Blade changing

[shaver_joe]

Hi all,
How long do the blades last and when do you know when to change them and how much use do you get out of them?

 

[Normie]

This all depends on a lot of factors. At the beginning I had trouble working out whether a blade was still ok or not. Once you work out what a sharp blade feels like, you will soon figure out when that blade is no good anymore.
The only problem when you first start is that you might have a horrible shave due to poor technique. It's easy to blame the blade in this instance.
Unfortunately the only answer to your question is DSDF. Different blades will behave differently for you compared to me, and even how you prep your beard from one shave to the next will impact how long a blade will last.
Best thing to do is to shave, and concentrate on everything else but the blade. Angle, pressure (or lack of) and having good prep. [emoji2]

 

[Anthony Hunter]

You will get to know. For me i can use an Astra green for about 4 shaves, it lets me know when it needs changing. Becomes a bit of a pig after 4, starts to act like a used cartridge blade, tugs a bit, my Permasharps are outstanding, however, they only get 3 shaves and then into the bin, i have a few hundred of them so not a biggie. A lot of forums recommend 3 and then into the bin. Cant wait to try my NOS Polsilvers when they arrive, see if i can get about 6 shaves out of each.

 

[eggbert]

When you are learning how to shave I would suggest that you use a modern blade 3-4 times before binning it. After that most seem to degrade quite quickly and rapidly start causing irritation.

Once you have been shaving for a while and have improved your technique you might notice that some blades only seem to last a couple of shaves before they feel like they are going off, while others may last 6-7. After a while you should start to be able to notice whether a blade is sharp, smooth or lasts a long time (or a combination of all three). If you find one which offers all three at a reasonable price then stock up a little.

One caveat is that a blade may not react the same way in a different razor. So probably best to keep using the same razor while you are doing this testing.