Would I be a Consumerist, Capitalist, Pig?

Would I be a consumerist, capitalist, pig with no regard for the environment if I only used my razor blades once?

I'm going to continue to use a straight razor most of the time, except for Saturdays. So a box of five will last me more than a month. I think I'd like to clean and polish my new DE properly after each shave, and, when it's dry, store it in a leather DE case when I get one (recommendations on a new, black or brown leather case that allows the razor to be taken apart (3 piece) for storage would be very appreciated). So I'll need to take the blade out anyway (I know some do all this and some just rinse the razor and leave the blade in). The blade will be sitting on a desk (wrapped up) for a week before it's used again. Is it worth re-using the blade given the above or, considering the cheapness of them and how often I'll use one) just use a new blade each week (each shave)?

I don't see it as much of a waste because I only use a blade once as well. My reason is that I have the type of beard that completely mangles DE and SE blades. If I tried to use one more than once i'd have some horrible razor burn and nicks.

I didn't know you were a consumerist, capitalist ..... :rofl2: Forgive the cheap shot .... couldn't resist. I usually used a DE blade at least 3 days, if not more, when I used them. A Feather actually may get a bit smoother with a use or two. IME.

Since blades are made of steel - a highly sought recyclable commodity - dropping a used razor blade in the recycle bin seems like a good thing.

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Originally Posted by tonycraigo

Since blades are made of steel - a highly sought recyclable commodity - dropping a used razor blade in the recycle bin seems like a good thing.

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Except that kind of thing if often hand sorted and DE blades will cut straight through leather work gloves with very little effort. If you want to throw them in the recycling please dull the edges.

I've done a bit of maintenance work in recycling facilities and they're also often staffed by disabled folk working for access programs. Please give them a thought before you throw sharps in the recycling.

Carl, you never really made it clear why you are determined to use a blade only once. I'm not a tree hugger, but I was also raised with the belief of waste-not-want-not. You should be able to get at least 3 good shaves from a DE blade, perhaps a few more depending on beard type, and if stored correctly they should not deteriorate during your off days.

Of course, it is up to you in the end.

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Carl, you never really made it clear why you are determined to use a blade only once. I'm not a tree hugger, but I was also raised with the belief of waste-not-want-not. You should be able to get at least 3 good shaves from a DE blade, perhaps a few more depending on beard type, and if stored correctly they should not deteriorate during your off days.

Of course, it is up to you in the end.

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With all that 'blade growth' we all know about perhaps after he unwraps them and shaves with them they grow larger than his razor can hold (lol... I get about 5 shaves out of my de blades, but my beard is pretty light).

Mick... in every recycling facility I've ever seen, big magnets rip the steel from the other stuff long before any human hands need be employed. Might be different here in the states, but recycling is big bidness and streamlined to enth degree. Our disabled folk work all over, but not often is any worker put in danger - those lucky enough to have work.

On a side note for those of us a little longer in the tooth: Remember those medicine cabinets with the slots in the back so you could drop those razor blades right into the wall to be forgotten? Used to see them all the time in Motels and even in our house in circa '60's Florida. Carl's post brought back that memory.

We wouldn't think about doing that now... at least I wouldn't.

I recycle 95% of what I use. I'd bet I could fit my landfill addition per month into a bread bag, but I recycle that too.

:D

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Carl, you never really made it clear why you are determined to use a blade only once. I'm not a tree hugger, but I was also raised with the belief of waste-not-want-not. You should be able to get at least 3 good shaves from a DE blade, perhaps a few more depending on beard type, and if stored correctly they should not deteriorate during your off days.

Of course, it is up to you in the end.

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No, I guess I didn't, I just ranted for a bit...
It seems to me that by the time I take out the blade (so I can clean and polish the razor properly), and dry it, and wrap it, and put it somewhere for a week after being used, it would degrade a little. But actually, now I think of it, I guess it's not that much of a hassle...

I have 3 plastic drawers on a small wooden shelf in our bathroom. Top little drawer is full of the different blades, second is the different razors and third is odds and ends of shaving, such as extra soap, an extra brush, a couple of SE razors, stick.... etc. In that drawer I keep a fine width magic marker and after I shave take out the blade, pat it dry and put a single | on it denoting I used it, || would mean 2 and ||| means 3 and so forth. Then I wrap the blade back up in the wrapper and merely store it in that drawer. The razor used is wiped on the outside and leans up againt my wife's fingernail(etc) box sitting on top of the 3-drawer set, and it sits on a folded wash cloth and stay there until next morning,when I put it away. It lets the water drain and dry from the razor before I put it back in the drawer. Quick wipes with the hand towel to make sure all things are bright and shiny and then back in the drawer it goes. The marks on the blade just let me know how many times I've used it if I want to use different blades and different razors during the week. I can always see how many times this blade, or that blades, has been used.

