When will this DE blade get dull?

[Mysterious Mose]

I recently started shaving with a new Parker Variant DE razor, Wilkinson Sword blade, Gillette Foamy ---> Cremo Sandalwood Shave Cream applied by hand. The razor is set on one, the mildest shave. I usually wait 36 hours between shaves. My main concern is to avoid blood. Over the years, I've often cut myself and gotten cuts, nicks and weepers.

This is the second blade I've used in this setup. I've done this 9 times with this blade and am still going strong. I do a double pass shave, once with the grain (WTG?) and once against the grain (ATG?). The shave is very smooth. It feels very good. I'd call it BBS. I've never gotten this close with cartridge razors.

When will this DE blade get dull? I get fewer nicks and cuts than I did at the beginning. This might be due to my technique getting better or the blade getting duller. I see some hairs after the first pass but I don't know if this is any worse than with earlier shaves.

I'm not ready to retire this blade because I'm happy with this BBS shave. However, I understand it's recommended that the blade be replaced after 1 - 5 shaves or weekly.

Is my experience unusual?

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Is my experience unusual?

Only 9 shaves? Yes, unusual.

Excalibur Club - Blade Longevity DE, SE and Injector

What: A club with a focus on getting the longest useful life from DE, SE or Injector blades. Why: There have been a number of posts on "above average" blade life in the Blades forum, and elsewhere. These include the legendary "One blade in February" threads, and of course the 100+ shave...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[lancre]

When will this DE blade get dull? I get fewer nicks and cuts than I did at the beginning. This might be due to my technique getting better or the blade getting duller. I see some hairs after the first pass but I don't know if this is any worse than with earlier shaves.

I'm not ready to retire this blade because I'm happy with this BBS shave. However, I understand it's recommended that the blade be replaced after 1 - 5 shaves or weekly.

When the blade gets dull will differ widely from person to person. Variables include how tough your beard is, how tough your skin is, how good your lather is, how good your technique is, etc.

If it ain't broke, don't fix. Replace the blade when it starts to fail. Starting to fail meaning either the shaves aren't as close as they used to be, or not as comfortable.

Is my experience unusual?

To get that good (or lucky) with your first DE blade? Yes, unusual.
To get 9 shaves out of a blade? No, not really unusual. I routinely get 7-10 shaves per blade. The Excalibur guys get into triple digits.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

However, I understand it's recommended that the blade be replaced after 1 - 5 shaves or weekly.

I don't think many here would make such a recommendation, I suspect the advice would be to replace the blade whenever you feel like it, as what is right for one may not be right for another. There is an abbreviation for that I think....

 

[lancre]

I don't think many here would make such a recommendation, I suspect the advice would be to replace the blade whenever you feel like it, as what is right for one may not be right for another. There is an abbreviation for that I think....

But some really hate that abbreviation.

 

[GaryTha]

You have entered the "buttery phase." Just keep using the blade until it no longer cuts as efficiently as you like. It could easily take over 100 shaves. May as well go for it. You are almost there. The first 10 or so are the hardest.

 

[dmshaver]

Shave with it until it starts tugging instead of smoothly cutting. It may be one or two more shaves, it may be 10 more shaves. Different blades last longer than others. I typically get 7–20 shaves from a single blade. Don’t get hung up on how many shaves you get from a blade, enjoy the shaves!

 

[thombrogan]

You have entered the "buttery phase."

I’m hoping that means the “buttery edge phase” of the razor blade’s life cycle and not some frightening change in @Mysterious Mose , but one may only guess so much online.

As for what everyone says, yes, please use until the shaves are no longer close or comfortable or are still close and comfortable, but the stubble is coming back faster. When you do change the blade, please be aware the new strip of steel is an untamed beast and to stay on your toes for the first few shaves.

 

[GaryTha]

I’m hoping that means the “buttery edge phase” of the razor blade’s life cycle and not some frightening change in @Mysterious Mose , but one may only guess so much online.

As for what everyone says, yes, please use until the shaves are no longer close or comfortable or are still close and comfortable, but the stubble is coming back faster. When you do change the blade, please be aware the new strip of steel is an untamed beast and to stay on your toes for the first few shaves.

It is easy to get cut by that untamed beast. I avoided it this time. I have about 60 more times on this edge before I use the other one. I only tame one edge at a time.

 

[thombrogan]

I get that, but was clarifying you were calling the edge on Mose’s razor blade “buttery” due to linguistic ambiguities.

 

[Medivh]

After using a couple of blades of the same model and brand, you will get an idea of how many good shaves you can get on average from a blade. Keep in mind that it's different for everyone and not all blades (even from a same pack) are going to last as long.

When I first started DE shaving I used to push my blades for as long as they could carry me, but after I figured out which blades I like the most, I spend some time shaving only with them and came to the conclusion that 3 good 3-4 pass shaves is all I can get from a single blade. I wish I was blessed like some other folks who can get around 10 and even more shaves out of a blade, but it is what it is I guess.

