Blade ranking in order of aggressiveness ?

[cpcohen1945]

Hi --

I've been using Feather blades exclusively, for many years. Mostly with an EJ89, Merkur Progress, RR Lupo Aluminum. (There have been others, but none felt as good as those three.) I have no complaints, never thought of changing blades.

I just got a Pearl Flexi. Based on my first three shaves, the Feather blades are too aggressive:

. . . With setting 1, my shave is comfortable, but leaves stubble;

. . . With setting 1.5, being very careful, there's no stubble, but my neck is irritated (not bloody).

. . . With setting 2, being very careful, my neck is _really_ irritated.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the razor -- blade exposure is even and symmetrical, and so far as I can judge by eye, blade gap is constant.

So I'm left with two things to try:

(a) improve technique (which I'm working on, old dogs _can_ learn new tricks)

(b) Try different blades.

Lying around, I have these choices:

. . . Feather New Hi-Stainless

. . . Willy's Premium (Indian, arrived with the Pearl Flexi)

. . . Derby Extra

. . . Blue Bird

I thought I had some Astra blades as well, but can't find them. When I last looked, they were considered I don't think there's a source in Vancouver, BC.

. . . So, wise men, could you rank those blades in order of aggressiveness (which I _think_ is the same as "sharpness"), probably with Feather at the top ?

Thanks --

. Charles

 

[cranewarrior]

No idea about Willy's, but I would bet money that the Derby Extra is less sharp compared to the Blue Bird. See this old thread for context:

Blue Bird Blades

I had one lying around so, I gave it a shot this A.M. I was not expecting much other than a tuggy shave. The blade surprised me as it went through the whiskers pretty good with just slight drag. I think they are discontinued though. Is the Concord blade the same as the Blue Bird with just a...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Blackland Razors]

I haven't used this razor, but I would think that going from setting 1 to 2 (out of 6 total) shouldn't give a shave so drastically different, especially since you've used Feathers so much. I'm a bit skeptical that blade choice is the only thing going on here.

 

[JimL911]

Throw the Bluebirds out. The only blade I changed on the first stroke.

 

[Goblin]

I haven't used this razor, but I would think that going from setting 1 to 2 (out of 6 total) shouldn't give a shave so drastically different, especially since you've used Feathers so much. I'm a bit skeptical that blade choice is the only thing going on here.

I agree with this.

I don't use adjustables, but I understand that some of them go from "aggressive" to "very aggressive". With the EJ89 and Alu Lupo, it sounds like you favour milder razors. It might just take some time for you to adjust to your new toy.

If you do want to try other blades, you might try stepping down a little in sharpness, rather than going from Feather to Derby, which are pretty much the two extreme ends of the spectrum. As another Derby brand, I suspect Bluebirds are at the milder end of things too.

Personna Plats and Astra SPs are both "mid-range" blades I like. GSBs are also popular. It might be worth going online and ordering a few tucks to try.

 

[Anchovie666]

Those Willey blades are pretty nice. I don't have an Flexi but have used them in lots of other Razors. I would definitely look at gaps and blade alignment on any Pearl product. There have been issues in the past where the gap gets uneven as you run up the adjustments, etc. I also agree that it may take some technique adjustments. When I first tried the Rex Konsul slant it was a learning curve.

 

[The Barber 1981]

Those Willey blades are pretty nice. I don't have an Flexi but have used them in lots of other Razors. I would definitely look at gaps and blade alignment on any Pearl product. There have been issues in the past where the gap gets uneven as you run up the adjustments, etc. I also agree that it may take some technique adjustments. When I first tried the Rex Konsul slant it was a learning curve.

Your advice on checking gaps and blade alignment with Pearl products is duly noted, as uneven gaps can be a concern. I agree that technique adjustments are often necessary.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Charles, could the weight of the Flexi be causing too much pressure? The Flexi is quite a bit heavier than some of your other razors. Just a thought to consider.

 

[cpcohen1945]

Charles, could the weight of the Flexi be causing too much pressure? The Flexi is quite a bit heavier than some of your other razors. Just a thought to consider.

Yes, I thought about that. But I've been conscious of the weight of the razor, and of how my skin feels under it -- I don't think it's that. I haven't checked the Pearl's geometry under magnification -- out comes the loupe, again.

