Thread: 24-48 Hour Blade "Rest"

Gentlemen, I understand that a razor's edge microscopically "fans out" (for lack of a better term) after use which is why it needs to be whetted by a strop. Please confirrm or dispell the notion that a razor should not be used or stropped for a period of 24-48 hours after use to allow the blade to realign itself naturally. If the blade is stropped prematurely within that time frame, I've read that the edge can break off. Do I go out and buy another str8 to let the other "rest" and let the blade realign naturally?

Do most of you guys alternate between razors. I know it's advantagous since the less a blade is used, the more time can elapse between honing or paste stropping.

Thanks in advance.

-Rob

This is a topic that fits in the "beat a dead horse category" because its been discussed so often. Many do believe a razor should be rested at least a day between use and the part about the edge growing has been cited but I think that most here (including myself) have shaved with the same razor day after day without rest and it makes no difference in shave quality or period between honing.

I think you'll find that most here own many many razors and alternate each day anyway. I think most would agree that you should own at least 2 or 3 razors at a minimum if you shave every day in case one is damaged or just quits shaving on you and you need that shave and don't have the time to start honing it.

Besides, if you hang around here too much the afflication will infect you and you too will start to buy razors and shaving paraphanelia until its out of control.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Besides, if you hang around here too much the afflication will infect you and you too will start to buy razors and shaving paraphanelia until its out of control.

Geeze, You said it here. ADDICTING! I have been using a straight for about 2-3 months and I have about $600 into it so far. That is including x-mas. Good thing I just got a minor pay raise....

Gents,

It's called RAD: Razor Acquisition Disorder
SCAD: Shaving Cream Acquisition Disorder
SAD: Soap Acquisition Disorder
FAD: FragranceAcquisition Disorder

From here, fill in your own blanks!

Randy

When I was too young to consider shaving, my barber told me that he couldn't shave with the same blade twice in the same day. I still believe him and have, over the last six months, come to feel that the traditions are mostly dead on even though we don't always know quite why. One blade shaving one man per day is enough, but it is the minimum.

X

My philosophy is that a person needs 3 razors per shave.
A 3/8 or 4/8 for the tight spots like under the nose and arround the lip's.
A 5/8 for the cheeks.
A 6/8 or larger for the really tough whiskers.

Accumulating the necessary diversity of Str8 razors does take some time and having them all balanced is required. Thus I now have approximately a 100 days supply!

I do believe a razor needs to rest

I can confirm for you that a razor can be used every day without rest. It needs to be stropped correctly between shaves though. I would recommend linen first just incase the blade is truely misaligned poorly. Its true on an entertainment level that you will enjoy multiple razors. But you don't really need them. I used to believe these wives tales, and microscopically they may be true, but I find that with proper stropping the blade actually gets more and more smooth with each shave until dull. I grew a goatee 10 days ago and shaved with the same razor for the last 10 days in a row, just this morning I obliterated the goatee with the same razor and without using any scissors. My chin is as smooth as a baby's butt.

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Gents,

It's called RAD: Razor Acquisition Disorder
SCAD: Shaving Cream Acquisition Disorder
SAD: Soap Acquisition Disorder
FAD: FragranceAcquisition Disorder

From here, fill in your own blanks!

Randy

Good one Randy!