# How many shaves does it take to get to the center of a disposable razor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771 "2004-03-27T18:18:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/1 "2004-03-27T18:18:08Z")
I’ve been using the same disposable razor for about 2 months now, and I’m still getting close shaves. I’m a guy, and I only use it to shave my face. I have a goatee, so I don’t shave my entire face. And because I’m lazy, I shave only every third day or so. So I’ve gotten about 20 shaves out of this razor, and it’s still going strong. It’s a Schick Extreme III, by he way. What kinds of mileage do others get out of their disposable razor? What’s your criterion for finally disposing of a razor and moving on to a new one? To be honest, I don’t have an objective criterion. Sometimes I feel I’ve just been using one for two long, so I toss it out. I generally clean them thoroughly after each use, but sometimes a used razor just looks likes it seen it’s last days, so I toss it. Does anybody know what the manufacturers recommend? I had no luck with a google search of my own. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/2 "2004-03-27T23:39:54Z")
> [@milquetoast](#): > > I’ve been using the same disposable razor for about 2 months now, and I’m still getting close shaves. Must be nice: I get two, maybe three shaves out of mine. Less if, for some reason, I don’t clean the blades properly. More if I’m using a cartridge razor, say five shaves. Of course, I’m part polar bear, and my hair has dulled barbershop scissors during a cut, too. I think it’s entirely up to how rough your hair is to cut. If you’re satisfied with how your razors are cutting, why dump 'em? My criteria is when the blade spends more time dragging the hair out of my face, than it does cutting it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/3 "2004-03-27T23:43:22Z")
I’ve never found a razor to blunt before it’s clogged with debris, no matter how meticulously I clean it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/4 "2004-03-28T01:45:03Z")
Well, I use a Gillette Mach 3, and I shave my head, too. I find that I get about 15-20 shaves before it gets dull enough that I want to switch blades. ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/5 "2004-03-28T04:06:50Z")
I’m about halfway through my pack of ten disposable razors that I bought roughly 7 -8 months ago. My standard is to throw it away when the hairs are being torn out, rather than “shaved.” I find that the razor lasts longer if I shave more often. It gets difficult cleaning it out with an old toothbrush when the hairs represent a 3-4 day growth. Shaving every day gives me easy cleaning, and far more shaves. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/6 "2004-03-28T05:40:44Z")
How the hell do you guys remove the clogged hair on the blades while shaving? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/7 "2004-03-28T05:46:20Z")
Well, if we shave every day or even every other day, it’s just a matter of rinsing it off under the faucet or in the sink. Otherwise, you can sometimes tap them off or use a toothbrush like \*\* RotorHead \*\* said, although if you’re at that point, you probably should have gone over your face with a beard trimmer first. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/8 "2004-03-28T05:51:08Z")
oh, wait… you mean the little pieces sticking to the razor don’t have to be cleaned while shaving? I run fast-paced water on it and they never seem to fall off… ---
**Author:** ![Omnipresent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@Omnipresent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omnipresent)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/9 "2004-03-28T05:59:29Z")
I’ll get about 3-5 decent shaves out of the disposable ones. I’ve got a pretty thick beard so, it grinds away at a razor. I usually don’t even bother with disposables but, having run out of my normal Trac II, I have to do with what I’ve got until replacements arrive. ---
**Author:** ![WaryEri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea666f/32.png) [@WaryEri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WaryEri)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/10 "2004-03-28T06:12:37Z")
[Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_183.html) sort of weighed in on the matter. Looks like you’re getting your money’s worth if it’s still shaving close after 20. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/11 "2004-03-28T20:42:29Z")
Less than one. I have to use a double-edged “safety razor”, and even then I might get two shaves out of it before my face and throat are turned into hamburger. And all I shave are my throat, upper cheeks, and a little detail work around the upper chin. ---
**Author:** ![htns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@htns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htns)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/12 "2004-03-28T23:15:00Z")
Gillette Mach 3 Turbo, five shaves. Works great. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/13 "2004-03-29T03:41:33Z")
**Gillette Custom Plus.** I prefer it because it pivots and has a “lubricating strip”. (Mainly because it pivots.) I get about 2 weeks usage out of one and I shave every day. I throw it away when it feels like it’s ripping the hairs out instead of cutting them. [slight hijack] Does anyone else notice that the second time you use a razor is more comfortable than the first? [/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Bobby\_Roberts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Bobby\_Roberts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobby_Roberts)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/14 "2004-03-29T21:01:51Z")
I can easily go for about 2 months or more shaving every 2-3 days. I usually get rid of it when it starts to give me excessive nicks. The trick to keeping it last a long time without much effort is to store it in a cup with rubbing alcohol. The scientific reasoning (I’m a chemist) is that the alcohol easily dissolves any greasing or shaving creme on the blades. This makes it very easy to keep it from clogging up and keep the edge of the blades sharp. It actually takes a lot to dull a stainless steel razor blade. Most of the time when you think the blade is dull, it actually just collected too much debris – hard water deposits, etc. Rubbing alcohol is dirt cheap (\<$1 for a large bottle) so I change the soaking solution about once or twice a week. This will make a 5-pack of razors last almost a year. Definitely worth the minimal effort. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-shaves-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-disposable-razor/236771/15 "2004-03-29T23:40:31Z")
**How many shaves does it take to get to the center of a disposable razor?** Sheesh…14 replies before someone gives the _obvious_ answer?? The answer is three. ::crunch:: 😃