Use a blade up, or toss after a preset number of shaves?

[ERS4]

No, I don't have any shaving goals, just for fun.

So when I want to get a comfortable and good shave I go.
I go there when I want to know about blade performance and lifespan.

Many people are still feel comfortable in maximizing their blade use.
The two behaviors are not in conflict with each other, nor are they binary.

 

[Tillerman]

One blade a week,. If it goes sooner bin it.

 

[TheBigL]

I don't shave as often as I used to so the blades end up doing a lot of work. Most often I really notice one edge gets uncomfortable but if the other is still good I'll finish the shave and drop the blade after. Other times if I'm using a really good blade, I'll actually kinda get bored of it and retire it early.

 

[Happy Jack]

As I tend to use two razors, and therefore two blades, for every shave it's not so easy to keep an accurate count. I recycle blades when they're no longer performing well. Typically that's after the equivalent of about 3 or 4 full shaves. If I haven't used a razor for a few days and the blade is looking a bit manky then it will also go into the blade bank.

 

[DesertIguana]

Think there is no right answer, but to say a Blade is bad after say three shaves is not a blanket statement that works for all.

Our skin & beard changes day but day, I would use blade until you feel is bad.

Blades are cheap, sure quality control is not every Blade. Maybe 1/1000 is checked for quality.

 

[Quaznoid]

DE’s chucked after 3 shaves, SE’s after 6.

 

[ShavingPrimate]

I have been debating with myself this question that you are bringing up. Should I go a set number of shaves or should I use it as long as the shaves are good and then bin it.

Years ago, people used a blade until it became dull. It either wouldn't cut or pulled.

People used to get a couple of weeks or more out of a blade. That is why they were typically packaged in tucks of five.

If you couldn't get a decent amount of shaves from a blade, then packaging them on boxes of only five blades might be kind of silly?

The problem with modern blades is that while they are sharper, they do not last nearly as long.

The problem with this is that they tend to develop micro cracks which leads to edge damage.

The blade can still be sharp but it no longer provides a smooth shave and can make many micro cuts into the skin giving you serious razor rash.

Most today, use a blade for less than a week. I thought that was a bit short? Still, trying to go the distance, is no longer a good thing!

To me, the period of a week is arbitrary but it works with our calendar. Changing a blade once a week would be a welcome period. Long enough to extract efficient use but so long as to tempt bad shaves.

I spent a couple of years prior counting and marking blades. Now I don't have to do that. I just change my blade every Sunday and I am good to go.

Can I get more shaves? Probably, but only a few more at best. Attempting this will give me bad shaves that I said goodbye to, some time back.

The weekly blade thing has now worked for my needs 100%. Much better than I had anticipated that it would.

 

[nlife]

I usually toss them after 3 shaves, or when they start to bite whichever comes first. They're cheap and life is too short to put up with an uncomfortable shave.

 

[Tathlum]

Prefer a fresh blade every shave. One and done.

 

[LeroyR]

Every 8-10 shaves in most razors, when I clean the razor. Unless I’m using a Treet black beauty, those are one-time use. The longest I’ve gone was with a Taiga Ti and a Kai blade; I got around 16 shaves out of it, and maybe could have gotten more.

I find that the R41 dulls some blades a lot more quickly than other razors though, maybe after 4 or 5 shaves.

 

[TOVT]

One and done, but sometimes 2 or 3.

 

[tehnothing]

I tend to use my blades until they aren’t cutting as efficiently. From 14 to 30 are what I typically get from one blade. Some are vintage blades that I have several of. PPI blades usually last for me as do a few other modern blades.

 

[geneaut]

I use blades until I get the urge to toss them. That could be one shave, or it could be 20+. The 'urge' could be comfort-related, discoloration or rust, or simply boredom. I rarely start a blade with a firm idea of how long I might use it.

 

[BigJ]

I am in the ‘use it up’ camp!! Sometimes 10-14 shaves, sometimes only 2-3, depending on performance.

 

[SensorEx]

This obviously has quite a bit to do with the tensile strength of your whiskers, but for me, after years of wet shaving, I prefer Astra SP blades and change them after about 7 shaves. I track them with my daily rotation among about 12 razors here at B&B on the SOTD post.

 

[DEgeezer]

I use a blade until I feel a slight drop in efficiency, and of course this will vary with different blades. It probably averages around seven three pass shaves per blade.
I've never understood the one and done concept, because there are least two blades that I can think of off hand that are more comfortable the second and third shaves.
But, to each his own.

 

[Eric_75]

One and done with every blade. YMMV.

 

[sm29]

I shave daily (three passes) and toss a blade after 4 shaves except for Feather blades that are tossed after three shaves. I used to try to use a blade until it started tugging or felt rough. Sometimes a blade could go to 6 or 7 uses but sometimes the same blade would get rough at 5. 4 shaves for other than feathers generally provides a good experience and prevents having to get through a bad shave. Since I buy blades in 100s, the cost is can range between approximately 2 cents to 4 cents a shave (except for Feathers). Since I use 91 or 92 blades a year, I may add as much as $4 a year to my shaving cost which is a small price to virtually guarantee no blade induced bad shaves.

 

[TxAggie2018]

I go until the blade dies. Usually, if you use one brand for a while, you get a feel for how far a blade will last. Gillette Platinums will start scratching after 3-4 shaves for me. Kais will go somewhere north of 10.

So it's usually not surprising when a blade dies on me, but I don't systemically change them either. If a Plat wants to die hard and lasts for 10 shaves, I will let it keep going.

 

[Deano]

Just tossed a GSB after 10 three pass shaves. Russian GSB is my go to DE for years. Now and then l get a sub par blade with only 3 or 4 shaves in it. On the other end sometimes I get closer to 20 shaves out of one.