Getting more shaves per blade.

n1iok · Post by **n1iok** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:11 am

In doing my research on wetshaving, I came across these articles:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 6153.story

and a picture on: http://www.razorguard.com/RGweb2000/web ... ducts2.htm

It seems if you keep water off of your blades, when they are not in use, they
will not microrust, or corrode along the edges. Either keep them in a water
free environment, like Razorguard, or give them a few good shakes, then
blow on the edges (both of them), to displace any remaining water, before
putting them away. It has to do with chemistry, and metalurgy. I have seen
rust on stainless steel. Granted, it does not rust as readily as carbon steel,
but given the right set of conditions, it can rust. What makes steel stainless
is small amounts of nickel and chrome added to the mix.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:48 pm

Thanks for reminding me about the engineers' thread I occasionally mention:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=53716

I think I get better life from a blade by dabbing it every few shaves with a tissue soaked in alcohol. Another idea is that using a blade less than every day gives the edge a chance to "recover" and thereby last longer. Since almost all of you shave every day, that means alternating between two different blades.

Please report any results you get from trying different methods.

ScottS · Post by **ScottS** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:48 pm

You wouldn't be the same guy who was pushing the razorguard before, are you?

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:52 pm

That was razorlast. Different stuff - hopefully not related.

ScottS · Post by **ScottS** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:00 pm

Aaah, in that case, I displace the water on my Feather AC blades with a bit of rubbing alcohol in an atomizer. A bottle, at $1.37, lasts years.

tonyespo · Post by **tonyespo** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:36 pm

I take my blade out of the razor after each shave and set in on a microfiber cloth to air dry. I also change blades once a week. Every Sunday morning is blade change day.

gagarin · Post by **gagarin** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:29 pm

Whether I remove the blade daily or not, it always lasts a full seven days for me. Every Monday morning, I start with a fresh blade.

Chuck

danreeves1973 · Post by **danreeves1973** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:35 pm

Considering the relatively low costs of DE blades, I really don't see trying to squeeze more shaves out of one by extreme measures or gimmicks like "razorshield" or whatever as a cost effective endeavor.

I"ve either not worried about it or splashed a little alcohol on it. Although the idea of putting some in an atomizer is a good one.

Occam · Post by **Occam** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:28 pm

tonyespo wrote:I take my blade out of the razor after each shave and set in on a microfiber cloth to air dry. I also change blades once a week. Every Sunday morning is blade change day.

Tony, I think Richard raised this as an issue recently and it was the first I'd heard of it but now that I have used three razors each with its own blade and having lost track of which blade is at what number shave, I think it makes sense to take the blade out every day.

At least then you can put that blade into a different razor the next day etc if you want to.

Only problem is that I would be forever cleaning my razors since I hate leaving them dirty AND bladeless. They get a good clean every time I change a blade.

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:47 am

Is it my becks induced imagination or is this blade geekery at its finest??

Clive

Bowcephalus · Post by **Bowcephalus** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:09 pm

How to get the most shaves from a single blade?.....Go straight to the strop!.............

jaradus · Post by **jaradus** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:35 pm

The important factor is to place the blade in a hydrophobic liquid (baby oil as an example). As rubbing alcohol usually contains a small percentage of water, that can lead to an equally small problem. Ethanol used in laboratories would be ideal, as it's pure (important note: sometimes there are additives included to make one ill should they attempt to consume any, so check before experimenting on the razor).

Still, when comparing the cost of a DE razor blade to that of, say, shaving cream, does the extra day of shaving with a fifteen-cent blade make a major difference in one's pocketbook?

Ahh, but I forget. Tis for science!

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:48 am

I think that with cleaning the blade (gently) with alcohol and not using the same blade every day, you could get 50-100% more shaves out of a blade. If you're using, say, a Swedish Gillette, that's a fair amount of money saved, especially if you're a starving student.

ScottS · Post by **ScottS** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:26 am

jaradus wrote: Ethanol used in laboratories would be ideal, as it's pure

I think that the minute you open the bottle, 100% alcohol absorbs water like crazy.

eynlai · Post by **eynlai** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:25 pm

ScottS wrote:
jaradus wrote: Ethanol used in laboratories would be ideal, as it's pure

I think that the minute you open the bottle, 100% alcohol absorbs water like crazy.

Hahaha: Once I OPEN that bottle, I absorb ALCOHOL like crazy!

Panhandle88 · Post by **Panhandle88** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:57 am

I find that keeping my blood alcohol content up around .08 or so helps me get more shaves per blade. As I nick and cut myself often the alcohol in my blood makes contact with the blade and helps prevent rust. An individual may have to experiment with different blood alcohol levels to find which is right for them. YMMV.

a-cut-above · Post by **a-cut-above** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:17 pm

Pauldog wrote:......... Another idea is that using a blade less than every day gives the edge a chance to "recover" and thereby last longer.......... .

1)What happens when the blade "recovers"? If you are not honing it or doing something to restore an edge, what is happening when a blade is recovering, just sitting in a razor? My wife said this about those pink cartridge things she buys; she uses two alternating. I don't believe it but if it is true, I'm never going to live it down.

2)I get one or two shaves extra, not a week's worth, by face lathering. There is more time for beard softening, etc.

jrgroucho · Post by **jrgroucho** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:20 pm

Ben, didn't I see that you used ethanol in a SOTD post? Do you use it on your blades or face or is it prescribed internally?

I think I am too lazy to do a post shave blade condition regiment. That and the fact that I have over 14 years of blades makes this prospect less than enticing.

--
Jeremy

Occam · Post by **Occam** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:53 am

jrgroucho wrote:Ben, didn't I see that you used ethanol in a SOTD post? Do you use it on your blades or face or is it prescribed internally? I think I am too lazy to do a post shave blade condition regiment. That and the fact that I have over 14 years of blades makes this prospect less than enticing.

--
Jeremy

Hi Jeremy, Yes very observant of you. The EtOH is just to indicate that my post shave routine involves an ethanol based brace. I make up a 50:50 solution with a lemon cologne I get at a local delicatessen - (it's a Turkish place and where I discovered Arko soap etc).

The brand name is Pe-Re-Ja cheap in that it costs $8 US (equiv) for 800 cc (mL) of 80 proof (40%) cologne. I sometimes use it straight but I have another bottle I pour about 250 cc of it into when I first buy it. I mix that with 240 cc of Dickinson Witch Hazel (which itself has 14% alcohol). This lasts me at least 6 months of shaving.

This mix has a pleasant smell and enough ethanol to give a mild but pleasant burn that leaves one with a good finished shave. I have tried balms etc but I feel uncomfortable and oily with them. With ethanol I never get any breakouts or folliculitis which I'm otherwise prone to.

I probably won't be getting that brand of cologne again though. I bought a new bottle a few months ago and I've found that they've added a bittering agent to the cologne to prevent people from drinking it I guess - not sure what it is, but it is reminiscent of quinine. The previous bottle never had this. No matter how much I guard my lips when applying it, I still am reminded of the cologne's bittering agent when I drink my tea in the morning and even much later in the morning at work as the agent is very persistent.

jrgroucho · Post by **jrgroucho** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:56 am

Perhaps the manufacturer thought they were be helpful by making sure you don't get malaria. Though, I agree that quinine should be mixed with gin and almost never with tea.

--
Jeremy