No, I'm not advocating a stiff drink before you shave.
This is still "tentative," as I've really only one data point to go by so far. That said, there has been mention that blades seem to last longer if quickly dried after use. Well, I've gotten nearly a month's use out of one blade, and only today did I feel "It's time for a new one."
The technique I've been using? I mentioned it in another topic a month or so back, but here it is again: I take a capful of 91% isopropyl (rubbing--get this strength) alcohol and suck it up with an ear syringe. I do my shaving and then, after rinsing the blade, shake off the water and then slowly dribble the alcohol from the syringe over the blade and blade head (over sink, of course), and then shake the alcohol off. The alcohol remaining evaporates almost at once and the blade is completely dry in a few seconds.
Two caveats:
1. Maybe I just got a very good blade in this batch, and the alcohol bath has no relation to its lengthy sharpness.
2. At the moment, I'm only shaving the beard, and letting the dome grow to buzz length, so the blade's life has been spent on less shaving than the full treatment of face and dome would provide over the same time. And my beard is not especially coarse or thick.
Anyway, I'm about to change blades and see if the "booze for blades" method works a second time.
