Especially since the conditioning in the early 1900s went very much in the other direction. Just one factor as an example: hundreds of thousands of men were turned into safety razor users after being issued them by various armies during WW1. And most of those "service kits" came complete with a pack of blades -- which were expected to last the user for a certain period of time. IIRC, for example, the Gillette US Army Service Kit came with 12 blades that were expected to do the soldier for a year -- basically a month a blade minimum. The Gem, Valet and other kits were similar. Someone trained to treat his shaving gear that way wouldn't even dream of going "3 shaves and done" on a blade. During WW2, the civilian mantra for everything was: "Use it up; Wear it out; Make it do, Or do without." The whole "3 and done" approach doesn't really appear until the invention of the junk disposable razors in the mid-cartridge era sometime in the 1970s to 1980s.
I'm trying to locate the reference where I read about the 'two-year' claim. No luck so far, but I'll keep trying.
30 days in a month, 2 edges per blade, 1 blade edge per month. if the early gem blades, using the same steel and thickness, can go for months without stropping, then the Gillette can too
I just wondered if anyone had put it to the test. We all know that advertised claims are sometimes at odds with reality.
well I do remember reading that a brand new valet blade, when stropped after each shave should be able to last the average man 2-3 months of daily usage. Cant really try that with vintage blades due to oxidization and an apparent lack of quality in blade production once razor production stopped.
i am now inclined to try shaving with one bade to see how many shaves i can get. i know de blades are inexpensive and i use them for4-5 shaves ,but if gsb and gillette platinum last long as well as smooth and sharp ,that would be a bonus.
