Blades are the clearest case of a consumable where people ration the cheap thing and pay for it with the expensive one, which here is their skin. A cartridge costs a small amount. A week of irritation, ingrown hairs and nicks costs considerably more in comfort.

Why the count matters more than the calendar

Blade wear is a function of shaves, not days. Ten to fourteen shaves is the practical range for most people on a multi blade cartridge. Shave every day and that is two weeks. Shave twice a week and the same cartridge can reasonably last a month.

Three things shorten it. Coarse or dense hair, which does more work on the edge. A large area, since legs use far more blade travel than a jawline. And shaving dry or with thin lather, which increases friction and micro damage on the cutting edge.

The signals

  • Tugging. The blade pulls the hair before cutting it. This is the definitive sign.
  • More passes. You go over the same patch two or three times to get it smooth.
  • Irritation afterwards. Redness or burning that was not there with a fresh cartridge.
  • Visible corrosion. Any discolouration on the edge means it has been sitting wet.
If you are pressing harder to get the same result, you are not saving money on blades. You are paying for them with your skin.

Making a cartridge last its full life

  1. Rinse from the back of the head so debris pushes out rather than in.
  2. Shake off water and store the razor dry, outside the shower.
  3. Use proper lather and let it sit for a minute to soften the hair.
  4. Shave with the grain first, and only go across if you need to.
  5. Never wipe the edge on a towel, which rolls the fine edge over.

Freshy tracks razor blades at 14 days and drops that to 10 on heavy use, so the reminder lands before the tugging starts. If several people in the house shave, add one item each with their own intensity. The rest of the bathroom is in the complete schedule.

Questions

How many shaves does a blade last?

About 10 to 14 for a multi blade cartridge, roughly two weeks of daily shaving.

Is razor burn a blade problem?

Usually yes. A dull edge needs more pressure and more passes, which is what irritates skin.

Does storing it in the shower matter?

Yes. Standing water corrodes the edge and shortens blade life noticeably.