That doesn't mean that I can't go further and get a couple of shaves more, but in my experience, I get a 50/50 chance of getting a good shave on the 4th use and on the 5th is like 30/70.

For me it's just not worth the risk of getting a meh or bad shave. Blades are the most important thing and if they are not in good shape nothing else will compensate for that even if you're using the ''best'' razor, brush and soap on the market it wouldn't matter even one bit.

 

[Ron R]

One way for Newbies to determine how his or her blade is performing is feel your beard before the shave starts and feel it when completed which most do anyways.
If during the shave it is tugging and bothering you it is time to toss it in the blade bin or blade bank. Keep track of your shaves will also help and you will receive better shaves IMO. If you get 8 to 10 shave per blade I would not push it past 9 shaves as averaged out (Why push a almost spent blade when Wilkinson sword blades salon Mfg in India cost you about $.01-$.02 per shave> they are good blades IMO for performance & cost!)
I sometimes don't get it when fellows spend a lot of $ on razors and push blades into large # of shaves(maybe once or twice just for the sport of it or unless you just enjoy it.)
Blades are the cheapest part of DE shaving IMO. I get on average with my beard type with most DE blades 5- 7 great shaves and so averaged out I try not to go past 6 shaves and it works for me unless I'm using a Kai SS extra wide blade I can usually get 10 shaves because they have better quality steel I figure.

 

[GaryTha]

I get that, but was clarifying you were calling the edge on Mose’s razor blade “buttery” due to linguistic ambiguities.

The edge.

 

[cwright]

Soon....

 

[GaryTha]

One way for Newbies to determine how his or her blade is performing is feel your beard before the shave starts and feel it when completed which most do anyways.
If during the shave it is tugging and bothering you it is time to toss it in the blade bin or blade bank. Keep track of your shaves will also help and you will receive better shaves IMO. If you get 8 to 10 shave per blade I would not push it past 9 shaves as averaged out (Why push a almost spent blade when Wilkinson sword blades salon Mfg in India cost you about $.01-$.02 per shave> they are good blades IMO for performance & cost!)
I sometimes don't get it when fellows spend a lot of $ on razors and push blades into large # of shaves(maybe once or twice just for the sport of it or unless you just enjoy it.)
Blades are the cheapest part of DE shaving IMO. I get on average with my beard type with most DE blades 5- 7 great shaves and so averaged out I try not to go past 6 shaves and it works for me unless I'm using a Kai SS extra wide blade I can usually get 10 shaves because they have better quality steel I figure.

Ron,
I have 21 shaves on my Astra SP. I expect to get well over 100. I can assure you, it's not about the money. The quality of shave improves for a long time before the blade needs replaced. YMMV

 

[Possum092]

I have some buddies who based on their lack of growth and thin hairs could get 100 shaves out of any DE blade.

 

[Ron R]

Ron,
I have 21 shaves on my Astra SP. I expect to get well over 100. I can assure you, it's not about the money. The quality of shave improves for a long time before the blade needs replaced. YMMV

I have gotten over 30 shaves on a injector twin blade but on single edge blades I have gotten 12 good shaves on a Kai blade and after that it dropped off, DE blades are not designed for long life and it just does not work for me going over 6 shaves I found on most DE blades. There is a fellow on youtube that has gotten over 400 shaves with a Nacet & recorded.
It is crazy to think a person is getting a close shave IMO if you can still see whiskers in the mirror IMO .
Oh well the Excalibur club fellows like to crank out large amount of shaves on one blade and it is doable and there is nothing wrong with a nice sharp blade getting 5-6 shaves IMO!

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

My stubble will take the fight out of the best blades after 2 shaves. Use yours until it loses cutting power or no longer works. DE blades are cheap.

 

[GaryTha]

I have gotten over 30 shaves on a injector twin blade but on single edge blades I have gotten 12 good shaves on a Kai blade and after that it dropped off, DE blades are not designed for long life and it just does not work for me going over 6 shaves I found on most DE blades. There is a fellow on youtube that has gotten over 400 shaves with a Nacet & recorded.
It is crazy to think a person is getting a close shave IMO if you can still see whiskers in the mirror IMO .
Oh well the Excalibur club fellows like to crank out large amount of shaves on one blade and it is doable and there is nothing wrong with a nice sharp blade getting 5-6 shaves IMO!

I routinely get over a hundred shaves on my DE blade without leaving whiskers. They must be designed for long life. Life is too short to waste it replacing good blades.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

10-14 shaves is the standard that most of my blades hit, although some do go a fair while longer. Yesterday I had the 20th shave on a SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium, which is a blade that usually only gives me 10 shaves before losing comfort and/or efficiency.

While I don't dispose of blades that are still shaving well, I also don't persevere with blades that are ailing, hoping for some new smoother phase to manifest itself. Some blades do hit a longer lasting buttery smooth stage, but others conn out before that. So long as I get my 10 shaves, I'm content, and if they continue on beyond 30 shaves, that's a bonus. However, that's neither the norm nor the expectation.