Shaving with one de blade for 3 months

**Possum** · 06-25-2012, 08:44 PM

I've been continuously using the same DE blade (a Feather) in a 1958 Gillette Super Speed now for 33 shaves and am about to finish 3 months shaving. I only shave 3 times a week. I've merely been stropping it or stoning it as needed, wanting to see how long it will last. It looks as if this could go on for much longer before the blade plays out. Needless to say I'm at one cent per shave. Possum

**Bluebriz** · 06-25-2012, 09:56 PM

How does it feel when you're shaving? A lot of pulling?

Most people on here report only getting maybe 3-4 shaves from a Feather blade so it's s surprise to read about one lasting so long.

**Dennis324** · 06-25-2012, 10:05 PM

Jeepers! I could never do that. After about 3 shaves it starts hurting me.

**The Count of Merkur Cristo** · 06-25-2012, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebriz

How does it feel when you're shaving? A lot of pulling [and tugging]?

...and not to mention possibly more weepers and/or nicks, but this must be a exercise in ‘inquisitive minds want to know’. But seeing how cheap DE blades are (er…maybe not Feathers), a fresh blade would greatly improve your shaves (I change my Shark SC blades after two shaves).

“A razor [blade] can’t be sharpened on a piece of velvet”. Author Unknown

**CHSeifert** · 06-25-2012, 10:48 PM

I know the danish member in here called Soren, member SHM, has shaved with the same Derby blade for now 95 times in a row........that must be a record for a Derby blade

**Gamad** · 06-26-2012, 02:24 AM

Are you sure you're using the same face?

**Possum** · 06-26-2012, 06:00 AM

Actually they were all nice close shaves. New it lasted 6 shaves then I started stropping it after that and continued at each 5th shave. This went slowly down to after one. Then I took it to the stone, my Belguin yellow coticule and stropped. This brought it back and gave 4 good close shaves. Now, I've been repeating this process and it's still giving nice shaves. It's a different mind set, sort of like sharpening a straight razor after a few shaves. Yet, it will give many more shaves than one expects if you don't mind sharpening. Possum

**inspiringK** · 06-26-2012, 06:27 AM

I guess if you are sharpening it on a coticule, then this could go on indefinitely - unless you are removing enough metal to change the blade angle and exposure when the blade is loaded in the razor. How does the edge compare to when the blade was new?

And, just think of all the money you are saving

, I think you deserve to buy a new brush with the savings.

**cpeter47** · 06-26-2012, 06:54 AM

Is it worth the time you're spending sharpening the blade to save money on DE blades? I know feathers are a little more expensive, so does this make it worth it? How much time do you spend sharpening it?

**Cochese2323** · 06-26-2012, 07:08 AM

Man, you are a trooper. I use Astra's and they are so cheap, I usually toss em after 2 or 3 shaves tops!

**Go Forth** · 06-26-2012, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by cpeter47

Is it worth the time you're spending sharpening the blade to save money on DE blades? I know feathers are a little more expensive, so does this make it worth it? How much time do you spend sharpening it?

Money vs. time is not the point. This is an experiment in blade longevity, and it's quite interesting.

**misterelie** · 06-26-2012, 07:25 AM

I'm still experimenting with blades, but out of daily shaves, I got something like 12-13 per side out of the Red Crystal Platinum Israeli blade. Now I'm trying a Sharp 7am blade. Feels like junk, comparatively. Dissatisfied after merely the second shave.

**Domminigan** · 06-26-2012, 07:34 AM

Interesting how doing only a little bit with a blade that started out extremely sharp keeps the edge sharp.

**JeffD** · 06-26-2012, 07:46 AM

interesting....... but how do you strop a DE blade?

**cpeter47** · 06-26-2012, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Go Forth

Money vs. time is not the point. This is an experiment in blade longevity, and it's quite interesting.

Maybe not to you, but to me money vs time is the point. If I'm spending 5-10 minutes sharpening a blade that saves me $0.20 is my time worth $1.20-2.40/hour? I'd much rather be doing something else. If the blades cost $5 then spending 5-10 minutes sharpening them might make sense. Then there is the question of "Can you sharpen a DE blade and is it effective?" You or I can't even be sure he hasn't been using a dull blade this entire time and just thinks that sharpening is working.

**john999** · 06-26-2012, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Possum

I've been continuously using the same DE blade (a Feather) in a 1958 Gillette Super Speed now for 33 shaves and am about to finish 3 months shaving. I only shave 3 times a week. I've merely been stropping it or stoning it as needed, wanting to see how long it will last. It looks as if this could go on for much longer before the blade plays out. Needless to say I'm at one cent per shave. Possum

Keep stropping, see how far you can go.

**dpm802** · 06-26-2012, 09:20 AM

While this is interesting to do as an experiment, I can't see it having practical applications in the real world.

DE blades are cheap.
DE blades are readily available when you need a new one.
DE blades are designed to be DISPOSABLE.

**inspiringK** · 06-26-2012, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by cpeter47

Maybe not to you, but to me money vs time is the point. If I'm spending 5-10 minutes sharpening a blade that saves me $0.20 is my time worth $1.20-2.40/hour? I'd much rather be doing something else. If the blades cost $5 then spending 5-10 minutes sharpening them might make sense. Then there is the question of "Can you sharpen a DE blade and is it effective?" You or I can't even be sure he hasn't been using a dull blade this entire time and just thinks that sharpening is working.

It hardly seems like saving money is the primary objective here, more just an experiment out of interest or maybe even just having a greater appreciation for the blade by prepping it personally. Feather blades go for about 30c a piece while most coticules go for around $100. I doubt the OP is trying to save money by sparing a 30c blade and wearing down a $100 stone in the process.

**the_edski** · 06-26-2012, 09:40 AM

33 shaves in 3 months? Your hair must be peach fuzz, that would explain the blade being able to last so long!

**cpeter47** · 06-26-2012, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by inspiringK

It hardly seems like saving money is the primary objective here, more just an experiment out of interest or maybe even just having a greater appreciation for the blade by prepping it personally. Feather blades go for about 30c a piece while most coticules go for around $100. I doubt the OP is trying to save money by sparing a 30c blade and wearing down a $100 stone in the process.

Which is my point exactly. Why do this other than to be able to say "I got x shaves out of one blade."?