Done with: How many shaves per blade?

[awk_m4]

The first shave is always my best so I'm one and done.

 

[blethenstrom]

I use the blades for an entire week. Fresh blade on Sunday. Many of the blades could go longer but no need to push it. I have found that I can do this with most blades that I have tested and with most razors that I have.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

1-2 with a DE blade for me. I may go another shave or two with the odd rare/expensive blade like Polish Polsilvers or Med Preps.

Also, GEM and SE blades are good for 5-6 shaves for me.

I remember reading about a guy that used one blade for 365 shaves and people were impressed. LOL. Blades are $0.10-0.30 each… I am good with only using sharp/new blades.

I remember that guy …

 

[Trikuha]

3-5 for DE
8-10 for SE AC ( Feather Proguard and Professional)

 

[LJBraaten]

Still getting good shaves on a Feather Hi Stainless, yesterday was shave 411. The main downside for me is that I rarely get around to trying other blades that I own. When I returned to DE shaving I used several Nacets (17-50 shaves) and some generic pharmacy (Personna) DE blades. Exceptions since I been using the current blade include Shark (for Shark Week, so far 20 shaves), SE blades Gem blades for my vintage SE Razors(10-17 shaves), and Leaf/Atra for my Leaf Razor.

 

[JKaboom]

I started a similar/same thread after searching. Sorry about that.

I usually go 4 shaves but I count it as 8 since I shave my head and face at the same time.

 

[LJBraaten]

I returned to traditional wet shaving for environmental reasons. (Cost was not a major factor.) In early 2020 (right before the COVID boom), I decided to focus on items in the bathroom, especially single use plastics. I determined to get as many shaves as possible. Some blades are impossible for me to push beyond 15 or so. Some blades begin to noticeably chip after 20. There is no doubt I could get a much more efficient shave if I binned them with less than 5 shaves. It does take longer to get a good shave on a blade with 420 shaves, and I sometimes wonder if I weren’t retired if I would be more into a quicker shave than pushing a blade to its absolute limit.

 

[Ferannia]

One blade a week, ie. six to seven shaves with 7 O' Clock SharpEdge (yellows).

 

[UncleBob59]

In trying out blades, I've been trying to figure out how many shaves I can get from various blades. I'm absolutley knocked by guys on this site telling about 30, 60 or way more shaves with some blades. My beard is average but I've finally realized that with very few exceptions, on the second pass of shave three, I can feel the blade loosing sharpness. Exceptions are maybe multi coated blades like Bic Chrome Platinums where I can go seven or 8 shaves. Decided to count three shaves and pitch it. Blades are to cheap to get a 'settle for' shave to pinch pennies.

My favourite blade is the Gillette Platinum. I keep track of every shave on the "Shaving Buddy" app. By keeping track, I noticed that my 5th and 6th shave resulted in more dragging and nicks. So now, I always replace my GP blade after 4 shaves.

 

[UncleBob59]

I returned to traditional wet shaving for environmental reasons. (Cost was not a major factor.) In early 2020 (right before the COVID boom), I decided to focus on items in the bathroom, especially single use plastics. I determined to get as many shaves as possible. Some blades are impossible for me to push beyond 15 or so. Some blades begin to noticeably chip after 20. There is no doubt I could get a much more efficient shave if I binned them with less than 5 shaves. It does take longer to get a good shave on a blade with 420 shaves, and I sometimes wonder if I weren’t retired if I would be more into a quicker shave than pushing a blade to its absolute limit.

I would not want to shave on a blade with 420 shaves on it. Either you are dirt poor or completely insane; not sure which.

 

[LJBraaten]

I would not want to shave on a blade with 420 shaves on it. Either you are dirt poor or completely insane; not sure which.

Completely insane. (It’s 430 now.)

 

[steve638]

4 is usually what I'll shoot for. with most blades ive used by the time I've reached 5 I'm always left thinking I should have swapped a new one in

 

[cranewarrior]

Completely insane. (It’s 430 now.)

"Mad" respect then. Truly.

 

[cranewarrior]

8 seems to be my limit right now. Then the blade life could be extended for another 4 shaves or so by using it exclusively in an aggressive razor with higher blade exposure.

 

[srgjazz]

Always one and done. I get a kick out of those who try to be frugal with blades but have no problem spending $5 a day on Starbucks.

 

[John Stetson]

Sometimes I go to 5. But I have enough blades to last me until about 2080. So I probably usually stop at 3-4.

 

[ShavingPrimate]

They found that hair shaving deforms a blade in a way that is more complex than simply wearing down the edge over time. In fact, a single strand of hair can cause the edge of a blade to chip under specific conditions. Once an initial crack forms, the blade is vulnerable to further chipping. As more cracks accumulate around the initial chip, the razor’s edge can quickly dull.

I think that this blade degradation is the more significant factor than the blade becoming dull.

The blade seems to degrade and delivers a harsh shave while the blade is still technically sharp. The damage typically happens before the blade has the opportunity to becone dull.

Though they do not mention this in the MIT study, I think the damage is also due to vibration of the blade.

We hear this sound as a scraping sound, as the blade gets dragged across your face.

In reality, if we were to get extremely close up on the blade, we would find that there are a large number of vibrations occurring in the blade at any given point.

As you drag the blade across your face, it is coming in contact with hundreds of hairs at a time. Not exactly at the sane time but close. Every encounter with a habit neing cut and snapping back, initiates a vibration along the edge of the blade.

I think these unsynchronized vibrations cause stresses along the crystalline structure of the metal at the blades edge.

These vibrations are a contributing cause to the micro-fracturers that develop. That is just my opinion...

I find that I am able to shave daily and change my blade out weekly and still not encounter razor burn.

 

[learningeveryday18]

I only use Astras and Feathers, but no matter which it is 3 shaves and then into the garage.

the garage??

 

[learningeveryday18]

I use the blades for an entire week. Fresh blade on Sunday. Many of the blades could go longer but no need to push it. I have found that I can do this with most blades that I have tested and with most razors that I have.

I change mine every FRIDAY.

 

[RazorTom]

the garage??

I throw them on the ground in the garage. I like to live on the edge. (pun intended)