When is a blade done?

What criteria do you use to determine when it is time to change out that tired & dull blade for a fresh, sharp blade?

I use Kai blades and change them after 4 shaves even though I can go a fifth and sometimes do if I lose count. However, if I feel the blade is losing its edge at all I change it immediately.

For me, when the blade starts tugging is the first sign. When the blade tugs during the shave, I end up with weepers and irritation.

I use Kai blades and change them after 4 shaves even though I can go a fifth and sometimes do if I lose count. However, if I feel the blade is losing its edge at all I change it immediately.

But what exactly lets you know that the blade is losing its edge? What feedback are you going off of?

For me, when the blade starts tugging is the first sign. When the blade tugs during the shave, I end up with weepers and irritation.

I hear that a lot, tugging. So does it really feel like your hair is being pulled out or is it more that you can just feel the stubble's resistance to being cut? The former is clear indication of needing a new blade, but the latter is just increased feedback which may or may not worsen the shave. That all depends on other qualities of the blade.

Depends whether it's a DE or SE blade Brian.

If a DE, when it shows the first sign of tugging. Go further with one and the risk is a cut or nick.

If SE, when they stop cutting whiskers efficiently I have one yet that has drawn blood when they are past their sharpest. Some last for 20 shaves and some go 30+ shaves. All comfortable shaves BTW. Because of the thicker material that these blades are made of they don't bite the same way a DE blade will, so the life can be extended safely. The blade I used today has 24 shaves on it and still cuts fine.

Edit: I should add that when I did my blade testing I refused to allow DE blades that wouldn't give me at least 7 shaves to proceed onto my approved list. But once in awhile I do get an approved blade that I have to can after 6 shaves or sooner. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. It's also no big deal. It's not as though a blade must give me 7 shaves anymore; after all, testing is finished.

Precisely the point I'm working towards Brian (ShadowsDad). I see so many people giving up on good blades, primarily SE blades, before they need to simply because they are using the same criteria to determine when its service is done. The blades have different qualities and thus should require a different set of criteria for determining the true end of a blade.

I use Kai blades and change them after 4 shaves even though I can go a fifth and sometimes do if I lose count. However, if I feel the blade is losing its edge at all I change it immediately.

But what exactly lets you know that the blade is losing its edge? What feedback are you going off of?

For me, when the blade starts tugging is the first sign.  When the blade tugs during the shave, I end up with weepers and irritation.

I hear that a lot, tugging. So does it really feel like your hair is being pulled out or is it more that you can just feel the stubble's resistance to being cut? The former is clear indication of needing a new blade, but the latter is just increased feedback which may or may not worsen the shave. That all depends on other qualities of the blade.

When I feel the blade tug most of the time it results in a weeper or nick during the shave. If use the same blade again it feels like the blade just drags against the skin and hair gets pulled a little while its getting a rough cut. Then there is the burning sensation that follows. When using the same setup but swapping out for a new blade of the same kind I will get a smooth irritation free shave (Feather's are the only exception).

I normally use GSB's and Personna Plats. I can get about 4-5 2 pass shaves before it starts tugging. Astras give me 1 good shave then start tugging the next. And Feathers are horrible the first use but i get really good shave on uses 2-4 before it gets worse again.

I use Kai blades and change them after 4 shaves even though I can go a fifth and sometimes do if I lose count. However, if I feel the blade is losing its edge at all I change it immediately.

But what exactly lets you know that the blade is losing its edge? What feedback are you going off of?

For me, when the blade starts tugging is the first sign.  When the blade tugs during the shave, I end up with weepers and irritation.

I hear that a lot, tugging. So does it really feel like your hair is being pulled out or is it more that you can just feel the stubble's resistance to being cut? The former is clear indication of needing a new blade, but the latter is just increased feedback which may or may not worsen the shave. That all depends on other qualities of the blade.

For me it is a tugging or just not as smooth of cutting action. Like I said though, I just change them after 4 or sometimes 5 shaves to avoid it. Kai cost a little more than other blades but still are relatively cheap enough to replace more often to prevent the possibility of a bad shave which my sensitive skin does not like at all. At a cost of 0.48 cents per blade it works out to 12 cents per shave, and I probably use about 6 blades per month which amounts to $2.88 cents per month for blades. Thus, tt's worth it to me to never have to experience a dull blade. And thinking about it more I probably only use 5 blades per month because I sometimes change after 5 shaves and I skip a day at least once a week and sometimes twice a week.

Precisely the point I'm working towards Brian (ShadowsDad). I see so many people giving up on good blades, primarily SE blades, before they need to simply because they are using the same criteria to determine when its service is done. The blades have different qualities and thus should require a different set of criteria for determining the true end of a blade.

I don't feel I am wasting my blades at all. I tested my first Kai and went 7 shaves, but the last couple were not as efficient as the first 5. Now I just change them after learning the hard way when it's time. If I'm doing 3 passes I change after 4, but the last month I have been doing 2 pass shaves which I am going to continue to do and thus I change them after 5 shaves. I used to try to stretch the blades out longer when I used Astra SP which are way cheaper even, and I experience too many weepers to continue messing with that. Ever since I switched to Kai blades and change them regularly I have had almost all perfect shaves. I credit excellent performing soaps to a lot of that too of course, of which B&M gets the most use.

With DE blades, no, you aren't wasting them. You are getting good value for your money. Read post #5 from ShadowsDad. With DEs you do need to change when tugging occurs because there isn't enough blade material to support a less than supremely keen edge. However, to use this same criterion to determine the death of a SE blade is where you can start crossing over into the blade wasting category.