Razor Rotation: How do you keep track of your blade usage?

Hey Gents,

Well after a few months here on B&B I found myself getting a serious case of the RAD. Its funny how I managed to shave with a Futur for over a year, and then bam, after surfing B&B the Futur is long gone and I now have 4 Gillette TTOs and a few old OCs sitting in my Den now.

So as I was shaving this morning I noticed that every one of my razors had a blade in it, and my rotation is very whimsical. So I realized that its difficult for me to track how many passes my blades are getting, especially in the razors I don't use as often. Although cheap, I still don't want to be tossing blades arbitrarily nor pushing them into the unknown.

Then the idea struck me. Why not just move the same blade from razor to razor as I rotate until i'm done with it rather than having all of my razors locked and loaded.

Anyway, i'm just curious to see what others do when your rotation involves several DE's.

Thank You for Your Service To Our Country. I like your idea. I started trying to keep a journal but that went out the window after a week. As also use the KISS principle.

I only use one blade at a time and tend to keep it in the same razor until I'm done with it.

5savages said:

I only use one blade at a time and tend to keep it in the same razor until I'm done with it.

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That is also how I am doing it. When the blade is done, I load up another razor and on...and on

It varies between the two. Each blade gets a 6 sided die associated with it. 6 is new, 1-5 = number of shaves on it. I discard at 4-5.

Teppanyaki said:

It varies between the two. Each blade gets a 6 sided die associated with it. 6 is new, 1-5 = number of shaves on it. I discard at 4-5.

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Interesting idea there.

I move the same blade from one razor to the next as mood dictates. Started out having multiple razors loaded but it got sort of cluttered on the counter that way.

tfinch said:

I move the same blade from one razor to the next as mood dictates. Started out having multiple razors loaded but it got sort of cluttered on the counter that way.

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Sounds like we went through exactly the same issue. I'm also doing the same thing now. I've got a tidy four slot rack for my rotation razors, but am moving the same blade round. I'm running Med Preps and start with a fresh one on Monday and toss it Friday after I shave. I usually take Saturday and Sunday off. I like the dice idea, but my space is limited.

I put a NEW blade in, I shave, I take the blade out and put it in the slot in the back of my med-cabinet for OLD blades, I repeat each day.

This is a really popular question (given all the times it's been asked and answered over the years).

I use my memory. Might as well use it for something. I know exactly how many times I've shaved with my two razors.

I usually use the same blade for 4 shaves, and I'll use 4 different razors. On the first shave I will use my mildest razor of the four, and on the last shave I will use my most aggressive one.

I put a black dot in the center of the blade after each use. I usually have 2-3 blades in my rotation at any given time as I like certain blades paired with certain razors.

I have about 15 razors in my rotation and I usually use each blade 4 times. To keep track I have an excel spreadsheet on the wall next to the bathroom in my basement man-cave. Works for me

I use each blade only twice. I load a new blade into the razor that is up for that morning and shave with it. I put the razor back in its front position on the shelf. I use it again for the next shave, toss the blade, and put the razor at the back of the row on the shelf. FWIW.

I have a rotation of about 30 razors and started to arrange 7-Day-Sets with seven razors and leave the blade in. Mild and aggressive alternating from Monday to Friday to preserve the skin and the rare/nice ones or the ones demanding attention on weekend.

So I have every day a new razor but shave often enough with the same to get used to it. The blade has always a week to rest, that meens the ammount of possible uses are extended. After about 8 weeks I change the set to prevent boredom (most blades would last longer). The counting is done by a dice, but I think an ending date for the set would be as good.

Wow, my situation seems pretty basic

With RAD this will change soon.

I use a dry erase marker and write on my mirror in front of my sink to keep track of how many times I have shaved with the current blade.
I would usually get three shaves from an Astra Superior Platinum in my Muhle R89, so when I loaded a new blade in it just before my first shave, I would write '1' on the mirror. Next time I shaved, I would write '2' on the mirror. Third shave, I would write '3' on the mirror. Next shave, I would toss the blade, put in another blade and erase '2' and '3' since I was on my first shave with the new blade. I would just use my dry fingers to erase the marks.

Now that I have two razors that I am rotating, I have made one place on the mirror for each razor. I write on the mirror in a location that will not get in the way of my shaving or use of the mirror.

I generally rotate between 2 (or maybe 3) razors and I use each for a week. 1 week = 3-4 shaves = 1 blade.
If I switch my routine for whatever reason or am not sure how many uses I've gotten out of a blade, I just throw in a new blade.
FWIW I generally rotate between 3 'best blades' and have many other runners up that I look for any excuse to use so perhaps my method is more aimed at allowing me flexibility in blade choice and less about maximizing usage on an individual blade.

For some reason I prefer not to have more than 1 "active" razor. I don't like having 3-4 razors sitting around with blades in them. For me, I just use the one blade for 3 or 4 shaves then I switch it up. On occasion I will switch over the blade to a different razor, but for the most part its, one razor and one blade until the blade is dead.