Newbie wants to know?

[flyingfool]

How do you know when to change DE blade?

About how many shaves can a person expect out of a DE blade? I know it depends on a person's beard. I'm just looking for a range. I know my whiskers are fairly soft and not too thick so I think I can expect towards the upper end of what most gents get from a DE blade.

 

[mblakele]

Zero or more.

I can only get one shave from Walmart Wilkinsons, and even that one is not very good. Then I could list off several "B" blades that last 2-3 shaves. My "A" blades still have a good edge after about 3 shaves, but they begin to irritate my skin unless I jeans-strop. After that they will go 5-7 shaves, sometimes a few more. Recently I tried a P74* for the first time: it needed jeans-stropping after 9, and I used it for 17 shaves.

Especially at first you might wonder whether you had an off day for technique, or the blade is done. But blades are cheap, so the conservative strategy is to change blades.

 

[ArNav]

When is starts to drag and pull some of your hairs rather than cutting them.
In your case a good blade will probably last good 7-8 shaves.