Testing blade samples

[Moody]

Ok. Been a while. I've been revisiting blades and trying for longevity etc. Rapira platinum lux can do a good 5-6 shaves.

So I got to the next blade to test. Sputnick. Started off in my Weishi.

For a teflon coated blade this is everything that Voskhod was not. Sharp and smooth.
I have had three shaves with it. First and second were good 3 pass shaves. Third shave I had to do 4 passes. Still good but lost some sharpness.

Very happy with this blade. I am leaving the other 4 blades in the tuck for re-visiting once I have gotten through my samples but at the moment this is a top 3 blade (along with shark stainless and platinum lux). It may be at the top.

 

[Moody]

PS, managed to slice the side of my nostril with is, but that is entirely my fault and not the blades.

 

[Moody]

Ok. Next of the rank. Polsilver SI. Weishi razor.

Good but not as good as the sputnick. I think this is the wrong razor for the blade. Did a decent job but even with a very light touch it took too many passes and left me with very minor weepers.

I'll try it in the tech next. I have the vague impression that it will do a better job there.

 

[Moody]

Tried the Polsilver in the English tech.

Still ok, but not right for my face I don't think. I could live with shaves from this blade - but prefer my current top three:
(sputnick, rapira platinum lux, shark stainless). Again I am going to put the rest of the tuck away and come back to it at a later date.

I am tempted to get two dirt cheap packs of 100 blades - racer and silver star. Reviews seem to point to it as a blade I would like and the price is ridiculous (200 blades = $11 plus minor postage).

 

[Moody]

Decided to try some of the other lord brands.

Big Ben in English tech.

Felt generally shark like. A lot of audible feedback and I think not quite as sharp. Decent result. I will try this in the slim on 5 tomorrow and then do a run with a shark as a comparison.

 

[dfoulk]

I'm starting to notice a pattern here. You seem to favor the duller blades over the sharper ones. Since you were using the Shark blades initially which are very sharp I suspected that you would favor the 7 O'Clock Yellow, Perma-Sharp, Feather, Bic and Polsilver.

Differences in blades are subtle but some are sharper than others. The sharper blades do a slightly better job at cleaning up the stubble but they are less forgiving when it comes to your technique. Technique is something that we all have to work at as I caught myself rushing through a shave the other day and while the result was still good, the shave wasn't my best work by any means. Every so often I slow things down and get back to basics.

This is your experiment so you can certainly do whatever you want but maybe consider slowing down a bit and focusing on technique. You might even surprise yourself. Most blades can easily give one or two good shaves so the problem is likely something we're doing that causes poor results.

 

[Bookworm]

I'll admit that even after using a DE for 30 years, I make mistakes with the razor. I've been using the same one for that entire period. What I have personally started seeing is that even with excellent technique, there ARE differences in blades. Voskhod, for example, was terrible in both a Weishi 9306EL AND a 1986 SuperSpeed. When I put it into a ball end tech (oval slots), it shaved very well - and I don't believe that I changed my technique between the three razors.

What I'm doing while testing blades is doing a base first shave in my SuperSpeed, then moving to another razor. I know how the SS handles, and I know that first shaves are often a bit rougher, but it gives me a good baseline. By the third shave, I should know how a particular blade will work in a type of razor - for my face.

I would also suggest checking your soap

 

[Moody]

I'm starting to notice a pattern here. You seem to favor the duller blades over the sharper ones. Since you were using the Shark blades initially which are very sharp I suspected that you would favor the 7 O'Clock Yellow, Perma-Sharp, Feather, Bic and Polsilver.

Differences in blades are subtle but some are sharper than others. The sharper blades do a slightly better job at cleaning up the stubble but they are less forgiving when it comes to your technique. Technique is something that we all have to work at as I caught myself rushing through a shave the other day and while the result was still good, the shave wasn't my best work by any means. Every so often I slow things down and get back to basics.

This is your experiment so you can certainly do whatever you want but maybe consider slowing down a bit and focusing on technique. You might even surprise yourself. Most blades can easily give one or two good shaves so the problem is likely something we're doing that causes poor results.

I have done a lot of work focusing on technique. I 'ride the cap' and keep low pressure. Even with what feels like the same touch and angle, for some reason gives a better shave than my (dominant) right.

