Experiment Shaves per Blade

[A.de.Lioncourt]

The Impetus:
There have been several "how many shaves do you get" threads and posts on this forum. It seems that some people with thin beards can get more shaves per blade than some with thick beards, but also vice versa.

The Question:
Is it technique, prep, or environmental factors that cause blade wear?

The Setup:
I will use a razor that will allow me to make sure I use only one side of the blade while I'm shaving. I will expose the other side to the usual things, water and shave cream, just not my face. I will record the number of shaves, and experience on the first side, and then the number of shaves and experience for the second side to determine wear.

For the first two cycles, I will use my most consistent razor, a Gillette Slim, a Derby Blade, Shavemac brush, and Speick Cream with Kyle's prep method. This setup is to test primarily the environmental factors on blade wear.

For the next two cycles, I will keep everything the same, but use a vision razor which is more sketchy for me. Obviously this one is more geared to technique.

For the last two cycles, I will return to the first setup, but shave directly after washing my face instead of using the beard prep technique. Lastly, this one is for beard prep.


I welcome any suggestions to improve this experiment as well as anybody else who wants to follow along with their own results. I will tentatively be starting tomorrow morning.

[Treedoc]

I did a similar, but not so scientific experiment myself, Ontario was kind enough to mention this in a post, (link below). As you will see, quite a reaction was provoked, some members were less than understanding of my motives which I think I set out quite plainly in my replies, in fact I felt quite roughly handled by a very few members and almost quit the forum but then I thought that maybe I have too thin a skin for the rough and tumble of an internet forum.
Good luck with your experiment, I for one shall follow it with interest.
John.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25560

[Martini]

I've been meaning to do this test but I never got around to it. I brought it up here (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=352973#post352973).

I think it's a good idea to keep the test blind so you don't know whether or not you're using an unused blade that hasn't been exposed to the elements and one that has. Here's what I want to do:

Use only one side of a blade until it's definitely no longer usable and remove that blade from the razor and mark the used side.

Tell my wife to put either that blade in my razor (with the unused side facing a mark on the outside of the razor so I know which side to shave with) or a new blade (and I still must shave with the marked side since I don't know which blade I'm using). Shave with one side of my face and tell my wife to switch blades and then shave the other.

This way other factors such as how good a lather was made or how softened the stubble was isn't a factor nor is using memory to remember how good yesterday's shave was.