Another update. Many people have asked about how many blades my razor had. I use the Mach3 which has 3 blades. I tried a 4 blade and 5 blade with the Save A Blade but the results were not as good.
March 09, 2009
Holly wow!!! 100 shaves with one razor blade. I would never have thought that.
There are so many people I want to thank. First the Save A Blade team. They put together one heck of a product. Next I would like to acknowledge the voice of the Save A Blade commercial. Your confident tone urged me to purchase the Save A Blade. And finally, thanks to all of you who have commented on my blog.
I am going to end this portion of the test. 100 shaves is far more then most people get with a razor blade (as indicated in the survey results).
Survey Results
01 - 10 Shaves 49%
11 - 20 Shaves 26%
21 - 30 Shaves 12%
31 and More Shaves 11%
As for my razor blade that I have named old faithful, I just might enact a small temple to place it upon.
Final results...
Date 11/13/2008 First Shave
Date 03/9/2009 Last Shave
Smoothness of Shave at end of test 6.5
Number of cuts during the entire test 3
Overall Impression 10
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PHASE 2 OF THE TEST
First Shave
Date 03/10/2009
From the same pack of razors, I placed a new Mach 3 into my handle. I used the blade just as I did with the blade I used the Save A Blade on, except this blade will go though life without the help of the Save A Blade.
Last Shave
Date 04/10/2009
Number of Shaves 30
Number of Cuts 4
Overall Impression - The Save A Blade allowed me to get over 70 more shaves to the razor blade.
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Also I thought some of you might find this picture of interest. Here is the inside of a Save A Blade (found on www.flickr.com)
UPDATE 3
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Description
As a descendent of a caveman, I have a lot of hair. Shaving is a daily part of my routine. Through the long years I have tried many razor blades, the disposable bick, to the Mach 3. The problem with them all is that they get dull and cut.
Well while lying on the couch one night my eyes found a commercial for The Save A Blade. From the good folks at http://www.asseenontv.com/ .
“Save a bundle on razor blades with the ingenious new razor sharpener, Save A Blade™. Save A Blade´s patented Micro Honing technology sharpens old, dull blades to like-new condition saving you hundreds of dollars every year and it works on all types of razors. Get up to 200 smooth shaves from a single blade.”
I thought to myself, I must have it. Oh yes, it will be mine…….
What It Costs
I purchased mine at the local CVS convienence store for $19.95 which matches the http://www.asseenontv.com/ website. However asseenontv charges $6.95 shipping and handling.
Ease of use 5 Stars
The premise is simple enough, stick your new razor blade into the device and press the button. In fact the hardest part of using the Save A Blade is getting it out of the tamper proof packaging!!! And in a rare occurrence, the Save A Blade already has a battery in it.
Actual performance 5 Star
The Save A Blade makes a somewhat loud noise while it buffs the blades. The instructions recommend using a new blade to start with. Currently I am using the Schick Xtreme 3. Normally I get 8 to 10 shaves out of one blade. Currently I have 28 shaves using the same blade (and still going!!!) No cuts or nicks on my chin.
Final thoughts on practicality
The Save A Blade is a bit noisy to use early in the morning but I can’t argue with results. One complaint is for Schick Quattro blade. The instructions advise that you need to remove a small wire that that blade has. I guess the wire mucks up the buffer on the Save A Blade. They don’t tell you that when reading about the product online or when watching the commercial.
Final Score
5 out of 5 stars
UPDATE
I have to admit, I continue to use this product and am still impressed with it. In fact i feel a bit guilty when I don't use it before shaving.
I have noticed that the lid you have to press open to insert your blade into the Save A Blade is not the best design. I sometimes have difficulties keeping the lid open.
Also an eagle eyed reader caught a mistake I made. I mentioned an incorrect blade type when commenting about a wire that needed to be removed. I have corrected my error. Thanks for keeping me honest.
Yay, thankx for the review! I've been tempted by this, thank you for playing guinea pig. Also, nice to know that they can be found at CVS.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up! :)
This product works. You can't use it on old dull blades and expect it to work. It is made for new blades to stay sharp as the day you bought it. TY for this wonderful product.
ReplyDeleteI tried the Save A Blade on a new razor. After using it for a week, it actually dulled the razor instead of sharpening it. A friend bought one as well and he had the same experience. We both think this product was a waste of money. I would NOT recommend it. By the way, the instructions say you have to remove the wire from a Schick Quattro blade, not the Mach 3.
ReplyDeleteI've always heard that drying your blade after use will help it last longer. That technique doesn't cost anything!
Thanks for your comments. I always appreciate feedback. Also thanks for the correction on the blade that needs the wire removed.
ReplyDeleteI have been getting about 1 month out of a blade by using this (shaving every day). I used to only get 10 shaves.
Tell you what I use to get a months worth of shaves from my cheap bic razors. I use a very strong magnet that I got out of an old microwave oven.Just set the razor on it and let it sit till next shave. Believe me it works.I have been doing this for 40 years.
ReplyDeleteMake shaving easy on yourself.Don't wash your face before lathering up. The natural oils on your face and the lather makes for a nice smooth shave. I shave in the shower where the beard will be nice and soft before shaving.And thats the way I do it.The only reason I wrote this is because I think save a blade is a rip off.
"I use a very strong magnet that I got out of an old microwave oven." Has anyone else heard of this? What are the physics behind it? I'm at a loss at how simply placing a metal blade on a magnet will make a dull blade sharp, or keep a new blade forever new... Anyone?
ReplyDeleteI also have heard of the magnet before but have no clue if it works. I do know that I am still using my Save A Blade and loving it!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust get the magnet out of a new microwave, put it on top of the razor's plastic handle and say 3 times, not more, not less, "Yunga numba namida, aka aka aka!" Works like hell for me. Been shaving with the same blade since 1945.
