I do two max three shaves per blade. I have probably two thousand blades on hand so it'll take awhile to get through. Lately I'm shaving every other day. I find the same thing that any blade is good for two shaves, I do find better pricing on feathers than .40 on eBay but I have heard about fakes but never encountered them buying from reputable sellers
Thoughts On Reusing A Blade
- Thread starter Hugh
- Start date
I got my 1st purchase of Astra SP (green) 100's via Amazon.
Did not expect but luckily got those which is made in Russia.
I'm very new to DE shaving but my 1st blade on its 5th shave is still smooth without dragging / tugging.
I would also like to monitor its life cycle and improve my techniques before trying out my blade sample packs.
This would eliminate the variable because I may not be able to tell the difference between other blade brands as well.
Did not expect but luckily got those which is made in Russia.
I'm very new to DE shaving but my 1st blade on its 5th shave is still smooth without dragging / tugging.
I would also like to monitor its life cycle and improve my techniques before trying out my blade sample packs.
This would eliminate the variable because I may not be able to tell the difference between other blade brands as well.
I think a lot is determined by your beard toughness. Those with difficult to cut through beards, will naturally require more blade changes.
I tend to agree with you. Sure there are not so good blades out there, but the major blade suppliers are all good.
If someone gives it a bit of thought, why wouldn't this be the case? Who would be purchasing razor blades that didn't produce quality shaves? Doesn't make any sense.
And that us the issue. It is not so simple that someone changes out their blade when it becomes dull.
Microchipping damages the edge of the blade. The bade may still be sharp but this damage yields a nasty shave. Razor burn is not a pleasant experience!
And that is the point. While over using a blade will certainly not yield a quality shave. Binning a blade because of an arbitrary number of shaves, makes little sense to me. I think far too many people are doing this.
I think the majority of shavers can get 5 to 7 decent shaves out of a single blade. Being that a DE blade has two edges, six shaves would only be three shaves on each edge.
I find it hard to believe that bade makers did not intend this as a minimum number of shaves for an average user?
I tend to agree with you. Sure there are not so good blades out there, but the major blade suppliers are all good.
If someone gives it a bit of thought, why wouldn't this be the case? Who would be purchasing razor blades that didn't produce quality shaves? Doesn't make any sense.
And that us the issue. It is not so simple that someone changes out their blade when it becomes dull.
Microchipping damages the edge of the blade. The bade may still be sharp but this damage yields a nasty shave. Razor burn is not a pleasant experience!
And that is the point. While over using a blade will certainly not yield a quality shave. Binning a blade because of an arbitrary number of shaves, makes little sense to me. I think far too many people are doing this.
I think the majority of shavers can get 5 to 7 decent shaves out of a single blade. Being that a DE blade has two edges, six shaves would only be three shaves on each edge.
I find it hard to believe that bade makers did not intend this as a minimum number of shaves for an average user?
Modern blades are very thin in comparison to the classic double edge blades (0.004" rather than 0.006", and the orginal 3-hole blades were 0.020") and that means they wear a little faster AND that they vibrate more at probably a higher frequency. That "buttering toast" sound is the blade vibrating as the hairs are cut.
Using a blade angle that transmits the cutting resistance of the hair into the body of the blade rather than sideways at the edge will greatly increase blade life since it also greatly decreases micro-chipping and other edge deformation. The razor angle that gives the least pulling sensation and the least sound is also the angle that produces the least wear, should be a hint on how to get close, comfortable shaves and long blade life.
Beard density and coarseness plays a role, so does preparation for shaving. Fully water saturated hair is much softer than dry hair so should give less discomfort and long blade life. If you have a sparse beard made up of fine hair, your blades will last a lot longer than if you have a gorilla dense beard made up of tough, coarse hair, but even then you should be getting more than one or two shaves per blade. Mine is medium in both density and coarseness, and I have no trouble getting 70 plus shaves per blade on average -- and I'm getting more per blade with experience too.
Another thing to remember is that PTFE makes the blade feel "sharper" because it dramatically reduces the friction between hair and blade behind the edge. It also wears off in proportion to the cross section of the hairs cut and will not last past 5 or 6 shaves and less for dense beards. The blade has not worn significantly, but will not feel "super sharp" due to increased "feedback" as it cuts. Platinum, chromiun, and ceramic coatings also reduce the friction of the hair on the blade and for that reason I perfer platinum coated blades, they last longer for me. Being far harder it doesn't wear off during the first couple shaves.
I find that I usually get very comfortable weeper free shaves when a blade is actually dull, but no matter how many passes I make I can't get a close, lasting shave. That's when I change mine, although I have had a few blades that did get very uncomfortable toward the end of life, but that was when I first starting out with DE razors and I suspect poor technique had damaged the blade.