I get frustrated that other people seem to get incredible shaves virtually straight away and I am still struggling with it a year on. BUT. The way I write emphasises the negative. My shaves aren't bad - they just aren't perfect. My average shave is DFS with no lingering pain etc. I can not get BBS without major irritation on my neck and unfortunately due to my hair colour and complextion I will still look unshaven only hours after a shave even if my face feels smooth.

I actually think that I favour a very limited range of blades that are both not too dull and not too sharp - and sharpness or dullness is not the whole story. I keep hearing that shark blades are either dull or sharp, there doesn't seem to be a consensus.

Of the few that you have mentioned, I have gotten some of my best shaves from a 7oclock yellow and will revisit, bic seem rough and polsilver is good but not as good as others I have used.

 

[Moody]

I'll admit that even after using a DE for 30 years, I make mistakes with the razor. I've been using the same one for that entire period. What I have personally started seeing is that even with excellent technique, there ARE differences in blades. Voskhod, for example, was terrible in both a Weishi 9306EL AND a 1986 SuperSpeed. When I put it into a ball end tech (oval slots), it shaved very well - and I don't believe that I changed my technique between the three razors.

What I'm doing while testing blades is doing a base first shave in my SuperSpeed, then moving to another razor. I know how the SS handles, and I know that first shaves are often a bit rougher, but it gives me a good baseline. By the third shave, I should know how a particular blade will work in a type of razor - for my face.

I would also suggest checking your soap

Voskhod for me were not good, but I can make them work only in a slim set to 5. (don't work in my techs either).

If I suspect a blade of being very sharp then I am starting off in my (mild) weishi. If I suspect a blade of being similar to a shark (anything from lord) I am now starting with the settings that work best for sharks - slim on 5.

It is very hard to do comparisons of things 24 hours apart.

 

[Moody]

I have had a second shave with the big ben blade in my slim set to 5. Decent, shark like but I don't think quite as sharp. I don't think I will go back to it.

Had a first shave with a (Lord) Asco Orange. Again with a slim set to 5. Decent and shark like but I think mildly sharper. Very nice shave and ploughed through the hair against the grain better than the big bens.

I will need to re-visit the shark to tell for sure. I really like this blade and put it on par, if not better than shark.

 

[Bookworm]

I don't think it's hard to compare shaves 24 hours apart. In fact, I've done some 12 hours apart (shave in the morning, shave in the evening), just to see. The only time it's hard to compare is if you've razor burned your face, because you then get hesitant for the next couple of shaves until the burn fades. As my technique is pretty much burned into my muscle memory, even if it's inappropriate for the razor , I'll shave the same way with the SS on day 1, the post-war tech on day 2, and the Weishi on day 3 (for example). By that point, the razor is probably not so good for comparison anymore - even if I can keep shaving with it for another week or two.

 

[Moody]

I temporarily abandoned the asco. I will return to it.

I wanted to have a decent argument for those blaming my technique on preferring less sharp blades. Particularly my less than stellar results with Bic and Swedish supersteel, both of which are supposed to be very sharp.

I have spent month after month on technique and am sick of criticism on it. Therefore I decided on my next sample:

Feather. Sharpest of the sharp. It has been mentioned that I should try them to correct my technique because they will tell me if I am doing anything wrong.

Weishi razor. Derby soap.

I am not doing anything wrong.

Yes it is sharp, however, 7 o'clock yellows made much more of an impression on me. They don't feel significantly sharper than the Sputnik a few days ago.

Three pass shave, absolutely no problem cutting through for a nice DFS. More audible than I expected. Very minor weeping on the left side of my top lip where I buffed ever so slightly too much.

Smooth and sharp as anything I have used and would happily go on using them. I don't think they beat the Sputnik at this point.

So that's the famous feather. I will give it a try in the tech tomorrow. Unless I am very much surprised though I will consign these to 'good but not worth the extra money'.

Sharpness is not the issue with my technique or with the various blades I have issue with.

 

[Moody]

Feather shave 2. Flat bottom tech.

Not quite as good as the first shave. I am not sure if that is a difference in the razor or the blade not being quite as sharp.

These don't feel as sharp as I have been led to believe. Yes sharp, but not the put them against your skin = draw blood instantly type thing.

Still good 3 pass shave. Could have used a little more touching up but I was tired and didn't want to risk slipping.

At these point I would put these in my top 5, not in my top 3.

Top 5 currently (I think):
Sputnik
Rapira platinum lux
Asco orange (subject to further testing).
Shark Stainless
Feather.