ReplyDeleteI do not reccomend this product at all. I used it on a week old Soleil razor to keep it sharp like the instructions suggest and now I am sitting here with bloody razor burned legs. It destroyed my razor.
ReplyDeleteI have a phd and usually dont have time to post reviews. However i do read reviews before buying something new. So this time i am compelled to post this review just to help others who are confused. I received this product last week. Used it on an old mach 3 blade that was lying in a closet since past 6 months. After sharpening, the blade worked like new. I thought may be the blade wast used too much so i took a Gillette phantom blade that i recently discarded. I took the blade, shaved a little to see how it feels. It wasnt smooth and was hurting me. Then i sharpened...just for 5 seconds as it says and after that it was smooth...almost like new. All i can say is that it works very well. It has a small piece of sand paper inside that brushes the blades at the right angle. That sand paper will eventually worn but would be easy to replace. So this machine will virtually last forever. By the way this is the very 1st item i have bought that i saw on TV and i am going to buy another one for my dad.
ReplyDeleteTo all......I'm a little confused about this product....one reviewer says it dulls the blade.....others say it works.....even the guy with the phd......I don't have a phd, but I still shave....:) I know that when you sharpen a dull knife, you align the microscopic points that have gotten out of alignment through use. The concept of this device makes sense....how does one explain the one negative review? Does he not know what he's doing or what?
ReplyDeleteHow do you explain the conflicting posts? Some say it works, other's say it doesn't.....well?
ReplyDeleteSo please, someone tell me how to sharpen a knife. I have tried and tried. Is there a website that will show exactly how?
ReplyDeleteOh I came here to read the reviews of Save a Blade. My sweet husband wants one and I thought I better read about it.
Thank you for the thumbs up, I am going to order one.
In the meantime, I am hoping someone will tell me about the knives.......
The following explanation is the only scientific explanation I have ever seen that makes sense regarding magnets or pyramid sharpening. Though this still smells like BS.
ReplyDelete"I apologize for a rather lengthy reply but this is a somewhat complex explination. First, a razor blade is made out of high Carbon steel, cutting a few hairs made out of protein will not dull the blade. Do you remember when your 7th grade Physics professor wanted to generate a static charge? He would rub a glass rod against a cat fur pelt. Hair generates a static charge, in the act of shaving hair that charge induces a ion (electrically charged atomic particle) crystalization of the water molicules on the skin. Those water crystals build up on the edge of the blade so the next time you use it the edge has been dulled by the build up. Now to Pyramids; when you clean the house where does the dust gather? In the corners and the edges of the floor, again this is static electricity. Static charges naturally gather on the surface of a plain, the edges of a surface, concentrating on the corners and directly above the point of a cone. Ben Franklin knew this when he designed the Lightening Rod. Combine those factors; plain, edges, corners and cone; and you have a Pyramid. Make the base equal to the height and constuct it out of a non electrically conductive material and you have created a passive static electricity generator, or collector. This creates a collection of positive ions directly above the tip, and another collection of negative ions inside at a point 1/3 of the distance from the top, forming a deionization chamber for positive ions where the negaqtyive and positive charged particles mix and cancel out each others charges. Placing a razor blade with an ion crystaliztion inside will then break down the the crystal build up, and in effect mummify through dehydration, just as it does with meat. So your blade is back down to the metal and once again feels sharp."
Hi, i have a PhD...just thought I'd throw that out there ya'll...now on to my post...LOL.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta wonder sometimes, who posts on these things...(cough, cough) SHILL!
I think they are 9.95 at CVS perhaps worth a shot, but i'll raise Cain if it doesn't work! Expect a post soon.
Truly, though, if you have the time and willingness to get the know how, a straight razor gives a great shave & will ultimately pay for itself as an investment...just don't accidently durkah-durkah jihad yourself with it!
No PHD for me, but do have an AS and BA. Well enough of the alphabet education…
ReplyDeleteNo shilling here, just my honest opinions. Not all my reviews are positive (see my rocket fishing rod review for proof of that).
Straight razors do give great shaves and my father used to use one.
They scare the living daylights out of me. Way too close to my jugular for that bad boy.
However I have on occasion gotten a straight razor shave when getting a haircut. For that I went to an old school barber, not a just out of hair school hair technician working at a unisex salon.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and please let me know your opinions on other items that are reviewed here.
Want to see a video of this item in action? The Deal or Dud team at Fox News put the Save a Blade to the test. It's a dud.
ReplyDeletehttp://video.aol.com/video-detail/deal-or-dud-save-a-blade/1479713905
never never never ever BELIVE anything you see or hear on 'FOX NEWS'
DeleteIf you ever notice that when ever any blade is sharpened, you sharpen both sides of it. This device only contacts one side of the blade, so how can it sharpen it? I would tend to believe those who state it doesn't work, and I don't have a degree! One more thing; did it ever occur to anyone that the original positive post may have been posted from the seller of the product, especially when it is so positive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and taking the time to not only read my blog, but comment on it.
ReplyDeleteThat’s an excellent point about sharpening both sides of a blade.
As for being the seller of the product, Nope. Not me.
I don't sell any of the products that I review. This is just a personal blog where I talk about products that I have actually purchased.
Not all my reviews are as positive as this one. Check out my Rocket Fishing Rod or Lionel Railroad Crossing Coin Bank or Grease Bullet reviews for proof. All got zero stars from me.
As for the Save A Blade, seems that some love it (I fall into that category), others hate it.
I have used it on a few different types of blades and it seems to extend the amount of shaves that I get with each blade.
Did anyone notice that the guy with the PHD (har har) had horrible spelling and sentence structure? You gotta know he's full of it.
