Myth or does it work?

[Xring3]

Many years ago when about the only DE blades were Gillette blue blades, my dad ran out of blades and needed a shave for some evening activity. He took his last used blade, put it in a glass with some talcum powder and worked it side to side then turned it over and did the same. He then rinsed the glass and repeated with a little bit of water. He said you could get away with doing that once if you were in a pinch. I never had occasion to do that and was wondering if anyone else has used this method.

 

[Boru62]

Many years ago when about the only DE blades were Gillette blue blades, my dad ran out of blades and needed a shave for some evening activity. He took his last used blade, put it in a glass with some talcum powder and worked it side to side then turned it over and did the same. He then rinsed the glass and repeated with a little bit of water. He said you could get away with doing that once if you were in a pinch. I never had occasion to do that and was wondering if anyone else has used this method.

Interesting.
Talc is very soft stone so it might work.

 

[Chris]

There’s a Popular Mechanics article somewhere that explains why this doesn’t work, but the gist is that the edge of the blade doesn’t touch the glass.

 

[Nisse]

I have seen razor blade hones made of glass dating from I think the 1940s

 

[Xring3]

I wonder if this worked or if it was only a way to scam some money?

 

[R181]

I have seen razor blade hones made of glass dating from I think the 1940s

I believe there were pre war ones. I have a green Lillicrap's Hone. Kept it for an oddity so can't say if they work or not. More info on that particular hone can be found here.

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I remember my Dad saying running a blade around the inside of a glass was a common practice in the Dirty 30s Depression when nobody had not much money.

Bob

 

[Xring3]

I believe there were pre war ones. I have a green Lillicrap's Hone. Kept it for an oddity so can't say if they work or not. More info on that particular hone can be found here.

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I remember my Dad saying running a blade around the inside of a glass was a common practice in the Dirty 30s Depression when nobody had not much money.

Bob

Well, that was my dad! Grew up dirt poor, scrimped and saved, no safety net and made every penny count. Tough breed.

 

[Boojum1]

News to me!

 

[R181]

Well, that was my dad! Grew up dirt poor, scrimped and saved, no safety net and made every penny count. Tough breed.

Mine too, and they were the ones post war that saw to it that there were social safety nets put in place. You grow up like that and fight a world war, when you come home you want to make it a better place.

Bob

 

[Deleted member 476]

I have more than a 20 year supply of blades. I don't think I will ever run out.

 

[Blackie]

Yes, my Dad did it too.
The trick is to not push the blade flat against the inside of the glass.
If you push it flat then the cutting edge doesn't touch. You have to ease it up a tad (or a smidgeon?) to allow the cutting edge to contact the glass.
Then it will work. Don't know how it would go with a modern stainless steel blade as that would be harder material than the old carbon blades.
Worth trying though if only for an experiment.

 

[SpeedyPC]

I have more than a 20 year supply of blades. I don't think I will ever run out.

I have more than 65 years supply of DE, GEM & SE blades until I’m dead.