how many shaves to one DE blade?

[StratMan]

i have read on other forums of guys going 30+ shaves with one blade. I have no idea for the life of me how they do it, or tbh, even if these claims are true

I have heard of warm water affecting the molecules of the steel (personally i dont believe this one at all), shave when your whiskers are hard, shaving after a workout (sweat), cold water shaves etc etc

I personally dont really get more than 3-4 shaves per blade, might be able to push to 5 at times. I would say i have fast thick growing facial hair and plenty of it, i would say normal skin and not overly sensitive.

question is... how often do you guys change blades and what indicator do you use to swap them out? and if you guys do marathon uses of the blades what techniques do you use?

 

[Mark1966]

Thick, coarse, straight hair here. Tough as old boots skin

Modern blades: 3 - 5 shaves
Vintage blades: 10 - 15 shaves

Normally change when I start to notice pulling, tugging, or general poor performance. I sometimes wonder if I needed to and then with a new blade the next day know that I was right!

 

[SpeedyPC]

Thick, coarse, straight hair here. Tough as old boots skin

Modern blades: 3 - 5 shaves
Vintage blades: 10 - 15 shaves

Normally change when I start to notice pulling, tugging, or general poor performance. I sometimes wonder if I needed to and then with a new blade the next day know that I was right!

That’s why I LOVE vintage DE blades, last longer than the modern blades.

Thanks to you @Mark1966 because

 

[tim33z]

Possibly related question:

When you say tugging, pulling etc, how quickly do you move your razors?
I find that when doing slow ATG strokes say under my chin, it does kind of have a tug, but not too major. Yet if i go fast, it slices the hair neatly.

I understand its hard to quantify a time to do a stroke with the razor, but do you all find that you move it faster more than slower?

 

[Razor Burn]

I managed 23 shaves with a Derby during last February's challenge but normally I'd struggle to shave past 7 as I notice dullness and inefficiency. Ofcourse YMMV and depending on the blades as Astra Green's last me a while but say a Voskod/Ladas struggle to stay efficient after 5 decent shaves... I know when I feel tugging on my Mo or spots of hair on my chin then its time to change the blade or reach for a more 'aggressive' DE

 

[Mark1966]

Possibly related question:

When you say tugging, pulling etc, how quickly do you move your razors?
I find that when doing slow ATG strokes say under my chin, it does kind of have a tug, but not too major. Yet if i go fast, it slices the hair neatly.

I understand its hard to quantify a time to do a stroke with the razor, but do you all find that you move it faster more than slower?

I try to s-l-o-w down my shaving - when I go fast I drag the razor and apply pressure.

When I say 'I start to notice pulling, tugging, or general poor performance' this is simply trying to flesh out what I would be more comfortable in describing simply as 'roughness' - which I know is NOT helpful!

 

[Pbgoose]

Is it the Excalibur Club that encourages members to focus on prep and technique to achieve high shave numbers off single blades? I think I came across it on the Badger and Blade forum. Some claim they reach 100 shaves per blade! I'm not sure I want to convince myself to go down that track. I'm confident I could go to my blade bin and shave with any of the blades I have discarded but very much doubt they would provide a comfortable shave now (they were thrown out for a reason). Blades aren't that expensive that I need to push their limits that far. I'm shaving for me, not for the sake of blade life.
I think @alfredus has said before, each shave experience should be joyful. I'm less confident about finding joy in shaves if I'm worried about 'is my technique lacking or is it actually the blade is getting blunt?'. Having said that if I lost my ability to produce an income I might be motivated to go looking for 10 or 20 shaves per blade. I guess it comes down to priorities.
I think some research showed that one of the biggest factors affecting blade longevity was rinsing and drying the blade after each shave. I always remove the blade and clean and dry it to protect the bevel from corrosion and also to protect my razors from staining from corroding blades.

 

[StratMan]

thanks for the replies everyone.. i also tend to shave 'fast' with many short strokes..not sure if that is right though?

i might change it up and try slower longer strokes, does speed help in anyway?

@Pbgoose yes that is the topic i came across, called the Excalibur club, on B&B forum.. its crazy how many shaves people get out of the blade.

Considering blades are quite cheap, I dont really care about extending the blade to anything over a week. It is more of a question of potentially improving my own technique. I mean if people are actually getting that many shaves out of one blade, am i doing something wrong with prep or technique etc??

and i totally agree, its all about a positive shave experience and my mentality is if there is something these guys are doing in prep that i am not, and i learn and apply, my blade would easily last me a week.. which would make it easier to remember when to change it and provide a more comfy shave throughout the week.

 

[RazorPlay]

My Lord blades give me a great shave twice in a mild razor, or six times if I increase the aggressiveness of the razor as the blade dulls. My Rockwell is good for that. But those first two shaves are still the best so I tend not to go past that.

The personna blades I am now trying are still sharp after four shaves in a mild razor but they start out pretty harsh.