I had a co-worker with a very dense and coarse beard who routinely got a couple months out of a DE blade when he used them, so technique has a lot to do with it.
Using a blade angle that transmits the cutting resistance of the hair into the body of the blade rather than sideways at the edge will greatly increase blade life since it also greatly decreases micro-chipping and other edge deformation. The razor angle that gives the least pulling sensation and the least sound is also the angle that produces the least wear, should be a hint on how to get close, comfortable shaves and long blade life.
Beard density and coarseness plays a role, so does preparation for shaving. Fully water saturated hair is much softer than dry hair so should give less discomfort and long blade life. If you have a sparse beard made up of fine hair, your blades will last a lot longer than if you have a gorilla dense beard made up of tough, coarse hair, but even then you should be getting more than one or two shaves per blade. Mine is medium in both density and coarseness, and I have no trouble getting 70 plus shaves per blade on average -- and I'm getting more per blade with experience too.
Another thing to remember is that PTFE makes the blade feel "sharper" because it dramatically reduces the friction between hair and blade behind the edge. It also wears off in proportion to the cross section of the hairs cut and will not last past 5 or 6 shaves and less for dense beards. The blade has not worn significantly, but will not feel "super sharp" due to increased "feedback" as it cuts. Platinum, chromiun, and ceramic coatings also reduce the friction of the hair on the blade and for that reason I perfer platinum coated blades, they last longer for me. Being far harder it doesn't wear off during the first couple shaves.
I find that I usually get very comfortable weeper free shaves when a blade is actually dull, but no matter how many passes I make I can't get a close, lasting shave. That's when I change mine, although I have had a few blades that did get very uncomfortable toward the end of life, but that was when I first starting out with DE razors and I suspect poor technique had damaged the blade.
I had a co-worker with a very dense and coarse beard who routinely got a couple months out of a DE blade when he used them, so technique has a lot to do with it.
I no longer count how many shaves I use a blade for. I used to, complete with dice. But, if I were to guess, based on my current blade stash...
Gillette Nacet — My favorite blade. I only ever toss one because I feel like using something else, not because it needs to be tossed. I don't think I've ever actually felt one going 'bad' on me. Ma-a-a-aybe once? I usually do probably five to eight shaves on one, but I'm sure I could easily do more.
Astra SP — Similarly, I don't recall ever feeling one go 'bad' on me. Maybe I do fewer shaves than with a Nacet, but I think that's only because it's not my favorite and therefore I'm more likely to tire of it and want variety earlier. Perhaps they stop cutting quite as well after five shaves or so, but that might just be my imagination.
Personna 'lab blue' — Hit or miss. Sometimes, they start tugging after three or four shaves. Other times, they tug from the get-go. I haven't really figured these things out yet, but I rarely go over four shaves with them. When they're good, they're great, but I never know when or if 'good' is going to happen or stop happening.
Voskhod — Surprisingly (to me), these have had the most consistent drop-off. They stop cutting well after three to five shaves, usually closer to three. They don't usually start tugging, but simply stop cutting my hairs as well at that point.
Those are the ones I have a large supply of. I used to use some others regularly, but it's been several years and I don't remember all the details. I do seem to recall that I'd take Rapira Supersteel or Ladas SS on vacations, because they were decent on shave #1 but didn't treat me well for very long after that, but I haven't actually used one of them in quite some time, so my opinion might be different now.
Gillette Nacet — My favorite blade. I only ever toss one because I feel like using something else, not because it needs to be tossed. I don't think I've ever actually felt one going 'bad' on me. Ma-a-a-aybe once? I usually do probably five to eight shaves on one, but I'm sure I could easily do more.
Astra SP — Similarly, I don't recall ever feeling one go 'bad' on me. Maybe I do fewer shaves than with a Nacet, but I think that's only because it's not my favorite and therefore I'm more likely to tire of it and want variety earlier. Perhaps they stop cutting quite as well after five shaves or so, but that might just be my imagination.
Personna 'lab blue' — Hit or miss. Sometimes, they start tugging after three or four shaves. Other times, they tug from the get-go. I haven't really figured these things out yet, but I rarely go over four shaves with them. When they're good, they're great, but I never know when or if 'good' is going to happen or stop happening.
Voskhod — Surprisingly (to me), these have had the most consistent drop-off. They stop cutting well after three to five shaves, usually closer to three. They don't usually start tugging, but simply stop cutting my hairs as well at that point.