I've got some used blades that are "in the can" than I'm dulling the edges on so I can mark on them the razor's date code and put that dulled dry blade into the corresponding razor and put it back in the drawer. I don't keep sharp blades in the razors, only the ones with the date code eg Y-2 1953 2nd, written on them. Keeps a collection of razors available for seeing what year and so on they are without having to look it up every time.

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

No, I guess I didn't, I just ranted for a bit...
It seems to me that by the time I take out the blade (so I can clean and polish the razor properly), and dry it, and wrap it, and put it somewhere for a week after being used, it would degrade a little. But actually, now I think of it, I guess it's not that much of a hassle...

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You clean and polish the razor after every use? Do you do that with your car also?-just kidding.

I use a DE on and off and I expect to get 3 shaves from the blade. With me it's more an issue of remembering how many times I used it. I only thoroughly clean a DE maybe every 6 months or so.

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Originally Posted by tonycraigo

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Mick... in every recycling facility I've ever seen, big magnets rip the steel from the other stuff long before any human hands need be employed. Might be different here in the states, but recycling is big bidness and streamlined to enth degree. Our disabled folk work all over, but not often is any worker put in danger - those lucky enough to have work.
...

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Here it's a lot smaller. The expense of installing large electromagnets is too much for a town of under ten thousand so they hand sort things moving along conveyor belts, often that's conveyor belt singluar.

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Originally Posted by MickRussell

Here it's a lot smaller. The expense of installing large electromagnets is too much for a town of under ten thousand so they hand sort things moving along conveyor belts, often that's conveyor belt singluar.

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I understand, Mick... thanks for getting us up to speed...

Things here are very different. I get really mad when one of my guys drops a hunk of steel into the paper bin... I make them dig it out and drop it in the right bin!

I hope you keep your guys in check too, Mick... when they see me coming spitting fire they know they've done a bad thing...

:D

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You clean and polish the razor after every use? Do you do that with your car also?-just kidding.

I use a DE on and off and I expect to get 3 shaves from the blade. With me it's more an issue of remembering how many times I used it. I only thoroughly clean a DE maybe every 6 months or so.

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Generally, I don't wash, my car, I let the rain do that. But I hate my car, I LOVE mr razors... :-)
Remembering how many times one's used it is the key I think...

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Originally Posted by Gibbs

...In that drawer I keep a fine width magic marker and after I shave take out the blade, pat it dry and put a single | on it denoting I used it, || would mean 2 and ||| means 3 and so forth. Then I wrap the blade back up in the wrapper and merely store it in that drawer...

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That sounds very organised, but one would expect no less from a special agent. I did consider writing on the paper wrapper, I might do that and keep the used blades in a plastic container or a matchbox. I guess razor blades don't degrade over time as much as straights, do they? I was mistakenly thinking of them in the same manner... :-)

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Originally Posted by tonycraigo

I understand, Mick... thanks for getting us up to speed...

Things here are very different. I get really mad when one of my guys drops a hunk of steel into the paper bin... I make them dig it out and drop it in the right bin!

I hope you keep your guys in check too, Mick... when they see me coming spitting fire they know they've done a bad thing...

:D

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I'm widely regarded as a cranky expletive if that's what you mean. lol

On the fire ground I always tell my crew that I have I over-riding rule: everyone goes home alive. Try to break my rule and I get very cranky.

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I guess razor blades don't degrade over time as much as straights, do they? I was mistakenly thinking of them in the same manner... :-)

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"Most" razor blades should not degrade in a few days. There are exceptions, though, just like straights. A straight razor Ice Tempered, Stainless responds a bit differently to not only honing, but the lenghts of time of degredation. As the majoity of the razor blades are stainless, they, if dry, should be pretty good for a while. Old vintage or the Treet non-stainless blades can be a different story. High carbon DE blades will degrade a lot quicker than those that are stainless.

I would try the blade, and see if it works for you a second time. If it does, great. If not, blades are cheap, and use very little material, far less than if you used a disposable cartridge, certainly

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Originally Posted by Sargon

I would try the blade, and see if it works for you a second time. If it does, great. If not, blades are cheap, and use very little material, far less than if you used a disposable cartridge, certainly

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Hi, it's ages since I posted that post, but since you took the time to reply to it I thought I should take the time to reply to your reply! I'm using each blade twice, it's no hassle and it's easy to see how many times I've used it (i.e. if the packet is opened I've used it once!). Then I throw it away. I take the blades out the razor and put them back in both the wax paper and the outer wrapper, plus the box (after drying them).