My Feather Artist Club SE blades in my feather kami are harsh for the first couple of shaved but give excellent results from then until shave 15 or so, if going ATG. If just going WTG or XTG I reckon over 30 shaves or more would be easy.

For me, that’s the main thing - if I wasn’t chasing BBS by going ATG, my blades would last a lot longer. They would both dull much slower and would still be suitable for WTG use well after they would be hopeless for ATG use.

I’m not surprised people can get 100 shaves out of a blade if it’s just single pass WTG. I reckon I could too but I would hate living with CCS all the time. My stubble grows too fast for that - by the end of the day I would look unshaven...

 

[nav1]

I posted the below on another forum but it's relevant to this thread because for the first time in my decade of DE shaving, I've gotten 14 shaves from a blade and it's still going strong!

I now very strongly believe that when the skin is properly conditioned, the shave is closer, more comfortable and the blade lasts longer!

The longest I'd ever used a Polsilver in the past was 8 shaves, but this blade should go 20+ from the way it's behaving!!

So, it was a brutal start to the winter season back in Nov. Very cold and very dry air!​

​

My wife pulled out all her moisturizing lotions and applied daily...especially on her face.​

​

I thought to myself: "I don't need any of that!...after all, I use awesome shave soaps and a balm every single day!"​

​

So the days went by and my shaves started changing for the worse.​

Rough feeling, irritation, and the stubble just wouldn't cut! I was getting frustrated big time because I strive for an ultra close BBS daily!​

​

My wife then commented my skin looks like her 60 year old mother's skin! She told me to apply a face moisturiser but hey, I'm a man...I don't apply facial moisturizers!​

​

So I got out my pre shave oil and started using that before lathering up. No dice!!​

The shaves were still rubbish and I even started blaming it on a bad batch of blades! I got blades from a different batch (I have thousands of Polsilver blades) and still the same result!​

​

So I bit the bullet and started applying some facial moisturiser before bed.​

​

After about 3 days, I could feel and see a difference in my shaves!!​

After a week, my wife said my skin looks much better and that I don't have a 5 o'clock shadow straight after shaving!​

​

I then read an article online about the difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin. Their advice was to use a combination of water/cream and oil based moisturizers.​

​

So I continued with the facial moisturiser at night and started applying my pre shave oil POST shave, when my face was dripping wet and left it to do its work.​

​

Oh boy, my skin hasn't been this great for many years! I'm now 36 and had skin this nice probably back when I was 30!​

​

Now I'm not doing any pre shave at all. Just splash my face and lather up!​

Also, I switch out my blade after 6 shaves but now I'm up to 12 and it's still going strong!​

​

The other funny thing is I classify my skin as oily but since starting this simple routine, my skin is no longer oily at all (yes, despite applying OIL to my face after shaving!!).​

​

This has been a revelation for me and the concept of "pre shave" no longer applies for me as I just don't need it any longer.​

​

I will always subscribe to the mindset that when the skin is conditioned, the shave will automatically be great (all else being equal of course).​

​

 

[StratMan]

@nav1 yeah good points, i dont use anything special when cleaning my skin, just the dove soap i use for the body.. i'll try a proper cleanser and some moisturiser as im sure the missus has that shit lying around

@RazorPlay see this is the thing, i chase BBS each and every time, not sure why but i do. i guess i just love that feel.. anyway that is probably why i am surprised people do that many passes, i assume they chase the BBS also with ATG strokes..

anyway gonna try the moisturiser / cleanser combo and see how it goes

 

[tim33z]

anyway gonna try the moisturiser / cleanser combo and see how it goes

Yep i'd agree with that as i've recently been washing my face with Gamophen soap, followed by Thayers, and then finally some Baxter's of Cali Oil Free moisturiser before bed each night. My face is much nicer to the touch and probably helping with better shaves.
I say go for it.

 

[SpeedyPC]

My face is much nicer to the touch and probably helping with better shaves.

I don’t see you doing a better job wagging your tail, while you’ve got a nice smooth baby face make you feel 10 years younger

 

[tim33z]

I don’t see you doing a better job wagging your tail, while you’ve got a nice smooth baby face make you feel 10 years younger

That's because i'm now making the tongues wag with my smooth baby face.

 

[nav1]

@nav1 yeah good points, i dont use anything special when cleaning my skin, just the dove soap i use for the body.. i'll try a proper cleanser and some moisturiser as im sure the missus has that shit lying around

anyway gonna try the moisturiser / cleanser combo and see how it goes

Yeah, see how you go. In summers, you don't need too much but in harsh winters, this simple routine has been God send for me!

Yep i'd agree with that as i've recently been washing my face with Gamophen soap, followed by Thayers, and then finally some Baxter's of Cali Oil Free moisturiser before bed each night. My face is much nicer to the touch and probably helping with better shaves.
I say go for it.

I got sebamed soap for my wife as she's acne prone but I started using it and it's the bomb! I think the gamophen is similar to sebamed.

It's the perfect face wash at night.

