A tough, white beard (Part two)

 

Beyond natural wear, several hidden factors cause blades to give out too soon. Leaving your razor in a damp shower causes microscopic rust (oxidation) that eats away at the blade's edge before you use it again. 

In addition a little patience helps: Shaving dry or without adequately softening the hair creates intense physical resistance, which causes the ultra-thin steel to bend and chip rather than slice cleanly. If, like I do, you live in an area with hard water, mineral deposits can leave microscopic debris on the blade's edge, increasing friction and dulling its power. 

Then it’s crucial to rinse out hair, shaving cream, and dead skin cells after each pass, as these corrosive elements get trapped against the metal, accelerating breakdown. Good intentions often lead us pressing the shaver down too hard on the skin and force the blade's sharp edge to violently scrape the skin rather than glide across the surface, which causes the edge to micro-chip. Finally, I’ve found this advice on Reddit helpful and I might try to follow it. 

Clearly, water is the enemy. Finicky people will use a hairdryer on high for 10-15 seconds to evaporate micro-drops from the blade. Some men dip their razor head in a small container of Athena Club rubbing alcohol or mineral oil between shaves to prevent moisture corrosion. Plenty of water will soften your hair following a shower. A high-quality pre-shave oil will reduce hair stiffness, giving the blade an easier job. I am using shaving cream, but how it interacts with the blade depends heavily on its ingredients and how it’s rinsed. 

Blades can easily get clogged with heavy oils, silicones, and thick emollients that form a stubborn film that’s difficult to rinse off. Some aerosol gels and creams also contain propellants or high alcohol content that will accelerate the degradation of the blade. Too thick a lather can trap water against the cutting edge even after a quick rinse, leading to microscopic rust, so it's always a good idea to rinse the razor frequently under hot, running water during your shave to liquefy and dislodge soap residue. 

Don’t forget the backside and direct the water stream there as well to push out trapped cream and hair. Finally don’t just wipe the blade edge with a towel or finger to remove cream, as this can bend and dull the microscopic edge, instead dunk the blade head in rubbing alcohol after your final rinse to completely dissolve remaining soap films and displace water. 

If you apply all these tips, you’re a Saint, and have just wasted twice as much of your precious time shaving instead of doing fun things!