ReplyDeleteThis thing may work for single or double disposable blades but it destroyed my Gillette Fusion blade in 5 seconds. Many new blades have a coating on them to help shaving and the only thing that this can do is remove that coating. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that all the naysayers including the Fox News guy try it only on these really expensive multiblade razors. The Fox News bit was worthless. Barbers that use a straight razor sharpen it with the exact method used by the save a blade unit. I'll try it with the Mach3 and if it doesn't work Ill send it back. Dispute the credit card charge if they give me any flack about it.
ReplyDeletehttp://video.aol.com/video-detail/deal-or-dud-save-a-blade/1479713905xc
ReplyDeletebuy it off Ebay, $14.00 including shipping and no Tax =)
ReplyDeleteyou people who are so gullible!! can't you tell that the unidentified people who knock the product are people who work for the company who is going to be hurt most by the sale of this product and vice versa for the positive comments come on people
ReplyDeleteNow the optimal solution... bring back the double edged straoght blades and the razors that had to be screwed open to insert them and replace them.
ReplyDeleteI blame society for the demise of those, men and women that were too lazy to take the time and care to replace them. Instead, they bought those plastic junky things, which now had added to the woes of our landfills.
My husband used those up until about two years ago when he could no linger find the replacement blades anywhere.
If someone knows where those can be bought, I would imagine my sweetie would buy them in a heart beat and toss this so called better- Bick- super- expensive- to- replace- blades- and- we- know- why , their- greed,-razors.
Americans have been duped big time and yet again.
I love my hubby's so smooth face after the old razor's shave. Not so much now that he has to use a plastic handle, skinny, worthless blade.
Does no work! Not at all. Total waste of money. I don't know how but it seems to dull the blade and make it uneven. After use if you run the blade down your face you will patches that the blade left behind. Skip this one.
ReplyDeleteTo the person with a PHD, is your PHD in shaving? Are we suppose to respect your opinion more? To me, you lose credibility.
ReplyDeleteDrying a razor blade will extend it's life. I found that if I shake it out and bury the blade head in a dixie cup of dry rice, it stays sharp for quite a while. It might sound strange and look odd, but it works. The dry rice absorbs the water overnight.
ReplyDeleteI bought one of these at CVS back in feb or march I think. It was working great as far as I could tell, I used a gillette fusion blade continually since I bought it. I usually run it more like 10 seconds not five. My girl has only changed her cartridge 3 times since then., she still has the same pack of carts sitting in the drawer. What sucks is mine recently broke. The sharpener strip broke off. I am sure I can fix it if I go buy some super fine grip sandpaper, but I am not sure if it will still work as well. I am getting the feeling that some of the units are not correctly aligned and instead ruin blades. I won't shell out 20 more for a whole new one, as it didn't last a year, but if I can easily fix it I will forgive the defect.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is a bit too paranoid about employee's posting positive opinions... I'm sure there may be some, but really, don't be such a conspiracy chaser. There was a post earlier about drying the razors and mineral build up which was very accurate. While I'm not a PhD, I do have a bachelors in chemistry (for whatever its worth). A very simple solution to ALL of this is just fill a cup up with cheap shitty vodka, and keep your blade in there. A lot of the breakdown is due to exposure to oxygen. The vodka prevents oxidation which is the main source of razor breakdown. simple and cheap.
ReplyDeletep.s. I have absolutely no valid opinion about this product as i have never used it. On the other hand, if you sharpen on only one side of the blade, you get very tiny metal shavings hanging off the non-sharpened side, similar to when you cut steel. This probably has a WORSE effect on the quality of the edge. On the other hand, the tiny shavings are on the non skin touching side so it may not effect the cut (but may pull more on the hair). A bit of speculation but take it for what its worth.
Just an update for everyone. 64 shaves with a Mach 3. Still using it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Save A Blade clears out the gunk between the blades. I don't know.
I do know that I would normally get 15 shaves with a Mach 3, so for me I love it.
And on a side note for everyone who has taken time out of their busy day to not only read my review but also post a comment. Thanks. Thanks for taking a moment to contribute to my blog.
The only reason any razor company ever invented the razor cartridge was to monopolize blade production. Hence GREED. I firmly suggest go to ebay and search "safety razor" after you marvel in the wonder make a purchase.Then search "double edge razor blades" marvel again, purchase some blades and enjoy the best shave of your life for pennies on the dollar of fusions, mach 3's , quattro etc.
ReplyDeleteGo to ebay and search "safety razor", purchase. Search "double edge razor blades", purchase. Enjoy the best shave of your life for pennies vs. Fusions etc.
ReplyDeleteThe idea is not that the product sharpens the blade, but hones it. “Honing” re-aligns an already sharp blade, sharpening actually creates a new edge by removing material. Honing a blade should never create burs on the underside of the edge. I haven't tried this product myself yet, but honing only one side does seem like it could work since the blade always cuts in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteIm a manager at CVS and i can basically judge what works from the ASTV section and what doesnt by the way people return items. Trust me if people dont like the product they return it and tell me they hated it. I have yet to take on of the save a blades back which is more than i can say for the hottest ASTV item out right now, the PediPaws.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any degreez. Ken enywon tel me how to shafe becuz I'm two dum to feegr it out all by myselff. Shuud I git a save a blade? Ken anywun git won fer me cuz I can't aford it!
ReplyDeleteGeepers... Thanks.
Why is it that the people who claim to have a Phd have some of the worse grammar on the board? I just want to make a comment about the person(s) reason why magnets work. There are some problems with this.
ReplyDeleteStatic electricity is produced only when conditions are dry or low humidity is present. Neither of theses are present when shaving.The oils from our skin act as a barrier to these. Also I doubt than many people would shave without any type of lubricant such as shaving cream. These would cut down on any static build up. Finally, I'm sure that many people like me shave in the shower, or at least wet their face, head(I shave mine), or legs before shaving. The water would again stop any static buildup. So I can't see why a magnet would work for static electricity. Sorry.