 

[eggbert]

I managed 23 shaves with a Derby during last February's challenge

You absolute mentalist!

 

[SpeedyPC]

That's because i'm now making the tongues wag with my smooth baby face.

True, but, your tongue wagging is dripping all over my bloody foot.

 

[Don]

The below is based on a 3 pass shave. The razors include : Gillette New long comb and a Parker 98R . My beard is quite tough but not overly dense. I would normally shave every second day. My cut off is anything less than a DFS.
Find myself applying too much pressure when I can't achieve this with 3 passes. I don't try and achieve a maximum number of shaves per blade. I just use it until it doesn't feel right any more. Subjective, I know but that is what it is.

The leader for shaves per blade : Gillette Black 7 O'clock with 6 shaves.
Second place : Polsilvers Super Iridium with a very consistent 5 shaves
Third is a three way tie: All Gillette Platinum/Silver Blue and Nacet with 4 shaves.

Caveats
I have not had the opportunity to use any vintage blades yet.
I have used a fair smattering of modern blades : Feathers, Lords, Astras, Rapiras, Ladpas, Bic, Derby and Voskhod. I will keep trying different blades but at the moment very happy with the 7 O'clock Blacks.

For head shaves it is a different story.

@Razor Burn , 23 shaves out of a Derby..... I tip my hat, your an animal. Has your face forgiven you yet.

 

[SpeedyPC]

@Razor Burn , 23 shaves out of a Derby..... I tip my hat, your an animal. Has your face forgiven you yet.

I’m pretty sure this must be @Razor Burn after his 23rd shave with a Derby

 

[Pbgoose]

I posted the below on another forum but it's relevant to this thread because for the first time in my decade of DE shaving, I've gotten 14 shaves from a blade and it's still going strong!

I now very strongly believe that when the skin is properly conditioned, the shave is closer, more comfortable and the blade lasts longer!

The longest I'd ever used a Polsilver in the past was 8 shaves, but this blade should go 20+ from the way it's behaving!!

So, it was a brutal start to the winter season back in Nov. Very cold and very dry air!​

​

My wife pulled out all her moisturizing lotions and applied daily...especially on her face.​

​

I thought to myself: "I don't need any of that!...after all, I use awesome shave soaps and a balm every single day!"​

​

So the days went by and my shaves started changing for the worse.​

Rough feeling, irritation, and the stubble just wouldn't cut! I was getting frustrated big time because I strive for an ultra close BBS daily!​

​

My wife then commented my skin looks like her 60 year old mother's skin! She told me to apply a face moisturiser but hey, I'm a man...I don't apply facial moisturizers!​

​

So I got out my pre shave oil and started using that before lathering up. No dice!!​

The shaves were still rubbish and I even started blaming it on a bad batch of blades! I got blades from a different batch (I have thousands of Polsilver blades) and still the same result!​

​

So I bit the bullet and started applying some facial moisturiser before bed.​

​

After about 3 days, I could feel and see a difference in my shaves!!​

After a week, my wife said my skin looks much better and that I don't have a 5 o'clock shadow straight after shaving!​

​

I then read an article online about the difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin. Their advice was to use a combination of water/cream and oil based moisturizers.​

​

So I continued with the facial moisturiser at night and started applying my pre shave oil POST shave, when my face was dripping wet and left it to do its work.​

​

Oh boy, my skin hasn't been this great for many years! I'm now 36 and had skin this nice probably back when I was 30!​

​

Now I'm not doing any pre shave at all. Just splash my face and lather up!​

Also, I switch out my blade after 6 shaves but now I'm up to 12 and it's still going strong!​

​

The other funny thing is I classify my skin as oily but since starting this simple routine, my skin is no longer oily at all (yes, despite applying OIL to my face after shaving!!).​

​

This has been a revelation for me and the concept of "pre shave" no longer applies for me as I just don't need it any longer.​

​

I will always subscribe to the mindset that when the skin is conditioned, the shave will automatically be great (all else being equal of course).​

​

Agree that skin care is an important factor here.
That's why I believe artisan shave soaps are superior as they are more likely to contain high quality natural oils and butters which help nourish the skin. As I've mentioned before, my father in law started using my shave soaps some time back and commented that with 2 weeks he noticed a definite improvement in his skin, which took me totally by surprise given he is in his eighties. So whilst not attempting to divert the thread to Arko (and I'm reluctant to go there given someone starts messing with my tag line), I think it is a good example. Yeah sure it performs fine, I don't mind using it, but it's never going to be a long term proposition as it just doesn't nourish the skin.
I've noticed that since using Jojoba oil and occasionally a tallow based ointment on my face, I'm not having what appeared to be the beginnings of skin cancers.
Interesting to see a Draco Noir thread revived this morning where he was discussing the benefits of Emu oil. A lot of research is supporting that inflammation in the body supports the beginnings of cancer. Whilst emu oil is applied externally, it can certainly help to alleviate some symptoms of inflammation.
Might have to play with emu oil in my soaps a bit more.