Sharpen and extend life of disposable razors

[EchoStache]

I haven't taken the plunge for trying a safety razor yet.  I use Gillette Mach 3 blades with my non-disposable handle.  They cost about $1.70/cartridge and are the best I've found for me personally.  They don't last that long for me....honestly I don't know the exact time but maybe two weeks or so per cartridge.  This comes out to about $41/year but again, I haven't paid close to attention to how long they *actually* last me.

I ran across some claims that running the razor backwards over denim for 15-20 swipes after each shave will drastically increase how long the cartridge stays sharp and usable.  Basically, the same as stropping a straight razor.  I thought this video illustrated the effectiveness pretty well as it shows the blade under a microscope before and after:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-4bhVpfxJM

Yes, I know the ultimate Mustachian tactic would be not shaving at all, followed by shaving with a straight razor.  I'm not ready to take the straight razor plunge, and I have a big pack of Mach 3 blades.  I'm going to try this method and see if it keeps my cartridges lasting longer.  I'll try to report back with an update.

Does anyone else do this?  If so, what were your results?

Maybe this will help others who prefer to use cartridges.

[uniwelder]

I use a safety razor, purchased in 2014 for about $30, and a big pack of blades ($5-10) that will last me the rest of my life.  I have a short beard, but shave my neck.  I think I generally change out the blade once a year or two, and don't think I've used more than 5 blades in the 9 years I've had it.  A brand new blade will give a ridiculously close shave and I have trouble keeping myself from getting cut.  After a few uses, its at a more manageable dullness.  I suppose after a couple of months, its dull, but keeps cutting, so I don't bother changing it out until a special occasion inspires me to put in a new blade.

In response to the original question, I have tried flipping the blade over to see if that makes any difference, but it wasn't very noticecable.

[EchoStache]

Everyone seems so different on how long a blade lasts.  Some report only being able to use a safety blade for a week or so before too dull to shave with, others use a single blade for many months.

My cartridges definitely don't last a month or longer so I'm going to try "sharpening" on denim.  One day, maybe I'll try a safety razor but no reason to do so now as I have some cartridges to burn thorough. 

[YttriumNitrate]

I use the denim trick to hone the blades of a razor and it does make them usable for a bit longer. In my experience, it doesn't really sharpen the blade, but by restoring the edge back to a more or less straight line it helps to reduce irritation from an older blade.

[LifeHappens]

Female here. I use the honing trick and also store my blade in rubbing alcohol between uses. This seems to double the life of the blade (from 1 week to 2 weeks for me).

[GuitarStv]

I get about two months out of a safety razor for shaving my face . . . but I only shave two or three times a week.  I don't really do anything fancy with the blade, just take it out, rinse it off, and dry it on a towel between shaves.  One thing I've found is that by soaking my face stubble in warm water for a few minutes before putting on shaving cream and shaving it makes the razor last for longer.  If I just pop shaving cream on my face and go at it the blades get dull in a week or two.

[EchoStache]

Yeah I shave after showering and it definitely is easier to shave compared to shaving if I haven't showered first.  Washing my face(in the shower) seems to soften up the whiskers.  Also seems to irritate my face less, maybe because I'm not scraping any as much dirt/germs around while scraping a blade over my face.

[Dogastrophe]

Stropping a cartridge razor on a piece of linen *may* slightly bring the blades back into alignment; however, you would need to see how much of the blade is actually making contact with the linen during the process. I recall reading a post on a razor forum where a person took microscopic pictures of the cartridge blade before and after stropping and found minimal difference.

I have a small collection of straight and DE safety razors. Straights are fantastic shavers but steep learning curve and not something you want to rush in the mornings. DE's give great shaves; blades are very inexpensive. Many people think they'll save $$ by switching to either ... then they end up with 20+ razors, a dozen creams / soaps, enough blades to last a couple of lifetimes, etc.  Ask me how I know ... :)

[JLee]

I get about two months out of a safety razor for shaving my face . . . but I only shave two or three times a week.  I don't really do anything fancy with the blade, just take it out, rinse it off, and dry it on a towel between shaves.  One thing I've found is that by soaking my face stubble in warm water for a few minutes before putting on shaving cream and shaving it makes the razor last for longer.  If I just pop shaving cream on my face and go at it the blades get dull in a week or two.

Same for me, though I typically shave immediately post-shower and don't bother with shaving cream.  I also rarely do a full-face shave so that helps with blade wear.  I'm using the same pack of blades I bought in...(checking)...September 2012, and I am not close to out yet.

[GuitarStv]

I get about two months out of a safety razor for shaving my face . . . but I only shave two or three times a week.  I don't really do anything fancy with the blade, just take it out, rinse it off, and dry it on a towel between shaves.  One thing I've found is that by soaking my face stubble in warm water for a few minutes before putting on shaving cream and shaving it makes the razor last for longer.  If I just pop shaving cream on my face and go at it the blades get dull in a week or two.

Same for me, though I typically shave immediately post-shower and don't bother with shaving cream.  I also rarely do a full-face shave so that helps with blade wear.  I'm using the same pack of blades I bought in...(checking)...September 2012, and I am not close to out yet.

Heh, yep I bought a 100 count pack (of Shark brand blades . . . because c'mon, they have a shark on them!) back in 2008 or so.  Maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the way though?

[billygoatjohnson]

Handle $10-$15. 100 pack razors around $10-$12.


Last me 2 years

[cool7hand]

Cool: Thanks for sharing!

[ChickenStash]

I started out with the Mach3s way back but couldn't stomach the cost of replacement cartridges after a few years. I went DE razor and never looked back. It was probably around $30 a decade or so ago for a handle and box of 100 blades that will likely last me well past retirement, possibly a lifetime. Much less waste this way, too.

The shave is as good or better than the Mach 3 and just as easy. There are shaving forums where folks can recommend handles and blades based on hair type and give a guess on how long they might last. For me, I could usually get 2+ months out of a blade when I shaved 2-3x per week. Now that I WFH I dropped to around once per week so the blades last longer. I'm fortunate that I have fine hair that is similar to my skin color so it doesn't stand out much when I skip a few days.

[Josiecat22222]

Female here...

I went from the Venus plastic razor (female equivalent of Mach 3 from Gilette) to a Merkur safety razor about a year ago in an effort to reduce the amount of plastic in my life and landfills.

It has a bit of a learning curve, but I get a pretty good shave with it and the blades last a long time (but I don't shave daily).  I do feel like the Venus got a slightly closer shave and the regrowth was slower, but that may be user error on my part.  Overall, I'm happy with it.  The razor was about 35 dollars and the 100 pack of personna blades was about 15.  I think it will last me at least 8 years at the current rate. 

[Hawkeye]

Thanks for sharing -- I found that keeping blades as DRY as possible dramatically extends their lifespan for me.. using a dryer would likely be ideal but just placing them in a dry, well ventilated area helps make the blade last much longer

[billygoatjohnson]

Update, bought a 100 pack a few days ago for like $5-$6...

[getsorted]

Oxidation dulls razor blades far more than use. Keeping them dry and oiled between uses makes them last practically forever.