Is there any benefit to "flipping" the blade over in your DE razor?

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by grampi, Dec 31, 2008.

  1. grampi

    grampi Member

    Just curious if there's any benefit to flipping the blade over. In theory anyway, you're really only using one side (both edges, but only one side) of the blade if you don't flip it. I'm wondering when a blade gets dull if both sides get dull even when you don't flip it.
     
  2. JayKay

    JayKay 3000 posts and all I got was this lousy title

    Pass, flip, repeat. Keeps both sides wearing evenly. In theory, extends blade life to double that of having only one edge. Saves you from remembering which side is dull.
     
  3. rollsshaver

    rollsshaver Peace be with you

    If you are asking about actually removing the blade from the razor and turning it over, then the answer is maybe. If not, then it could have a plum in the back alley.
     
  4. grampi

    grampi Member

    That's exactly what I'm asking.
     
  5. rollsshaver

    rollsshaver Peace be with you

    This has been pndered over and discussed in length by millions of men through the years, and we say.......






















    Maybe............ :happy102
     
  6. rodd

    rodd Knotty Boy

  7. cheffie46

    cheffie46 New Member

    Thanks for asking though...
     
  8. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    I tend to do it like that.
     
  9. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    flipping the blade over will not help... and come on they are Cheap... right?:rolleyes::D

    Fuzzy
     
    swarden43 likes this.
  10. burnWood

    burnWood Mizzou Fan, YMMV

    imagine burnWood repeating every word above.
     
  11. ThePossum

    ThePossum Member

    Good question. One I can't really answer other than to tell you my experience with blades.

    I have been getting about 14 shaves per DE blade lately. I do change razors each day. Because of this change of razors I must remove the blade. What I do is hand strop the blade and put it into the next day's razor choice. I don't bother to make sure that I turn the blade over each day but I can say this that no doubt it happens once in awhile.

    It has been my experience that the hand stropping does more to give longer blade life as well as better shaves as the blade gets older.
     
  12. Luxlover

    Luxlover Member

    Happy New Year Everyone

    Happy New Year everyone! I always flip my blade over for each sshave and it seems to do just fine. I cannot say if it extends the blades life but it seems logical. I find that longevity and quality of shave has to do with different coatings on blades and thorough shave preparation. Different brands give better shaves longer than others. as they say YMMV.
     
  13. sol92258

    sol92258 I have no earthly idea

    yes, there is indeed a benefit to flipping the blade...












































    if your goal is to increase the chances of cutting your fingers on a DE blade, that is
     
  14. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    sounds like Meep meep meep meep meep,,,to me


    Fuzzy
     
  15. Albert Hui

    Albert Hui Active Member

    I thought about flipping the blade after each shave and did it a couple of times. I've found that it make no difference to the sharpness or longevity of the blade. And after thinking about it, it makes sense that it does not help. When the edge encounters the whisker, the cutting action will bend the edge, ever so slightly (rolling the edge). That is why the blade dulls, not because it is losing any material. However, flipping the blade doesn't mean you unroll the edge. If the edge has bent, the next encounter with a medium is only going to make it roll a bit more, further dulling your edge.

    Stropping does unroll that edge. Because you are running the edge the opposit direction that it normally cuts. That is why it is so important to strop the edge of a straight razor before each shave. It flaattens the cutting edge back to straight and makes it sharp again. Unfortunately, the DE blade is so thin, that you also run the risk of breaking off the rolled edge (in knife sharpening, that's known as removing the burr). This will eventually produce a ragged edge. For a knife, it is ok, because it actually makes the knife cut better, but on a razor, which only ever push cuts, that can lead to an uncomfortable experience.

    At the end of the day, I have concluded for myself that it's just better to toss the blade after enough uses that the edge will lose its straight edge. For me, that's usually 3 - 4 shaves. Flipping the blade really doesn't help straighten the edge. And stropping such a delicate edge back to straight would require so much finesse that it's not worth the time and effort.

    Just my opinion after years of playing with knives and such.
     

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