How many shaves per blade?

[tom myers]

I am certainly in the minority, but I can't ever keep track of the exact number of shaves per blade I get but certainly at least a week's worth. I shave almost every day and I do usually about 3 passes. I say "about" because the last pass generally is a clean up with a lot of blade buffing in my stubborn areas.

I'm convinced that the reason I get such good mileage out of the blades is because I do a rather thorough prep. I use hot towels and then spend quite a bit of time building a good wet lather on my face and scubbing it in with the brush. The shave itself feels like there is no blade in the razor; even after a week or more of useing the blade.

My third pass, by the way, is done after I rinse off the remnants of the lather and apply some Thayers rose or lavender witchhazel. I make that touch-up pass using the lubrication that the Thayers provides.

I usually use IP blades, but I can get a lot of comfortable shaves with various other brands as well. I think proper prep is the most important contributer to getting a comfortable shave with most any brand of modern blades.

Regards,
Tom

 

[BeachBoy]

Ok, tomorrow will mark the one month annversary of my first shave with the slant. In the time, I have used 3 blades and am now on my fourth.

Merkur - 7 Shaves
Derby - 8 Shaves
Feather - 9 Shaves
Red Israeli Personnas - 3 and still in use.

How do your like the slant bar razor? I borrowed my Dad's one morning and it was a little rough on my face, got several nicks and had razor burn afterwords. Was I doing something wrong (like applying pressure, it's a heavier razor) or does the shave vary per person?

 

[jpkunst]

Those of whom that are getting up to 7 shaves out of their Swedes, are you doing multiple passes per shave?

Yes, 2 passes plus some touchup.

Jan Pieter

 

[comfortablynumb]

I get about 7 shaves out of a Feather, and that's with 2 passes and touch up.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

How do your like the slant bar razor? I borrowed my Dad's one morning and it was a little rough on my face, got several nicks and had razor burn afterwords. Was I doing something wrong (like applying pressure, it's a heavier razor) or does the shave vary per person?

I love the Slant. I don't apply any pressure, so that is really the trick I think, especially on the neck when doing an across the grain pass.

What blade was in the razor? What kind of pre-shave preparation did you do? How was the lather from the soap or cream? That's a lot of variables.

 

[Satch]

With a three or four pass shave I get 2 with feathers and one with Israeli Personnas and Crystals.

Tough Beard. I am almost down to using Feathers as the only blade.

I find I start nicking and pressing too hard to get a decent shave if I stretch the blades .


Satch

 

[dwestenk]

Blades are so cheap that I change after 3 shaves.

Agreed. I always change after 3.

 

[the real monkeyboy]

Agreed. I always change after 3.

I don't change them that often. I like the feeling of not having a blade in the razor, but I can usually milk over a week out of a blade in a DE. It is only when it stops giving me a shave that I'll swap it out normally. Like I said in my earlier post, I get a few really good shaves, and then a few more decent ones. After that it depends on how fast the blade wears out. Since I shave in the shower, the whiskers are already softened. If I shave out of the shower, the blades don't last quite as long.

-Mb

p.s. I did some tests several years ago for research on a story about exactly how long you could keep a safety razor going on a single blade. I got one of those Kriss Kross or Kriss Kut, or whatever the heck they are kind of sharpeners, a DE blade sharpening stone, and a few other oddities. The sharpener didn't work for beans, but it was fun to play with. The stone kept it sharp enough to shave with, but not enough to ever be comfortable. And the regular water glass trick worked almost as well as the stone. If you can put up with the pulling and tugging, you can get a DE blade to last for months or longer.

 

[bluenose]

As has been previously mentioned, the cost of blades is such that I no longer try and squeeze "one more shave" out of them. Right now I'm working my way through the last of my Derbys. Four, maybe five uses and time for a new one. Occasionaly, there seems to be a "dud" in the batch and it gets changed immediately.