Those are the ones I have a large supply of. I used to use some others regularly, but it's been several years and I don't remember all the details. I do seem to recall that I'd take Rapira Supersteel or Ladas SS on vacations, because they were decent on shave #1 but didn't treat me well for very long after that, but I haven't actually used one of them in quite some time, so my opinion might be different now.
- Thread starter
- #66
I'm a big fan of Nacet blades. They're almost as sharp as Feather but cost approximately half as much. Very consistently good results and, as I said, they last longer than most any other brand I've tried.
If you like Nacet and Astra SP, then there are two others I'd recommend checking out as well. I've only used a few of each, having been given some in a PIF, but I found them to cut similarly and have decent longevity:
— Gillette 7oC SS (green Russian)
— Shark SC
To me, for some reason, those feel thinner. Perhaps that's due to a less dramatic bevel angle during production or something like that. But they're nice and smooth, and they give good results.
Nothing wrong with using a blade only twice. Your prerogative. I only use a Feather twice, as well. Feather & Nacet are two of my favorite blades!
6 shaves per blade no matter what blade it is. I flip the blade everyday and I don’t know if it really makes a difference, but it seems to work for me.
I totally agree that beard toughness is the main deciding factor for an individual shaver's blade longevity. I suspect - but don't really know - that skin sensitivity might also play a role in how uncomfortable the microchipping becomes for an individual over time.
I have used quite a few blades and for me there are huge differences in both performance and longevity. I have used blades that are incapable of giving me a three pass BBS, although I'm sure they work fine for others or they wouldn't sill be on the market.
I get two good shaves from a Feather. Some guys with more robust beards than mine can only get one, while some actually get 10. You get what you get - you can't order up a softer beard.
Back in the day I routinely got 7 days (21 passes) from a Med Prep. The 7th wasn't as good as the first and I had to be more careful to avoid weepers - but it was pretty close. Since then the whole beard has gone white and less pliant. I haven't used Med Preps in a while (great blades), but I'd probably shoot for 4-5 shaves now.
Shaving until you get a bad/uncomfortable shave is a legitimate way to get full value for each blade. I have the utmost respect for that method, but I'm not doing it that way. The first reason is I'm way too spoiled and have no desire to have an uncomfortable shave with a dull blade. Pitiful, but these are the first world problems I live with. The second reason is that I do keep track of my shaves and found that about every three months I would get a weeper - always on the 15th pass. So now I make sure I don't get to the 15th pass.
Use the blade you like - if they all work for you, find the cheapest one you can and use it as long as it works for you. As in all things, please don't assume your experience is universally enjoyed by every other shaver in the world.
The trick is to know ahead of time when the next shave is going to be rough.
With some blades, you can develop a feel for them to the point that you can tell beforehand that the next shave might be worse: in that case, toss it immediately.
But with other blades, the drop-off happens more suddenly, and the difference between shave #2 and #3 (or whatever) might end up being decent vs crap.
Personally, I'd rather stock up on blades that deliver consistent and predictable results. I don't want to bin every blade after a set number of shaves, and I don't want to wonder each shave how well it's going to go.
Or choose it for whatever reason you like. 'Cheapest' isn't the only factor to consider for your benefit. Maybe you have a personal affinity for Russian-made blades: stock up on the Russian-made blade that treats you the best. Maybe you have a personal affinity for the old-school graphic design on tucks of Treet Dura Sharp or black beauties: if they treat you well, then stock up on those. Maybe you have a personal affinity for Gillette because that's what your dad used: if they treat you well, then stock up on those. Maybe you only want to buy American-made blades: if one of the AccuTec-produced blades treats you well, then stock up on those.
I don't think it has been discussed yet in this thread, but I palm-strop my blades between each use. I also flip them over between uses, but I think the palm-stropping does more than the flipping.
Given all the factors that effect blade use YMMV I use each of my blades until shave quality begins to deteriorate - something that tends to happen gradually for me. Result is anything from 3 to 20+ shaves per blade. Suspect those with different beard characteristics may experience a less gradual deterioration so a fixed number of shaves could make more sense.
Another factor to consider is shaving technique and lather quality. I've noticed that a blade that worked well with my normal slick lather will give a lower quality shave if I try something that results in less lather slickness. The blade then is back to 100% on the next shave with my normal lather slickness. Recall perusing some of the Excalibur posts where there was mention other B&Bers that they binned blades when the real issue was a problem with technique.
Another factor to consider is shaving technique and lather quality. I've noticed that a blade that worked well with my normal slick lather will give a lower quality shave if I try something that results in less lather slickness. The blade then is back to 100% on the next shave with my normal lather slickness. Recall perusing some of the Excalibur posts where there was mention other B&Bers that they binned blades when the real issue was a problem with technique.
