CNN Morning Blurb

**LarryAndro** · 08-04-2011, 08:17 AM

I was watching CNN Morning a day or two ago. Some guy was giving miscellaneous tips about anything and everything. One tip caught my attention, paraphrasing...

"Dry your blades between shaves, and they will last months. Blades don't deteriorate from shaving. They degrade from moisture."

The context was replaceable blades I think. No mention was made of what type blade.

The above is consistent with what is said many times on this forum. And, it reminds me of a study from about 1935 as I recall, that tested shaves with a double edge razor blade when the blade was dried, when it wasn't, and so on. The conclusion was that moisture was a bigger enemy than shaving.

Same conclusion...

**jakespoppy** · 08-04-2011, 09:27 AM

Makes sense to me that a blade will last longer if dried after using, but I've always done that. My blades don't "last months", though. Most of them last about a week.

**LarryAndro** · 08-04-2011, 09:34 AM

Yes, and, I don't know about the assertion that shaving doesn't degrade the edge.

**k2clones29** · 08-04-2011, 10:40 AM

Since when does using an edge to cut or slice an object not degrade said edge? Isn't that axiomatic with any blade regardless of function? They should have asked these hard-hitting questions. Poor journalism, CNN!

**grimas42** · 08-04-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by k2clones29

Since when does using an edge to cut or slice an object not degrade said edge? Isn't that axiomatic with any blade regardless of function? They should have asked these hard-hitting questions. Poor journalism, CNN!

I agree. I have plenty of knives that I spray with WD-40 on a regular basis, but they still become dull with use. An edge DOES degrade with you... it is a proven fact.

**ZJ68** · 08-04-2011, 10:58 AM

I'll take that with a huge grain of salt. Dump a razor blade in a cup of water and leave it there for six months and see how much the edge has degraded. They're stainless steel.

Here's another simple experiment. Use a multi-blade cartridge for a week, then examine the blades under a microscope. If shaving doesn't degrade the edge, then all the blades show similar wear as they are similarly exposed to moisture. I'll bet the first blade shows the most wear.

**California Cajun** · 08-04-2011, 10:59 AM

Whether it's DE blades, SE blades, or straights, I not only dry them but prop them up and let them air dry on both sides during the day.

**easyE** · 08-04-2011, 12:17 PM

Water degrades steel? I'm pretty sure mine air dry just fine and I doubt hand drying them will add any life to them.

**Foyle** · 08-04-2011, 01:18 PM

I've tried almost every trick in the book trying to get blades to last longer. In my experience NOTHING works! If you shave with your blades they will get dull no matter how you dry them, dunk them in oil or alcohol, smear goo on them, whatever. If you don't want your blades to dull then don't shave with them.

The biggest factor I found in my blades lasting longer was improved technique. The better your technique the more the blade will cut your beard rather than scrape your beard. Like shaving with a straight razor bad blade angle makes your blade dull more quickly. Good blade angle is easier on the blade. Even still the most I can get out of a blade is a week and by that 7th shave you know it's time to change the blade.

**Greyfox** · 08-04-2011, 01:25 PM

Yeah right. CNN is not where I would go to learn about anything much less shaving.

**BrianK** · 08-04-2011, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Foyle

I've tried almost every trick in the book trying to get blades to last longer. In my experience NOTHING works!

Pyramid Power!

Some blades aren't meant to be wiped.

OK, maybe carbon steel blades, dry them off. But I don't. I put a few drops of Skin So Soft on the CS blade before putting it in the razor, and after each shave a few more drops. They stay rust free for a long time. No drying, no removal, it couldn't be easier.

**inspiringK** · 08-04-2011, 01:42 PM

After each shave, I spray the razor down with some iso-alcohol to remove the water from the razor surface. This means that the blade edges also get a good spray down and the water is removed from the surface of the blade as soon as I have completed a shave. Still, I use the two and out rule - the reality is that shaving causes the blade edges to degrade. If exposed to water for long enough, the blade will eventually show wear, but that does not automatically mean that shaving is harmless to the edges.