I have no corks for corking the blades, but I was thinking what if? just a small piece of leather and strop the blades carefully. would that work?
Is it possible to strop DE blades?
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Why would you want to do that?
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- #3
because I want to get the maximum use out of my blades. I buy a 10 pack per month. 1 shave per blade. I was wondering if the number of shaves could be lengthened by way of stropping like with str8t razors.
I wondered the same thing myself...
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I have tried using the blades 2-3 times but the shaves are not as good and there is dragging.
I may be way off base with this, but I think corking and stropping serve very different purposes. Though stropping a sub-par blade (new vertical Derby's, I'm looking your way...) may help some, it seems like it would be difficult and probably dangerous. I haven't tried corking yet, but I'll give it a go sometime soon. I'm a wine enthusiast, so there's no shortage around my place. Why not use this as an excuse to go pick up a nice bottle?
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would a leather belt work?
Search eBay for a 'TwinPlex' blade stropper.
Should be cheap. The Twinplex is the most common available of several designs from various company's. They were produced in an era of Carbon steel blades that worked well with the stropper. Results using current coated stainless steels probably wouldn't be so good.
They found their heyday during the depression of the '30s when nobody had any money, and during the war-time years when product shortages and rationing were the rule.
-- John Gehman
Should be cheap. The Twinplex is the most common available of several designs from various company's. They were produced in an era of Carbon steel blades that worked well with the stropper. Results using current coated stainless steels probably wouldn't be so good.
They found their heyday during the depression of the '30s when nobody had any money, and during the war-time years when product shortages and rationing were the rule.
-- John Gehman
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There is a technique known as "hand stropping" that some of us engage in that seems to help.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq4wfpT7hc&feature=PlayList&p=DBCBC00F74DB5AED&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=54[/YOUTUBE]
One shave per blade is certainly a very low yield. Bear in mind that DE blades particularly are very thin and not as likely to respond well to rehoning or stropping as a thicker blade.
Have you tried SE blades? I find that I can get more shaves out of an SE or injector blade, typically, than out of a DE. There may be more whisker prep that could soften the whiskers and give better results as well.
- Chris
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq4wfpT7hc&feature=PlayList&p=DBCBC00F74DB5AED&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=54[/YOUTUBE]
One shave per blade is certainly a very low yield. Bear in mind that DE blades particularly are very thin and not as likely to respond well to rehoning or stropping as a thicker blade.
Have you tried SE blades? I find that I can get more shaves out of an SE or injector blade, typically, than out of a DE. There may be more whisker prep that could soften the whiskers and give better results as well.
- Chris
..and yes, they did make glass and carborundum hones for DE blades, too.
Again, eBay is your friend.
-- John Gehman
Again, eBay is your friend.
-- John Gehman
Yeah, this does not seem like a good idea to me. It might work, and you might not cut hand. But the worst-case scenario far outweighs the potential benefit for me.
Yes, this can work, but with the cost of DE blades, why bother?
If your beard is so tuff that you only get one shave per DE blade, I'd suggest that you look into straights.
If your beard is so tuff that you only get one shave per DE blade, I'd suggest that you look into straights.
I know you're a bit of a stubborn type who needs to be convinced to take advice from us here 
but at this stage of your development if you're only getting 1 shave from a blade it's technique issue. Work on prep, especially, as that'll make a huge difference in your shaves.
That being said, you can hand strop a DE blade but most people report that adds a shave or two to it's lifespan. It's not a miraculous method of keeping a blade alive for weeks. Today's blades are meant to be used and tossed; those old DE sharpeners were made for blades that were much thicker and made of much heavier metal.
but at this stage of your development if you're only getting 1 shave from a blade it's technique issue. Work on prep, especially, as that'll make a huge difference in your shaves.That being said, you can hand strop a DE blade but most people report that adds a shave or two to it's lifespan. It's not a miraculous method of keeping a blade alive for weeks. Today's blades are meant to be used and tossed; those old DE sharpeners were made for blades that were much thicker and made of much heavier metal.
What blade are you currently using? Maybe try a sharper blade first?
Good thought!
Seriously, one shave per blade? I mean, I've heard of people here getting 2-3 shaves per blade and I can kinda understand why, but ONE????
Either buy sharper blades, or cheaper blades, or revise your technique.
The hand stropping video that Chris linked to makes it look a bit riskier than it actually is: just make sure you pull the edge rather than pushing!
I do it occasionaly with Gillette Super Silvers...but only before the first shave with them.
I used a new blade for each shave when I started, but I now go with 3/4 (4 for Feathers, 3 for anything else)...the later shaves often feel a bit smoother.
Some guys also use a piece of styrofoam
I do it occasionaly with Gillette Super Silvers...but only before the first shave with them.
I used a new blade for each shave when I started, but I now go with 3/4 (4 for Feathers, 3 for anything else)...the later shaves often feel a bit smoother.
Some guys also use a piece of styrofoam
Some guys also use a piece of styrofoam
No, no, no, the styrofoam is a surrogate for "corking", which is supposed to be a deburring thing, and is done lengthwise along the blade. A totally different form of black magic.
My thoughts exactly.
Most of the blades I use are better on the second shave than the first.
He's using Walmart Personnas. I have no doubt in my mind they are rubbish enough to suck after one shave.
He's ordered a sample pack, so he's got five new blades coming in, he's going to quickly discover just how rubbish those Walmart blades truly are.
No need for stroping. Best idea for those Walmart blades is to count your losses and chuck them all into the sharps bin.
He's ordered a sample pack, so he's got five new blades coming in, he's going to quickly discover just how rubbish those Walmart blades truly are.
No need for stroping. Best idea for those Walmart blades is to count your losses and chuck them all into the sharps bin.
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