Do what feels right. I'm an Excalibur member who enjoys getting "more" out of each blade because it challenges my skill. Economics have never once entered into the decision because we all know traditional wet shavers NEVER save money. 
If you're only using a blade for two shaves, and shaving every three days, you might consider keeping a small container of rubbing alcohol handy in your shave den and dunking your razor head (with blade intact) at the end of every shave session. This will do two things for you 1) kill any bacteria that might otherwise grow on your apparatus, but more importantly 2) the alcohol displaces any water remaining on your blade so when it dries you are not left with any mineral deposits, prolonging usage. Often times, the presence of these hard deposits confuses shavers into believing that their blade is dull, when in fact, it's not. And if you really want to go down this rabbit hole, you can search for the post started by someone much smarter than me, which details the merits of using 70% vs. 91% isopropyl alcohol.
If you're only using a blade for two shaves, and shaving every three days, you might consider keeping a small container of rubbing alcohol handy in your shave den and dunking your razor head (with blade intact) at the end of every shave session. This will do two things for you 1) kill any bacteria that might otherwise grow on your apparatus, but more importantly 2) the alcohol displaces any water remaining on your blade so when it dries you are not left with any mineral deposits, prolonging usage. Often times, the presence of these hard deposits confuses shavers into believing that their blade is dull, when in fact, it's not. And if you really want to go down this rabbit hole, you can search for the post started by someone much smarter than me, which details the merits of using 70% vs. 91% isopropyl alcohol.
Big J - you have put your finger on one of my many problems. For every blade not worth using, I keep looking for it's "right" razor.
Just returned to DE shaving a few years ago, after being away for decades. Shaved off my beard which I had from the early 80's. Though I still keep a goatee and a thin mustache.
Older blades were thicker and lasted longer. I had no knowledge of the micochipping issues. This resulted in me over using blades and suffering delayed razor burn.
This is something that I did not understand, as I don't recall getting razor burn years ago. Irritation yes, but razor burn as such, no.
Trying different blades was primarily motivated by me thinking that I would find some that lasted longer. As much as I would experiment, I found this not to be the case.
Before, I would change out my blade between ten days and two weeks, as an average. I never paid much attention to this. When the blade became dull and started pulling, I simply replaced it.
Once I read the MIT research on micochipping, it all began to make sense.
How long should a modern DE blade last? Checking, I found the answers all over the place. But, in general, I was finding that the majority seemed to change their blades after three to five shaves.
That did seem a bit short to me? I had been typically shaving over a week with a blade, and counting the shaves by marking the blade.
With that in mind, I wanted to use the blade as much as was practical, still getting a good shave and without having to count the days.
So I asked myself, could I simply use a week? That lead to my 2023 thread as such and again in 2024.
I think the "average" shaver should get at least five or six days/shaves from a DE blade. But, that is just my guess?
Very true! It is interesting that Feather ads claim it to be a long lasting blade. Users seem to differ with that opinion.
A few years back when I first tried Feathers, they were very rough on my initial shave. So much so that I dreaded the next shave. Though I found subsequent shaves to be a lot smoother. My newer stock of Feathers doesn't seem to have these issues anymore.
I get a week on a Feather, same as my other blades. This seems to work out perfectly for my individual needs.
Carbonates don't do steel any favors. Even though the alcohol contains water, the water is pure and will leave a miminal residue at best.
For the reasons you mention, I wipe and dry my blades.
For me, Gillette and Shick was all that I knew (plus Wilkinson Sword). Because they were the blades that you could buy at the drugstore.
Was never aware of more "exotic" blades. After returning to DE shaving, I didn't initially know that Gillette was now manufactured over seas. Once I became aware of that, it wasn't a surprise to me because most "American" products seem to come from outside of the United States.
It is only due to the Internet that I became aware of all the blades I have now been using.
Anything that works. I used to remove blades after every shave, rinse, wipe and dry. Then some folks turned me onto the isopropyl because it's safer to fingers, takes less time, and doesn't run any risk of dulling the blade unnecessarily. I've been using this method for many years now and can honestly say that I've never had any issues with steel or zamak.
I have yet to see any science that suggests flipping the blade between uses prolongs sharpness. I suspect it's a lot like hanging your brush upside down to dry - if it makes you feel better it's a fine idea.
I wonder if it could even cause more irritation?
I say this as a totally uneducated shaver but, coming from the automotive hobby world, when using a "razor" blade for removing window tint film or decals from glass, it won't leave scratches if you keep the same side of the blade against the glass throughout the process, but if you flip the blade over halfway through then you'll get scratches because you're now putting the micro chipped side against the glass.
Would that apply to shaving as well?