If the sharp-edge yellows behave well for me when I try them again (I don't count my tries from almost a year ago) then I don't think they will remain in the top 5. I have hopes for a few other russian blades as well (7oclock super stainless, nacet, silver-blue, astra).

 

[Moody]

Feather shave three. Back to the weishi. 2 days growth.

Pretty much as good as shave one. I am not trying to hard to get absolutely every skeric of hair off, but nice reasonably clean DFS on my face (usual SAS on my neck). No real irritation and no nicks etc.

I would be quite happy using this blade all the time except for the exceptional cost compared to others.

 

[DomBangers]

When i lived in Thailand Feather were cheap, Astra very cheap, and Dorco virtually free. I have loads of Feather and Astra but find i prefer the Astras (blues and greens). I don't care for Dorco. I also bulk bought Gillette Super Thins (both the thai and vietnamese) and like this blade very much. Pretty much everything out of the St Petersburg factory suits me well too. Apart from Dorco the only blades i don't care for are Personna (in the red and blue pack) Voskod (but i like most rapiras, especially the platinum lux) and my pet hate, Treet Platinum. Have never tried any of the Egyptian blades, but would like to do so.

 

[Moody]

When i lived in Thailand Feather were cheap, Astra very cheap, and Dorco virtually free. I have loads of Feather and Astra but find i prefer the Astras (blues and greens). I don't care for Dorco. I also bulk bought Gillette Super Thins (both the thai and vietnamese) and like this blade very much. Pretty much everything out of the St Petersburg factory suits me well too. Apart from Dorco the only blades i don't care for are Personna (in the red and blue pack) Voskod (but i like most rapiras, especially the platinum lux) and my pet hate, Treet Platinum. Have never tried any of the Egyptian blades, but would like to do so.

I like you really like the platinum lux and don't like the voskhod. Unlike you, I don't like most of rapiras blades. Swedish supersteel is the devil. Ladas are just ok. I still have chromes and sharp stars to try, but I don't hold up much hope based on other experience.

 

[Moody]

Just did a couple of follow up shaves with blades I had already started.

The Polsilver. Shave 3. My impressions haven't changed - decent but definitely not in my top 5.
The Asco Orange. Very nice for shave 2. Cuts through the hair nicely and is incredibly smooth. It's a keeper and I think I will have to do a face-off eventually between it and the sputnik. I gather they are both teflon coated.

 

[Revel]

I just recently bought a bunch of samplers off ebay. There are many Russian blades for me to try. I just shaved my dome with a Voshkod. First time using that blade. Like you, I was not impressed. Had to perform many passes to get a satisfactory result...and it still wasn't that great.

The Gillette Silver Blue I had tried the day before blows the Voshkod out of the water. I have never had as good of a head shave as I had with the GSB yesterday. Effortless BBS. Hope you have some GSBs to try. I think you'll be impressed. Normally, I use Astras or Feathers...which I like very much...but the GSB was a special shave. Perhaps my technique just happened to be perfect yesterday.

This is a nice thread. Thanks for updating it. I'll have to try some of the blades you favor!

 

[Moody]

I just recently bought a bunch of samplers off ebay. There are many Russian blades for me to try. I just shaved my dome with a Voshkod. First time using that blade. Like you, I was not impressed. Had to perform many passes to get a satisfactory result...and it still wasn't that great.

The Gillette Silver Blue I had tried the day before blows the Voshkod out of the water. I have never had as good of a head shave as I had with the GSB yesterday. Effortless BBS. Hope you have some GSBs to try. I think you'll be impressed. Normally, I use Astras or Feathers...which I like very much...but the GSB was a special shave. Perhaps my technique just happened to be perfect yesterday.

This is a nice thread. Thanks for updating it. I'll have to try some of the blades you favor!

I will say that my experience seems to differ from what a lot of other people experience. Blades that I like others hate and vice versa. Some of the blades that people find absolutely premium I get good results from - but not as good as other blades. Feather is so far the only exception as a blade that I get good results from that everyone else does too.

I have used GSB before and have 20 odd available. Like 7'oclock yellow I need to retest them as my ability has changed since I last tried them. When I last tried them I got ok results from them but nothing exceptional (definitely far better than voskhod).

 

[Moody]

Asco shave 3. Slim on 5.

Not sure if it is the blade wearing out (I only use sharks for three shaves) or if I buffed a bit much at the end but I had a bit more irritation than I like. Not awful. Had a very nice result at the end and no irritation 15 minutes later.

I still very much like this blade - even if it only gives me two shaves.