I'm still on my first ever 17¢ Shark SC blade, and today was my 8th shave. Yesterday wasn't so bad, but this morning as I sit here a few hours after my shave and stroke my throat, it's not very fun. So 7 seems the max for me. I'll probably settle into a habit of changing once per week. But I might try twice a week for a couple weeks to see if it makes a big difference.
The longevity of the blade depends upon the brand and the quality of that individual unit. If the blade is sharp and dependable, I use it 5-7 times. Other times, when I am testing out brands I will replace the blade after 3 uses, but I always have that regret of putting a perfectly serviceable blade into the used slot.
Traditionally, I only use a blade for 3 days, partly to help me remember if a blade needs changing or not. The cost of blades are so low and I have so many, economizing doesn't make sense. However, getting 5 days of shaving out of a blade isn't unusual for me, despite my tough beard, although by day 5, I'm seeing significant cutting degradation.
I shoot for a week, and can get them with Feathers and some of the better quality blades. I do change if a blade starts to pull or feels like it's dulling. If I can't get more that 4 shaves from a blade, that is not the blade for me.
I toss all DE blades after 3 shaves. Testing has shown that while shave 4 is doable, it's almost always of a lesser quality than shaves 1-3. Considering their low cost, I just simply toss them after three uses.
I was going to say 365, except in a leap year in which I take a day off. Anyway, I subscribe to the same theory, change the blade BEFORE it goes bad. For me that has traditionally been 2 shaves, but since letting my whiskers grow on my chin & lip, I sometimes do 3 if I am too lazy to dig another blade out of my dopp kit.
Well...it seems after reading all of your replies...the average is at least three (3) times a week (M-W-F), for a great 'baby-smooth' Wet-Shave
Again, thanx for all of your input
Christopher
PS The Mrs. still can't beleive that there is is 27,222 of us B & B Memebrs on this Board. She does'nt (or beleive for that matter...for she thinks that all of us have 'fell' off our rockers...and hail from 'Klingon'), know what all of us get out of taking the 'time' to Wet-Shave and start & tackel our work / business days, look and feel 'crisp, refreshed & professionial' & be 'ready to bite the "A _ _" off a Bear'.
still trying to lock down my technique, therefore, i'm not willing to take the risk and stretch the number of shaves per blade. i usually change at 3 or 4. good post
I pretty much never shave Saturday. If I shave Sunday, I put a new blade in then. But a lot of time I don't and just start Monday. So I use it at least 5 days and sometimes 6. I only do a 2 pass shave.