There _is_ a store in Vancouver that stocks Astra SP blades. I'll get some, and try them, and the Willy's, first. And (as my signature suggests), shaving is going to become a fully-conscious activity again.

It's surprising (to me) that people will disagree about "Blade A is sharper than blade B". So the question I asked is deep into "subjective territory":

. . . I suppose all I can do is try out some alternatives, and see how they work.

Thanks all --

 

[NorthernSoul]

I don't know if it's related to the sharpness exactly. I've noticed Feather blades do work a lot better in some razors than others.

I'd just try any other blade (except Derby Extra). See what happens. The first type of blade that comes to mind in this situation would be a smooth, mid-sharp blade such as Lord Silver Star, or something similar to that.

 

[Stikeyoda]

Those Willey blades are pretty nice. I don't have an Flexi but have used them in lots of other Razors. I would definitely look at gaps and blade alignment on any Pearl product. There have been issues in the past where the gap gets uneven as you run up the adjustments, etc. I also agree that it may take some technique adjustments. When I first tried the Rex Konsul slant it was a learning curve.

I second the Willy's being nice - I was surprised how effective and smooth they were across several razors. They a a PITA to find anywhere though. Try them out and if they work then look at something like the Dorco Prime (my favorite at this level).

 

[cpcohen1945]

I've used Willy's for two or three shaves -- they were OK (so the feel of that razor _is_ sensitive to which blade is used). But they weren't taking off as much hair as I'm used to. I have the 55 that came with the razor, and will probably go through them eventually.

I finally got some Astra SP blades, and used one this morning -- exactly right, at setting 1.5 ! Very smooth, very effective, no irritation at all. I have 6 months' worth of them.

I always thought that using Feathers was a mark of achievement.<G> So I'm backsliding.

I suspect that the extra weight of the Pearl Flexi changes the feel -- it reduces the amount of vibration that feeds through the handle. My one aluminum razor (RR Lupo Al) basically vibrates for each hair it cuts. The Pearl is oh-so-smooth -- I could get to enjoy this!<G>

Thanks everyone --

. Charles

 

[Lockback]

I don't want to step in like I'm Mr. Blade Expert or Mr. Pearl Flexi Expert.
But I have tried a lot of blades and do have a Pearl Flexi with 4 shaves on it and it's been amazingly smooth with a Gillette Perma-Sharp.
But when I switched to a Gillette Nacet, a comparable blade, for the fourth shave after 3 with the P-S, it suddenly wasn't smooth anymore and it was more aggressive than I like. (I had shaved with the setting on 3 for a first pass and 2.5 to 1 for subsequent passes/touchups.)
I'm trying it again in the morning with a 2-day scruff and I've switched back to the Perma-Sharp. I'll let you know how it goes.
I have some Feathers but haven't shaved with them. There are a lot of terrific blades out there that may not be as sharp as Feathers but are smoother, from what I know.

 

[MikeFish]

Hi --

I've been using Feather blades exclusively, for many years. Mostly with an EJ89, Merkur Progress, RR Lupo Aluminum. (There have been others, but none felt as good as those three.) I have no complaints, never thought of changing blades.

I just got a Pearl Flexi. Based on my first three shaves, the Feather blades are too aggressive:

. . . With setting 1, my shave is comfortable, but leaves stubble;

. . . With setting 1.5, being very careful, there's no stubble, but my neck is irritated (not bloody).

. . . With setting 2, being very careful, my neck is _really_ irritated.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the razor -- blade exposure is even and symmetrical, and so far as I can judge by eye, blade gap is constant.

So I'm left with two things to try:

(a) improve technique (which I'm working on, old dogs _can_ learn new tricks)

(b) Try different blades.

Lying around, I have these choices:

. . . Feather New Hi-Stainless

. . . Willy's Premium (Indian, arrived with the Pearl Flexi)

. . . Derby Extra

. . . Blue Bird

I thought I had some Astra blades as well, but can't find them. When I last looked, they were considered I don't think there's a source in Vancouver, BC.

. . . So, wise men, could you rank those blades in order of aggressiveness (which I _think_ is the same as "sharpness"), probably with Feather at the top ?

Thanks --

. Charles

I’m a big fan of RK Chromium blades.