Methods to remember how many times you used a blade

i have 2 types of razor; 5 techs,and 5 various rockets/aristocrats that all shave similarly.i use 3 blades i use for the most part;astra sp,gillette silver blue,voskhod.i have gillette platinums,7 oclock yellows, and astra ss but they all feel similar .they all work well in my razors.3-4 shaves a week.1 blade a week then gone.same technique,prep etc,face has adapted,very little issues.no need to keep track on blade use so far.

 

I replace the blade when it starts to detoriate.
TBH, I have no idea how long the current PPC blade has been in my Rocca ... all I know is that it is not done yet. Neither do I know for the other razor I currently have in rotation; a Fatip Grande. Not even sure what blade is in there.

 

My local barber shop says that any decent blade should last 3 shaves, so i don't plan to go over that. For Derbys that will likely be 2. But, for example, right now, i have a used Astra, a used Derby and a used Shark. It happens so that i remember that all have 1 shave on them. But if this should change, due to blade rotation patterns, i might not remember it. Which is why i wanted something to remind me. Otherwise changing blade always on the same day of week, is practical. The only problem being, i don't think i would like to pass a week on one Derby, which would break the the system of "starting each week".

 

I use one blade at a time, and just try and remember, if I feel one is done, I toss it.
I tried the dice, but I had more problem remembering to turn it than remembering how many shaves.

 

Not for me; I certainly get 6+ shaves from many blades.

I just discarded the PPC blade in my Rocca after tonight's shave. I don't keep track but I think I got 8 shaves from it. There would be one more in there, I guess, but I wanted to clean the razor and put it away for now.

 

sometimes i like a beer or 3 when i have my evening shave so i have to keep it simple.memory...whats that...

 

I'm usually pretty tired, so I just don't use more than two blades in two razors at any one time. I toss them when I either don't like the shave much, or I decide it's time to switch to another blade.

 

I'm with @wchnu, I use a blade until it starts to tug a little. Right now I'm using a Ladas blade with about 7 shaves on it and still going strong.

 

Oh - I pull the blade out so I can rinse it clean. Easy for a TTO, especially in the shower. If it's a 3 piece, I almost have to wait till afterwards, because the handle will fill with water.

 

I would probably have to respectfully disagree with you on this point. The vaunted Vodkhod doesn't shave well for me in any of my 7 razors. The 7:00 a.m. (not the Gillette 7:00) is so bad I can't finish one pass with a new blade. But, apparently somebody likes them because they're still being made.

 

As I posted up in my Russian blades review thread, I found that Voskhod worked okay in a 3 piece, but was horrible in a TTO. I've found a couple of blades like that. I think it's how the blades are made, combined with how the blade is held in a type of razor.

 

But the problem is not the blade then. It is a technique issue. If the blade is not dull and the razor is not damaged good technique will trump equipment issues. A dollar store blade will give as good a shave as a whatever other blade. I get consistant great shaves from them no matter what razor I put them in. If you were to take one of your bad blades and spend 30 days working with it I bet you would see it works just fine.

 

Interesting. What does it matter how the blade is held. The user adjust the angle of the blade to the face. Blades all measure about the same right? If the bevel is a bit different why can a user not adjust for that with angle. Technique trumps tools.

 

This is where it all falls apart, the conventional advice anyway. If we listened to the conventional DE advice for newbies, we'd conclude that everyone doing Straights was lying and just posting photos to be cool. They'd be far too aggressive for anyone's "skin type" or whatever.

Shaving is simply moving a blade bevel parallel to the skin, at a 20-25 degree angle. All razors do this.

All razors are the same.

 

The blade measurement is part of the issue. When many of these razors were made, the blades were .006. Now, they're all (but one?) .004. That's a 33.3r% reduction in the thickness, with a consummate increase in the flex of the blades. Depending on the alloy, the tempering, and the grind, there can be a significant amount of chatter and bend for certain blades with certain razors. @rabidus, over at B&B, likes the post war techs because they clamp the blade further out towards the edge than the pre-war techs, and also prefers the late 40's TTO's over the others. (There are actual photos showing the difference in how the blade is held)

That's part of why I think that someone shouldn't just say "Oh, it's technique". Technique IS a lot of it, but there is a small amount that is lubricant, another small amount that is the razor, another the blade, and the last is the face of the user. That's why we have some people that love the Derby, and so many that dislike it. I find it no worse than the Dollar General blades, and only mildly different from the Personna 'dollar store' blades. It was -better- than the Voskhod, which seemed to go bad after the first shave, or maybe during it. The Rapira, THAT was good. So was the Nacet. I haven't found a blade yet that I can't use for an acceptable shave. It's just how much discomfort I'm willing to endure. (not necessarily with nicks or abrasions)

So, what I do is advise people to find a razor they like, a blade that works with the razor for their face, and not worry as much about the rest. I do advise to try more blades eventually, because there might be better Heck, even if it's technique, if they find a razor that hits a good angle with their current grip, then they've found a great razor to use. Less stress for the learning curve.

 

I tell them to buy a razor that looks cool and master it.

 

So, the Heljestrand straight razor I bought is the EXACT same steel as a Derby, right? And sharpened the same way?

 

You seem to focus on problems. I focus on universal solutions. To a newbie there wouldn't be a difference, and it's irrelevant to my statement, because they would both be employed in a path parallel to the skin at a low angle of attack. TMI confuses newbies. That's how they end up with 58 DE razors and still can't get an auto BBS out of any of them three years later. I read it every day.

 

Your statement was straight out that there is no difference between any razors or blades. I will admit that my response was a bit aggressively facetious. I apologize for that, and should probably head to shower, shave, and bed. It's been a long day.

I was pointing out that there are reasons that people have difficulty with certain blades or razors.

We have both agreed that it's a good idea for a newbie to NOT try to go overboard with purchases until they've learned the basics. (I actually vote for them using their current soap/gel/goo rather than picking up a brush and trying shaving soap until they're comfortable with the blade)

I strongly advise people to not get more than -two- razors to start, and one is good. If two, a TTO, and a 3 piece. I've had good luck giving people a Rimei as a starter. It seems to be forgiving of the cheaper blades, which is often all people can get. Which razors, otherwise... there are so many that would work fine for a new DE shaver. Heck, even a Shick Injector is better than a cartridge.

However, while I feel that sample packs are a bad idea at the very beginning, if you only have one razor, it's not horrible, and I do recommend two very different razor blades. (Derby vs Astra, for example. or Dorco vs Shark) Try one, if it's bad, go slower, and try again. If it's STILL bad, try the other blade, and see if that made any difference. If not, then it's 95% technique (or soap), and just work at it - gently - with either blade.

I have a friend who had terrible experiences with a TTO and Personna. I'm going to pass one of my NEWs to him, and some Astras. He has Cajun hair, if that's descriptive enough.

I think it's good to know that there ARE problems out there, and to not panic that the universal solutions don't fit perfectly. (Oh. My other suggestion is for people not to worry about going for BBS, or even beyond a one direction shave when learning. Figure out how to use the razor before getting into face mapping. (which makes me do face palming) )

 

But even with all tbat good technique will allow the user to adjust for those little differences. I have razors I like more then others. But I get about the same shave from them all.