Numbers on Derby Blade

I apologize if this information is elsewhere on the site, but I haven't yet run across it. There are the numerals 1,2,3 & 4 in the corners of Derby blades, is there any practical reason for this?

The general feeling around here is that if they do mean anything, no one knows what it is. One of the great mysteries of shaving.

I use them to know which side I'm on. Gernerally with Derby's I'll get two shaves per side. When the blade goes back in the cabinet and possibly fumbled with, I just open it up and check. I'll use "1" on Monday and Tuesday, "2" on Wednesday and Thursday, toss the blade, and use another for the rest of the weekend if I want to shave (it's nice to give my face a break), and start all over again on Monday.

I feel/get absolutely no difference in shave from the different sides.

What would be really cool is if some of the scientifically-minded gents on this board who had access to an electron microscope would take a couple photos on the edges and compare.

Anyone in a lab coat here? There's gotta be a few.

A lot of us believe it has something to do w/ quality control in the plant.
Some of the other blades have identifiers on them as well

Hmm... that QC idea sounds good enough to keep me from staying too nonplussed over the issue.

ecnophonic -- I'll have to try your blade flipping scheme, up until now I've only been shaving with one side of the blade -

I am almost positive it is simply to indicate available cutting edges of the blade. Although I think most wet shavers do not believe in flipping the blade over, as it is generally though to not be effective.

Each to their own though!

wilkinsj said:

Hmm... that QC idea sounds good enough to keep me from staying too nonplussed over the issue.

ecnophonic -- I'll have to try your blade flipping scheme, up until now I've only been shaving with one side of the blade -

Click to expand...

Oh, I'm not flipping it over-- I meant to use the other (horizontal) side. I'll use just one side of the *razor* for two days and then turn it around and use the other.

If the blade is marked 1 and 2 on one side, then 3 and 4 on the other, I'm only using 1 and 2.

Don't flip the blade-- I don't think that'll make any difference in the world. *Turn* the blade. Sometimes these intarwebs make it so hard to communicate.

And I still stand on wanting someone with a high powered microscope to photograph one of these blades!