New blade every shave?

i use feathers and normally get 2-3 shaves per blade

If you use a blade only once, and want to feel what its like when its "broken-in", i.e. used for 2 or 3 days, you could palm strop or cork the blade before the only use. Us users of a blade more than once valiantly remove burrs and imperfections on our face the first time and then reap the benefits on the subsequent shaves!

I'm a two shave per blade guy as well. After that it starts to tug and not produce what I would describe as a smooth shave.

I also feel I get the better shave the second and third time around,I usually ditch the blade after 3.

I use each DE blade for around 5 shaves. I find shaves 2-4 are best but my first shave with a new blade is never the best. Strangely, I find exactly the same with Trac II blades.

After all this talks of "break in periods" I'm curious to test if I have the same experience and just aren't feeling it, maybe try it over a few brands also.

While you certainly can use a blade per shave I personally use the same blade for 4-5 shaves. Like a lot of responses above, I find the second or third shave the best. A feather blade I find is the exception, that may only work well for 3 shaves, with the second shave the best.

I get four shaves on practically everything but a Treet Classic. With them, two's the max.

turtle said:

Some blades don't "mellow out" until the second shave.....

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This, I always have a better shave with the 2nd or 3rd shave.

Kvarten said:

I agree with turtle and rgeudy. My second shave is always better than the first. I use Blue personnas and I get three shaves from them.
As usual YMMV

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+1...interesting string. My first shave with any blade almost always seems to be a "break in shave", hence the reason I start a new blade on Sunday so that the rest of the week I get the best of what's left. Current favorite is the Personna Med Prep from which I can get 4 good shaves then toss. I'm not in this to save money although I do compared to carts. I just want a comfortable close shave and don't worry when I change it out since I tend to buy in 100 lots. What works for you and what you want to do is up to you if it makes you happy. Good luck.

Astra SP user. Shave 1 is the roughest, but it is still nice. Shaves 2-7 are great. I have to think only about my lather!

If using a blade only once gave me the best shaves, I would do it. Like most others without barbed wire for a beard, shaves 2-4 are the most comfortable and enjoyable.


In the manufacturing process, the grinding wheels that sharpen the blanks leave little micro burrs.

- For those of us with "average" beards, the first shave just smooths the edge out... Still sharp, but smoother.
- For those of us with "barbed wire" facial hair, the first stroke probably removes all burrs, and the rest of the strokes just continue to dull the blade... hence, one good shave. (shave 2 for you could be like shave 6 for me...)

Unless your hair is dense and wiry, don't throw away your best shaves.

Matt555 said:

I think most blades are inexpensive enough to ditch after one shave. Except Feathers and a few others (those are a bit expensive). Even if a blade costs 20 cents, I think it is still worth using a new one each shave. Still only $6 a month in blade (shaving everyday). That is damn near the price of 1 fancy 5 blade cart razor.

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If you start to feel tugging on your 2nd or 3rd shave try shortening the length and increasing the speed of your stroke so that you "chop" the hairs not "mow" them.

You may find that it is not your blade but how you are shaving that needs to be changed.

I'm old enough to remember when stainless steel blades were introduced. I can remember a friend, in High School, with skin problems, telling me that if he was ever RICH, he'd use a brand-new SS blade everyday. When stainless began to replace the old "blue" blades, one of the selling points was that the added cost was more than made-up by longevity. No rust either.

When I shave with my DE razor, I sometimes think of that guy and I wonder what he uses to shave. He since went on to become a very successful MD.

Even at age 65, my beard is not particularly tough. I can well afford a new blade whenever I need it but I guess maturity has made me hate waste. For me, if the blade still shaves smooth, I'll stay with it. I'll notice wear in the closeness of the shave before I'll notice pulling or tugging. So, I'll change blades well before they present a hazard to my face.

I toss the excellent Dura Sharp carbons immeditaely after their maiden shave. They are of carbon steel (though teflon? coated), so why bother with e.g. oxidization issues when they are as cheap as they are...

I will have to experiment whether the second shave will improve or at least retain its performance on a more expensive 7 o'clock blue; but so far I have been loath to re-use blades as my prior experience from non-DE's has inflicted in me great scepticism towards shaving edge longevity.

EDIT: I should add that I figured that since I do not own a car or drive, I can afford to throw away a bit of steel... let them Dura Sharps be my New Beatle, and the unneeded aluminium cans my un-acquired energy saving bulbs.

I was an every other shave replacement guy. After getting my slant, I can do 4-5 now.

I use Feather blades. 3 Pass shave daily and use the same blade 7 days straight. Always have, been DE shaving over a year and never used anything but Feather blades. And while the blade is a little duller later in the week. It's still well enough. Since I never have much to cut through it's never been an issue.

I even forgot to change the blade one week. Went 2 weeks on the same Feather blade and things were fine. Although that's not a thing I plan on trying again, since as things get duller things also get more risky.

(Razor is a Merkur Progress Long Handle.)

One-and-out. I use a new Feather blade every day.

when I 1st started DE shaving (only a couple of months ago) I would change the blade after 2 shaves while going through my blade sampler, but now having settled on gillette 7 o'clock yellows I am changing after 4 shaves, shaving every other day thats a new blade each week.

I use a blade 4-7 times, well that is usually the case with my Feathers any case. Astra Plats I use 4 times give or take depending, Feathers can last a while for me. Personally...I think a new blade every time is a waste as some blades specially Feather mellow after the first shave and really feel great on either the 2nd or 3rd shave. But I guess if you use a new one every shave and like it and got the money, suit yourself I guess.