A double edge razor is one of the few grooming items that can genuinely last decades. Most of the ones that do not last are not worn out. They are corroded, pitted or stripped of plating because of small habits after the shave. None of this takes effort to get right.

Rinse properly, then dry

Rinse the head under running water while the razor is still assembled, then take it apart and rinse again. Soap and cut hair collect in the gap between the blade and the cap, and that is exactly where water sits longest.

Then dry it. A quick pass with a towel, or a firm shake and a few minutes on a stand, is enough. What you are avoiding is a wet razor left closed in a humid bathroom for twenty four hours.

This matters more for some materials than others. Solid stainless razors tolerate neglect. Chrome or nickel plated zinc alloy razors do not: once water gets under a chip in the plating, the base metal corrodes and the plating lifts from underneath.

Never leave the blade in a wet razor

Most double edge blades are carbon or stainless steel with a very thin coating. That coating protects the edge, and it is only microns thick. Leaving a blade clamped in a wet razor head means the edge sits in trapped water between two pieces of metal, which is the fastest way to dull it.

If you take one habit from this article, take this one: after the shave, loosen the razor, rinse, and let the blade dry. Drying the blade between shaves is the single easiest way to get more comfortable shaves out of it.

Some people go further and dry the blade edge on a towel. Wiping along the edge, never across it, does no harm. Whether it does much good is debated, but drying it certainly does not hurt.

How long does a blade last?

There is no universal number, and anyone who gives you one is guessing about your face. Beard coarseness, number of passes, how much stubble you are cutting and the blade brand all change the answer.

What is reliable is the signal. A blade is done when it starts tugging rather than cutting, when you need more passes for the same result, or when you notice irritation that was not there a few shaves ago. Change it then, not on a schedule.

Blades are the cheapest part of this hobby. Stretching one an extra three shaves to save a few cents is a poor trade against an uncomfortable shave. If you are not sure which brand suits you, a blade sampler is the cheapest way to find out, and our full double edge blade range covers everything from mild to very sharp.

Storing spare blades

Keep unused blades in their wrappers, in a dry place, away from the shower. The paper or wax wrapper is doing real work: it keeps humidity off the coating.

Bulk packs of a hundred are good value, but store them somewhere dry rather than on a bathroom shelf. A drawer in another room is fine. Kept dry and sealed, blades stay usable for a long time.

For used blades, a blade bank is worth having. It keeps loose edges out of the bin and collects them safely until it is full. There are several in our shaving accessories range.

Cleaning a razor that has gone dull looking

Soap scum builds up in the knurling of the handle and around the blade slots. Warm water, a soft toothbrush and a little dish soap will remove almost all of it. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

Avoid abrasive pastes and metal polish on plated razors. Polishing compound removes plating along with the tarnish, and once it is gone it does not come back. Solid stainless razors can take a gentle polish, but even there it is rarely necessary.

Do not put a razor in a dishwasher, and do not soak a plated razor in vinegar or descaler. Both are effective at removing scale and equally effective at removing finish.

Brushes need drying too

Rinse the brush thoroughly after every shave until the water runs clear, then squeeze gently, shake it out and stand it so the knot can dry. Soap left in the base of a knot is what makes brushes smell and what loosens the glue over time.

A stand helps here more than anywhere else, because it lets water drain away from the base instead of pooling in it. There are chrome, stainless and wooden options in our razor and brush stands.

Do not dry a brush with a hair dryer and do not stand it in a closed cabinet while it is still soaking. Both shorten its life for no benefit.

What to avoid

• Storing a wet, closed razor with a blade in it.
• Abrasive polish or metal cleaner on plated finishes.
• Dropping a razor head first into a hard sink. Chips in the plating are where corrosion starts.
• Overtightening a three piece razor. Snug is enough; forcing it strains the threads.
• Keeping bulk blades in the bathroom.

None of this is complicated. Rinse, dry, take the blade out, keep spares somewhere dry. Do that and a well made razor will outlast the person who bought it.