How Long Do Safety Razor Blades Last?

Photo by luckyraccoon on Depositphotos

Human hair is incredibly strong and can be compared to copper wires. Cutting coarse and thick hair can cause blades to dull faster. This brings up a crucial question: how long do safety razor blades last, and how much will you regularly spend on them? If you're considering that nice, fancy safety razor at the shopping counter, this is what you really want to know.

On the average, men will spend around five¹ months of their lives shaving. Other estimates also show that a man will shave at least 20,000 times in his lifetime.

Now that’s a large amount of time to spend in front of the mirror every morning. And if you’re like every other American man who uses a cartridge razor, that’s also the minimum number of replacement cartridge blades you will have to buy.

Too much? Yeah, I think so too.

• Shifting to Safety Razors
• Factors That Decide the Longevity of Safety Razor Blades
• How Long Do Safety Razor Blades Last?
• Useful Tips to Make Safety Razor Blades Last Longer
• So Will One be Able to Save More by Shifting to a Safety Razor?
• The Best Bang for Your Buck

Shifting to Safety Razors 

Switching to safety razors can potentially save you money and provide a lasting shave.
Photo by IgorVetushko on Depositphotos

In fact, the high frequency of cartridge blade replacement is what makes most men begin thinking of ditching their cartridge razors for safety razors. Cartridge razor blades, because of their disposable nature, tend to dull easily. Why do you think that razor companies always recommend changing your cartridges every three weeks?

Safety razors, however, are made from medical grade stainless or carbon steel. This makes the blade very sharp. It doesn’t easily become dull from repeated shaving.

But how can you know if switching to safety razors might actually save you money? Keep reading to find out the answer and even get some useful tips on how to make these units last for a longer time.

Factors That Decide the Longevity of Safety Razor Blades

A lot of factors come into play in the care and maintenance of safety razor blades. These are:

• Blade Thickness and Finish
  
  Not all blades are the same. While safety razor blades are generally made from stainless steel alloy, each manufacturing company has its own formulation. Shaving razor enthusiasts often cite Swedish Steel² as among the top quality metals used for razor; in general, European-made razor blades are of high quality.
  
  Other than metallurgy, the grinding and coating of the blade will also significantly impact the longevity and durability of the safety razor blade. There are various techniques on how to grind and coat the blade, and these are all patented. Understanding these will give you an insight into their longevity.
  
  
• Shaving Surface Area
  
  The amount of facial hair that one needs to shave off is also a significant factor. Some people might have a thick beard on their chin and cheeks, and very little hair on the neck, while the others might only have hair on their chin or above the lip.
  
  In most cases, the more area you need to shave, the higher the frequency of your trips to the store to buy new blades.
  
  
• Hair Follicle Thickness and Coarseness
  
  It might surprise you to know that human hair is very strong and can be compared to copper wires. Cutting coarse and thick hair might cause the blade to dull faster than cutting fine and thin facial hair.
  
  
• Against Versus With the Grain
  
  How you shave can also affect the sharpness of the safety razor blade. For beginners, I always recommend shaving with the grain on their first pass.
  
  Shaving against the grain regularly wears out the blades more quickly. Even those who have long been shaving with traditional razors know that one should only shave against the grain on the second and third pass.
  
  
• Blade Maintenance and Storage
  
  Just like any other product made of stainless steel, the combination of salt from the skin and moisture from the humidity in the air can corrode safety razor blades. This process is called oxidation; when razor blades undergo this process, the metal can flake off, causing blades to be jagged and blunt.
  
  Storing the blades in the right place and maintaining these properly will help extend the lifespan of the blades.
  
  
• Shaving Frequency
  
  This one is quite obvious. If you shave your beard on a daily basis, the blades are certainly going to dull much quicker than when you shave every 2 or 3 days.
  
  However, this does not mean that you can use the safety razor blades for weeks if your shaving frequency is only once a week. The reason for this is that there is a “time limit” on safety razor blade use due to the impact of oxidation.

How Long Do Safety Razor Blades Last?

On average, you should and can expect to change safety blade razors every week. That’s approximately every five to six shaves, plus or minus a few.

That’s assuming that you are making three passes in every shaving session: with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain.

Of course, the exact number can vary among men since it depends on a lot of other factors that we mentioned earlier.

If one is an experienced wet shaver, one can extend the longevity of his razor blade beyond six shaves. However, we do not recommend a beginner to go this long, even when the blades are still in good condition.

This is because using a dull blade will it make it difficult for a beginner to learn the basic techniques in shaving such as applying pressure while making a pass.

Useful Tips to Make Safety Razor Blades Last Longer

There are several methods that one can use to extend the lifespan of the safety razor blades. These can extend the life of your blades up to one week.

• Dry the Blades
  
  After washing the razor after every use, always make sure to dry the unit with a towel or a blow dryer. Any moisture that remains on the blade will oxidize the metal, causing it to flake off and become blunt.
  
  
• Blue Jeans
  
  As an alternative method of drying, one can run the safety razor blade against an old pair of blue jeans after every use. It has the added benefit of sharpening the blade.
  
  
• Coat the Razors
  
  Soak the razor in a vial or cup filled with substances like mineral or baby oil, grapeseed oil, barbicide or even vinegar. The liquid will protect the blade from exposure to the humidity and moisture in the air.
  
  
• Storage Place
  
  The last thing one can do to extend the blades' lifespan is to store the razors in the proper place.
  
  The bathroom—which is the most humid room in the house—is not an ideal place to store razors. Rather, safety razors should be kept in resealable bags and placed inside a closed cabinet or drawer.
  
  Or you can simply keep your blades in a dry area in your house.

So Will One be Able to Save More by Shifting to a Safety Razor?

Yes, definitely.

Sure, the upfront costs of the safety razor are expensive than the usual disposable or cartridge razor. But the durability of the unit is far more reliable than your usual plastic disposable or cartridge. It’s guaranteed to last a lifetime.

When it comes to the lifespan of its blades, it is often shorter than both electric and cartridge razors. This means you will have to buy blades more often than not.

But safety razor blades are cheaper than cartridge razors nowadays. Even more convenient is that safety razor blades all come in one industry standard specification. This means you can easily shop around different razor blade brands for even lower prices.

The Best Bang for Your Buck

The Gaswain Olive Wood Safety Razor Kit is a premium investment that offers exceptional long-term value and a complete shaving solution.

Safety razors, by far, have the best value for money spent. Sure, it’s expensive as most luxury razors go, but it is cheaper in the long run. Think of it as an investment; you can never go wrong in buying something that can become a valuable heirloom that you can pass down your family.

At Naked Armor, our Gaswain Olive Wood Safety Razor Kit offers everything you need for a perfect shave at home. The kit includes a beautifully crafted safety razor with a natural olive wood handle and a zinc-aluminum alloy head. Accompanied by a synthetic olive wood shaving brush, organic shave soap, a stainless steel bowl, and a razor stand, this kit ensures a close and comfortable shave every time.

Why not treat yourself to the Gaswain Olive Wood Safety Razor Kit today?

Essential Naked Armor Reads

Safety Razor vs Straight Razor
The Best Safety Razor for Beginners: Buyer’s Guide
The Ultimate Guide to Learning How to Use a Safety Razor

References

1. chrisdavid95. (2015, October 19). Shaving Statistics. Chris David Product Design. https://chrisdavid95.wordpress.com/2015/10/19/shaving-statistics/
2. RagingRazor.(2009, November 10). Whats so special about Swedish steel? Badger & Blade. https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/whats-so-special-about-swedish-steel.116779/