Cheap razor trick/stropping

[calmloki]

Taking a tip from Dave Ramsey (uses his razor blades for 6 months!), RIT who uses his blade(s) for some extended time, and my own thrrrrifty nature, I've been using my razor for a month or so without blade change. Have been drying the blade and storing it blade up. Recently found a new trick - push the blade up the back of your forearm a dozen times - seems to work. Here's a video showing the technique - haven't listened to it, but the demonstration is clear:

YouTube - How to Sharpen and Reuse Your Razor Blades for Years

 

[Major Tom]

This is brilliant - seems almost too good to be true, but I hope it works for me. The triple blades are the only ones that will give me a decent shave - double and single blades don't work very well. I think they have quadruple blades now too don't they?

Thanks for the tip and I'm definitely going to give it a shot.

 

[calmloki]

This is brilliant - seems almost too good to be true, but I hope it works for me. The triple blades are the only ones that will give me a decent shave - double and single blades don't work very well. I think they have quadruple blades now too don't they?

Thanks for the tip and I'm definitely going to give it a shot.

Yup - using a 4-blade razor here - that vibrates yet! Drop $45 on a pack of blades and it stings, but my face is furless.

YouTube - MADtv - Spishak Mach20

 

[ERD50]

Y Drop $45 on a pack of blades and it stings, but my face is furless.

$45 will just about buy you a nice DE safety razor and a lifetime supply of blades (well, not quite).

Found my records:

Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor
$36.59 each

Plus $7 for 30 blades - last me over a week @ 23 cents each, not going to go through any extra effort to stretch that. Cheaper when you buy 100.

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

Frank was just recently feeling aggravated about the high cost of razor blades. I told him about Dave Ramsey's trick but this information on sharpening should be useful as well. Thanks - - - I'll refer him to this thread.

 

[KB]

I've also heard that drying your razor blade on a towel or with a hair dryer makes it last much longer. On Clark Howard's show yesterday, he mentioned that towel drying his razor gives him 8 months of use each and that those who blow dry the razor get longer use.

 

[MasterBlaster]

$45 will just about buy you a nice DE safety razor and a lifetime supply of blades (well, not quite).

Found my records:

Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor
$36.59 each

Plus $7 for 30 blades - last me over a week @ 23 cents each, not going to go through any extra effort to stretch that. Cheaper when you buy 100.

-ERD50

I have gone old school also. I used an electric razor for decades. Since late January I have been shaving with traditional double-edged blades. I get em' on the internet for around 10 cents a blade. A blade lasts me a week or so. I think I have a 2-year supply now. And believe it or not you get a better/closer/comfortable shave than those $5 cartridges ever gave.

YouTube - Introduction To Single Blade Shaving (Pt. 1)

Some skill is involved here, When I started out I sliced my face a number of times before I got the hang of it.

But the payoff is fantastic. Double edge shaving contrary to what marketers at Gillette and Shick would have you believe gives the closest most comfortable shave you can believe. Multi-blade cartridge razors often cause ingrown hairs and other problems. DE shavers have often realized that their skin problems can be cured with DE the method of shaving.

There are a number of shaving forums that can give some great advice:

http://badgerandblade.com/http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/FAQ#What_is_wet_shaving.3F

 

[Texas Proud]

At least you named it right... it is not sharpening the blade, but stropping.. that is more polishing the blade... but I guess some might call that sharpening....

 

[calmloki]

Along with Cassius I have a lean and hungry look - lots of sharp corners that I've planed down in the past with single edge blades - my multi-blade cuts down to zero the amount of alum stick or TP scraps I use. Tried the shaving brush, lather cup, and blade - even several folding suicide special single edge and using a leather strop. Screw that. Mornings are not the time for me to take my life in hand and exercise care and practice. When in Japan many decades ago I sprang for a barbershop shave - fantasy thoughts of mystic samurai blades wielded by arcane practitioners filling my head. Bad plan. Hurt, hurt worse when liquid was applied afterward, hurt for days later as my face grew bumps and angry volcanoes and the Chief PO still thought I should shave.

 

[RonBoyd]

I remember those double edged demons. One time, I was in a hurry to make an early morning interview for a job. I rushed in the door and the receptionist looked up and a turned into someone in complete panic. She asked what had happened. I said I didn't know what she was talking about. She told me to go look in a mirror. I did... I had nicked myself on the neck while shaving and after putting on a tie, the shirt lay on the cut acting as a siphon. There was more blood than you can imagine. It looked like I had my neck slit with a machete -- my shirt and jacket was soaked.

I did not get the job.

 

[ERD50]

There was more blood than you can imagine. It looked like I had my neck slit with a machete -- my shirt and jacket was soaked.

I did not get the job.

But you got a great story out of it!

Seriously, I got a DE razor about a year ago, and I was so careful with it afraid I'd cut myself. I kept getting more and more aggressive as my confidence grew, and I swear I couldn't cut myself with it if I tried.

But the twist-and-turn head on it jambed up, so I got the Merkur which is a simple screw-off top, and that is a more aggressive design I guess, I nicked myself twice in the first month, but not since, and it doesn't really take much care to avoid nicks. At least IME.

-ERD50

 

[Khan]

Personal Care | Shaving Supplies | Disposable Razor Sharpener - Lehmans.com

 

[raysk]

After every shave I place my gillette mach III in a glass with olive oil.Blades don't really dull,they micro rust.I easily get 6 months out of a blade as well as a nice smooth face.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I heard of people putting the blades in mineral oil. I think olive oil may be easier to clean off?

I get 3 blade heads at the Naval Exchange, and they are pretty cheap compared to the Mach3 ones.

 

[TromboneAl]

In a similar vein, if you sand you car's wiper blades with very fine sand paper, you can get years of service from them.

 

[RonBoyd]

I heard of people putting the blades in mineral oil. I think olive oil may be easier to clean off?

Olive Oil will become rancid, Mineral Oil will not.
Mineral Oil evaborates (albeit slowly), Olive Oil does not.

My guess (and it is truly that) is they both are equally difficult to "clean off" -- but why would "completely clean" be necessary?

 

[BigNick]

I'm still using a 12-year-old, $50 Philips electric shaver. Amazingly, after all this time, the battery still holds enough charge for more than a week's shaving. Even with the clever blade recycling tips, I reckon I've spent far less on shaving in that time than I would have with regular razors. Of course, it's not the world's closest shave, but if I started trying to look sharp tomorrow, DW would probably start asking questions.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I tried the stropping on my arm and it works. I have an electric razor but its practically impossible to use in the summer due to heat and humidity issues.