does anyone remember the pyramid shaped holders that were supposed to "restore" a blade's edge "mystically"?? People reported using carbon steel blades for months (the device supposedly did not work as well on stainless blades)... Talk about people's gullibility!

 

[fuerein]

Mine normally last anywhere from 5-7 days before hte shaves start getting a little rough on the face and I pitch the blade.

Talking of pyramid blade holders/sharpeners, which I don't remember (probably a little before my time), I do remember the Mythbusters on Discovery Channel doing a segment on the myth about pyramids have mystical properties. Yeah, needless to say they found no evidence.

 

[Suzuki]

I've heard of concave ceramic or glass hones for the carbon blades, but not the magical pyramid ones.

I get 4-6 shaves from a blade - I find that I notice my blades going more quickly in my slant than my classic.

 

[guenron]

I remember quite well, back when I was a little lad in the 1960s, that regular carbon steel blades like the Gillette Blue blades and most other blades had to be discarded after a single shave. Some men tried to extend their use to a second shave, but it was a lot less smooth. I also remember the arrival of stainless steel blades and the fact that they were good for 10 shaves! Now I replace my stainless blades after 5 shaves or so. What is your experience?
AND:
Does anyone remember the pyramid shaped holders that were supposed to "restore" a blade's edge "mystically"?? People reported using carbon steel blades for months (the device supposedly did not work as well on stainless blades)... Talk about people's gullibility!

Whoa! Whoa! Don't knock that pyramid power! It extended my blades useable life from one or two shaves to one or two shaves!
Blade life?
Derby in anything 3-4 shaves.
Feather in a Merkur LH Classic 7 shaves.
Merkur in a Merkur Progress 6-7 shaves.
ASR in Gillette 7+ shaves.
Wish I could do better with my injector blade though.
Schick in NWC Type "O" 5 B+ 6-7 C+.

 

[letterk]

I user Derby and Feather for the most part now. While I'm sure I could get another shave or two, I always change at 5 shaves. I'd rather be sure of having a nice shave than saving a couple pennies.

 

[Jim]

I user Derby and Feather for the most part now. While I'm sure I could get another shave or two, I always change at 5 shaves. I'd rather be sure of having a nice shave than saving a couple pennies.

Ditto for me as well. any blip and I change it.

 

[gundog]

Mostly I use the feather blades and I change after 5 shaves. With any other blade I will change out after 4 shaves. I might be able to get as many as 6-7 shaves with the feather, but after 5, I notice a difference so will change blades.

Bud

 

[JohnnyWolf]

With the Derby blade I changed it out after 4-5 shaves...but what dissapointed me was that with my old Mach III cartriages I used to leave them in for 6 months to a year!

How long do normal people change Mach IIIs? Its almost cheaper for me to have stayed with them even though catriages were so expensive since I never had to change them.

 

[fuerein]

You got a M3 to last 6mo-year?! Ouch! I think the longest I let mine go was like 2... and I was getting horrible razor burn, nothing even remotely close to a BBS shave and I only shaved every couple days. Plus I always has issues with the spaces between blades clogging up perminantly. Properly replacing them, I could only get them to last approx. 1 week.

 

[SSLStudio]

I user Derby and Feather for the most part now. While I'm sure I could get another shave or two, I always change at 5 shaves. I'd rather be sure of having a nice shave than saving a couple pennies.

That is the spirit and the way to go, and im not even touching base with Hygiene issues ?
Tell the trueth if you had blades so cheap you could afford using them once and throw them away wouldnt you ? unless offcourse you need to hone them like for example a Feather is so sharp I get better shaves at shave 3-4 go figure !

Im quite shocked Ron gets 3-4 with a Derby I didnt see that one comming..

why save pennies? a guy using M3 id imagine him saying save pennies indeed or using the cartridge just an extra time so that instead of buying a new set of 5 for this week you get away with it buying it next week and skipping shaving thru the weekend cause who needs a shave during the weekend ? yes havent we all been there?

 

[SSLStudio]

With the Derby blade I changed it out after 4-5 shaves...but what dissapointed me was that with my old Mach III cartriages I used to leave them in for 6 months to a year!

How long do normal people change Mach IIIs? Its almost cheaper for me to have stayed with them even though catriages were so expensive since I never had to change them.

I dont think that includes shaving every day does it, if so you must have the lightest Angel hair from all of us you are a rarity if so.

Id get the same amount 4-5-6 months a cartridge but id shave 1-2 times max a week.that evens it out.

 

[madmedic]

With the Derby blade I changed it out after 4-5 shaves...but what dissapointed me was that with my old Mach III cartriages I used to leave them in for 6 months to a year!

How long do normal people change Mach IIIs? Its almost cheaper for me to have stayed with them even though catriages were so expensive since I never had to change them.

Aaaaah ...... but you don't know what a smooth shave is until you go DE!!!
My cartridges lasted for ages as well....but not the quality and lots of razor burn

Brian

 

[Ashe]

Hmz, Mach 3 cartridges 6 months to a year? How often did you shave then? Once every 2 months?

The general rule of thumb for DE blades is to switch blades once a week on a fixed day, regardless of how many shaves you had with that blade (unless you didn't shave at all of course).

My Mach 3 cartridges never lasted longer than 4 to 5 shaves (a week) and after the 2nd or 3rd shave with a cartridge my razor started pulling instead of cutting. All this obviously results in much less smoother shaves, irritation and razor burn certainly in the neck area (never had problems on cheeks, jawline, upper and lower lips, even when going against the grain in the first pass).

It is possible to shave rather BBS with a Mach 3 cartridge if you do it gentle and slow with good quality cream but I've only been able to do that with a new cartridge the first or 2nd time it was used.

 

[JohnnyWolf]

I shave everyday except for Sundays. But yes, I do have very light facial hair. I've always shaved with Barbasol cream and against the grain with my Mach III.

The strange thing was though, with my Mach III that I left at my parents house which I only visit a few times a year, it seems as if it "dries out" or somehow deteroriates and I get a horrible shave out of it even though it has only been used a few times.

Either way I have my DE now, so I'm happy. I wonder if we can carry on a DE Razor and blades on an airplane though.

I dont think that includes shaving every day does it, if so you must have the lightest Angel hair from all of us you are a rarity if so.

Id get the same amount 4-5-6 months a cartridge but id shave 1-2 times max a week.that evens it out.

 

[Ashe]

Don't think it's a real problem. Maybe straights will be more problematic but I think DE razors are easier to get through the control. Even if you would have doubts: store the blades separately in your luggage and the DE razor for example in your hand luggage. Don't think it'll be a real problem.

I'll have to try it sometime: I have to go back to the US later this year so I may as well try it out (although I don't want to risk them taking it from me).

 

[Aky007]

I get about 7 shaves with my Derby blades. I remember with the mach 3 i used to get about 10 shaves, but the problem is that strip on the top starts coming off and the blades really start pulling.

 

[mrob]

Great thread.

I, too, used to get ridiculous amounts of time from cartridges--sometimes as long as 6 months. Now, the shaves weren't great, I often had razor burn and I hated shaving, but I made them last a looooong time.

As for DE blades. . .I get 5 shaves from a Derby (but *should* change after 4) and less from other blades. YMMV.

 

[roughrider]

Derby blades give me 2-3 shaves.

Feather blades give me 6-7 shaves.

 

[jduffy]

Six months? Those are some magical blades.

Five to six shaves with the Merkur Super Platinum. If my technique was better I could probably go longer but they're not that expensive.