You can also buy this at Walgreens, but the best place to buy is on ebay. I bought mine for $11.99 with free shipping!!!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that I have an MD, a PHD, a MS, a MA, a BA, a BS, an AA and an AS.
ReplyDeleteJust thought I'd throw that out there. I also didn't review this item. But I think I have the credentials. Ciao!!
Anyone who thinks the save a blade doesn't work is an enemy of freedom and a slave to bin laden, satan and hitler and should be executed.
ReplyDeleteUm...@bc1042, that should be, "Why is it that the (very) people who claim to have a Phd have some of the WORST grammar on the board?" Those who live in glass houses....
ReplyDeleteThe Save-A-Blade is a hone, not a sharpener or some magic thing. With use, the edge of a blade picks up microscopic "waves" that cause that old blunt feeling. Honing is yhe process of smoothing the edge straight again, bringin back the sharpness. The softer the steel, the more easily it gets wavy, but the easier it is to bring back.
To increase blade life, modern blades are made of harder and harder steel. How well the Save-a-Blade will work for you will depend on the brand of blade, roughness of beard, frequency and duration of honing, etc.
This stuff is old hat to any cook, who has to keep his knives sharp regularly. A Ph.D. is not required, although having one is S-O-O-O much better than being a Grade 9 drop-out, like the yahoos trying (in that delightful, sub-literate idiom of thiers) to mock him.
BTW, blades can be single-edged (like the Japanese santoku) or double edged. Simple logic shows that a razor has to be single-edged. as a double-edged blades would move cutting detritus in both directions -- jamming the gap between blades. Therefore, one does not need to hone both sides.
The SAve A Blade is a cheap, simple sigle-sided hone. Just make sure all the innards are properly alighned, align it as best possible to the angle of the blade-edge, hone long and hone often.
Oh, and you may need to change blade brands too. It all depends...
Hey Bunstuffer, "like the yahoos trying (in that delightful, sub-literate idiom of thiers) to mock him." It is theirs, not thiers. If you're going to correct people grammar, the least you could do is spell yours correctly.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate everyones input on my blog but ask that you please keep coments focused on the product. Sheesh, I have pleanty of typos in this blog.
ReplyDeleteAs for some who want more product updates, more are coming I promise. I just am deep into the Save A Blade test.
You said that you used the Save A Blade before EVERY shave. I don't think you are supposed to do that, are you? If you get 15 shaves out of every razor blade normally, you should go 15 shaves, THEN sharpen the blade. I think you should redo the test.
ReplyDeletei did some research after also seeing it at Walgreens.
ReplyDeletei don't think it's sharpening as in removing metal but more honing, but even that removes some metal.
if you've seen a straight razor in use they use a piece of leather strap to "strop" the razor which "straightens the dulled microscopic edge".
so i think "stropping" would be the more appropriate word of what it is doing, since it recommends using a new blade from the start and it uses some kind of flappy material similar to leather against the blade.
i also found some other blade preservers.
thesustainablevillage.com has a manual version but i think you are just dragging it against leather.
another product, Razor Pro Razor Saver, just dries the blade because of the oxidization pits and dulls the blade.
which leads me to the "vodka solution", because there is another fluid dedicated to this called "Razor Guard."
as for the magnet, apparently it does work, and there is a product out called "Razor Mate".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetostriction
the pyramid stuff though is a sham. people think it preserves stuff like meat or metal and that's why the egyptians used them.
$20 i think i can build a better stropper with strong magnets in an fluid for Fusion blades.
Replying to Anonymous on when to use Save A Blade....
ReplyDeleteYou need to start out with a new blade as per the instructions. If you dont use it after every shave, the blade wont stay "new".
Anyway, thanks for stopping by. Perhaps I should take some pics of the blade in its current state.
hi
ReplyDeletefirst thanks for your review
i am wondering what convenience store you bought yours
i am trying to buy this for my dad
i am trying to buy it at a local store because i do not want to pay shipping and handling & wait for days for it to come but i have no idea what stores sell save-a-blades. shoppers? london drugs? zellers? it will be nice if anyone who has the answer leaves a comment for me as soon as possible
thank you!
p.s. i live in vancouver, b.c., canada
I purchased mine at the local CVS convienence store.
ReplyDeleteI've used this product on dull blades and it has not worked. The shave was even worse and irritating than before. I can't imagine that if I use a new blade it would work better and it might ruin a perfectly good blade.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of this thing was that it was a cheaply made piece of junk when I first took it out of its package. This is likely just a scam. Very disappointing.
Just discovered your blog. Thanks for the review on the Save-A-Blade. I think I'm going to give it a try. I'll stop by eventually and let you know my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI'm also enjoying the comments by other readers. Gave me a few chuckles. I'm also curious to know if the PhD guy has a degree in shaving.
Me, I've been shaving my legs and underarms for approximately 6,570 days of my life thus far. At 5'10" I have pretty long legs with more surface area than big Paul Bunyan's burley face, although I don't claim to have hair as coarse as a lumberjack with a full beard. However, I do challenge any man complaining about his Adam's Apple to try shaving over sensitive areas such as knees, shins, ankles, and the bikini zone. Don't mention the contortionist training it takes to reach some of those areas with a razor in a slipery bathtub. Leaning over a sink while looking in the mirror ... you guys have it easy!
What is with the idiot that thinks we all need to know he has a phd... The idiot can't even spell or put together a simple sentence. PHD must stand for Permanent Head Damage or Pizza Hut Driver! I didn't know u had to have a PHD to understand how to shave or how a razor sharpener works... DURKA DURKA!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been very disappointed with the save-a-blade. No matter what, it makes my razor extremely uneven and it hurts a lot to shave with it. I just gave up and kept using my Shick xtreme3's while I can still find them.(3 blades is enough!!!! why do the razor companies keep thinking we need 4 and 5 blades, that's too many!)
