Resting the blade (razor)?

[kzoo1]

I was reading about straight razor care on Dovo's website and came across this:

5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?

DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.

(all emphasis is mine)

The thought of having to "rest" the blade intrigued me. I have found that if I skip a day, or use different razors on different days, I get a better shave than if I use the same razor day after day.

What do you think? I realize DE blades are very inexpensive, but a good shave is priceless.

I am in the first week of this experiment, alternating between 2 razors each day. So far, my shaves have been better than using the same razor over and over. It will be interesting to see if I can get a little more life from a blade (I know, I know, they're cheap!)

[Haiku]

I was reading about straight razor care on Dovo's website and came across this:

(all emphasis is mine)

The thought of having to "rest" the blade intrigued me. I have found that if I skip a day, or use different razors on different days, I get a better shave than if I use the same razor day after day.

What do you think? I realize DE blades are very inexpensive, but a good shave is priceless.

I am in the first week of this experiment, alternating between 2 razors each day. So far, my shaves have been better than using the same razor over and over. It will be interesting to see if I can get a little more life from a blade (I know, I know, they're cheap!)

For what it's worth, I've been doing just that but not as a conscious experiment, but rather just the way that things worked out for me. And yes, I find that resting a blade for 24 or 48 hours seems to make a huge difference in the comfort of the next shave and the number of shaves I get from a blade.

I shave either at the gym, and on the weekends at home more often than not. I have a razor in my gym locker and one at home. So I find that I alternate razors and the blades in them. The blade in the razor at home is now on it's seventh or eight shave and it has been providing comfortable BBS shaves. It seems to me it may go for another few shaves.

I am now a firm believer in resting blades. And not just to get more shaves out of them, but rather because after a rest they seem to shave better.

Of course, YMMV and all that, and whatever the actual science, it's now what I do.

[derekp]

Just shave with only one edge only one day, and the next day use the other edge. That way each edge gets it's 48-hour rest.

[Haiku]

Just shave with only one edge only one day, and the next day use the other edge. That way each edge gets it's 48-hour rest.

Darn but I wish I had thought of that!

[Magruder]

Of course, before you start shaving you need to be sure that the blade is awake and in a pleasant mood. A Feather is bad news when it's in a bad mood!

I'm being gently sarcastic because I don't buy it. Think about the old-time barbers -- do you think they ever turned away customers because the blades had to rest?

[stobes21]

Sounds like a load of hooey to me. Straight razors in particular seem to attract a lot of this pseudo-scientific "wisdom."

[Dubbya]

Of course, before you start shaving you need to be sure that the blade is awake and in a pleasant mood. A Feather is bad news when it's in a bad mood!

I'm being gently sarcastic because I don't buy it. Think about the old-time barbers -- do you think they ever turned away customers because the blades had to rest?

My barber does have two straights on the shelf of stuff he's not allowed to use anymore. He now has to use a Shavette like everyone else.

[_JP_]

To me it sounds like they are trying to sell you a second razor. I have never heard of the edge straightening itself out. And I don't see how that could be when one uses both sides of the straight to shave with. If the "fin" bends when shaving on one side of the blade, does it then bend the other way when using the other side?

[cybrok]

As a half metallurgist, I tell you this is BS.

[stobes21]

As a half metallurgist, I tell you this is BS.

Are you Iron Man?

[garyg]

Just curious, why in the world is your barber "not allowed" to use a straight? & What else is on the shelf?

Gary

My barber does have two straights on the shelf of stuff he's not allowed to use anymore. He now has to use a Shavette like everyone else.

[stobes21]

Just curious, why in the world is your barber "not allowed" to use a straight? & What else is on the shelf?

Gary

Many state's health regulations require a new blade for each shave -- similar to requiring hospitals to use fresh syringes each time. It effectively prohibits traditional straight razors from being used by barbers. Thus, only straight razors with fresh cutting edges, like a shavette, can be used.

[kzoo1]

Good debate so far! It will be interesting to see how this goes.

One question though. Why did/do manufacturers of straights offer seven day sets? Just to sell more razors? (probably...)

[BobS]

IMHOm in the whole wet shaving experience, while there are real benefits for shave quality and comfort and an enjoyable experience, there is a big part of enjoying our toys.

From what I have read, in the old days, razors were very expensive and having a whole set was an expression of a person's wealth/status. There is a logic that the less you use an individual razor, the lower the frequency to actually hone the blades versus stropping.

I do not even use a straight razor (yet)and would love to have a set of seven.

[Stubblefield]

As a half metallurgist, I tell you this is BS.

I'd have to agree. How many barbers ever did this, back in the day? And if it were the case that the blade needs to rest, wouldn't this advice be given out routinely to those purchasing and using fine kitchen knives?

[Boba Fett]

As a half metallurgist, I tell you this is BS.

+1

Hell, even from the standpoint of simple chemistry this is total crap. Solid metals don't just do that. Sure, there will be some reaarangement of atoms due to them taking damage from cutting through hairs, but not so much as to actually make a difference.

[kingfisher]

Are you Iron Man?

NO. Iron Man is a whole metallurgist. He must be bronze man.

[tk6]

Good debate so far! It will be interesting to see how this goes.

One question though. Why did/do manufacturers of straights offer seven day sets? Just to sell more razors? (probably...)

I've just read about this in Sharp Practice by Anders Larsen! (interesting book for the razor addict)

"When cut-throat razors were in their heyday, some manufacturers came up with a great sales pitch. They marketed the idea that you should have a different razor for every day of the week to give the steel some time to rest between use. So, instead of selling one blade, they could sell a set of seve. This increases Sales.

It's a gimmick.

You don't need a different blade for every day of the week, and the steel certainly doesn't need to rest. It's probably good to have a spare, in case you damage your blade by dropping it into the wash-basin and nicking it. But you don't need seven."

So I'm guessing it's nought but a marketing ploy!

[LocalYokel]

From the proponents of the blade rest theory, I would love to hear a rational, proven basis that clearly demonstrates why resting is important. Of course, various metals have different properties, but I can't imagine how a relatively hard pierce of steel, hard enough to cut thousands of hairs, could "pop" back into place after being used.

Then again, I am originally from Louisiana, land of a notoriously poor educational system. I thought the moon was made of green cheese until I was 36. What do I know??

[LocalYokel]

Wait a minute!!! Remember how a Borg ship could regenerate/repair itself? Maybe that's what is going on here, only we are talking real-life razor blades, not some fictional TeeVee show.