A good shave starts with a well-kept razor. A neglected razor is like shaving with some Stone Age piece of flint. Razor's aren't complicated, but they need a bit of love. And everything you need to keep your razor in tip-top condition is already right there in front of you – in the bathroom sink.
Let’s go.
Razors are not drumsticks.
Although most razors are a lot stronger than they look, none of them were made to handle a drum solo on the sink. Tapping one against the ceramic will more than likely leave the blades blunt and dull rather than anywhere near clean. Even if it does feel like the most natural thing to do, like hitting the tv when it doesn’t work, the razor will get its revenge on your face the next time you shave with it. So if you get the urge to be musical, avoid the drum roll, whistle instead and blow the hairs out of the blades (lips at a safe distance, of course!)
Razors don’t need a pat-down.
Razors work hard. A man’s body is rough terrain, but that doesn’t mean it needs any hot towel therapy or a back rub. So avoid rubbing the blade with a towel or shoving a little corner of your bathrobe sleeve into the blades. It’s pointless. And will shorten the life of your blades quicker than you can say ‘ouch!’. It’s best not to go poking around the blades ever, they have a very cutting wit.
You want your razor to be dry between shaves. While shaving foam and razors are a good combo, water and steel not so much. The best way to get your razor dry after a shave is give it a rinse and a couple of flicks to remove any droplets.
Put it away, mate!
The Boldking razor comes with a nifty little holder. It may sound flash buts it's basically a suction cup to stick on your mirror or bathroom tiles to put the razor on, cool, huh?
Leaving your razor lying on the sink allows it to get rusty, ruining the blade. So, after you and the razor have had your fun, pop it back onto its holder. There it will stay out of harm’s way, avoiding any pipe leaks, and will always be in the place where you left it. Unless ‘you know who’ comes in and steals it again. But if you’re not into sticking things to your mirror, an empty glass to drop it in works just as well.
Know when to change your blade.
No blade lasts forever. No matter what kind of marketing spin you put on it. The simplest way to know when you need to change your blade is by looking at it. Easy eh? Put it up to the light and look for any difference in colour along the length of the blade. Looking spotty? It's probably rust. And a rusty blade is one you should change. Pop on a new one and keep the old to be recycled. You just saved yourself some pain.
Also, pay attention to how the blade shaves. Pulling and tugging on your hair? It could be struggling to deal with your 70s mutton chops or because it's lost its cutting edge. There is a time and a place for hair-pulling and during shaving is not one of them. Again, it's time to change up your blade.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the more you shave, the more often you'll have to change your blade. It all depends on your shaving habits and how good you are at looking after things. Keep an eye on the number of times you used the blade. You don't have to keep a shaving diary, just feel your face.
We'd like to tell you exactly when to change your blades, but 'the answer my friend is hair blowing in the wind'. It's anyone's guess. We can point you in the right direction, but the call is completely on you. No pressure.
One for luck.
Keeping spare blades is a good habit to get into. You don't have to prep for doomsday unless that's your thing. Just having a couple of extra blades to hand in case of a shaving emergency will save your face from being roughed-up by a dull blade. Some razor brands, like us, offer blade subscriptions to keep you on top of things. To read more about our no-fuss, fresh blade service, check out BoldkingRepeat, just so you know it's more of a gentlemen's agreement than a bear trap.
Shaving the distance.
Now you know as much as we know about razor maintenance. Whether you shave your face once a week, or shave everywhere every day, a well cared for blade is the solid step in the right direction. Look after your razor and it'll look after you. Your blades should stay good for longer. And if you feel tugging, it's time to move on.
