Gillette on CBS Sunday Morning

[Gib Curry]

Anyone else happen to catch the piece Sunday Morning did on razors?

It’s on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonAJnD-CC8

A few interesting points I took from it….

Gillette research says the “average” shave is between 20 and 750 strokes. I’ve counted — around 75 strokes for me.

Near the end the show Clark Howard, a consumer expert. He says, the shaving experience is already so good that any improvements made are marginal at best.

Interestingly, to me, he has used the same “disposable” razor for 15 months…..

He says it’s not shaving that dulls a razor, it’s moisture. So he shakes the water off the razor then he “strops” it backwards on a towel.

~~~~

Flashback…. I recall in elementary school watching a television program with my Dad about planned obsolescence. Gillette was the prime example. They showed the current Gillette razor on the market. Then, they showed a mock-up of a new razor.

The commentator asked when that would be available. The Gillette rep said 5 years. They had three models in between.

Why can’t we have the best razor now? To maximize profits from the product creative cycle, of course.

My Dad was livid about the manipulation and tried to switch to Schick but liked the Gillette shave better!

~~~~
For Now,

Gib

Φ

"Everyday edge for the bevel headed"

"Things work out best for those who make the best out of the way things work out."

[Mikedoh]

Quote : He says it’s not shaving that dulls a razor, it’s moisture. So he shakes the water off the razor then he “strops” it backwards on a towel.

Looks more like he is going side ways with the razor to dry it.

[tcmeyer]

Interesting… I heard Paul Harvey say once (maybe 10-15 years ago) that razors were dulled by corrosion caused by moisture rather than by actual use. Back then he recommended blow-drying your razor blades. That wasn’t going to happen with me – not enough patience. But as soon as titanium blades came out, I switched to them. Sure enough, a four-bladed titanium blade lasts me 3-4 months.

A while back, I disassembled several disposable razors so I could take micro photos of their edge profiles. Each of the used blade assemblies was packed with skin cells and hair particles. Easy to see how corroding moisture would be held for hours after a shave.

Another experience I had also supports the corrosion theory. I have a self-made hunting knife made of D2 steel which is kept in a soft leather sheath. One year I put it away after an end-of-season sharpening. The following year, I knocked down an antelope in Wyoming and handed the knife to my guide. I was absolutely stunned when he handed it back, saying it was dull. I came to the conclusion that the soft, fuzzy lining of the sheath was either acidic or held moisture, which over the span of a year had corroded the fine edge of the knife.

[Mikedoh]

I have thoroughly rinsed, shaken out, and “stroped” my razor backwards on my fore arm and used the same blade for several months. Had seen it on youtube. I’ll have to try the towel method

[Josh]

Interesting… I heard Paul Harvey say once (maybe 10-15 years ago) that razors were dulled by corrosion caused by moisture rather than by actual use.

Although I’m no metallurgist, scientificically this can’t be true. If you use a blade, it will eventually get dull. I disagree that it is only moisture that will degrade an edge, and this is from experience.

I sharpen straight razors and I have two that I shave with (not as regularly as I would like but I do from time to time). prior to the shave the edge will pass HHT 3-4ish and post shave without stropping to re-align the edge it will not pass even HHT 1. Now you could say that the edge was degraded from the moisture during the shave, but this is with a stainless steel. Not to mention that, even if you were to try it dry I believe you would have the same results. After each shave you strop the edge on plain leather to remove residual moisture and to re-align the edge. after around 8-10 shaves your edge needs to be taken to a pasted strop (generally speaking of course). This tells me that even with the utmost care your edge will degrade from use and not only from moisture.

make sense? :silly:

[tcmeyer]

I didn’t mean to suggest that razors were dulled only by moisture corrosion, but that over a long period of time, moisture left on an edge in storage could result in corrosion where those molecules are most exposed (as along a very keen edge).

Moisture contacting an edge during the shaving process acts as a lubricant and if anything, serves to extend the life of the edge. I think straight razors may be less subject to edge corrosion since their edges are generally ventilated fairly well in storage. Additionally, their very acute edge angle puts them in a different category entirely when it comes to the hanging hair test. My research finds that disposable razors are sharpened to included angles of 15-20 degrees or more.

[Josh]

I didn’t mean to suggest that razors were dulled only by moisture corrosion, but that over a long period of time, moisture left on an edge in storage could result in corrosion where those molecules are most exposed (as along a very keen edge).

Moisture contacting an edge during the shaving process acts as a lubricant and if anything, serves to extend the life of the edge. I think straight razors may be less subject to edge corrosion since their edges are generally ventilated fairly well in storage. Additionally, their very acute edge angle puts them in a different category entirely when it comes to the hanging hair test. My research finds that disposable razors are sharpened to included angles of 15-20 degrees or more.

cool… glad we agree then! 😆

[Allgonquin]

Ever since I started shaving and being obsessed with knives ~40 years ago I wondered why razors dulled as quickly as they did. Think about it – whisker hair vs. steel blade. You should be able to cut a LOT of hair without dulling, it seemed to me. At some point I had decided for myself that corrosion must be one of the main factors why the edges dulled. And at some point I read something somewhere which seemed to validate my thoughts.

I had the idea to store my razor (Back in the day I settled on and still use a “Trac II” type razor, but you can’t find Gillette Trac II blades any more, only copies) in a shallow tray of some kind of oil to prevent air/oxygen from reaching the edge. In the early days of the internet I researched it and found someone was already doing it. I think they called it the “bladesaver”. That company seems to have gone under, but I just found this site right now: http://razorbladesaver.com/ which has exactly the same idea.

So yes, corrosion is key to blade life / edge sharpness. FYI I bought a new-old-stock Trac II razor off ebay a couple years ago because I lost one of mine while traveling. It came with a few cartridges blister packed. Although that razor had to have been 20+ years old those blades shaved better than the chicom imitations I can find now.

Rgds,

[cbwx34]

Interesting… I heard Paul Harvey say once (maybe 10-15 years ago) that razors were dulled by corrosion caused by moisture rather than by actual use. Back then he recommended blow-drying your razor blades.

How did I miss this crazy thread? :blink:

I’ll tell you my experience… a few years ago I went from shaving every day, to shaving once or twice a week. To my dismay… the blades didn’t last any longer. So after giving it some thought and wondering if it was moisture, I actually started blow drying them. (Knew I should have paid more attention to Paul…) I now replace the blade once a year. I can tell you this much… my face doesn’t lie… if there was no change, believe me, I’d know. :woohoo:

[Mikedoh]

Initially, I thought that the “arm stropping ” I was doing was helping the little springs that the blades ride on get back to their proper position.
Now I’m guessing it is more of a drying action for the blades ( I’m not a shower shaver).

Here’s a video of a guy that stores his razor in alcohol.

http://thecheapbastard.net/the-razor-saver-experiment-p126-1.htm

[Geocyclist]

Thanks Curtis. I will start blow drying, I did the same thing going from daily to 2x week shaving and didn’t notice much change in blade life. Figured the bigger wiskers used up more blade.

FYI – I stripped the coating off a 1095 bush knife, soaked it in vinegar to force a patina, didn’t like the patina, removed it with baking soda and BKF, applied new patina with steak and red wine. Time to sharpen it (was very sharp before I started) – pulled out the 400 diamonds, not getting it, had to drop to 200# to get the edge back. I know I have done some damage with the sand paper and scrubbing, but I think some was do to the corrosives used to force a patina.

[Author]

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