ReplyDelete101 Newsletter,
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I'm happy to find someone who is giving this product a lengthy 'test-drive'. I've seen the infomercial several times on TV, and have been wanting to try it. Glad to hear it is available at CVS, as there is one on every street corner of every town, or so it seems.
Just wanted to chime in with a couple of other 'helpers' for smooth shaves. I have been using shave oil (in addition to shaving cream) for years now. No favorite brand, but King Of Shaves has a great one. It adds some SERIOUS lubrication to the act of shaving, and I found that using the shave oil and shaving cream combo extends the life of my fusion blades from 15 to 30 days. One small bottle of shaving oil will last nearly two months (I only use 4 drops at a time).
One last shaving tip, oddly enough, from the world of race cars. A friend of mine races cars as a hobby, and discovered that cryogenically frozen brake rotors held up MUCH better to the demands of constant braking (essentially, braking a lot - especially hard braking - heats the rotors up and ultimately leads to warping them, rendering the brakes ineffective). Anyway, he found a company that used the same technology with razor blades. At first, I was skeptical, but ordering them was cheap. The company claims that if you get 7 shaves out of a normal blade, you will get 28 shaves out of theirs. They are slightly more money than the cartridges in the store (about 50 cents more per cartridge), but the amount of shaves I get is well worth the extra money.
I have gone as long as 70 shaves on the frozen blades and oil combo, which over the course of a few years, adds up to some decent money. Let me know if you'd like the URL for the company. I don't work for the company (I'm in the high-tech industry), but love the blades so much I recommend them when I can.
Keep up the good work -- I'm looking forward to your next post!
I have also used King Of Shaves. Great product although without an absolutely new blade, I find that I get razor burn.
ReplyDeleteGoing back a few comments a person commented that they used the Save A Blade on an old blade and it did not help. The Save A Blade instructions read that it won't do well on an old blade. They suggest starting with a new blade. I can attest to this as I have tried it on an existing old blade with poor results.
I have also experienced mixed results using 4 or 5 blade razors. Perhaps the extra blades are too much for the Save A Blade. I also had one Mach 3 blade ruined by running it through the Save A Blade. I guess the blades were not aligned correctly. Although I some times get a bad Mach 3 right out of the box.
I love this product so much I'm buying thousands of them and storing them in my double wide. Then when the company goes under from all the vicious attacks from you bloggers and Fox News, I will sell them on ebay for $100. I will retire in style with a silky smooth face, and you naysayers will languish in stubble hell!
ReplyDeleteI have 17 phd's and I shave each day with beaver teeth to save the enviornment. You know, not as much waste. Good reviews however, I think I may go out and get one. There is negative nancy's out there who usually don't know how to use the product correctly so I'm sure this does work. Oh, I found 3 more phd's lying around so that makes it an even 20 now. Just wanted all the random people out there to know how cool me and my phd's are.
ReplyDeleteHey,take it from me,I have 365 PHD'S,one for each day of the week,for an entire year.I even have a PHD in well,PHD!!! And,my final outcome is,DO NOT buy this piece of garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI purchased a Save-A-Blade onlne the first time I saw the advertisement and I love it. It quit working. I thought it was the battery; but when I changed it, still didn't work. I'm buying another one because I still saved more than I spent. And, Mr. Ph.D, I loved your blog. It was very interesting. Signed, Big fan of intelligence.
ReplyDeleteUnless your PhD. is in Materials Science or Metallurgy your opinion is prob = as that of anyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhy does a razor get dull? The answer is simple. While it may be made of high carbon steel, it is the cheapest quality steel imaginable. Ans it is thin, like razor think.
AND YES little hairs made of protein can dull a razor blade. Just as the cellulose in a piece of paper can quickly dull a high quality knife.
It's not water molecules, or ions, or magic faeries that are dinkin' our blades, it is crappy thin metal getting dull and wavy. Oxidization on such thin edge makes a large impact as well. So keep it dry.
The cryo thing actually works. It sets a new matrix for the atoms in the metal, more aiken to a crystal, and drastically improves the qualities many constructs made of metals, from a saxophone to a hand axe. Cryo frozen metal have improved hardness, resonance, and malleability.
Though steel is not magnetic, I suppose the magnet idea might be to slowly align the steel molecules like the cryo treatment.
Never tried the magnet... but I actually tried this thing and it ruined everything I put in it. That being said my blades always lay flat on the device and on the commercial they sat at an angle.
I may not have been using it right but the instructions were weak.
I think it depends on certain factors on whether Save-a-Blade works or not. The device is designed to take on all blade cartridges of all shapes and sizes. From single blades to 5 blades.
ReplyDeleteAll blades have the same flat base. The problem is that each blade has various attributes that can interfere with honing the blade.
I used it on a Gillette Fusion which has 5 blades. At first I couldn't get the blades to sharpen. And was almost going to discard it as junk. But then I gave it another shot and tried holding the razor handle at a more perpendicular angle and with slightly more downward pressure. It did work on the first attempt and the blade felt as if new. But on subsequent tries it didn't sharpen as well and got progressively worse.
I also found out that the device is best if it's on a flat base and not held in your hand.
So it can depends on the factors involved: blade cartridge type and how the user interaction. That's why you get a lot mixed reviews.
I think the idea of the device is good but it needs a re-design to make it more user consistent.
I have a beard that goes through the edge of a razor quickly. Over the years blades have become more complex and much more expensive albeit more comfortable to shave with, especially the 3-blade types.
ReplyDeleteI’ve conditioned myself to endure more pulls and nicks to get the last inch out of these ridiculously expensive blades. I rationalize this by having grown up with parents that went through the great depression and were strictly “waste not want not” kind of folks. The last set of refills I got for my Gillette Mach3 set me back $20.00 so when I saw the adds for Save-a blade my attention was tweaked.
