DE razor, how often do you change the blade, can you turn it upside down for more use?

**Bricktop** · January 20th, 2012, 04:11

Another vote for B&B. Awesome friendly site, but you have to learn restraint in shaving purchases. I know first hand.

I usually get 5-7 shaves out of a blade. I am pretty much a Derby guy, I own such an inventory. At least I won't have to buy blades for a few years, and my (as yet unborn) grandchildren will have a lifetime supply of shave cream.

**Howard** · January 20th, 2012, 05:42

I have plastic razors so once in a while I change them so they don't become dull.

**Leighton** · January 22nd, 2012, 11:43

Originally Posted by catside

^How does this work? Is this Derby extra? What happens to "platinum" coating in that case?

It deburrs the blade. Stropping slightly sharpens it, deburrs the blade, and realigns the edge. Never heard of cutting into cork, but if it works for him who am I to criticize the technique.

The "platinum" is a gimick. The true coating on DE blades that does anything is the teflon coating baked onto the edge. When that coating wears down, that is what causes the uncomfortable shaves.

Feather blades might not have the teflon coating and are actually sharpened to a higher grit level than their competitors. Which would also explain why they go dull faster. Don't actually know, I'm just speculating.

**lt114** · February 27th, 2012, 17:57

Once you work through your blade sampler pack, you'll find the blades that work the best with your beard and razor.

It's hard to say how long the different blades will last before they need to be replaced, because the coarseness of your beard affects that and certain blades end to last longer than others.

For me, Feathers last 2-3 shaves. Others, like the Astra SP last 4-5. Don't try and stretch out the blade past the point where it should be changed. DE blades are dirt cheap unlike their cartridge counterparts, so changing frequently won't be costly.

Watch Mantic's videos on youtube and check out the articles and forums on Badger and Blade. Your technique is sure to improve with time, and as your technique improves, so will the quality and closeness of your shaves. Most importantly, enjoy the wet-shaving experience!

**Howard** · February 28th, 2012, 05:16

I have disposable razors so every couple of weeks I use them throw them away and replace them with new ones.

**DoghouseReilly** · February 28th, 2012, 16:21

Originally Posted by Leighton

It deburrs the blade. Stropping slightly sharpens it, deburrs the blade, and realigns the edge. Never heard of cutting into cork, but if it works for him who am I to criticize the technique.

That bit with the cork was how someone over at B&B described corking, which I (mistakenly?) believed was the same thing as hand-stropping. Are they not? Please enlighten us.

**Leighton** · February 28th, 2012, 18:30

Originally Posted by DoghouseReilly

That bit with the cork was how someone over at B&B described corking, which I (mistakenly?) believed was the same thing as hand-stropping. Are they not? Please enlighten us.

Hand stropping is the act of stropping on your palm. Kind of hard to do with a DE blade as they're very tiny, but easy to do with a straight razor. In this video, you can see someone hand stropping a straight razor.

http://youtu.be/wXkjXfuNbpg?t=3m49s

And this guy uses the same technique on the smaller DE/SE

http://youtu.be/Ogq4wfpT7hc?t=38s

**hardline_42** · February 28th, 2012, 19:38

Originally Posted by Leighton

Hand stropping is the act of stropping on your palm. Kind of hard to do with a DE blade as they're very tiny, but easy to do with a straight razor. In this video, you can see someone hand stropping a straight razor.

http://youtu.be/wXkjXfuNbpg?t=3m49s

And this guy uses the same technique on the smaller DE/SE

http://youtu.be/Ogq4wfpT7hc?t=38s

I don't care how artisanal that guy in the first video looks, there's no way a blade should be rolled on it's edge when stropping.

With regard to stropping the single and double edge blades, an old barber of mine once showed me an antique hand-cranked machine that had an arm into which you would insert a blade. The arm would hold the blade up against a rotating leather disc and then flip the blade after a certain number of rotations. It was an interesting piece of machinery.

**Leighton** · February 28th, 2012, 19:53

Originally Posted by hardline_42

I don't care how artisanal that guy in the first video looks, there's no way a blade should be rolled on it's edge when stropping.

What are you talking about? He doesn't roll the edge. If he did, you'd see blood all over that blade. I do not hand strop any differently (although I don't hand strop on a normal basis for other reasons).

If you mean flipping the blade on the edge, I can see what your saying. A beginner should not do that for several reasons. However, skilled individuals can and do flip on the edge. Its one of those do as we tell you, not as we do kinds of things.

