Why do razor blades get dull so fast?

A proper shaving cream or soap will FAR outperform anything I've ever used from a can. As previously noted, I've gone retro and just started shaving with DE razors. Got some Proraso and a badger bristle shaving brush. GOOD stuff. Was just in Santa Cruz for a couple days, and used the Proraso, but brought cartridge razors for convenience. I'll say that the twin blade Sensor Excel gave a far better shave with the Proraso than I ever got with any other foam or gel. And I've tried bar soap too.

And while I'm commenting, let me rant on the Save-a-Blade. Actually that's what got me into DE shaving. Wasn't going to pay $19.95 for one, but saw one at a discount outlet for $5 and thought I'd give it a try. Mentioned buying it to my Aussie wife and she asked me to get several more as they were just introduced to Oz via TV and cost a bloody fortune. Discount store was out, so looked for them on Amazon and upon reading the reviews, learned few people have any luck with them. One review in particular touted the overall low cost of DE shaving, and that's what got me going in that direction, being a part-time cheapskate.... Anyway, I looked into the Save-a-Blade I'd bought. First attempts showed zero contact with the blade when inspecting with a microscope. But hadn't read the directions, and had the blade in the wrong position. Tried again, and found contact from the sandpaper along maybe 10% of the cutting edge of one blade after a good 10 second run. My reviews can be found on Amazon if you look up the Save-a-Blade. Piece of crap IMHO, though some reviewers do rave about it. Go figure...

Jon

Reply to
Jon Anderson
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I've got pretty tough hair, I doubt I'd get anywhere close to that. Besides, I'm sorta enjoying the ritual of doing it the semi-old fashioned way.

And if Schick finds out the Quattro lasts that long for enough folks, they'll either raise the price even more or find a way to shorten blade life...

Jon

Reply to
Jon Anderson

Used to use only blades. Now I use a Norelco electric. Does a good job as long as I use it daily.

Steve W.

Reply to
Steve W.

My dad had a hand-cranked blue-blade stropping machine. He got dozens of shaves from a blue blade. This was just after WW II when some commodities (razor blades, nails) were still in short supply

Reply to
Don Foreman

You guys, with your manly beards, are so lucky. You don't know how lucky you are,

I shaved four times in Basic Training!

Heck. I was forty years old before I had to shave every day.

You think your chain saw beards are tough? BWahhhhahhhhahhhha!

My fuzz, even now (60 bleeping years old) is so fine that my beard slides out of the way of 16 edged razors!

Hell fires, boys. I shave with a straight razor once a month!

It's the only way to get those delicate fine hairs cut offa my face.

Otherwise, I'd look like Ho Che Min!

Day-am!

Reply to
cavelamb

I hear ya, Jon!

Ya'll pud knocker read this...

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Proper shaving has become a lost art. Today?s average male has no clue about the fine art of the traditional wet shave that their grandfathers and some of their fathers used to take part in. Instead, they?re only accustomed to the cheap and disposable shaving products that companies market. I?m not sure when or why it happened, but the tradition of passing down the secrets of a clean shave abruptly stopped. Thankfully, this glorious male ritual is making a comeback. Benefits of The Classic Wet Shave

Reduce costs. An 8 pack of your typical four blade cartridge razors can set you back over $20. $20! That?s $2.50 per cartridge. The cost of a double edged safety razor is no more than $.25. You can save some serious money switching over to a safety razor. Additionally, you can save money by using traditional shaving creams and soaps. A can of the chemically packed gel goop that most drug stores sell can cost you up to $5 a can and it doesn?t even last that long and they don?t give you a quality shave. On the other hand, traditional shave creams and soaps are made out of natural materials. While their up front cost may be a bit more than shaving gels, you require less product to get a proper lather. Thus, you end up saving more in the long run.

Reply to
cavelamb

I gave my double edged hande to a girlfriend who (was smarter than me?) wanted it.

And found they can't be bought any more.

Anybody got a spare???

Reply to
cavelamb

Someone else mentioned the water glass trick, which was sometimes augmented with a little aluminum oxide flour, but the neatest thing was those little hard Arkansas stones with a gentle hollow in them. You pressed down in the middle of the blade, bending it slightly with two fingers, and gently worked it around the stone.

I never had one of my own, but then stainless blades came out, and I quit using blue blades.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

lade edge. It is very advantageous for the manufacturer

tes much better and will double blade life.

Ivory bar soap applied with a badger brush. Hose out the razor with the WaterPic afterwards.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I think you can still buy them in here Thailand. At least every barber shop has the blades - they break them in half and put them in a "straight razor" sort of handle to shave around you ears.

The AIDS scare had at least one benefit - I now get shaved with a new blade :-)

John B.

Reply to
John

I had a Rolls Razor - looked like a chunk of straight razor blade with a handle on it. It came in a case with a strop on one side and a home on the other. British made and I used it for years.

John B.

Reply to
John

As I read these tips I remember a radio jingle for McCulloch chain saws, about a lumberjack who used one to shave his beard.

They just don't make jingles like that anymore. It must have been around

1958.
Reply to
Ed Huntress

Amazon has lots of razors, and there are many places that sell. I bought a Weishi on ebay, but once I'm more comfortable I'll try stepping up to a Merkur. Ebay has a fair selection of vintage used razors.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Anderson

I've got one of those! And it will still shave nicely, but man, better pay attention to blade angle. I did manage to cut myself pretty good with mine many years ago.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Anderson

I have one, it was my father's, which I occasionally use if I do not shave for longer than a week. Normally I use a Philips rechargeable daily but over 2 days the Philips stalls on my beard. Easiest way is use a Remington groomer after 2 days and finish with the Philips. I have not used blades for about 50 years, they used to cut my skin and it swelled and bled profusely.

Alan

Reply to
alan200

Did you buy her "her very own" pink razor?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Napalm?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Remington makes some battery shavers who which are really excellent. Mine (takes one AA cell) actually works better than my plug in shaver.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

That's what Clark Howard (the radio talk guy) said on his show.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Before or after you get all that water pic soap in your mouth?

I do think that rinsing out the blade, and hang the shaver to dry is a good idea.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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