Prolonging the life of a razor blade - page 1 -

• Prolonging the life of a razor blade by Tyler on 05 Nov, 2006 14:56
• Do any of you have any tricks or tips on making a blade last longer?  I've seen different solutions that are supposed to keep a blade lasting longer as well as other tools that get the gunk out of in between the blades.  Has anyone used these products before?
• #1 by happyharry on 06 Nov, 2006 03:48
• Hm, not sure how one would prolong a blade's life. It's not just the obvious and visible gunk you'd have to remove. There's also a fine layer/coat from the shaving cream (and the dead skin cells and other stuff, perhaps) that sticks to the blades. You can see it after you thoroughly wash/clean a blade after shaving - the blade just doesn't look as shiny as before, and you notice that it looks rather matte than shiny now.
  
  Perhaps a fine brush (an old tooth brush, maybe) would help to better clean the blades after the shave. But it's always a good idea to perhaps treat the blades with alcohol or some other antiseptic after the shave. You don't want to have any bacteria or other stuff sticking on your blades and then re-use them, cutting yourself and getting any local infections.
  
  Anyway, not sure if this is considered a serious method of prolonging a blade's life, but here's what I do after a shave: I hold the blade under warm water and then, with my thumb, I create a fast jet of water and treat the blade with it. It's quite clean after that (and I'm quite wet), and then I just blow inside and in between the blades to remove any excess moisture/water. And once I'm satisfied that it's dry I put it away.
• #2 by CarlosMIS on 06 Nov, 2006 18:26
• I'm not sure if it helps but I always use a toothbrush to clean the blades, sometimes with antibacterial hand soap.
   
• #3 by Noner on 08 Dec, 2006 14:45
• I just read a marketing study about gillette.
  
  Without giving away the sales numbers, basically they want the razors to last for a short time becuase they want you to keep buying more. Its basically customer retention.
• #4 by Noner on 08 Dec, 2006 14:51
• I have to invent a new razor with a blade that lasts 3 months!
  
  I'll call it "The Razor that last for 3 months!"
  
  We'll have a whole product line!
  
  "The Razor that last for 3 months! Shaving Cream"
  "The Razor that last for 3 months! Mosturizer"
  "The Razor that last for 3 months! Aftershave"
• #5 by Tyler on 08 Dec, 2006 14:56
• Quote from: Noner on 08 Dec, 2006 14:45

  I just read a marketing study about gillette.
  
  Without giving away the sales numbers, basically they want the razors to last for a short time becuase they want you to keep buying more. Its basically customer retention.
  

  
  The term for this is "functional obsolescence."  This can also mean when a company creates a new product line that has upgrades that supercede the previous product line for close to the price.
  
  Tyler's marketing lesson of the day   
  
  I just realized that I do remember something from college 
• #6 by PigPen on 08 Dec, 2006 15:07
• I can't remember much from college except Beer 101
• #7 by Noner on 08 Dec, 2006 15:54
• Quote from: CarlosMIS on 06 Nov, 2006 18:26

  I'm not sure if it helps but I always use a toothbrush to clean the blades, sometimes with antibacterial hand soap.
   
  

  
  I'll have to try that. But I have girly soap so my razon might smell like flowers or berries.
• #8 by Medic aka Rocko on 08 Dec, 2006 21:10
• There is a system out there called RazorMax.  Here's their website:
  
  http://www.razormax.com/
  
  I bought the system quite a while back.  I'm not totally convinced, I really didn't notice much improvement in blade life.  The oil does seem to help clean out the blade, as there is quite a bit of debris in it after a couple weeks.
  
  I substituted plain mineral oil, when I ran out of their oil.
  
  The concept makes sense, I still keep my Fusion in it but not my HeadBlade.
• #9 by Tyler on 08 Dec, 2006 23:52
• Thanks for the info Medic!  I think your new pic is sweet!
• #10 by PBurke on 09 Dec, 2006 07:36
• the best way i have found to prolong a razor is to keep the wife's hands off of it. haha. can i get a second on that one?!
• #11 by Robmeister on 09 Dec, 2006 07:36
• Quote from: Tyler on 08 Dec, 2006 14:56

  The term for this is "functional obsolescence."

  
  I think I came down with that IN college....I seem to recall a SEVERE burning while urinating.
• #12 by Robmeister on 09 Dec, 2006 07:40
• Quote from: pburke on 09 Dec, 2006 07:36

  can i get a second on that one?!
  

  
  Oh, yeah....but I think you'll agree....more technically, it's keeping her LEGS off of it 
• #13 by PBurke on 09 Dec, 2006 07:43
• yep! but i do prefer smooth legs on the little lady. so if i have to offer a sacrificial blade until she gets more it is worth it.
• #14 by Medic aka Rocko on 09 Dec, 2006 09:55
• Quote from: Tyler on 08 Dec, 2006 23:52

  Thanks for the info Medic!  I think your new pic is sweet!
  

  
  Thanks!  One more thing.  Any blade you soak in the oil, it will cause the lube strip to swell up.  The strip on the atra blades will come off, the Fusion strip will lose its green color after a day or two.  Not really a problem with the fusion but I didn't like the atra without the strip, I think it changed the angle of the cartridge.