Posted on 10/06/2011 10:55:04 AM PDT by econjack
Several months ago a post got sidetracked and several posters started talking about why razor blades eventually dull. While many of us thought it was just a dulling from shaving, one person suggested that the primary reason for dulling was microscopic pitting caused by rust. That started me wondering...
On August 6th, I started drying my razor with a hair dryer after shaving. While I don't have a real heavy beard, I do have to shave daily...something I've been doing for over 50 years. I've been using the Gillet Fusion blades (you know, the ones with the five little cutting edges). Typically, I could get at least three weeks out of one blades, which is pretty good, especially when the blades cost about $3 each.
The hair dryer is always plugged in and sit near the sink, and it only takes about 20 seconds to really dry the razor. Today marks two months since I started using this blade and it still gives a clean shave with no uncomfortable drag. I was just wondering if anyone else experimented, too.
I thought about a small container of alcohol to sit the razor in... that might work too.
Yes, oxidation is a major cause of dulling an edge. After I sharpen my broadheads, I place them in jars and vacuum seal the jars. I see no reason why this wouldn’t apply to razor blades as well.
It’s more than just corrosion, it’s also layers of shaving cream/soap, hard water deposits and other things.
But, you have done a little experiment, and got the results you expected - now if there were some way to do this ‘automatically’, would there be a market for it?
A little plug-in razor dryer - would it sell?
Shaving off your beard?
Buying girlfriends their food?
What kind of man are you!?
All joking aside I’ll give this tip a try next time I’m out of country and only have a limited supply of razors that need to last. Thanks.
I use an old German straight razor to work that down to something that disposable razors can handle.
And then I generally go through a bag of them.
To shave one time.
My beard is like re-bar.
So I don't shave, mostly.
I save lots of money on razors that way.
Besides, it alarms the neighbors and scares the children when I appear unshaved.
/johnny
I have to try this. I generally swap blades out once a week.
I’m retired and, even though Congress voted themselves a huge “cost of living” pay increase, for some reason the costs of living for retired people haven’t gone up. End result: Congress hasn’t given me a pay increase in over two and a half years. Funny...I though price increases were age-independent. Guess not.
Posted: 12:00 a.m. Friday, Aug. 31, 2007
Drying your razor blades extends shelf life
In February 2006, a gentleman called the show and spoke about using the same razor for a year. He revealed that blades don’t degrade from shaving, but rather they corrode from the moisture that collects on them once you’re done shaving.
He went on to explain his ritual of using a blow dryer to dry his razor after use. His call prompted others to speak up and share their tricks and tips for maximizing a razor’s life.
Clark got inspired by the whole discussion (and the expense of shaving blades!) and decided to take a single 17-cent razor and make it last for one year.
He didn’t dry his razor with a hair dryer, but instead took the lazy man’s approach of just blotting it dry on a towel. It lasted for a whole year and he was very pleased to not have to throw money away on blades anymore.
Recently Clark got a letter from another man who heard the on-air talk about drying your razor and invented a device to do it easily. His invention — the Razor Pro — has been sold on QVC and through a drugstore chain.
The Razor Pro looks like a battery-operated pencil sharpener and dries your razor in two minutes. Clark’s executive producer, Christa, thinks it can double really nicely as a fingernail polish dryer for girls.
Check it out if you’re looking for a way to cut down on one of those smaller expenses that really adds up over time.
I need to stop this practice because my insurer seems to be a little miffed that while I do get a good "shave" I'm also blinded for a few seconds when I do this and I keep running in to stuff.....
Spoken like someone who doesn't spend $20 a pop for 5 blades. And, no, I'm not interested in the Bic disposables that come in a bag of 100 for $5.00.
I dry my razors with an electric hair dryer while taking a bath. Works like charm.
RazorPro is a revolutionary new product that significantly extends the life of your razors by slowing down the process of moisture and corrosion which are the leading cause of blade fatigue. Razor Pro is not a gimmick. Razor Pro has been proven and tested. Razor Pro is real.
Dec, 2009, I sorta fell off a mountain during a blizzard and wound up in an ICU for 2 weeks.
At that time, my profession was mountain man, so I had the obligatory beard.
That was a problem for the hospital staff. In the way of tubes and masks, etc...
So finally, they shaved me.
Lots of cussing, and many disposable razors later, I was bleeding like a pig, and I looked like a bad wanted poster.
I told 'em just to cut it back with sissors. But no, they had to 'clean me up'.
/johnny
I’ve noticed that sometimes I’ll get a blade that will last for 3 months and others that will last for a couple weeks. The average for me is maybe 6 weeks with daily use. Maybe 10% in a bag are at one extreme or the other. I don’t think you can conclude much from an N-value of 1 sample.
I put a drop of mineral (baby) oil on the blade for the same reason.
I wasn’t aware of these products, but it can be purchased for $19.95. See:
For 20 seconds, I think I’ll just use my hair dryer.
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