DE Blade reversal

IanR

IanR

Messages
329
Location
near Glasgow
I am convinced that after about 4 shaves, DE blade edges are microscopically deformed into the gap by action of skin and bristle pressure. Therefore, there is a case to be made for turning the blade over in the razor head to represent the edge and ensure many more shaves.

Or is this a load of b------s?
 
IanR said:
I am convinced that after about 4 shaves, DE blade edges are microscopically deformed into the gap by action of skin and bristle pressure. Therefore, there is a case to be made for turning the blade over in the razor head to represent the edge and ensure many more shaves.

Or is this a load of b------s?
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I’ve thought this before myself, I wondered if that’s why the sides have numbers on them.
 
jphelan81 said:
I’ve thought this before myself, I wondered if that’s why the sides have numbers on them.
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This part was mentioned quite a few times I believe - the numbers are on the DE blades for the quality control process.

Re: main topic
Can't really comment on turning of the blade for DE - since haven't really tried that - but I can't see it making much of a difference, especially with such small number of shaves.


In august I've used GEM blade for 31 shaves - without stropping etc, and was actually checking out whether changing the side will make much difference. Obviously since this test has been ran only on one blade and one time - it's statistically insignificant.

But from personal perspective - about 18 shaves in with one side, where I started to feel a bit of tugging, I flipped the blade (to STAINLESS STEEL). Shave after flipping of the blade felt way tuggier than original (GEM) side. Went back to the original GEM side for another handful of shaves - getting the number to overall GEM side shaves to about 24-25 and SS side: 1. Then went back to SS side once GEM side really felt quite tuggy - and at that point the SS side felt a fair bit smoother - I'd say it felt like the GEM side did but about 6-8 shaves ago.

It is also worth noting that I was using the same setup for that whole month - therefore other variables can be eliminated.

Was quite an interesting one - to me it looks like there could be a point on some blades, during which the flipping upside down works. But there's couple constrains to it:
1. Only one side has to be used.
2. The number of shaves on the blade needs to be quite big to affect the either side (on GEM's at least - I can't imagine getting DE blade to that amount of shaves to be honest - for me most DE are 3 and done - some can get to 6-7 shaves).

I just regret that I don't have some loupe - otherwise I'd take a good look at that blade to see what was happening.
 
The edge will definitely deform and degrade as you say, for the reasons you state. With a straight razor this is corrected by stropping. That might work with certain old (thick) steel blades but unlikely to be any good with modern blades, especially coated ones. I'm not sure that flipping the blade upside-down would help, as you'd still have the same dodgy blunt and deformed edge, but possibly scratchier. It's a bit like turning your underpants inside out to get a second day out of them!

It begs the question though, do people take care with DE to use one edge for a certain number of shaves and then use the other edge, or does everyone just allow chance to decide how much use each edge gets? I'm not talking about flipping the blade, just using both edges, either by chance or design. Given that my Tech is symmetrical other than the logo on the cap, I have not paid attention to which side is getting the most use, but I guess I could use the logo orientation to keep count, as it were.
 
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hotmetal said:
It begs the question though, do people take care with DE to use one edge for a certain number of shaves and then use the other edge, or does everyone just allow chance to decide how much use each edge gets? I'm not talking about flipping the blade, just using both edges, either by chance or design.
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Me, I just make an effort to turn the razor at the end of each stripe, but that's about it really.

The other thing i think is important is to loosen the cap every few stripes, then swirl the razor under a tap to wash all the bits of cut hair out that have collected in the blade gap, then retighten it and carry on shaving. Makes a big difference if shaving off a few days growth certainly.

I also give the razor a little shake before tightening, to make sure the blade is centred evenly, as that deff makes a difference to the shave IMO
 
Scorpio93 said:
This part was mentioned quite a few times I believe - the numbers are on the DE blades for the quality control process.

Re: main topic
Can't really comment on turning of the blade for DE - since haven't really tried that - but I can't see it making much of a difference, especially with such small number of shaves.


In august I've used GEM blade for 31 shaves - without stropping etc, and was actually checking out whether changing the side will make much difference. Obviously since this test has been ran only on one blade and one time - it's statistically insignificant.

But from personal perspective - about 18 shaves in with one side, where I started to feel a bit of tugging, I flipped the blade (to STAINLESS STEEL). Shave after flipping of the blade felt way tuggier than original (GEM) side. Went back to the original GEM side for another handful of shaves - getting the number to overall GEM side shaves to about 24-25 and SS side: 1. Then went back to SS side once GEM side really felt quite tuggy - and at that point the SS side felt a fair bit smoother - I'd say it felt like the GEM side did but about 6-8 shaves ago.

It is also worth noting that I was using the same setup for that whole month - therefore other variables can be eliminated.

Was quite an interesting one - to me it looks like there could be a point on some blades, during which the flipping upside down works. But there's couple constrains to it:
1. Only one side has to be used.
2. The number of shaves on the blade needs to be quite big to affect the either side (on GEM's at least - I can't imagine getting DE blade to that amount of shaves to be honest - for me most DE are 3 and done - some can get to 6-7 shaves).

I just regret that I don't have some loupe - otherwise I'd take a good look at that blade to see what was happening.
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31 shaves, my my I'm having one of those gem razors for sure.
 
hotmetal said:
The edge will definitely deform and degrade as you say, for the reasons you state. With a straight razor this is corrected by stropping. That might work with certain old (thick) steel blades but unlikely to be any good with modern blades, especially coated ones. I'm not sure that flipping the blade upside-down would help, as you'd still have the same dodgy blunt and deformed edge, but possibly scratchier. It's a bit like turning your underpants inside out to get a second day out of them!

It begs the question though, do people take care with DE to use one edge for a certain number of shaves and then use the other edge, or does everyone just allow chance to decide how much use each edge gets? I'm not talking about flipping the blade, just using both edges, either by chance or design. Given that my Tech is symmetrical other than the logo on the cap, I have not paid attention to which side is getting the most use, but I guess I could use the logo orientation to keep count, as it were.
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Mmm am I the only one thinking the underpants thing is a viable option
 
One of the related threads:

Blade Flip Myth

On another popular forum, which shall remain unnamed, I caught myself laughing aloud as well as rolling my eyes at the sheer (no pun intended) stupidity of many posters regarding flipping a DE blade between shaves. When carving meat do you walk around the other side of the table to cut the...
www.theshavingroom.co.uk www.theshavingroom.co.uk
 
Scorpio93 said:
I was using it in MMOC v2 but around shave 20 it started getting bit tuggy! It was an austere august challenge - otherwise I would probably swap blade at 15-20 shaves
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Still 15-20 shaves, you're getting me totally in to the whole thing mind you when searching the net for an image of said 'MMOC' imagine my surprise when images of Morris Minor Owners Club came up
 
Kierb said:
Still 15-20 shaves, you're getting me totally in to the whole thing mind you when searching the net for an image of said 'MMOC' imagine my surprise when images of Morris Minor Owners Club came up
Click to expand...
Try "GEM Micromatic" (maybe append "open comb" if you're getting too many Clog Prufs in the results).
 
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