Does anyone besides myself flip their blade over between shaves? I find I get more and better shaves out of it when I do. Even though I won't use any blade more than 4 shaves, it seems to keep its sharpness better.
I flip all of my blades except for the injectors. I also remove the blade rinse, dry and put it back into the paper after each shave. By doing this I have no problems with rust.
Never have knowingly flipped the blade. Also I don't count how many times I use a blade, just keep using the same blade until it starts tugging. Too much thinking for me. Dave
I take the blade out after ever shave, hand strop both sides of both edges, flip and put into the next razor.
I do the same, except it goes back into the same razor. I feel like it has added at least 2 shaves to every blade. I also hand strop before I put a blade in for the first time.
I use a blade at most 3 times. I do not remove the blade from the razor unless I an travelling. I do a 4 pass shave and I shave every day.
With most good quality blades I can get three shaves on the first side, then I flip it and get a fourth on the second side. If my beard has light on the other shaves, I can sometimes push it to a fifth. Normally, I only need to shave two full passes, and then take care of a few touch-up spots. I always remove the blade after each shave, give it a good rinse with hot water and blot it dry before putting back in the razor for the next shave. I find this 30-second procedure really helps extend the blade's use.
I would be tempted to say that getting more shaves out of a blade by flipping it is a placebo effect since actually don't shave with a 'side' of the razor but rather the very, very thin edge. Hand stropping it may actually bring back some life to a blade though.
Yes I do, some times. When I clean my razor after each shave {I take it apart and rub it down with Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol soaked Cotton Balls or I use Alcohol Wipes} Then I wipe both sides of the razor blade.Then I let it air dry and then put it back together. Sometimes I wipe the razor down with Mineral Oil, but not always.
I flip and hand strop as well. Both for DE and SE blades. Depending on brand I get 5 to 10 shaves out of an DE blade. Carbon blades I can rehone and strop in an Allegro honing device, so they last even longer. Twenty shaves a blade.
Stropping does extend blade life, but not enough for me to bother with it. For me, it merely extends the marginal performance phase of blade life, and encourages more passes. I get better shaves by getting more blade-time in the "fresh" phase (3 and out). Now that I expect high quality shaves every day with the fewest passes, pushing the margins on a blade is not worth the overall quality I give up.
Yeah, I tend to agree with this. Stropping will have some effect, but I think just flipping is a placebo effect. There are a lot of tricks like this that come from the Depression era. Even expensive blades are relatively inexpensive, and I don't see the point of putting a dollar's worth of effort into a nickel blade. Three shaves and it's out.
That's too much to remember each morning. I use my blade for two shaves and I'm on to a new blade. Aces!
I flip the blades that have numbers on them, it helps me to remember how many times I have used the blade. Otherwise I use the blade three times and be done with it. I find if i use the blade after three times it just seems uncomfortable. For those guys stropping their blades what are you using to strop with?
Some swear by blade flipping, other's think it makes no difference. I'm of the "makes no difference" camp.
