Thread: How many shaves?

I have 7 in rotation. Each one goes about 11 months between hones.

A lot, if maintained properly.
I use different strops, with different draws, and linen.
I have a large rotation (130 +) and still growing, some of which were honed 3 years ago and haven't been on a stone since. I pick my razor for the day out of random choosing, but my earlier acquisitions have quite a few shaves on them, and have only seen leather since their initial honing. The only time I've taken one to the rocks, is trying different finishing stones.

Originally Posted by Marshal

I enjoy honing, even if just for the sake of it. So it's pretty rare that my razors get to the point where they need a touch up. The longest I've gone without honing a blade is a month of stropping on linen/leather and shaving with just that one blade. And it was still fine, I just broke down and honed it out of boredom. So they can go quite a while if you care for them right.

Yes, that is my issue as well. I enjoy fiddling around with hones so I have no idea how long a razor will go without me having to touch it up or hone it. I started an experiment so see if I can use just one razor, an Iwasaki that I got recently, until it actually needs to go on a stone.

Some of mine seem to last years, I touch them up with a CrOx when they start to need it. I have never done a shave # count so I'm not sure on actual numbers

I keep track of my shaves and after 2 -3 shaves I use CrOx to touch it up and then after 5 - 6 shaves I touch it up on my finishing stones. I like to keep the edges very sharp and I have some tough stubble. I am also a 4 pass shaver. I probably touch my razors sooner than needed but I don't want to have one pull or give me irritation.

For DE blades it is two shaves and done.

I have a number of razors, but I generally only shave with one. Most of my facial hair is very coarse, so even with a shower and a good soaking, it still takes its toll on the edge. I have a few fine hairs below my bottom lip, and I can tell my edge is going when it fails to cut these hairs. That's usually about 15-20 shaves. I've started stropping with CrOx every few shaves to try to extend the time between touch ups on the hone. I haven't been doing it enough to notice a difference yet.

Originally Posted by dan656

Yes, that is my issue as well. I enjoy fiddling around with hones so I have no idea how long a razor will go without me having to touch it up or hone it. I started an experiment so see if I can use just one razor, an Iwasaki that I got recently, until it actually needs to go on a stone.

I kind of tried that. Mostly I was checking to see how good my stopping had become. After a solid month without touching a stone, and 6 total using only that razor and the Norton 4/8 I needed to hone something. Even if it was just to justify the money spent on hones!

My current experiment is just different razors on different finishers. It's getting hard to remember what rock was used on which razor though! And I have new rocks inbound, so I may need to expand the razor collection a smidge...

I did the shave till it dies once. Only used linen and leather.

Got four months out of it but it was a bit on the rough side the last week or so.

About three or four. After that I can feel the need to go to the linen and leather. When linen and leather don't keep up the edge then it is to the 8000 stone.

Yeah! Whoope, giddy up. Just love that perspective. You done made me feel happy about my stoning. It seems to me that honing SR's is an on going experimentation.