I believe in doing my research and making informed decisions, so I started looking for reviews on the internet. They seemed to range from the smart a$$ twit who never owned the product but liked to hear himself be demeaningly cutesy while dominating forums, to the sincerely negative users, but more recently there began to be some thoughtfully written reviews that weighed in with mostly positive reactions. At this point I decided I needed to drop another $20.00 on the Mach3 again and line Gillette’s pockets purchasing a product that probably costs them about $2.00 to manufacture and ends up taking space in a landfill... or try Save-a-blade. So day before yesterday I bought a Save-a-blade from CVS for $19.95.
Yesterday I took my last painfully shaving Mach3 (even though the instructions say best results are achieved by using on a new blade) and slid it into the sharpener as directed for 5 seconds. Not much difference except that the leading and trailing blades in the trio had visibly shinier edges. Another 5 second try yielded a questionable improvement and the middle blade was beginning to show some shine alone with the other two blades. Well if practice makes perfect lets try a 10 second trip in the sharpener. Now their was a very notable improvement and after another 5 second burst a smile was on my face! The darn thing works!
Today began with another 5 second sharpening and the shaving quality of this otherwise landfill garbage item was even better than yesterday. I would say I’m back to the edge I had at my fourth or fifth shave. I’ve seen several reviews that say they estimate a 70% improvement or a return to a third shave edge quality. If so I look forward to better things because with a little extrapolation that means they must have been getting about 10 shaves per refill before they got a sharpener. This old cartridge of mine must have about 40 shaves on it! Remember I said it was getting really uncomfortable to shave with. Well you want to talk about the resurrection of the dead! I am very happy and thoroughly impressed with this gadget. I would recommend it and am going to get two more, one for the lake house and one for our condo at the beach.
Setting aside the sociopaths I don’t understand the naysayer’s negative reports unless they didn’t follow instructions as I did and just used and older really bad blade, but didn’t give it enough time in the sharpener.
I unquestionably recommend this gadget to anyone.
I bought the Save-a-Blade about a month ago at CVS.
ReplyDeleteI use a Gillette Fusion Power, $20+ per pack for blades (8) at Walmart.
So far, 100+ shaves.
This product appears to do as advertised.
My blade is no longer "Like new." but it is not dull.
As to the PHD sub-debate...
I do not have one, but a family friend does, in pharmacology, in her field she is an expert. Elsewhere she is NOT.
The more intense the study the narrower the scope of the field being studied.
Would you ask a man with a PHD in theoretical physics to help with a flat tire? A model rocket? A pain in your lower back?
Saying you have a PHD alone is meaningless. The field must be specified in order to determine whether or not the study represented by that advanced degree will give the speaker any added insight into the topic.
I have a PHD in Zoology. We have been shaving monkeys for years now with the gillette mach III. The monkey's where not very happy before we started using the save-a-blade many where not mating. Now with the Sav-a-blade the monkeys are like rabbits? I have been using the product and love it, but none of the monkey's will mate with me?
ReplyDeleteCharles Darwin, PHD
Good day, Mr. Darwin- As a purveyor of all things natural,I would like to hypothesize that the withheld simian interaction is due to an unregulated promiscuity of thermal-regulated simian to sapien cognitive behaviors as exemplified in the globalization of ancient ideological theories transposed into modern day analogous modifications predetermined to be of a non-linear quantitative assimilation. By the way, I don't have a phd-but I wanted to sound like I did. Did it work?
DeleteHot topic, wasn't aware so many people shared the same interest in shaving as me!
ReplyDeleteHere's my technique, I use a blade until it is literally pulling the hairs from my face, not cutting them. Saves money, and toughens me up.
(Note: for cripes sake, give the PHD dude a break, he's a fellow shaver, we need to stick together)
bought the sav-a-blade and it doesn't work at all!!!! it actually dulls the blade instead of sharpening. i guess they are paying these morons who say it works to post for them. don't waste your money like i did. i'm a fool for thinking this could actually work.
ReplyDeleteI wish they paid me for my posts. Sorry for your experience. What type of blade did you use? I have had good experience with the Save A Blade but have also had one or two blades get worse when I used it. I figured it was just a bad blade to begin with. For instance, I used one of the 4 blade razors and had bad results. However the Mach 3 (3 blades) seems to work well.
ReplyDeleteAs for being a moron, I believe one of the people who visited this blog offered me a PHD in Bladeology.
Anyway, thanks for you taking time to letting everyone know of your experience.
Hi Christopher: I liked your vodka idea. How about extending it little bit. How about drink vodka while shaving. The vodka will come out of your cheeks and will keep blades sharp!!!!. Isn't this a PhD idea? If nobody has done PhD on this I am going to do it. Forget about the sharpener. Vodka is my sharpener. Also while drinking, I will get high and keep my mind sharp too. So vodka will sharpen two thing at a time. Great idea Christopher
ReplyDeleteThis is a joke. If yiou have money to throw away take it to the casino, at least yiou will have 5 mins of enjoyment
ReplyDeleteSo today i purchased my save a blade from Walgreens. I really wanted this product to work for me but alas. It does not. I tried it on two blade, three blade and four blade and had mixed results. All new blades for me but it seemed to make the blades cut too rough and possibly my face in the process. I think the blades are actually a bit off after use. I keep up on my blades regularly and find i can use them multiple times simply by running an old tooth brush along the blade surface to remove all the hair. I think the problem here is that my blades seemed to wide to fit properly in the unit and i had to struggle to get them to fit and it seemed that the default position they wanted to go into didn't sit well with the save a blade as it stopped the motor. I think my best bet is to follow another posters recommendation and buy a nice safety razor with a mega pack of blades. Thank you for your reviews! I really appreciate everyones comments in helping me decide to purchase this product and then persuading me that it may not be the best idea for some. Either way my advice for all is to try it and worst case scenario bring it back to the store for a refund. Also follow the directions to the letter as i can see some room for error when not followed.
