Well, some might think me a little dopey for askin, but here it goes! How do you guys keep track of how many times you have used a blade if you use multiple razors?? I keep a few in rotation and I lose track of whether a blade has been used one, two or three times, or whether it has been used more and should be tossed. I hate getting all soaped up and selecting a razor thinking the blade is still good and then find it is like shaving with an old board. I would rather change up the blade before it gets like that. Anybody have some clever (and easy!) ways to do this? I used to take blades out and switch them bw shavers, but I am getting lazy! I am not that great at writing it down I'm afraid - tried that. My memory won't do it either! Help!
Can't help if you don't want to write anything down or switch the blade. I'm the remove the blade kind of guy and know after 4 days in a row, I'm gonna toss it.
Here's what I do. I choose a razor and load a fresh blade in it. I only use that razor until the blade is done, usually about 3-4 shaves depending.... Then I'll toss the used blade, pick a new razor and start all over. This allows me to try a variety of soaps/sticks/creams while keeping some continuity, while also allowing a short enough time span with each razor to feel like I'm getting a decent rotation....
I keep an excel spreadsheet. I track other variables as well, but with 40 or so razors and maybe a dozen different blade types it makes it easy to go back and see which combos did better with which soap etc.. However I typically leave a blade in a razor and use the razor for three days in a row and then toss the blade.
I don't keep track. I have tried seems like thirty different brands of blades and through all the time I was trying samples there was absolutely no difference between any of them. I have a very very light beard and as a result anything can do a superior job. I could probably do this with a broken beer bottle and get BBS. No need to track anything.
I taped a peice of paper inside the mirror, and have all of my razors writtin down on it. Then I just use the old fashioned tally system, so that I know how many times I have used the blades. Seem simple enough for me...
I only use one razor at a time until the blade is dull, then on to the next razor. I get 3 shaves per blade, so I load one razor, use it 3 days, then toss the blade and go on to the next razor. I hated having to keep track of which razor had how much use.
Long time ago I put a dot on the blade after each use with a sharpie. Now I take the blade out each day and pop it in another razor. Easier to keep track of, and I don't have blades sitting in all of my razors, which is a good thing.
I use the Rodd method, just a dot on the blade for each shave. 4 dots toss it and get a new one. Works no matter if you are using one razor or multiple razors. You can also use this method to determine how many shaves you are getting from a blade. I don't shave everyday and waffle between SE and DE razors, so it may be as much as a week between uses on a blade. I am getting old and it is hard to remember.
Thanx for the responses guys! There are some good thoughts here. I would like to think I could use the same razor three or four days in a row and then toss the blade - but, like Windwalker, I 'waffle' between choices too and I'm not sure I can go all the way without cheating! Plus there are D/Es, S/Es, a Rolls and a couple of Str8s that are in my rotation. I do love to shake it up! I will think about the four day in a row idea though. It might be a lot more practical in the long run. The chart taped to the mirror idea might work well for me. I was initially keeping a list, but that got too confusing. With a chart with boxes, it would be a lot easier for me to simply check off each use and see at a glance what the situation is. But then again, the marker dots is a terrific idea too!! I am not that worried about leaving the blades in. I always rinse by dipping in alcohol and have never had a problem with rusting (touch bakelite!) This is really what I needed - some additional thoughts about it, because I was gettin stumped!! Thnx again Shave Den!:thanks
You can also use a permanent maker and mark the blade with a dot after every use, some blades even come with numbers 1 to 4 printed, which i guess you can use as a reference if you rotate them usign always one point of the razor as a reference, although this seems more complicated...I do not have this problem, as I only have 1 razor, and use the blade for no more than 3 shaves...
DE blades are dirt cheap here is any easy solution, put a new blade in any razor shave with it, then when you go to grab a razor if it already has a blade in it you know it has been used 1x shave with it a 2nd time then trash it easy
I used dices to mark the usage of the blade.. I store my razors in a drawer in the bathroom and put a small 6sided dice on the side of the ones in rotation.. Easy and useable..
Another great idea!! And DragonBoy, I had a peek in your 'drawers' - wow! You must have cleaned out Vegas to come up with enough dice for that selection!! Congrats!