Regards

 

[quailrunner]

Now here's a reply you're probably not expecting. I have a well-trimmed beard and only shave my cheeks and neck. Typically, I can get 20-30 shaves or more with impunity from one double-edge blade. I'm sure I have even gotten more shaves with many of the double-edge blades I've used - typically Merkur or Wilkinson blades. When I finally dispose of a blade, it's not so much that I feel the quality of my shave has diminished, as it is my feeling that it's just the right time for disposing of the blade.

When Gillette came out with the double-edge disposable blade in 1904, many users gave testimonials of the large number of shaves they were able to get with a single blade. These testimonials appeared in many Gillette advertisements. Then, the Gillette Company got wise and realized it was shooting itself in the foot. It really wanted people to quickly use their blades, throw them away, and buy more. The company even went so far as to print on each blade - No Stropping, No Honing.

Many of the Gillette blades have a lubricant strip on them in a blue color. When the blue color is no longer there, it is time to replace the blade, or so Gillette says. If you continue to shave after this arbitrary indicator tells you to change the blade, I'm sure you will find that you have many more shaves available from the blade.

Jerry

 

[_JP_]

My answer to this question is always:

One to many shaves per blade, with some not even lasting through the first shave. I let the blade tell me when it's ready to quit. When it starts pulling on the beard, it's done.

 

[zenon]

I get seven shaves with a Feather doing a triple pass. On most other blades, I get about five shaves.

Since I've bought a few razors after discovering wetshaving, I keep track of my number of shaves per blade by writing them on a corner of my bathroom mirror with a whiteboard marker.

 

[jpkunst]

Since I've bought a few razors after discovering wetshaving, I keep track of my number of shaves per blade by writing them on a corner of my bathroom mirror with a whiteboard marker.

You must be single. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Jan Pieter

 

[DunEdinRanger]

I get seven shaves with a Feather doing a triple pass. On most other blades, I get about five shaves.

Since I've bought a few razors after discovering wetshaving, I keep track of my number of shaves per blade by writing them on a corner of my bathroom mirror with a whiteboard marker.

I use an excel spread sheet and use it to calculate cost per shave of the blade. I may eventually go to Access so I can relate information about the blades more easily.

 

[zenon]

You must be single. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Jan Pieter

LOL. No, I am not s single: ten years married with two kids. My master bathroom mirror spans the wall, and if my wife got upset over a few scribbles in one corner of the mirror of our private bathroom, I don't think I would have married her. Seriously, why should she care--or anyone care, for that matter?

 

[jpkunst]

LOL. No, I am not s single: ten years married with two kids. My master bathroom mirror spans the wall, and if my wife got upset over a few scribbles in one corner of the mirror of our private bathroom, I don't think I would have married her. Seriously, why should she care--or anyone care, for that matter?

Oh, I certainly don't think she should care, you are of course completely right. It's all the "SWMBO" talk on this board -- which makes me glad I'm single, by the way -- that got to me, I suppose. Writing numbers on a mirror sounds like something that a typical "SWMBO" would not tolerate.

Jan Pieter

 

[zenon]

If SWMBO were a part of my life, I'd either be single, or I'd be unfaithful because having to obey someone in a home means it isn't quite your home; I'd be looking for little fragments of home here and there....

 

[Kema]

I just forgot when I have changed blade Merkurs start to pull on third or fourth shave and Derby's just dont give decent shave on fifth day. Gillettes are at their best on third day and usually I can shave whole week with them. My average is 3/4 days.

 

[neilxvx]

I like my blades really sharp and easy to cut my whiskers.

Feathers - 3 at the most
Derbys - 3, maybe 4

Same for all my razors--slant, HD, SS red tip.

 

[farscott]

So far, blade life has varied a bit. The Merkur blade that came with my Futur lasted about ten shaves before it started irritating me. I am now trying a Wal-Mart Personna, and it seems to be holding up just fine. If I can average ten shaves, I will be quite happy.

I got my IPs and Crystals so those get to go next.