Turn blade over?

[dash]

For some reason, today I flipped over my second-day Treet Dura Sharp Carbon Steel blade.

The first part of the shave went ok, but reshaving my neck was a chore. Scratchy, rough, loud and ineffective.

I was ready to write the blade off and not even try a a third day. Then I thought, "hey, I turned this blade over."

I flipped it and it seemed better.

Does the first shave shape the edge so much that it must be used the same way every time?

While my favorite blades are probably Dorcos, this blade has an interesting mix: it's very narrow for safety, yet presumably exceptionally sharp being carbon -- not stainless -- steel. So I thought it might be a good blade with which to stay, provided you rinse it in alcohol to slow down rusting.

 

[robertw]

Interesting question. At about .17 a blade, I haven't even entertained the option.

 

[JayKay]

I use treet dura-sharps and like them alot. I would presume that the first shave does shape these blades a good deal because the edge of a DE blade is so thin at the very tip. I would not suggest flipping a blade over, ever. I do like the blades very much in many of my razors. Also, despite it being carbon steel, I havent had a rust problem. I rinse my razor with steaming hot water and shake it well afterwords without any rust problems. I than store it out of the bathroom away from moisture.

 

[JayKay]

Also, when bought in bulk the blades are about 10 cents a blade. You could use a different blade every day of the year for about 35$ a year.

 

[dash]

This wasn't for economy. Just an experiment. Heck, I only used the thing once before flipping it.Not like I got a week or something, then flipped it to get a fresh edge.

 

[DevilJoe]

I tried turning blades over, it worked extremly well for me.

I use red Personnas and usually get 4-5 shaves out of them. When turning the blade, it's possible to get another 2-3 shaves out of it. But one after those 2 or 3 get really messy, so it's important for me to stop before trying that.

I don't use it anymore, i don't like to have to memorize if i turned the blade and how many shaves i had on the other side. And that's not worth saving 9ct for a blade for me...

grettings Joe

 

[BroJohn]

Dash, if it works for you, that's good. But I suspect that it's just a placebo effect. If you only get 2~3 good shaves from a blade, then that's what you get. Always shave with a blade that's in its prime. I don't recommend trying to eek out extra shaves on blades that are inexpensive --it's a false economy. Just swap in a fresh blade.

Otherwise the Shave Gods will be offended, and you will be punished.

-- John Gehman

 

[2bits]

You don't flip the blade to save money you flip it to get a better shave.

Consider the flipping of the blade while stropping that would be used when "sharpening" a straight razor.

Why would flipping the edge be essential when stropping but of no consequence when "dulling" or shaving with a blade?

If shaving dulls a blade (and it does) and the top and bottom edges are not always exactly in the same orientation to the beard and the skin (and they're not) the dulling will not be symmetrical.

I open a TTO safety razor between latherings to enable a complete cleaning rinse of the blade. The blade is in my hand and it goes back into the razor - flipped. A habit I don't even need to think about.

I have a medium to heavy beard and get 6 to 12 shaves per blade. The blades I use are Derby, Wilkinson's (India & Germany), misc blades from Israel etc.

If it would result in a better shave using a new blade after 2-3 shaves I assure you I would happily do so.


Addendum: You guys are turning the razor and using the other edge aren't you?

 

[skydivemd]

You don't flip the blade to save money you flip it to get a better shave....
Addendum: You guys are turning the razor and using the other edge aren't you?

I read the entire post and still am unsure what was being said in it.

When stropping a blade against a steel (or strop) the hardened surface is used to essentially push the bent over micro-fine teeth of the cutting edge back into alignment. Stropping on only one side would create a burr of aligned teeth on the other side. Stropping both sides aligns this 'burr' as a refreshed cutting edge in the midline.

A DE razor blade that is clamped in to a razor only ever presents one side of the edge of the blade to the face. It is used in a very consistent cutting manner and subsequently a burr will be formed only on the contralateral side.

Flipping the blade without stropping it will present a burr as the cutting edge on future shaves. For me this is uncomfortable. YMMV.

I would point out that this is why during the 40s and 50s little devices for "resharpening" DE blades were invented. They were either manual or simple mechanical devices that would hold the blade in one orientation and proceed to strop the blade on both sides. The little device was unaware of which side had the burr on it and really didn't care - enough stropping on both sides would eventually get the majority of teeth in the midline allowing for an extra shave or 2.

Best advice: do what works and makes you happy.


Rick

 

[2bits]

I read the entire post and still am unsure what was being said in it.
Rick

The more evenly the blade is "dulled" through use the more symmetric the edge will remain and it will cut better longer.

 

[dash]

Well, after a couple more shaves, I think that the Dura Sharp Treet blades are misnamed.

They're dull as cardboard and I'm not fussy. Yesterday, I shaved as usual and got almost no whisker removal on my neck.

So the Dura Sharp Treets are poor blades, vary in quality from blade to blade, or not very long-lasting. I can use anything for a week generally. These were bad n day 4.

On to the next in my sampler packs.

 

[netsurfr]

Interesting question. At about .17 a blade, I haven't even entertained the option.

+1 that's what I'm thinkin'