I've waited far too long to ask this question. I have seen the practice of corking a blade referred to for years, but I am not sure what it entails. Would someone please enlighten me?
What is corking a blade?
- Thread starter Bird-Man
- Start date
Basically it’s mildly dulling the blade by running it through a cork.
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- #3
Thanks. That's exactly what I'd always thought but never confirmed it. I have noticed at times when using a brand new blade it can tend to be too aggressive and I get all sorts of weepers. Is that what corking is supposed to help avoid?
Yes. Some people feel that particular blades are too agressive when new for their style of shaving and feel more comfortable taming the edge.
Yes. You just need to drag the blade once on each edge on the corner of a cork. You can hold the blade in your hand, or put it in your razor, and run the edge across a cork. You need only do it once on each edge, and that blade is good to go. I recently did it to a Vokshod blade, and it was pretty smooth shaving.
The alternative would be stropping it on leather.
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- #7
Thanks guys!
I'm no expert, but I always thought the reason for corking was to remove imperfections from the edge coating. This to make the first shave smoother... NOT to dull the blade, possibly to make it sharper (having removed the debris).
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
I use this method on only one blade (Polsilver super iridium) one swipe seems to make it a little smoother because of coating I figure. Iridium is a hard metal coating to make the blade edge more rigid and it just kind of makes a difference when corked. Also some folks use Styrofoam as a way to smooth out the blade if cork is not available. The blade is swiped once on each side about this depth seems to work.
A old archived photo.
Have some great shaves!
A old archived photo.
Have some great shaves!
lasta
Blade Biter
It's an urban legend.
Along the same lines of blade flipping, blade rigidity, and placing a blade under pyramids.
There's a reason why a lot of packs say "do not wipe blade", corking is the worst form of wiping.
Along the same lines of blade flipping, blade rigidity, and placing a blade under pyramids.
There's a reason why a lot of packs say "do not wipe blade", corking is the worst form of wiping.
- Thread starter
- #11
Aaah, a dissenter. Thanks for the input.It's an urban legend.
Along the same lines of blade flipping, blade rigidity, and placing a blade under pyramids.
There's a reason why a lot of packs say "do not wipe blade", corking is the worst form of wiping.
I've heard about it, but never felt the need to try it and probably never will. Some people use that method on Feather blades to ''tame them'' a bit, but if they find Feather to be too sharp for them why use it in first place?
Same goes for blade shimming. Never tried it and most likely never will.
Same goes for blade shimming. Never tried it and most likely never will.
Corking is frequently used by users of shavettes
It really does work. I have some Vokshod blades, and in my razor(Parker 91R), they are pretty rough on my face. Now, while I will never buy more of them, I want to use up the tuck I have. So, I tried the "corking" method, and it really made the blade much smoother on my face, and I still got a DFS 2 pass shave. Felt pretty good, and was pretty efficient. I am in the same camp, why buy the blades if you have to do this to use them. Well, these blades are leftover from my buying/trying phase, from which I have found my daily driver blade. Really does make them usable..just my .02...
I would never cork a blade. At a dime a blade, just toss them and move on. I don't believe in forcing an oval through a circular hole. Get blades that work out of the tuck in the razor.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Ouchyfoot, Ideally that is the best method to let your beard skin be the strop when shaving and that is what 99% of us do, but then you get a good blade that is brand new that corking seems to smooth it out to work well. You only do it once on first use works for me and and corking is a form of stropping (straighting the curve edges of the blade) IMO. Anyways corking has been around a lot longer than I have been traditional wet shaving and some old timers used it for what ever reason. Corking 1 time is like losing 1 shave blade life is my rule of thumb I figure, so not a big deal for some of us.
So, then don't do it. Me, I do it because I don't mind, and I'm thrifty! My parents were Depression Era kids, and I guess it rubbed off on me. Not a big deal for me, just extends my inventory of blades to use...'Nuff said!!
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Interesting, never knew that.
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