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Flipping the blade over - useful, or waste of time?

I was reading some razor reviews on Amazon and saw this in one person's review:

You may not know it, but when you shave one way you're naturally stropping the other way, so when you flip the razor over the new cutting edge is perfect.

Is there any truth to that? Or is it just a myth?
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
When my kitchen knife gets dull;

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I turn it around and cut with the other side;

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It still doesn't make any difference though.
 
I was reading some razor reviews on Amazon and saw this in one person's review:



Is there any truth to that? Or is it just a myth?

Bogus. Not only that, but what the reviewer says there is just not true with regard to stropping. Shaving does not perform any kind of stropping action on either side of the blade. Stropping is wiping the edge from the center of the blade toward the cutting edge. That just doesn't happen while shaving.
 
I have wondered about this from time to time, but I just figured that I'm too lazy to try to keep track of which side was up the last time!
 
I've played around with that off and on and I think it is just an exercise like twiddling your thumbs. It doesn't matter either way but if you think it is a good idea to flip blades, do it.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I sometimes will wear my left foot socks on my right foot. It's the darnedest thing but it feels exactly the same.
 
I agree but on a slightly tangential topic, I do care about using both edges of the blade equally.
Since I always shave ones side of my face first, I have got into the habit of rolling the razor through 180 degrees when moving from one side to the other. Each side then gets equal wear.
 
I do care about using both edges of the blade equally.
Since I always shave ones side of my face first, I have got into the habit of rolling the razor through 180 degrees when moving from one side to the other. Each side then gets equal wear.

This is a completely different matter and is the correct way to get as close as one can for even blade wear and what I also do!
 
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