ReplyDeleteI've been tossing the idea around of getting a Save-a-Blade, but I use the Fusion (5 blade) cartridges. And I'm not seeing many reviews aimed at that. Does it not work for Fusion cartridges? 101 Newsletter, would you be so kind as to test a Fusion cartridge, & tell me your opinion of it, so I know whether it's worth spending $20 on, or not?
ReplyDeleteI kind of like my Mach 3 and get great results with the Save A Balde with the Mach 3. I can tell you that I have tried a 4 blade razor with the Save A Balde and the results were not as good. I suspect a 5 blade razor might also not do as well.
ReplyDeleteHow bout it readers... Anyone use the Save A Blade on a 5 blade razor?
I'm guessing if you used a 4 blade with not so good results, that a 5 blade won't work. Judging from what you said, there must be a limit as to what the Save-A-Blade can sharpen. The higher the blade count, the less it can do. And seeing that there's now 6-blade razors on the market, they may have to up this thing. I haven't tried it on a Fusion blade yet, but that's my suspicion. -Joker
ReplyDeleteThis has been some of the funniest reading I've seen in ages. Thanks everyone.
ReplyDeleteA few things:
PhD's, while "smart," aren't all English teachers. Scientists are notoriously bad spellers & grammar practioners.
There should not be so many conflicting views. This isn't an opinion-based product. Does it sharpen blades: yes or no? The jury still seems out... except for FOX News.
LOL... someone's actually watching FOX News!!!!
CVS managers, PhDs, BAs, BSs and the like: what the hell are all of these "professionals" doing posting on some guy's blog about the Save A Blade????
Are you kidding?
Forget the blade, save society: kill yourself.
THERE'S a case of the pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me. -Joker
ReplyDeleteI have not tried this product, but am considering it. I noticed that in the Fox report they used a 4 bladed razor, and I have not seen hardly anybody here post how many blades their razor has. The Infomercial shows a 2 bladed razor, maybe it works best on the 2 bladed models.
ReplyDeleteCould people start posting what blade they are using when they give a good or bad post about it, maybe we can find a pattern.
Steve
Personally, I get my comedy at FOX and my news at Comedy Central.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I haven't ever used the said device but, seeing as how it operates using a rotating drum, you might expect that a razor with fewer blades would work better.
*If you don't feel like reading the rest and remember geometry: the line tangent to a point on the circle is an increasingly bad approximation as you move away from the initial point at which you made your approximation*
Such is my reasoning: the 2 blade razor is going to have a shorter (in the direction of shaving) cutting surface than something with 5 razors, right? Assuming that's the case, and keeping in mind that the 'strop strips' are moving in a circle (as seen from the side of the device), we can only assume that there is an optimal distance (along the direction in which the blades shave) over which the strips actually strop your blades.
That is, at the outer edges of this 'optimal stropping zone' (OSZ, to the poster with the PhD), the strips are either a) at the wrong angle to perform any useful stroppage or b) too far along in their circular path to even contact your blades.
That being said, it'd be helpful to know what kind of blades people have used. Judging by the use of the 2 blade razor in the commercial and the generally positive reviews from Mach 3 users [and, of course, FOX's choice of razor], however, I'm thinking this device was never meant to sharpen the quintuple-edged monstrosities some people keep in their bathroom.
Bottom line...don't waste your money like I did. I could not tell a difference after "sharpening" my dull double edged razor with this product. After some research, I found that lab tests have confirmed that Save A Blade does not sharpen dull blades and in fact, dulls new blades as seen under microscopes. The rotating sharpening "strops" are nothing more than a form of carbon paper that is so ineffective that you can stick your finger into the device without injury (or sharpening of your finger). Mine lasted a mere 3-months before the carbon paper "strops" tore away from the device.
ReplyDeleteI bought a savablade at Walmart last year. Ive had to replace the penlight battery once. I use the Fusion razor. I bought the razor at the same time. I havent had to change blades yet. Before I shave I use my savablade and I get the best shave ive ever had. The razor is still as sharp as the day I bought it. I have no clue as to when I need to use new blades. I only buy the infomercial products (slap chop, hearing device, etc.) when sold by Walmart. Im not scewed by disreputable companies nor do I pay a bazillion in shipping and hanling costs. I recommend the savablade to everyone. I also recommend following instructions to the letter.
ReplyDeleteWOW! It was fun reading all comments.English is my 2nd language and I do not have any degree to show off.I love and always using Gillette (tried many other brands,didn't like them)I have long experienced shaver.I keep all my used Gillette blades and sometime I went through the old one to see if it can be use again.I am going try this product from Ebay.
ReplyDeleteI think I am going to do my Ph.D. dissertation to see if the Save-A-Blade really works. But, I am in Educational Psychology so I am really not sure how and I can. Maybe I can run correlations on people's views of Save-A-Lot based on their educational level of educational achievement. Might be better than my present topic!
ReplyDeleteWell, I bought Save-A-Lot yesterday, before reading these posts, so I don't have much data yet. I did notice when I ran a couple of day old blade through yesterday, it removed old whiskers.
I like the shavers that have that button to push out the old whisker fragments and these type of shavers are harder and harder to find. Why? I don't know. So, in my need, I thought I would give Save-A-Lot a shot.
Now, I am not so sure it was wise. But, I will see.
I remember as a child the "Gotcha!" commercials. Seems even the new 17 blade razors suck when they get dull. I think they sold us on disposable razors easier than they did on WMD's. At least the razors haven't cost our economy $950 billion. Before reading this I had not even considered using a safety razor, I now think that is the best bet for my money.
ReplyDeleteI used the same blade for 235 years, right until the day I was assasinated by hitmen hired by the evil consortium of razor blade manufacturers, thanks to the amazing Save A Blade.
