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Anyone else throw blades away after one use.

Hello all,

I have a really thick beard and I find that a sharp blade is best for me. I use father blades because as we all know they are the sharpest. I can normally get 2 to 3 shaves out of a blade if I really want (Using palm stropping and suffering a bit of nicks here and their). However I find that the first shave with a new blade has no equal. So I started using a new blade with every shave. Is this over kill, and am I just throwing money away. This is a luxury that I always wish I had with cartridge razors but could never bring my self to do it with the high coast. Know that I am paying .30 to .50 cents a blade I feel like I can get away with it. Just wondering if anyone else is doing the same or if I'm just wrong?
 
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You're not wrong. If it works for you then by all means do it. There's no right or wrong way, just the best way for you. Happy shaving !!!
 
I typically use a blade until the first sign of tugging (even if that occurs mid-shave), and then replace it. Feathers seem to have the shortest lifespan; usually I'll get three, sometimes four shaves before binning the blade. Personna Med Preps most times are good for four or five shaves. In any event, I don't think your approach is wrong. Whatever works best for you is the way to go.
 
Using a blade for any longer than you think is right would be the only "wrong" thing. If one shave is the sweet spot for you, then so be it. When I used to use Lord Platinum's, I'd chuck them after one 3-pass shave,so it's not exactly unheard of.
 
Thanks for the replies gents, nice to hear i'm not an extravagant freak lol. Never thought about changing a blade mid shave JaxJim. I have to try that, may get a shave and a half out of each blade now that you brought that up...
 
Thanks for the replies gents, nice to hear i'm not an extravagant freak lol. Never thought about changing a blade mid shave JaxJim. I have to try that, may get a shave and a half out of each blade now that you brought that up...

Never be afraid to chuck a blade mid-pass, mid-shave,mid-whatever. They are cheap, no sense beating your face up over 10 cents.
 
I'm a one hitter quitter kinda blade user. I also only have two shave every couple days..... Besides what's .30 cents when the thing I'm holding the razor blade with can cost a few hundred.
 
When I first started wet shaving, I used a blade only once. It wasn't until reading B&B and all the "how many shaves" did I try for two, then three. Still, I change at the first tug. I will say, however, that Personna labs are better on the second use ... For me ... Anyway.
 
I had a bad experience with Personna Lab's but I only tried one blade. I still have 4 left in the pack I may give them a second shot.
 
one shave for me also , after that the blade will start to tug and the shave quality will suffer, not worth irritating my skin with old blade , i am sure the very hard water in my area also has a detrimental effect on the lifespan of the blade (soap scum build up)
 
One thing you might try to get a second or third shave out of a blade is to squirt alcohol on the blade when you're done. They say that sometimes what takes the edge off the blade (slightly) is not the cutting of hair, but water spots from your water. They can live invisible calcified spots on the blade after they dry, or something like micro-rust that is invisible to the eye. Alcohol rinse takes off the water, then evaporates completely so you have a water free blade between shaves.

Some people accomplish a similar thing by taking it out of the razor and just drying it real well.

If it gets you one more tolerable shave, then . . . well, I was told there would be no math in shaving. But mo better.
 
For me, the blade material makes a difference here. If I'm shaving with a carbon steel blade, I've learned the hard way that throwing it out after one use is the only way to ensure my face doesn't get set on fire with irritation.
 
I can regularly get 10 shaves from Wilkinson Sword blades. They are my favourite blade. Second is Derby Xtra -- can get 7 to 8 shaves from these.

As others have said -- dump a blade after the first sign of irritation or drag. I have occasionally had to dump one of my favourite Wilkinsons after 3 shaves.
 
Of course you aren't wrong if it works for you. I throw them out whenever I feel like they aren't performing as I want - this might be 1 or 2 shaves or maybe 5, it seems my sweet spot is 3 and done but I don't hesitate ditching it early if needed.
 
I get 3 comfortable shaves from my Personna Lab Blue blades. When I try to push them for 4, I usually regret it. Now, they go into the wall after the third shave.
 
I get 3 comfortable shaves from my Personna Lab Blue blades. When I try to push them for 4, I usually regret it. Now, they go into the wall after the third shave.

+1

I find that the second shave with a particular blade (Personna (Blue), Gillette SP (Black), Astra SP) is slightly better than the first and a good deal better than the third. I don't even try for a fourth anymore.
 
Never be afraid to chuck a blade mid-pass, mid-shave,mid-whatever. They are cheap, no sense beating your face up over 10 cents.

the moment it stops working for me, it gets tossed.

sometimes this is after 3 shaves, 2 passes or even 1/2 thru a pass.

for 10-25 cents, I'm not going to try and make a blade work on my face.
 
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