Just bought my first safety razor...

[Colonel]

... so I can only get 2-3 days tops per blade...

Every once in a while, I try to see just how much use I can get out of one blade. So far, my record is 3 months! Like any blade, the amount of wear is graphed as a curve - after the first several days, the blade dulls very slowly. It also helps that I do not have a really tough beard, so I wouldn't expect others to get anywhere near as much wear as I do.

I have found that every blade has a "sweet spot" - a new blade can be a bit harsh and a really old blade just doesn't cut like it should. After about the second or third day, I get the best shaves.

 

[PoohBang]

wow 3 months is awesome.

I put some nos blue blades in the classifieds that say printed on the blades that, with honing you can get 50 shaves with them!

I don't know if I'm to the point of honing my double edge razor blade yet... but I guess some guys did...

 

[dwebber18]

I've been eyeballing some safety razors. Went to NYC and checked out the ones at the Art of shaving, and while nice I felt they were too expensive and I believe I might buy off ebay. I don't really have a problem with a heavy beard and don't really need to shave that often and the cartridge razors don't bother me at all. I just like the idea of the better shave, and a vintage product that is cheaper and produces less waste. Hopefully I can find a good deal on a nice vintage one.

 

[Feraud]

Every once in a while, I try to see just how much use I can get out of one blade. So far, my record is 3 months! Like any blade, the amount of wear is graphed as a curve - after the first several days, the blade dulls very slowly. It also helps that I do not have a really tough beard, so I wouldn't expect others to get anywhere near as much wear as I do.

I have found that every blade has a "sweet spot" - a new blade can be a bit harsh and a really old blade just doesn't cut like it should. After about the second or third day, I get the best shaves.

3 months? Wow!
How often do you shave? Certainly not daily? Is doesn't sound possible to get 90 shaves from a blade using it daily.
You mentioned not having a tough beard. Does it grow in full or patchy?

 

[Colonel]

3 months? Wow!
How often do you shave? Certainly not daily? Is doesn't sound possible to get 90 shaves from a blade using it daily.
You mentioned not having a tough beard. Does it grow in full or patchy?

Yes, I shave every day (unless I am going to be doing grubby work on a Saturday or something like that). I am 57 years old and the Arafat look just doesn't work for me. My neck and chin would be described as moderately tough, but I have very little on my cheeks. I couldn't grow sideburns if my life depended on it. That's me in the avatar photo, taken about three years ago.

By the time I got to the end of that 3 month period, it wasn't a really comfortable shave due to a fair amount of pulling before cutting, but the results were still quite smooth. I could have kept going, but I had satisfied myself that, if I had to, I could go for a long time on the blades I have sitting in a box in the bathroom closet. I just haven't figured out how to make my shave soap last as long...

Keep in mind that a blade does not continue to get dull at the same rate as when you first start using it. Probably the most important factor though, is preparation. I routinely wash my face a couple of times using pretty warm water (as hot as our solar water heater will get it in the morning, anyway). If I tried to do this without using hot water, it would never work.

The blades I use are Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharpedge. They are the ones in the yellow box, made in Petersburg, Russia. I have tried other blades, but now use these exclusively.

I know that everyone is different, but try it some time just to see how long you can go with one blade. You might be quite surprised.

 

[Tango Yankee]

I got some Wilkinson Sword Classic blades for it, (mainly because they were the only ones they had to fit it).

Welcome to the club, James! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Wilkonson Sword Classics are my standard blade. I do have a number of other brands, but that's my daily blade. I have a couple of vintage Gillette razors.

I second the recommendation of Taylors of Old Bond Street, but there are plenty more out there to try. Sounds like you've probably already checked out forums like The Shave Den and Badger and Blade.

I've managed to convert a few people to using shaving cream and brushes, but so far no one to using a DE!

I also got my wife to try a brush and shaving cream. She kept insisting that the soap and shaving her underarms and legs in the bath were good enough. It took some doing, but I finally got her to try it... and now she won't go back. Her experience was similar to yours as far as skin irritation (or lack of it) goes--she was quite surprised to find that putting on deoderant after shaving her underarms didn't hurt any more!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Shangas]

My record is four months on one safety-razor blade. But that's because I sharpened it twice a week.

