How many shaves out of a blade

Bigjohn

Bigjohn

Joined
Friday September 6, 2013
Location
Saffron Walden
Hi All

How many shaves do people like to get out of a blade and how much does the blade change.

I find the first shave I a new blade can be a bit tricky and cuts can be bad if I get it wrong, especially with a feather.

Second shave is a pure pleasure.

Third shave usually tugs a bit and doesn't shave as cleanly.

Never left. Blade for a fourth shave.

Does anyone find a blade that they like on shave one or shave three

Regards
 
I think palm-stropping the blade before its first use gives a smoother first use.
Usually give a blade three shaves (3 passes per shave) then bin it. It's not worth the risk of a dodgy fourth shave and blades are cheap. Works for nearly every type of blade for me.
Personally I don't use feathers; nasty, scratchy, short-lived, expensive things they are.
 
I also palm-strop before 1st use which seems to help get past the first shave blues. Most blades I get 3 good shaves from, and a few 4-5 (Personna Lab, Super Iridium/Polsilver Super Iridium, 7 O'Clock Black). In any case the second and third shave are usually the smoothest.
 
Depending on the blade, I generally can get up to 4 shaves (of 2 or 3 passes).

I am not one, however, for extracting the last ounce of performance out of any particular blade so will bin it at the first sign of deterioration in 'feel' - blades are cheap; my face is not... :icon_wink:
 
I strop on an old pair of jeans (5 passes each edge) then used 3 times with a 3 way shave. So far (and I'm still trying different blades) that Supermax Blues will be one of my go to blades.

Fish
 
12 from Astra, which I completely put down to pre-shave routine. I'm going to revisit my blade trials soon, as my beard is completely different now to what it was when I started DE shaving. My technique is better too so I believe I will see a big difference this time.
 
Re: RE: How many shaves out of a blade

BigBoar said:
+1 on the Feathers.
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Indeed can't get on with Feathers at all.. They cut the cr@p out of my face with them.. And they leave me really red and sore.. Usually do three shaves with the blades and then change.
 
A newbie to the DE blade setup, I get 4 out of my Wilko ones and then bin it, works well, though may strike it down to 3 as the 4th shave tugs slightly.

How the hell does anyone get 12 shaves out of a DE?!
 
stellablade said:
Very envious of some of you! My stubble is thick and tough. Funny watching some of the shaving videos on YouTube, I see some of them and think 'what stubble?'
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I'm with you. It may just be the camera/light I supposed.

Then there's the "I've got x days of stubble..." -- if I don't shave daily (switching to an electric if time is pushed or my skin needs a rest) I'd have to use shears!
 
DPTC said:
A newbie to the DE blade setup, I get 4 out of my Wilko ones and then bin it, works well, though may strike it down to 3 as the 4th shave tugs slightly.

How the hell does anyone get 12 shaves out of a DE?!
Click to expand...

I can only tell you that I put it down to -
1. Pre-shave preparation
2. Good technique; optimum cutting angle.
3. No pressure
4. A light strop post shave to clean
5. A good blade to start of with

I trialled quite a number of blades until I found the one that gave me the most close and comfortable shave; no tugging. It came down to two blades, Gillette Silver Blues and Astra SP's. Astra won on price as it was too close to call. Before I found a routine that worked for me, I was getting five, but now that's jumped to twelve.
YMMV I understand, but I did not get on with the Wilkinson Sword, I found much better blades.
I intend to revisit my blades as my beard has changed so much since my DE epiphany, yours will too in time.
 
fancontroller said:
I think palm-stropping the blade before its first use gives a smoother first use.
Usually give a blade three shaves (3 passes per shave) then bin it. It's not worth the risk of a dodgy fourth shave and blades are cheap. Works for nearly every type of blade for me.
Click to expand...

Same. I've never been bothered in taking any blade past 3 x3 pass shaves. By the 3rd shave I feel like the blade has started to dull slightly anyway. 2nd shave tends to be smoothest also.
 
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