Blade Flipping?

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by Pop Pops Razor, Jun 5, 2014.

  1. Consider a knife and why people steel them, to realign the "teeth". Now if you flip a blade over your face isn't going to realign the blade because your skin is softer than steel. You are going in a cutting motion and not in a motion akin to stropping. Stropping basically goes against the concept that King Gillette used for the disposable safety razor blade, no sharpening, no stropping.
     
  2. Alan H

    Alan H Member

    Hmm, sounded like a good idea until I read that most only used their blades, at most, 3 times. I have been using mine for 5 or 6. Anyway, as to stropping, etc., I bought Razor Pit for my son. The claim is that it will extend the use of the high priced cartridges by 6-10X. He says that he is using it but, he has not reported back to me as to performance. I believe it was Mantic that did a review and he seemed to like it. I think he even put the blade under a microscope, which showed that it cleaned the blade, not actually sharpening it, which kept the sharp edge exposed. Brainwashing is underway to switch my son to DE! Subtle brainwashing, that is.

    RazorPit2.jpg RazorPit.jpg
     
  3. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    You actually can't "sharpen" a cart blade with the razor pit because inoreder to sharpen a blade you need to get to both sides of the edge. Rather the razor pit "strops" the one edge realigning/straightening as well as polishing that edge. So it will bring back, at least to some degree, the edge keenness for a time, the thing is if you simply arm strop( use your arm instead of the razor pit) your cart blade, you will accomplish the same result without needing to purchase a razor pit. When I shaved using a Trac2 cart I experimented with arm stropping and got a month+ out of one of my carts by arm stropping. Understand while the blade still shaved it was NOT any sharper than when new or more comfortable to use.

    It is possible to arm strop DE, SE and Injector blades as well if you so choose, but for me as DE blades are so inexpensive, it's just not worth the effort. :)
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2014
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  4. Alan H

    Alan H Member

    I agree that it can't be sharpened, which was addressed by Mantic. However, like you say, it kinda realigns the blade, similar to steel but, in this case, it is more about keeping the blade clean and, I think, from microscopic pitting, that results in a dull blade.
     
  5. kurtmill

    kurtmill Active Member

    I just started using a DE razor about a month ago. When I used a cartridge I would extend the blade's lifespan for months by dipping it in alcohol. Has anyone tried this with a DE blade?
     
  6. BigMark

    BigMark Tests razors by shaving Wookies

    Yes but I mainly do it to prevent rusting blades and stained razor heads that are a result of rusting blades.
     
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  7. John Gilbert

    John Gilbert New Member

    When I was in woodworking school, I learned that steel is formed in a crystalline structure. Microscopically it would look like a bunch of crystals sticking up from the edged of the blade like a saw tooth. As we learned to sharpen high carbon and stainless steel blades we made from metal working files, auto leaf springs, and finely made chisel, plane and draw knife blades we learned that as we sharpen and thin out the edge, the saw tooth crystalline edge will become so thin it becomes like foil, and as you flip the blade to sharpen, it curls up (microscopically) in the opposite direction of your sharpening stone. With each stroke on the stone, you make that foil front edge thinner and thinner until when you strop it on leather, it can just fall off. Sometimes you can see it as a hair thin wire laying on your water stone or leather strop. The edge you are left with on the blade was easily sharp enough to shave with. As a test to our sharpening skill we would shave a patch of hair off our arm just to prove it. When I think about razor blades, I think that flipping the blade after every use would sort of be like flipping a blade while sharpening it. As it drags across your skin, which is kind of like a leather strop, with the slickness of the soap acting as a lube, much like a water or oil stone etc, it would cause the front edge of the blade to curl away, then when you flip it, the curl would form in the other direction. I understand this is not like honing, because you are forcing the blade to cut hair, but it might tend to help keep that fine edge pointed in the direction of your face, rather than away from it. Just a thought, just sayin'...
     
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  8. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    I flush my razor head with 91% isopropyl alcohol before and after each shave session. I do this mostly to sterilize the cutting surface.
     
  9. gadabout

    gadabout Well-Known Member

    I sometimes flip the blade but not for the reason suggested by the OP. If I put in a brand new blade and I feel sub-standard performance on the first stroke, I immediately stop and flip the blade over. It always makes a big difference.

    Some will suggest that this is "imaginary". I can assure you that it's not. If both sides of the blade were guaranteed to be identical, the manufacturer would not number the sides of the blade for quality control purposes. Think about it.
     
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  10. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    And the numbering means....?

    Can't say I agree with you. Doesn't mean I'm right, just not convinced with what you're saying.
     
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  11. markjnewcomb

    markjnewcomb Well-Known Member

    While I do believe that flipping a new blade can make a huge difference, I disagree about the assumed reason that this works. My thinking is that it is not an inconsistency in the sides of the blade, but rather, it is that the blade is not seated properly in the razor. Instead of flipping the blade, I open it up, pull the blade out and put it right back in without flipping. This re-seats the blade in the razor and the issue seems to disappear. This has worked a large number of times.
     
  12. Darkbulb

    Darkbulb Cookie Hoarder

    Well, maybe there is something to stropping cartridges...this guy claims to have used the same cartridge...for....20 months....
     
  13. gadabout

    gadabout Well-Known Member

    I am just making an educated guess here about the numbering. I assume that if they detect a quality control problem, they use the numbering to correlate it to some aspect of the machine's adjustment. I can't conceive of any other reason for the numbering.
     
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  14. Mr. Shaverman

    Mr. Shaverman Well-Known Member

  15. Tcrideshd

    Tcrideshd New Member

    I,m going to say it. ,, I just change the blade every time, blades are cheap and I don't use the DE that often , so I can't keep up with the amount of shaves , but when I do a fresh one goes in. Tc
     
  16. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I hand strop in between shaves for DE, SE and feather pros. DE blades I only use for 2-3 shaves. I don't do it to extend the life but it feels like I get a smoother shave.
     
  17. Luziana_Geezer

    Luziana_Geezer Active Member

    I started using my Merkur Progress DE about 4 years ago, but never noticed that some blades are numbered. Maybe the Israeli Personnas aren't numbered and that would explain why I never noticed.

    I like the Personnas a lot because I can get seven (7) really clean, close and comfortable shaves out of a single blade. I do turn the blades over while cleaning them after each shave.

    Since I never figured out why some blades are numbered in the corners, maybe somebody can tell me.
     
  18. Luziana_Geezer

    Luziana_Geezer Active Member

    It seems to me that Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner was all the rage here a few years ago. I admit I've been an inactive member for the past few years, but things DO change.
     
  19. Darkbulb

    Darkbulb Cookie Hoarder

    I still use scrubbing bubbles - but for the initial cleaning of a vintage razor I buy, not for ongoing cleaning once I start using them
     

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