Relation between beard toughness and how often you need to touch up

[loueedacat]

I've been straight razoring for a couple years now. I used to have to retouch my blades darn near every time I used them, probably because I was rolling my edge sometimes when I stropped them and didn't hone them well to begin with. But that's no longer the case, as I got competent at both honing and stropping, and switched from a four sided paddle with pastes to a hanging strop and real hones. However, I do go back more often than others seem to.

I was reflecting on that - I'm sure that will continue to be less the case to some extent as I continue to improve my honing and stropping, but basically I'm good enough at both.

But......I got into DE and ultimately straights because my beard is so strong I had to use a new Mach 3 cartridge after using one only twice - bascially two shaves on my beard was enough to mangle any cartridge. And less an issue with DE blades (because they aren't $2.50 per blade), but same phenomenon - I get two (maybe three on a blue moon) good shaves off even a feather and it's time for a new blade. That's not stropping or honing skill obviously.

Doesn't it follow that for those of us with beards that mangle cartridges and DE blades real fast, that we need to touch up our straights more often than those with light beards?

[hoglahoo]

Doesn't it follow that for those of us with beards that mangle cartridges and DE blades real fast, that we need to touch up our straights more often than those with light beards?

I think it follows, but I can't prove it

[ben.mid]

It makes perfect sense to me. The tougher your stubble, the rougher it will be on the blade. If that's the case, the condition of such a delicate edge as a razor will be affected in direct correlation. That's the way i see it anyway.

[detroyt]

I have the same issue my beard burns through steel like butter. What also doesn't help I'm sure is the acidity of the oils in my skin. Guns will rust from people touching them if they are not oiled but its a different story when I touch them, even my stainless 1911 oxidizes if I touch it.

[gurana]

Assuming all other factors are the same (razor, initial sharpness, stroping technique, shaving technique....) then all that's left is your beard and perhaps your skin that might be making the blade dull over use.

[loueedacat]

I have the same issue my beard burns through steel like butter. What also doesn't help I'm sure is the acidity of the oils in my skin. Guns will rust from people touching them if they are not oiled but its a different story when I touch them, even my stainless 1911 oxidizes if I touch it.

I'm sensing a superhero/supervillain "secret origin" story here.......

Oh whoops, my geek is showing.

[thebigspendur]

There are many factors affecting how long you can go between touchups. Your beard is just one of them.

[detroyt]

I'm sensing a superhero/supervillain "secret origin" story here.......

Oh whoops, my geek is showing.

Pffft I wish.