ReplyDeletegot it for $2.50 at Big Lots.... thank god i didnt pay retail!! worst $2.50 ive ever spent... shoulda just bought a new pack of razors....
ReplyDeleteI must say that regardless of the validity of the product in question this dialogue reveals much about American society and the different schools of thought that are purpetrated or adopted by its "free" inhabitants. I hope to initiate a tangential discussion that will provoke those who feel compelled to comment on the "Save A .Blade" discussion to instead, look honestly at their own role in this mindless consumerist society and comment accordingly. I read much of the above and was poised to comment when I was bowled over by the significance of this thread. An intuition, a spark of insight ignited a nascent desire to understand this moment, to see it as would an alien observer who, armed with only with information filched from this, seemingly flippant dialogue, was charged with deciding whether humanity would be allowed into the galactic goodfella's club or whether they would be inextricably wiped from the face of the "Milky Way" galaxy with nary a footprint or even footnote, to mark their having ever existed!!!! DANT TANT TAH! (TV sound effect for dramatic effect)
ReplyDeleteI must say that regardless of the validity of the product in question this dialogue reveals much about American society and the different schools of thought that are purpetrated or adopted by its "free" inhabitants. I hope to initiate a tangential discussion that will provoke those who feel compelled to comment on the "Save A .Blade" discussion to instead, look honestly at their own role in this mindless consumerist society and comment accordingly. I read much of the above and was poised to comment when I was bowled over by the significance of this thread. An intuition, a spark of insight ignited a nascent desire to understand this moment, to see it as would an alien observer who, armed with only with information filched from this, seemingly flippant dialogue, was charged with deciding whether humanity would be allowed into the galactic goodfella's club or whether they would be inextricably wiped from the face of the "Milky Way" galaxy with nary a footprint or even footnote, to mark their having ever existed!!!! DANT TANT TAH! (TV sound effect for dramatic effect)
ReplyDeleteI have had a Save a Blade for a couple of years. I use cheap disposable two blade razors. They last for months at a time. The fewer the blades the better it sharpens. It still has the original battery. It works best staring with a new razor.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteNow the optimal solution... bring back the double edged straoght blades and the razors that had to be screwed open to insert them and replace them.
The only comment here worth the lack of light to make the words is the anonymous post above. I read it last spring, and almost bought a sharpener. Instead I bought an olddouble edged razor. I cut my face 5 times the first week, but that was because I was holding it at the wrong angle. I have not cut myself since. The shave is incredible, and blades cost 10 cents each and last five shaves. The E-Bay razor I bought came with "shark" blades. I bought 100 more of a different brand and wish I had spent the $10 including shipping on sharks. I now have a 2 year supply that is not the best, but still way better than a double = triple - quad or bazillion blade razor. I have a nice brawn electric that just sits now. One pass and the hair is gone.
I have a hairy back - My wife shaves it because she likes the looks better. The first time I had her try the safety razor she too was amazed. One pass and even 1/2" long hair is gone.
$5 a year for blades and it is old school.
To the PHD. You are a scientist, unless of course your degree is in library methods. Everyone else; you too can be scientific. Do not think you know the answer; think instead of a way to find the answer. Test it; Report the results. That is what good engineers do. Ray M. (Mechanical Engineer, PE)
To Anonymous; Regardless of your schooling you are the real deal. Thanks for looking outside the box, finding the answer; and letting me in on the results!
I just realized I commented on this January 6th '10 too.
ReplyDeleteStephen - What???? Aliens judging our society on how we shave? I'm glad I didn't elaborate any more on my personal habits; I'd be booted off the mother ship for sure ;-)
I am flipping out because my 2 SavaBlades are used SO MUCH they are finally having "issues"...so I went looking for them and to my horror, I cannot find them ANYWHERE. Sooo, is this a plot by the 'blade makers'???!! That's my take..I have been shaving my Neanderthal body for decades and spending a fortune on the 'blademakers'(BM's), but this kooky product came to my rescue. And yes, I have had EXCELLENT results w/it. I realized I was using the same blade for months before it started to dull. (Not to mention, it's weird a 'made for TV product' actually worked.) I am completely convinced the 'BM's are behind the savablade disappearance!! HELP SAB, I know you're still out there--somewhere. I cry everytime I see "4 Blades, JUST $16.99". The national debt could be covered by the BM's!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this. I really feel as though I know so much more about this than I did before. Your blog really brought some things to light that I never would have thought about before reading it. You should continue this, Im sure most people would agree youve got a gift.
ReplyDeleteVery Well edited and your writing is as always brilliant, thanks for such a nice piece of info!
ReplyDeleteI still think you are missing the boat here. A 3 pack of Quattro blades is $16 through amazon, and you have to run them in a noisy save-a-blade every morning to get them to last a year. I get 15 shaves out of my safety razor with shark blades; that is 22 per year at 10 cents per balde = $2.20 per year.
ReplyDeleteI realize your goal is to convince everyone that SAB is the be all end all of shaving, but you have not convinced me.
What advantage does save-a-blade have over a safety razor? I can not think of any. I have used a safety razor for almost two years and have not cut myself once since the first week. Yes, SAB is cheaper than not sharpening a disposable so that places it in second place.
This is really a nice site . I liked it . I also liked your writing.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the " Burr" at the end of the blade or any blade for that matter.That's why you use a Strop on a straight edge razor.Thats one thing that this Save a razor thing is trying to replicate.One thing I have been using for quite a while to re hone my disposable razor is to use some denim.Rub you're razor on the back of your jeans, it works pretty well.Or but a length of it on a block of wood,that will also work.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHi – It’s good to read such interesting stuff on
the Internet as I have been able to discover here.
I agree with much of what is written here and I’ll be
coming back to this website again. Thanks again for posting such
great reading material!!