Blades: Remove after every shave?

I'm one that always let it ride and got up to 10 shaves from a blade but more an average of 6 or 7. All I did was rinse well and set aside to dry. Using the vintage and antique razors I've delved into I now tend to disassemble clean and dry with a pat of a towel, no wiping because I want to preserve the old razors condition the best I can. Don't think it effects blade longevity as I never really focused on or was concerned about that. Do what works for you I say !

I've always been one to rinse and leave it assembled for the three to four shaves I get out of a blade. Recently, I started loosening the head and leaving it that way to dry.

I'm not certain this is enough though. I use the Henson TI razor. For some reason they decided to go with a brass thread fitting a titanium razor. While I don't think the two metals have any volatility, brass is still a metal that will have problems if left wet.

It's kind of annoying, but that's just because I want to be lazy. I'm sure at some point soon I'll be posting that I completely disassemble and dry the whole thing. Lol. It's still the best razor I've ever used.

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My process is to remove the blade each time, rinse it and pat it dry. Park it on top of the blade bank and rotate the D12 die that keeps count of how many times I used it. I used to use a D20 for 20 shaves, but now I'm spoiled.


Note the ridges that simulate page edges. They make it easier to pick up the blade without a magnet and I like to think that they provide a bit of ventilation underneath the blade.

Nowadays, I'm using the Henson AL13 every second day, and one of 12 or so other DE or SE razors on the other days. If I only used one DE razor, or was travelling, I'd probably just rinse it, dry it, and leave it in the razor.
Of course any Shick Injector blades stay in for the duration.

The razor itself gets rinsed and briefly scrubbed with an old tooth brush and dried with a towel.
If it's a more complicated one like the Slim Adjustable, or QShave Futur clone I'll occasionally (once a month?) go at it with a G•U•M Proxabrush, one of the blue ones.


That gets in between the double-layer baseplate in the Slim, or through the ends of the lather slots in the QShave.

I believe even Feather recommends that you don't remove the blade, but rather to shake it dry.

Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Um... I'm pretty sure that hasn't been necessary since 1972 and the SX-70 camera. Once it pops out, leave it alone. The top layer is a non-permeable mylar film, so waving it around did nothing useful.
The earlier B&W prints had to be peeled apart after a minute of developing, allowed to dry a few minutes then you apply a sort of clear lacquer top-coat from the supplied applicator, and then you let that dry.

Great post John Rose    I love that blade bank. Both attractive and functional. Those cleaning tools are pretty cool too. I use a toothbrush and those little disposable brushes that look a lot like tiny versions of your tools. I find that even with daily disassembly, rinsing, toothbrushing and wiping, soap residue will still accumulate in the lather slots. The dental brushes deal with that effectively. I find that I don’t have to wipe my blades. It’s pretty dry where I live so a rinse under hot water then a flick from either end to remove most of the water and I place it on my shaving tray on a paper towel. The hot water rinse also does a decent job of removing the wax spots put on in manufacturing and the rinsing/wiping of the razor parts generally avoids any buildup of that wax.

Nice thread- I used to think I was OCD.
I guess I am just a shave nut.
Good to know I am not alone-there are a bunch of us out there I guess.

Break razor down
Rinse & 'toothbrush" soap residue off razor
Rinse & then dry blade & razor with micro-fiber cloth
Cork blade
Update dice
Store blade on wall magnet or dispose of blade
Qtip threads of razor handle
Wipe razor with 'razor or glasses ' cloth
Store razor with rubber gasket under topcap

Takes about 2 minutes




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Bouki's Ten-Step Daily Razor Maintenance Protocol

1. Loosen the cap and rinse the razor to flush out the last of the lather.
   
2. Break the razor down.
   
3. Dry each part with a soft towel.
   
4. Go over any tough spots with a mascara brush (great tool for cleaning out the lather chutes).
   
5. Pat down the blade.
   
6. Let it all dry on a soft, absorbent towel.
   
7. Put a dab of petroleum jelly on the threads (once a week).
   
8. Reassemble the razor and turn it on its short edge.
   
9. Admire the razor all afternoon while working at the computer.
   
10. Plot the next shave.
    

[snip]
Break razor down
Rinse & 'toothbrush" soap residue off razor
Rinse & then dry  blade & razor with micro-fiber cloth
Cork blade
Update dice
Store blade on wall magnet or dispose of blade
[snip

Do you mean to say that you cork blades after every use?
I'd only heard of corking a blade once, before the first use.
Do you use a real cork or a piece of styrofoam?

[snip]
Break razor down
Rinse & 'toothbrush" soap residue off razor
Rinse & then dry  blade & razor with micro-fiber cloth
Cork blade
Update dice
Store blade on wall magnet or dispose of blade
[snip

Do you mean to say that you cork blades after every use?
I'd only heard of corking a blade once, before the first use.
Do you use a real cork or a piece of styrofoam?

Johnny, I cork after every use with a real cork. My wife is a wine drinker and I grab the 'soft' corks. They last 3 years. I don't know if it does any good but it certainly dried and deburs the edges. I never use a blade more than 4x.

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I’m bumping this thread for some of the newer members. There’s a ton of good information in here on daily razor/ blade maintenance.

I need one of those Dices/Dies that keeps track till 12...I keep telling myself I will remember
but end up forgetting...so I have to rely on my skin to tell me if the blade stays or goes.