I can only get three uses per DE blade. If I try to get four, I start cutting myself to ribbons.
How many uses per blade?
- Thread starter Bruce Wayne
- Start date
You get cut to ribbons? When I feel a blade wearing out, it just pulls, and then it gets retired. I don't get cuts.
The timeframe is probably a YMMV thing.
In my experience, it depends on the blade. There are some blades that seem to wear very quickly, for me. A feather, for example, seems to lose its sharpness at about 3-4 shaves. I notice it, especially with the feather, because they start out so sharp and effortless to use.
In general, I'll use an ordinary current-production blade (shark, astra, bluebird, big ben, derby, nacet) for 3-4 times and it's done. They're cheap, and I figure that I don't want to risk getting a bad shave.
Interestingly, I've been getting a full week's worth of shaves (5-7) out of the german offerings (Bolzano, Souplex and Timor) without problems, pretty consistently.
I push a vintage blade usually out to 10 or so... I know that I can always get 10 shaves out of a Spoiler or metal-dispenser Gillette Platinum Plus.
I don't have an especially tough beard, though.
Hope it helps,
-- Chet
The timeframe is probably a YMMV thing.
In my experience, it depends on the blade. There are some blades that seem to wear very quickly, for me. A feather, for example, seems to lose its sharpness at about 3-4 shaves. I notice it, especially with the feather, because they start out so sharp and effortless to use.
In general, I'll use an ordinary current-production blade (shark, astra, bluebird, big ben, derby, nacet) for 3-4 times and it's done. They're cheap, and I figure that I don't want to risk getting a bad shave.
Interestingly, I've been getting a full week's worth of shaves (5-7) out of the german offerings (Bolzano, Souplex and Timor) without problems, pretty consistently.
I push a vintage blade usually out to 10 or so... I know that I can always get 10 shaves out of a Spoiler or metal-dispenser Gillette Platinum Plus.
I don't have an especially tough beard, though.
Hope it helps,
-- Chet
Agreed. I get 2 to 3 decent shaves before I start feeling the hurt.
It depends so much on your beard and your technique.
I usually get 6 or 7, shaves from a Feather or Super Iridium. I don't get cut when they are dull, they just start to pull more.
I usually get 6 or 7, shaves from a Feather or Super Iridium. I don't get cut when they are dull, they just start to pull more.
An acquaintance of my sons grandfather told me the other night he could remember his father taking a DE blade and running it around the inside of a glass to "sharpen it back up!"?? Ever hear of this??
My Personna Red seems to last more than one week (7 shaves), sometimes two but again I am no blue beard or wired beard. 
I alternate 3 and 4 per blade; so I change out my blade on Mon and Thurs. If I had to, I think I could get 5 decent shaves from most blades. But as cheap as blades are the 3/4 rotation works well.
I usually put in a new blade after shave #4. That's my norm, but not a hard rule!
Since I've gone back to DE this week I've just done 2 per blade. When i'm sure my technique has recovered (i'm getting close I think after a great shave yesterday), I might stretch it (then I'll know pulling and irritation is blade wear). I don't have a horribly dense beard (medium i'd say) but my hairs seem very coarse and thick.
If we consider that most multi blade cartridges (2+) will cut twice or more in one pass, then a 3 pass DE shave is essentially putting 3 shaves on one blade, split in half if you flip the razor between passes to use both edges. So after 3 shaves, your blade will have suffered about 5 total cartridge count uses. If you only use one edge of the blade, 3-3 pass shaves would put you at 9 on the cartridge count.
If we consider that most multi blade cartridges (2+) will cut twice or more in one pass, then a 3 pass DE shave is essentially putting 3 shaves on one blade, split in half if you flip the razor between passes to use both edges. So after 3 shaves, your blade will have suffered about 5 total cartridge count uses. If you only use one edge of the blade, 3-3 pass shaves would put you at 9 on the cartridge count.
For any blade that isn't a Feather, Kai or Merkur, I toss it after two shaves no matter what.
Be seeing you.
Be seeing you.
3 - 4 shaves for me. The blades I have right now are Yellow 7 o'clock, Red Personnas, Shark Super Chrome, and Derby's.
For you guys who rotate between different razors - how do you keep track of how many shaves each blade has been used for? Just have one blade fitted at a time? Set a razor's adjuster to match which shave No. is next? Maybe even use the numbers found on some blades somehow?
I suppose the best approach is to put in a new blade if you need to ask the question. But is there a better way that isn't too ... obsessive?
I suppose the best approach is to put in a new blade if you need to ask the question. But is there a better way that isn't too ... obsessive?
DE blades are relatively inexpensive compared to cartridges, so I routinely discard blades after 3 shaves, no matter what. I use Feathers, Bolzanos and Shark SCs, and after 3 shaves there is still no sign of bluntness from any of them. I keep saying I'll push a blade to it's limit, but after 3 shaves I say, what the heck, and change. One day, maybe.
David
David
Two. NO more.
That works on carbon steel blades. I first heard about this in some Robert Heinlein book where the character is trapped somewhere with only the one blade in the DE razor....
My extremes run from 0.25 to 5 shaves per blade. In general my fav blades give me 3 good shaves.
I shave every other day, and 3 shaves is what i can get before it gets rough.
However, I do have a little bit of wisdom i've picked up: When in doubt, change the blade!
However, I do have a little bit of wisdom i've picked up: When in doubt, change the blade!
I have a glass hone, at times they are on estray.
I read, maybe here, where soldiers would even use a glass bottles interior
to hone thier blades. I have had limited, at best, success with the glass
hone.
I get 4-5 shaves from my super platinums, but I do strop them on the
fourth shave, in the razor, on the palm of my hand.
