Keep Razor Blades Sharp
Over time, all razor blades lose their sharpness, becoming dull and less effective. When this happens, you’ll need to change your blades or, if you’re using a disposable razor, replace your entire razor. It’s impossible to keep razor blades sharp forever, but there are some tips you can follow to keep them sharp for longer.
Why Keep Blades Sharp?
It’s important to keep razor blades sharp to maintain a high quality, comfortable shave. When blades become dull, they are less effective at cutting through your hairs, meaning it takes more passes to catch every hair and the final result isn’t as smooth. A dull blade can also lead to more nicks and cuts. The blade doesn’t run over your skin as smoothly and predictably, and can therefore catch more easily. Keeping your blades sharp and changing them when they become dull is essential to feeling comfortable when shaving. It ensures you get the smoothest, cleanest result possible. It's also important when it comes to shaving sensitive skin -- read our guide with all the top tips or even learn about how having a sharp blade can help to prevent shaving rash.
Why do Razor Blades go Dull?
The process of shaving itself routinely dulls the blades, but isn’t the only cause. Moisture is usually the biggest culprit. Water corrodes the blades so the sharp edge becomes more blunt and less effective. Keeping your blades clean and dry can help to maintain their sharpness.
1. Rinse
Make sure you thoroughly rinse your razor head after shaving to clean hair and soap residue from the blades. You can use an old toothbrush to clean it more deeply, but usually this isn’t necessary.
2. Dry
After rinsing your blades, pat your razor dry using a clean towel. This removes the majority of the moisture that causes dullness and helps to keep your blades sharp.
3. Oil
Oil and water don’t mix, which means that oil is a great way to prevent moisture from affecting your razor blades. Try leaving your razor, head down, in a small pot of baby oil (or mineral oil). This helps keep your razor blades sharp by stopping moisture from corroding the metal. However, this isn’t a good idea for cartridge razors with a hydration strip as the oil could dissolve it.
4. Storage
If the oil technique is impractical for you or doesn’t suit your variety of razor, then the way you store your razor is critical. To keep the blades sharp, it’s important to keep them away from moisture. This means you shouldn’t leave your razor out in the bathroom. The best thing to do is to invest in a cover for your razor. This helps to reduce the amount of moisture that reaches the blades. Choose the right cover for your specific type of razor to ensure it fits well. This leather sheath for a double edge safety razor is a simple and inexpensive way to protect the head of your razor and help to keep the blades sharp. Muhle also do a plastic bladeguard that works equally well. Even with a bladeguard or case, ensure your razor is stored away from moist areas. For example, put it in the bathroom cupboard rather than leaving it by the sink. 
5. Use Quality Blades
High quality razor blades often stay sharp for longer than lower quality ones. We have a number of fantastic double edge safety razor blades available, but we particularly like Astra, Feather and Derby. If you’re currently using a disposable razor, consider switching to a double edge safety razor. They are a great way to save money - while the razor costs a bit more to start with, the blades are inexpensive and save you money in the long run.
6. Replace When Necessary
While it’s great to keep your blades sharp, it is important to replace the blades when they become dull. This differs for each individual beard and skin type, but blades should be changed when they no longer glide smoothly across your skin and you first notice them pulling. You should also change your blade immediately if you find any signs of rust on it. Dull blades increase the likelihood of irritation and shaving rash, and make your shaving experience a lot less enjoyable!
Keep Razor Blades Sharp
Do you have any other tips to keep razor blades sharp? We would love to hear them! Let us know in the comments below.