Thread: Longevity Question

Is it possible to wear out a razor? With regular use, say shaving 3-4 times a week, How many years can a razor last?

On a long enough time line any item will eventually wear out. Yet, from what I have read, if you take care of your razor, even with regular use. The razor will probably outlast you.

There are a lot of razors that are still being used since the 1800's.
Not something an individual needs to worry about.
Perhaps an old time barber.... 10-15 shaves a day 6 days a week
50 years later ....

I've got 2 Wade&Butchers in rotation now-circa 1850 or so. Lots of shaves left too.

I would think the frequency and quality of the honing determines the longevity, not the shaving...

Originally Posted by BingoBango

I would think the frequency and quality of the honing determines the longevity, not the shaving...

BingoBango,

++++1 on that insight. IMHO it is the activities associated with maintaining the sharpness of the blade that create the greatest wear and tear on a str8 razor, esp. honing. It removes metal from the blade to restore its edge.

I was thinking that you only hone once or twice a year right? So you shouldnt be losing much metal each year. Its just hard to imagine something that was actually built to last.

Originally Posted by MadButcher

I was thinking that you only hone once or twice a year right? So you shouldnt be losing much metal each year. Its just hard to imagine something that was actually built to last.

MadButcher,

You're correct. Ideally you shouldn't hone a blade more than twice a year. From what I have seen on SRP during my brief time here, however, is that a lot of newbies will buy a hone and begin honing the dickens out of a blade to improve the closeness of their daily shaves from the get go. In short, they over-hone a blade.

If you concentrate on perfecting your stropping technique and minimize honing to 1-2 times a year, your razor will--as a previous post already notes--outlast you. True, it won't last forever. What does? But it will leave a memorable heirloom for your children and grandchildren.

MadButcher - Yeah, it's weird concept in such a throw-away world, isn't?

If a razor is properly maintained through out its life time, even honing would hardly take off anything. If the edge is good and just need to be touched up, all you need in a few passes on a barber hone.

But because many razors have wound up sitting around for years, restorers often have to reset the bevel, which removes a lot more metal. And like posted above, often times people new to honing over-hone their razors.

Properly maintained... I'd say we're talking about centuries of use, not decades.

Originally Posted by MadButcher

I was thinking that you only hone once or twice a year right? So you shouldnt be losing much metal each year. Its just hard to imagine something that was actually built to last.

That's the point - once or twice... why not three times if you have a tough beard? Or 4x because you rolled the edge with poor stropping technique? Honing doesn't remove an exact amount of metal: it will vary for each person who hones, how heavy their hand is, the grit or cutting speed of the hone, etc. And the frequency isn't clockwork.

IMO, the Baron gave you the correct answers to your original questions: "Yes" and "It depends." Poor maintenance, over honing, dropping or otherwise damaging the razor and the like will probably spell the demise of your razor much quicker than shaving will.