Thread: Which edge?

I don't worry about how many on each edge, etc. I usually have 7 or 8 types of DE blade in use at once, since I am in a testing phase. When I'm done with a shave, I dry the blade off, put it back in it's wrapper with a little dot from a permanent marker on that wrapper to indicate number of shaves on a blade.
I toss a blade when I can no longer get a clean, close, smooth shave from it. I have been averaging between 4 and 6 two pass shaves with touch up per blade.

I don't follow any pattern of use. I use both edges randomly and toss the blade after three shaves. Using straights, primarily, one blade will last quite a while. DE blades are relatively cheap so I never try to push it.

When I used to DE shave, I would use one side for 1/4 of my face and then the other side for the next 1/4, rinse and repeat for the other half of my face. I would shave every other day, and discard after a week's use (either Sat or Sun). I could probably get two weeks out of the blades (Lord), but it was easier to just replace on a schedule.

I usually do a pass with one side and the next pass with the other or if the razor really gets loaded with soap lather, I might switch sides before then. Lately, I tried turning the blade over after a couple of days, and I also tried rotating the blade, wanting to see if the numbering on the blade (1-4) was of much use and really made any difference. Flipping the blade did make a little difference, but I use yellow 7 o'clocks and get about five good shaves in my Merkur slant per blade either way. Of course, YMMV.