How often do you get a "magic blade"?

[goby]

I am blessed by loving cheap blades. I have a nice stash of Red IP's and Dorco's that I love. I change blades every 3 days.

Every so often I get a blade that just won't quit. I've got one now (a Red IP). I just had my fifth shave and it was as good as my first. I hate to throw this one away. It's not about cost, price, or being a cheapskate... this blade is just giving me great shaves.

So, anyone else experience Magic Blade Syndrome?

 

[Optometrist]

I routinely change my blade every 3 shaves so I guess I'll never know if a blade will just go on and on. At the relative inexpense, I don't feel the need to try.

David

 

[mdevine]

Interesting but I had a similar thought today. I usually throw a blade out after five shaves. I like Derby blades but usually get 3-4 shaves out of them. Today was the fifth shave with the Derby in a Superspeed and shaves 3 to 5 were better than the first two. But, like David, at 8 cents a blade, I see no reason to push it.

 

[DirtyDave]

Every seven days, Sunday through Saturday. Right now, I prefer Derby blades. I get shaves for all seven days and just changing the blade (along with the razor and the brush) just seems to fit.

 

[mblakele]

I've heard that Feathers don't last, but back in June I got at least 12 good shaves from a Feather in a Tech.

Magic aside, my blades seem to last longer that they used to. My beard hasn't softened as far as I can tell. Instead I think this is due to improvement in technique: good prep, pressure, and angle make less work for the blade. Also, I suppose I need less touch-up than I used to, and sometimes I'll stop after two passes. That should be easier on the blade.

But I also think there's been some improvement in my judgment. When I had a bad shave in my first 3-6 months with a DE, often I would blame the blade and change it out. So I rarely tried to use the same blade more than 2-3 times. Now I frequently go 5-6 shaves on a blade, and I've pushed a few into double digits. These aren't spoilers or 74s, just whatever I pick out of the blade bin: a vertical green Derby, say, or an Astra.

This makes me wonder how much of the magic is due to the operator having a good run of shaves, with better than average technique? That might have something to do with why I haven't found "my" blade, too. I can get a good shave with most, and some are definitely sharper than others. But no blade has really won me over.

 

[El Judio Bravo]

When I first went to DE shaving I bought a pack of RiteAid Personnas. Well, every one of them went a week with no hangups. A small spot of magic for me!

I have tried lots of other brands now but I must say that on those special occasions when it felt as if there was no blade in my ax a US Personna was usually sitting there. Oh, I've had those moments with Russian Gillettes, and a Bangladeshi 7 AM(!) as well as Israeli Blues, but most often with these USA Personnas.

 

[Chester]

Gillette Platinum Plus (metal dispenser) did this for me.
-- Chet

 

[BroJohn]

So, anyone else experience Magic Blade Syndrome?

I've got a 'magic blade' going right now. I'm on shave 8 with a SuperMax super stainless. We'll see how this goes...

-- John Gehman

 

[goby]

Glad to see I'm not alone. I threw away my Red IP after 7 shaves. And the 7th was just as good as the first.

The blade I'm using now, an old Walmart Personna, is clearly a mortal and will be done on shave 3.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

How often do you get a "magic blade"? Every time I take one out of a box with the magical name "Personna 74" on it.

 

[OkieStubble]

How often do you get a "magic blade"? Every time I take one out of a box with the magical name "Personna 74" on it.

Is that a single edge HT?

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Is that a single edge HT?

The injectors are. I also have some P74 double edges.

 

[goby]

How often do you get a "magic blade"? Every time I take one out of a box with the magical name "Personna 74" on it.

Thanks, you just bumped the price up to $4.50 a blade with that little comment.

I've still got my 43 shave P74 blade in my medicine cabinet. I want to hit 50 with it. Maybe I'll get a shave or two with it this week.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Thanks, you just bumped the price up to $4.50 a blade with that little comment.

I've still got my 43 shave P74 blade in my medicine cabinet. I want to hit 50 with it. Maybe I'll get a shave or two with it this week.

Oops, did I say Personna 74? I meant to type Personna 75. Those are the good ones that replaced the 74's which were junk, absolute junk.

 

[goby]

Oops, did I say Personna 74? I meant to type Personna 75. Those are the good ones that replaced the 74's which were junk, absolute junk.

Much better!