With regard to stropping the single and double edge blades, an old barber of mine once showed me an antique hand-cranked machine that had an arm into which you would insert a blade. The arm would hold the blade up against a rotating leather disc and then flip the blade after a certain number of rotations. It was an interesting piece of machinery.

Yes, a rotating disc or belt would be optimal, or a device similar to a the rolls razor stropping thing would be best. But, that's what machines are supposed to do; make our lives easier by doing more of the work.

**OliT** · March 14th, 2012, 12:04

I use feathers that I bought off a respected seller on Ebay, 100 blades for $29.50, so there's really no reason to not change often. I think I do about four or five shaves with each blade.
It's certainly a better shave than the Gilette Fusion I had before, and a lot cheaper.

**Pentheos** · March 15th, 2012, 09:11

Originally Posted by Howard

I change my blade every couple of weeks, I have disposable razors.

You keep saying this.

**MacTweed** · March 15th, 2012, 20:30

Originally Posted by Pentheos

You keep saying this.

Groundhog day again (again).

**Mr. Rider** · March 31st, 2012, 11:47

Longevity of a blade will depend upon the blade, beard density, and # of passes in the shave. For my beard and technique, I dispose of blades after 4 days regardless of blade manufacturer. I find the second and third day to be the most enjoyable shaves. I find it curious that the second day a blade is used seems better than the first. I prefer Derby and Gillette blades.

I now avoid Feathers like the plague, after several runs of trying them out. I question them as the sharpest blades; I remember my Boy Scout training that one is much more likely to cut themselves with a dull knife than a sharp one.

**Howard** · April 1st, 2012, 05:10

what does he mean by turning it up side down? The blade is only on one side.

**Miket61** · April 1st, 2012, 19:59

Originally Posted by Howard

what does he mean by turning it up side down? The blade is only on one side.

A double-edged blade is a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge on each side, so you could turn it upside down and put it back into the razor.

I'd compare it to a push-broom with a removeable handle. After a lot of use, the bristles get bent in one direction and they're not very effective, so you unscrew the handle and put it on the other side so the you're using the bristles from the other side.

With a double-edged blade, it's like buying a push-broom with the bristles halfway bent to begin with; I would think that turning the blade over would cut deeply when it was first applied to the skin.

**Howard** · April 2nd, 2012, 05:32

Originally Posted by Miket61

A double-edged blade is a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge on each side, so you could turn it upside down and put it back into the razor.

I'd compare it to a push-broom with a removeable handle. After a lot of use, the bristles get bent in one direction and they're not very effective, so you unscrew the handle and put it on the other side so the you're using the bristles from the other side.

With a double-edged blade, it's like buying a push-broom with the bristles halfway bent to begin with; I would think that turning the blade over would cut deeply when it was first applied to the skin.

Mike, could it apply to disposable razors?

**paulurfi** · April 2nd, 2012, 06:22

Very new here, but from a long-time devotee to the art of shaving, I personally use Shark Super Chrome. I settled on these after doing some extensive testing with a slew of different brands (from the B&B sample pack mentioned earlier). I change the blade about every week after 4-5 shaves. I've got a light beard and could probably go longer between changes, but I like to know they're at their sharpest. I've tried a ton of different shave creams as well, and have settled on the Taylor of Old Bond Street line - just superior IMHO. Swith between a Muhle and Merkur razor.

**eagle2250** · April 2nd, 2012, 06:23

^^In referrence to post #41:
Seriously?

**Howard** · April 3rd, 2012, 05:05

Originally Posted by eagle2250

^^In referrence to post #41:
Seriously?

Ok Eagle I guess that was stupid, disposable razors are thrown out after a while of many uses.

**Bucksfan** · April 3rd, 2012, 05:54

I've been using a DE razor for 4 or 5 years now, and have settled on Derby blades with my Merkur or Edwin Jagger / Muhle head. I have also settled on Proraso shaving cream and a variety of after-shaves.

To the original question, I change mine every week, on Sunday night (so, 6-7 shaves). It's just easy to remember.

**Miket61** · April 3rd, 2012, 06:38

Originally Posted by Howard

Mike, could it apply to disposable razors?

That would require taking the blades out and flipping them over, which I don't think is possible.

Razors with cartridges (Mach 3, Sensor, Fusion) make use of a marketing technique whose name I can't remember - they give away or sell cheaply the base unit, then get you on the disposable part. Rather like cheap printers with expensive ink.