Anyway to extend razor blade life?

[accountingsucks]

One of the things I hate spending money on are razorblades. I have an extremely thick beard growth and I must shave every day ....I do take Sunday off in terms of shaving and Monday I look like a chewbaca. Anyways I use the Mach 3 blades and generally those go for about $20 CDN for 8....sometimes on sale for $16. I go through one blade a week, so that works out to $10 a month. Not a huge expense but you know that the blades probably cost 10 cents each to make so it's a huge rip off. I've tried the more expense Phantom blades and I really like those, but I"m not paying $3 a blade.....no way. Cheaper blades like the Sensor just don't cut it for my beard growth - the nicks and cuts are not worth the savings.

I've read that some people have had luck extending blade life by soaking the razors in mineral oil when not in use, or using one of those razor blade sharpening things on Ebay. Does anyone have any tricks to extending blade life?

 

[haha]

Take estrogens?

Ha

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

The enemies of a razor blade are primarily water and flaking of the edge.

You can combat water by using a shaving oil instead of soaps or gels and drying the blade with a hairdryer or storing it in a cup of shaving oil or fairly pure alcohol.

You can combat edge flaking by making sure your beard is as moist and soft as possible and using cryogenic hardened blades.

Or just buy the mach III's from some guy on ebay who was following a truck when they fell off like I usually do.

 

[Sam]

Or just buy the mach III's from some guy on ebay who was following a truck when they fell off like I usually do.

 

[saluki9]

Here is what I do. I shave in the shower for several reasons. When I'm done shaving and showering I give the blade a spray with one of those daily shower sprays which stops calcification and keeps the blades sharp for about a month.

 

[73ss454]

I find that shaving less saves the blade. Now that I'm retired it's every 3rd day instead of every day. Just another great thing about ER.

 

[Khan]

I have used this one for years.

Sustainable Village - Products - Razor Saver

Razor Saver

Get up to 130 shaves from one razor blade in just a few seconds! Common and simple, but actually a razor blade represents some remarkable technology. Days of a strap and straight razor aren’t that far in the past. It’s a shame to have to throw them away so quickly. In fact, they’re only disposable because you can’t resharpen them. And now you can! Just insert a razor head and draw the old blade across the Razor Saver - it will be like new. Get 75-130 or more shaves from any regular or disposable razor blade, men’s or women’s, single or double. You’ll use 75% less razors each year. 5 3/4”L x 2 1/4”W. Imported. Item # Description Price EP7681 Razor Saver $12.00 Add to Cart

 

[TromboneAl]

I assume you've tried an electric shaver, and don't want to grow a beard.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I found that just giving it a good wipe on my towel after rinsing it clean let me go from 1 week to 2 or 3 weeks between blades. Used to just shake it dry.

 

[calmloki]

I find using a sawing motion while drawing the blade across my face manages to hack off most of the whiskers in weeks 2 & 3. Weeks 4 and 5 require a chopping action. Week 6 and beyond i claim i'm thinking about growing a beard, somewhere after that i find springing for a new blade is a real luxury that I'm willing to pay for.

 

[Martha]

I find using a sawing motion while drawing the blade across my face manages to hack off most of the whiskers in weeks 2 & 3. Weeks 4 and 5 require a chopping action. Week 6 and beyond i claim i'm thinking about growing a beard, somewhere after that i find springing for a new blade is a real luxury that I'm willing to pay for.

Until this post I had always thought you were a woman. Oops!

 

[calmloki]

Until this post I had always thought you were a woman. Oops!

The joys of the interweb. Relationship with my gal is happily heterosexual.

 

[Sam]

Until this post I had always thought you were a woman. Oops!

Me too. And Martha, I almost said the same thing (in reverse) when I saw your response in one of the recent "For men only..." thread.

 

[dex]

See if you can find an atra II - blades much less expensive.

 

[Martha]

Me too. And Martha, I almost said the same thing (in reverse) when I saw your response in one of the recent "For men only..." thread.

Sorry Sam, I thought I could sneak in my question with no one noticing. A little hard with a name like Martha. (no pun intended).

 

[BUM]

I just shake it dry.

Good plan.

 

[kcowan]

I soak it in Tilex. Makes the blade work better than new and keeps it going for about a month. I felt really cheap when I first tried this but became a convert when it improved the shave. I find Gillette Gel for sensitive skins works best too.

 

[travelover]

OK, now that we've solved that problem, anyone know how to squeeze out the last milligram of toothpaste from the tube?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Shopvac.

 

[TromboneAl]

OK, now that we've solved that problem, anyone know how to squeeze out the last milligram of toothpaste from the tube?

Cut open the tube -- seriously.

 

[Arif]

OK, now that we've solved that problem, anyone know how to squeeze out the last milligram of toothpaste from the tube?

Use baking soda and a little salt. My grandfather whose 80, has used it all his life with no cavities or missing teeth. I use it now and it also whitens teeth. Much less expensive than toothpaste and no sleep around the mouth in the morning.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Store under a pyramid?

 

[dex]

OK, now that we've solved that problem, anyone know how to squeeze out the last milligram of toothpaste from the tube?

Take the tube and run it over the edge of the sink for the end to the openning. The sharper the edge of the table/sink the better.

 

[mjarzoms]

For the last 2-3 years I have been buying my razor blades on Ebay. You can typically buy quantities of 25 - 100 at prices much lower than even warehouse type stores.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Make sure you do a google on 'counterfeit mach3' or similar...seems some cheap knockoffs are being packaged as mach3's/sensor excels/etc and sold as the real thing. The knockoffs arent THAT bad, and I've accidentally bought some. Some packaging details like how the box is glued, serial numbers on the plastic case, and sometimes the blades arent as straight or well formed.

Some web sites list the ebay seller names that often unload counterfeits. Some folks have even gotten them from certain amazon sellers.

Gillette is very interested in learning about who is selling these, fwiw.