I've been using the same shaving razor for 8 months now!

As well as this company!

I use my blades for a long time, also.

Use a leather belt, old piece of denim from some jeans or even your arm and rub the blades 8-10 times in the opposite direction of the way you shave to sharpen the blades.

I ran across those videos some time on YT as well
and tried the Jeans method but it didn't work well
for me. May I was doing it wrong, but I found that
the jeans was hard on the surface around the razor
itself that is suppose to help keep your skin parallel
to the razors while shaving.

But the beauty about storing below oil is that you
don't have to do anything physical to the razor.

In fact, that same razor in the picture above was
already worn and I was about to throw it out but
I was staying at hotel away from home at the time.
So I decided why not try the "oil trick" and to my
amazement it seems that it actually improved the
cutting edge of the razor.

I still bought a new pack (~$15 for 4) but have not
opened them as yet. I never expected this one to last
so long!

I love the Gillette brand and have been using them for
years but as they add more blades and "upgrade" their
shavers the prices are just becoming ridiculous. Well,
don't have to worry about that anymore.

And, no, I'm not a cheapskate, just hate to see waste.

-Ray Edwards

Good stuff Ray, cant be bad for your skin either! Didnt know that simply protecting them from air was the answer. I take it that , naturally, water does not have the same effect.

Thanks for the tips - I'm one of those guys who can't even get one whole shave from those $1 razors before they go dull if I don't shave every day - (sometimes I think my beard is made of steel wool...)

Another tip - while shaving, occasionally run the blade reverse up the underside of your opposite flexed forearm...it acts like a razor strop to help keep it sharp - doing this on a pair of jeans works too -
And the olive oil is a good idea too

How long does it take before that olive oil gets all nasty?

I'm not really a fan of those razor shavers because my skin is highly sensitive.

Sometimes back when i tried it, i got skin irritation and rashes.

i will just continue to keep mine in my pyramid

I use a straight razor w/ disposable razors so I can definitely benefit from preserving razors.

I have though of just going back the old "double-edge" your grandfather used to use - they seen to be making a resurgence -

But then, the term "safety-razor" always seemed like an oxymoron to me - when I was young, and would wake up 'hazy' :rolleyes: ...I used to have plasma ready and medical personnel standing by, for any sudden "mishaps" - like cutting my face off (it always seems to happen on an 'important' day :rolleyes: - but then again, tissue paper stuck to my face and neck is a good look for me - )

Well, my blades NOW get somewhat dull from shaving, but the BIGGEST problem is hair between the blades. It is like lint in a clothes dryer. EVEN if the device is perfect, a little obstruction can REALLY hinder it. Things like soap or shaving cream probably makes that worse, but it makes things smoother, so I am less likely to get cut, etc...

With electric razors, I have to use them more often, and STILL end up cleaning the blades a few times during a shave. At least THEY are usually easier to clean than the manual ones, but they don't shave as well either.

I used to notice something strange, and I know others did, that the blades that came WITH a manual razor lasted longer than any replacements you could buy.

I have to tell you. I almost pine for the type of razor my parents used. GRANTED, it was one blade, etc..., but they were EASY to clean.

Anyway, I might try hot oil next time. It might help to clean and does lubricate and limit oxidation.

John,

Water DOES speed up the oxidation of metals like iron. But oil does repel water and oil doesn't generally speed up oxidation of metal. Some oils will oxidize and become rancid, but real full olive oil shouldn't. Oils oxidize because they pull out things like vitamin E.

Steve