 

[rmrdaddy]

I've been eyeballing some safety razors. Went to NYC and checked out the ones at the Art of shaving, and while nice I felt they were too expensive and I believe I might buy off ebay. I don't really have a problem with a heavy beard and don't really need to shave that often and the cartridge razors don't bother me at all. I just like the idea of the better shave, and a vintage product that is cheaper and produces less waste. Hopefully I can find a good deal on a nice vintage one.

It's defintely possible to acquire a good solid vintage DE razor on E-bay. Of course it is equally possible to acquire one that has been ham-fistedly cleaned, "polished", re-plated(poorly), or even damaged in a way that a novice might not notice. Merkur makes a great product, and while new, their items are definitely vintage inspired. There are perhaps 7-8 types to select from, with open and closed combs, standard and "heavy" versions, stylized handles, etc. The 33C "Classic" razor is the one I have, it'll last forever, I'm sure.
A number of vendors do stock them, but I'd recommend:
http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Merkur-33C-Classic-Safety-Razor_p_30.html

or a Badger and Blade member who went out on his own:
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/doedra.html

 

[James71]

Second shave down, and you guys were spot on. Its a better job than the last time and much closer.

Im in the process of converting all my friends now. One of them bought a merkur 702 yesterday and is now converting the rest of this friends.

If anything, on reflection, now that the initial amazement of how much better a DE shave is, I am feeling a little bitter and resentful that for 20 years I was conned into constant pain, rash and poor shaves because of the big companies marketing campains and huge profits.

The truth about shaving "systems" must be told and the word spread. Men deserve to know the real advantages of what shaving can really be like.

 

[Shangas]

...but...Gilette just came out with its supersix razor with chromium-plated blades, garaunteed to last longer, never rust, give even closer shaves and look awesome, to boot. And it comes with strobe-lights in the handle and a built in vibration-mode to ease those stubborn hairs out of their shafts so that they can be professionally removed. The soft, gel strips around each blade means that you'll never get razor-burn, rashes, cuts, abrasions ever again. The handle even comes with its own inbuilt cartridge of lubrication-oil which, with a gentle squeeze, can be transferred to the blades to give an even smoother and slicker shave than anything thusfar produced with traditional shaving lather...

But a straight or a safety still produces the best shave in my books.

 

[LordBest]

I have a DE razor winging its way from Taylor of Old Bond Street as we speak, not sure what brand it is. They carry Merkur blades to go with it. I must say, very enthusiastic about it after reading this thread.

 

[Shangas]

Congratulations, m'lord. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

By the way, Mantic59 on YouTube has a series of excellent safety-razor shaving-videos for anyone who needs help. It helped me a lot!

 

[James71]

mantic59's videos are fantastic. I watched most of them prior to buying my safety razor. They should be mandatory viewing for every man.

 

[PoohBang]

the only trouble I have with my DE is right under the nose... It just can't do it...

 

[James71]

It took me a little stuffing around with the under the nose part, mainly because I was still unfamiliar with where the actual blade was in relation to the large brass head of the razor.

I also found it very helpful to use my off hand to push the tip of my nose upwards to facilitate access right up there near the nose / stash interface....

 

[Feraud]

the only trouble I have with my DE is right under the nose... It just can't do it...

For years I have used eyebrow shapers to trim under the nose and shape a pencil moustache. These do the trick nicely.

 

[Edward]

I just like the idea of the better shave, and a vintage product that is cheaper and produces less waste. Hopefully I can find a good deal on a nice vintage one.

I'm the same. My only regret is that, as a headshaver, I have found it necessary to keep buying cartridges for that purpose.

 

[James71]

Even though I didnt really need to, I changed the blade for last nights shave to one of the Wilkinson Sword classics that I bought when I got the razor. Up until now I have been using the free trial blade from Merkur that came with it.

The Merkur is much better..... I wouldnt have thought just changing the blade would make it so different. The Wilkinson also didnt seem even. One side cut better than the other....

Has anyone experienced that?

 

[PoohBang]

Thanks to this thread I realized that my gillette has a date code...

F 2 so I guess it's from Feb of 1960.

 

[James71]

Awesome razor. Does it have a good heft?

If I ever find one of those second hand in good condition I will grab it.