How many times do you use a blade?

And how do you keep track?  

I used to make little cubes.  They were blank on one side, had a single indicator on another side, and a double indicator, then a triple.   You may have seen some of my home made razor stands where I incorporate the counter into the stand, but I don't typically alter a manufacturer's stand, just in case I ever want to part with it.

In this photo, you can see them sitting next to razors that I no longer own


The little cubes work well enough for my DE shaving - I usually only get three shaves out of a DE.  They are cheap enough.  

I wanted something for counting to a higher number.  
I ordered a Vector Titanium and I understand that the artist club blades get more shaves - sometimes as many as 8 or 9.  
So we could use a post-it note ... or buy a Dungeons and Dragons die ... or even one of those clicky counters like they use at stadiums and venues.  

Or

You could do what I do and do something completely over the top

I took a piece of .750" 303 stainless.  Put it on a horizontally mounted rotary table and cut it into a 5-sided shape. Then I drilled little counting 'pips'  First blank, then 1 through 4 ... then on the other side I did 5 through 9.   I left some round and put it on the lathe to dress it up some.

Then I sanded to 1200 grit and then put it on the buffing wheel and buffed it out.

The concept is to have it on a blank when I load a blade.  After the first shave, rotate to the '1' ... and so on until I get to the '4'.   Then flip it over for the 5 and rotate until you replace the blade.  

Then I made a little stand for it and polished it too.

This is how it came out.   

So - how many shaves to you get out of a blade?   

Are DE blades used less than SE? 

If you have a lot of razors in your rotation, how do you remember how many shaves you have on a blade when you get back to it?  

Or - do you just use it till you feel it pull or it feels less sharp and change it then?

Anywhere from 5 to 87 shaves from a DE, usually ten to fifteen, ten to fifteen from a GEM type, and I don't know how many from an injector. I don't have any special method of keeping track, and I use one razor and blade at a time till the blade is done.

I keep a sharpie handy to put a dot on the blade for each use. Generally 5-6.

Wilkinson Light Brigades I use for 12 shaves each (although they would be good for more than that), as I do with a few modern ones like Iridium Supers. I use each Personna 74 Tungsten for 18 shaves. I keep track with a SOTD word document of my 28-day setup rotation that I update each day. Although they aren't necessary for me to know the shave number, I include dice indicating the number in each day's SOTD picture, just because I like them.

I use a blade 4 times. Doesn't matter the make of blade, 4 times. I rotate between about 6 different kinds, and I've found the first shave is sometimes a little rougher than the next three. This anomaly improved significantly since I started giving new blades a thorough wipe down with an alcohol wipe before the first use. So far, I can remember each use up to number 4. Maybe that's why I only use a blade 4 times???????

The life of a blade depends upon the design of the blade, the coarseness and thickness of your beard, and the sensitivity of your skin. Some people use blades one and done. Other can get several weeks from a single blade. I normally get 3-4 shaves if I use the same blade for every pass. Typically, I use four different razor/blade combinations for each shave. The blade used for the first pass might last for 6-8 shaves. The blade used for my clean-up pass might last for 16-20.

Keep using a blade until it either starts to feel dull or harsh on your skin. I only get 2 good shaves from a Feather blade as it starts to feel harsh on the 3rd shave.

I could get 2-3 shaves from one DE blade and even more if I took the time to strop the DE blade.

But DE blades are cheap, and I have managed to cut myself a few times when stropping the DE blade and rinsing it after my shave is done. On top of that I have very stiff beard stubble, so I have decided to do the luxury of simply just using a DE blade once, then I put it in the blade bank.

I know there are blades out there, that actually improves after the first shave, because the outer blade coating has been removed during the maiden first shave, but I avoid such blades or try to at least use blades that I like from the get go.

Actually it depends on the blade rather than the user.

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You are right about many blades improving after the 1st shave. With many blades, that change is minor, but there are a few blades that change significantly.
The blades that I have found seem to change the most are: 

Gillette 7 O' Clock Super Platinum (black)- it starts mid sharp and becomes Feather sharp

Wilkinson Sword Classic (Germany) - starts mid sharp and becomes almost Feather sharp

Gillette Permasharp Super- starts very sharp and then becomes super sharp

Personna Comfort Coated Lab Blues- Start out too dull for my beard, but become very sharp


Feather blades are the exact opposite. They start out super sharp, but quickly deteriorate.