Gem SS PFTE Blades - On Average, How Many Shaves?

[Twelvefret]

I would flip the blade if I could remember which side I used last...LOL!!

[Old Sarge]

I would flip the blade if I could remember which side I used last...LOL!!

To this point, I've not given which side the blade is facing much consideration in SE shaving. I have flipped DE blades, as they often have 1 and 2 printed on one side with 3 and 4 on the opposite. I think I remember Dave in KY mentioning on one of his videos that he usually puts the GEM side up, but I might be misremembering.

About a week ago I went to Home Depot and bought the cheapest pack of magnets, six round ones about one inch wide. I've placed a couple of them on our lighting fixture above the sink/mirror and I put my in use blades on these. I guess I could use a routine where I place the blade on the magnet on the side that I just shaved with facing out and then rotate the next shave. Something too think about and might be worth trying. Like GAW9576 mentioned, this could make a difference in keeping an edge in balance over 10 shaves.

[Twelvefret]

I would flip the blade if I could remember which side I used last...LOL!!

To this point, I've not given which side the blade is facing much consideration in SE shaving. I have flipped DE blades, as they often have 1 and 2 printed on one side with 3 and 4 on the opposite. I think I remember Dave in KY mentioning on one of his videos that he usually puts the GEM side up, but I might be misremembering.

About a week ago I went to Home Depot and bought the cheapest pack of magnets, six round ones about one inch wide. I've placed a couple of them on our lighting fixture above the sink/mirror and I put my in use blades on these. I guess I could use a routine where I place the blade on the magnet on the side that I just shaved with facing out and then rotate the next shave. Something too think about and might be worth trying. Like GAW9576 mentioned, this could make a difference in keeping an edge in balance over 10 shaves.

You and Greg are much more advanced than me. If my GEM blade fails, I'll strop an unmentionable...HA!!

[GAW9576]

I would flip the blade if I could remember which side I used last...LOL!!

To this point, I've not given which side the blade is facing much consideration in SE shaving. I have flipped DE blades, as they often have 1 and 2 printed on one side with 3 and 4 on the opposite. I think I remember Dave in KY mentioning on one of his videos that he usually puts the GEM side up, but I might be misremembering.

About a week ago I went to Home Depot and bought the cheapest pack of magnets, six round ones about one inch wide. I've placed a couple of them on our lighting fixture above the sink/mirror and I put my in use blades on these. I guess I could use a routine where I place the blade on the magnet on the side that I just shaved with facing out and then rotate the next shave. Something too think about and might be worth trying. Like GAW9576 mentioned, this could make a difference in keeping an edge in balance over 10 shaves.

The Gem blades I bought came in the cardboard sleeve. I mark the shave count on the sleeve with hash marks and slip the blade back in after every shave. Odd numbers Gem up even numbers Gem down. I always spritz the blade with rubbing alcohol with a little mineral oil or camellia oil mixed in. Same with the razors before putting them away.

[Dave in KY]

Not saying it's wrong but I never flip mine. Always keep the same, Gem side up to keep it straight. Never an issue. Do it whatever way makes you happy though

[Twelvefret]

I guess since I'm getting a bunch of uses, I'll just pay no mind to flipping. That said, I use an unmentionable one that you hone using two hands which means I am flipping. I never noticed a problem. Fake news is what it is...LOL!!

[TobyC]

I would flip the blade if I could remember which side I used last...LOL!!

To this point, I've not given which side the blade is facing much consideration in SE shaving. I have flipped DE blades, as they often have 1 and 2 printed on one side with 3 and 4 on the opposite. I think I remember Dave in KY mentioning on one of his videos that he usually puts the GEM side up, but I might be misremembering.

About a week ago I went to Home Depot and bought the cheapest pack of magnets, six round ones about one inch wide. I've placed a couple of them on our lighting fixture above the sink/mirror and I put my in use blades on these. I guess I could use a routine where I place the blade on the magnet on the side that I just shaved with facing out and then rotate the next shave. Something too think about and might be worth trying. Like GAW9576 mentioned, this could make a difference in keeping an edge in balance over 10 shaves.

Sounds dangerous.

[TobyC]

I don't care which side is up and I never flip, and I get great shaves.

[Wchnu]

Since posting to this thread I’ve picked up several more GEM razors and have tested them out using the same blade. I got about five shaves in and I was having trouble getting a close shave. My last use was in a Shovelhead where I did the first WTG pass that barely removed any stubble. I also had a new to me G-bar so I put a new blade in it and finished the shave. I was pretty wary considering how badly my first go with a new blade was but this time it was fine. I had a decent but not great shave, probably because I was being a chicken.

So I guess my point is that I didn’t get as many shaves as I expected but I’m guessing at least part of the reason is that I was loading the blade into numerous unfamiliar razors and almost certainly dragged the edge.

I don't know how much difference it actually makes but I always flip the blade to the opposite side from what I used last time. So as with the Gem blades they say gem on one side of the spine and have some numbers on the opposite side. I do shaves 1,3,5,7 with Gem facing up and 2,4,6,8 with the numbers facing up. I read a long time ago that this was a good practice because when you shave the blade edge get slightly deformed. Flipping the blade every shave makes it bend back the opposite way and supposedly makes the blade last longer. Again I don't know how effective it really is but I seem to get a few more good shave per blade when I do it. I average 8 to 11 shaves per blade.

So your the one that started this blade flipping stuff this time. . As some might know I put this in the league of blooming soaps and bowl lathering. Just saying,  Useless.

The only way to correct a roll in the blade is to moce the blade edge in the opposite direction with a strop or a steel. Even if you flip the blade you are still pulling the blade in the same direction so any roll of the blade will get worse.

[TobyC]

I don't know how much difference it actually makes but I always flip the blade to the opposite side from what I used last time. So as with the Gem blades they say gem on one side of the spine and have some numbers on the opposite side. I do shaves 1,3,5,7 with Gem facing up and 2,4,6,8 with the numbers facing up. I read a long time ago that this was a good practice because when you shave the blade edge get slightly deformed. Flipping the blade every shave makes it bend back the opposite way and supposedly makes the blade last longer. Again I don't know how effective it really is but I seem to get a few more good shave per blade when I do it. I average 8 to 11 shaves per blade.

So your the one that started this blade flipping stuff this time. . As some might know I put this in the league of blooming soaps and bowl lathering. Just saying,  Useless.

The only way to correct a roll in the blade is to moce the blade edge in the opposite direction with a strop or a steel. Even if you flip the blade you are still pulling the blade in the same direction so any roll of the blade will get worse.

If you roll the edge of a coated blade you throw it away.