on flipping blades

[Ligeti]

I've been shaving with an Astra SP for 12 days in a row. Cleaning the razor under high volumes of piping hot water but without opening it. The blade seemed to show fatigue. So this morning, before shaving, I took the razor apart and cleaned the blade under hot water. Inserting is 'upside down' in regard to its previous position.

Anyone else who
- pays attention to how the blad was inserted when taking it out for some reason
- switches the position upside down
- had the impression it makes a difference

What are your thoughts and experiences on this?

 

[BigJ]

To me you have really done three things: cleaning your razor and blade, flipping the blade, and reassembly. Any one of these might change the outcome.

Why not try cleaning things, then reassembling the hardware without flipping the blade? Just a thought.

(P.S. I have not noted much advantage to flipping my blades, so I don’t bother. YMMV for sure!)

 

[never-stop-learning]

I disassemble and clean my razor and blade after each use. I flip the blade when I reassemble.

 

[Besbro]

I also flip after every shave during cleaning. Not sure why... but I have done this since I started with my DE.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ivo4u2]

A feather fhs I flip so I can squeeze one more shave out of it.

On de I did that however I stopped

It worked best when I flipped after each shave
It also did after 5 days but sometimes it did the opposite
With a half de it does not work since the broken bend tabs are pointing up when you do and that does not work with a focus or broman
So I do not bother

 

[DrStrange]

Astra edge bevel faces are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4.

I shave one side of my face with one edge,
the other side of my face with the other edge.
And then I clean the razor and the blade
and then I flip the blade for the next shave.

 

[razorhead63]

I flip blades between every shave.
I’ve gotten more shaves from them than when I don’t flip.

 

[sugardaddy]

Flipping doesn't seem to make too much of a difference to me.

And here's why... The Nacet that I've shaved 366 times with... Has never been flipped. Though technically speaking, I did lose my mind once and shave with the other side. Then I flipped it back and have been continuing to use the same side ever since. So 365 shaves on one side... one shave on the other side, if you are really into details.

If I can go that many on one side, I'm not concerned about how the blade ends up when I'm shaving at around 30 uses per blade.

(Sent from mobile)

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I lose track of which side was up. I disassemble after every shave, clean the blade and razor under hot water and then dry the razor and blade. I then hand strop all four sides before reassembling for the next shave. This morning’s shave was shave 31 on a Feather blade.

 

[Zen Shaver]

Interesting new science on how human hair (50x softer than steel) “dulls” blades.
Why shaving dulls even the sharpest of razors - https://news.mit.edu/2020/why-shaving-dulls-razors-0806

 

[Zen Shaver]

Not sure if this GIF is showing up?

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Not sure if this GIF is showing up?

Nope, just a box with an x in it. But, when you reply to the post you can see it. Weird.

I tried to read the article, but my lil TexOkie bran couldn’t understand it all. I’m not sure what the mean by homogeneous material versus heterogeneous material. Maybe someone can put that in simple terms for me?

 

[Tpach]

I feel the only blade got smoother, after a flip, was the Dorco ST300.. maybe the coating is extra thick/sloppy on them?

 

[jesseix]

I opened this thread thinking it was talking about buying and reselling blades for profit

 

[South Dakota Guy]

Interesting new science on how human hair (50x softer than steel) “dulls” blades.
Why shaving dulls even the sharpest of razors - https://news.mit.edu/2020/why-shaving-dulls-razors-0806

That is a very interesting article. It referenced that cutting the sides of hair can can cause the chips in the blade. It makes me question my XTG passes as it affects blade longevity.

 

[Test4echo]

Yes, I flip

 

[Keto]

I just turned the razor upside down doesn't that do the same thing.lol Just kidding.
Seriously I take my Razor apart and clean it after every shave so when the razor blade goes back in I have no idea which way it goes back in.
Maybe I should pay attention a couple of times to see.

 

[sugardaddy]

That is a very interesting article. It referenced that cutting the sides of hair can can cause the chips in the blade. It makes me question my XTG passes as it affects blade longevity.

I think when they mention "side of the hair" in this research, they're not talking about a cross grain pass or cut.

They've got these videos taken at a microscopic level, and so I believe they're talking about a tiny portion of the blade that only touches the side of the hair as it moves through the blade. This is as opposed to the blade part that touches the hair strand first, in the center, and then moves through the hair through the center and then out the other end, cutting through the entire diameter of the hair.

I could be wrong, but that was my take.

I am wondering, as well as a few of us, I'm sure, how this kind of report might help or affect the way we shave.



(Sent from mobile)

 

[DrStrange]

Not sure if this GIF is showing up?

It's a large file, 7.9 Mb.
That might be the problem.

 

[Zen Shaver]

I found a good video demonstration from the study: