Worst Blade

[samhain666]

First blade I wowed never to pick up again was Derby extra. I admit it was in first few months and my tehnique could be bad but it tugged so bad I never got to them again. Another blade I could not even finish a shave was Müller drug store branded blade. Tuggy, rash and just plain awful and caling it a "blade" is insult to all other brands.
I am also not a fan of Gillette Bleue Extra (I read it is basically French version of lvoed GSB) but not so much because the blade itself but because of fear of dud blades...1-2 in every box of 10 blades. I just hate changing blade after I start my shave

 

[joe.attaboy]

I have to add to the piling on of Derby. Just never got a decent shave from them, ever.

 

[steveclarkus]

I have no idea. I didn’t use a great variety and all performed adequately. I suppose any blades in disposables. I mostly used Personna Blue when I used a DE. I use Derby’s in shavettes I use when I travel and they work beautifully but never used one in a DE. I Hone my own now.

 

[Vanille]

I see a lot of people complaining about the Derby Extra. I tried them over a couple of weeks now and I must say that I really enjoy Derby Extra (the green package). I find them smooth but not boring at all. Maybe the newer blades are better; I hear that there were some changes to the blade a couple of years ago….

BTW, worst blade for me was Personna (made in USA). The Israeli ones are nice)

 

[steelhead52]

Strange. For me BIC Chrome Platinum blades are as sharp as it gets. Although they are not quite as sharp as a Feather Hi Stainless on the first shave, by the second shave, they are even sharper.

Well RayClem, a lot of our fellow members got me scared. Like you, I have a fairly coarse whiskers and really like very sharp blades. I have been using Nacet a lot along with GSB, Gillette 7 O'Clock Black, and Feather. I just ordered BICs for using in my Timeless .95 SS OC. I shoot for a BBS everyday and find I actually can get a BBS with this razor and sharp blades in two ATG passes skipping my WTG and XTG passes I used to perform before going against the grain. I actually get much less irritation due fewer total shaving strokes. If I do miss a day shaving which is rare, I add the extra passes back. Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying the BICs. It seems this blade gets very polarizing results. Have you found the quality consistent? I just purchased a 100 for $12 so I hope they work out.

To the OP, I started out with Astra SP and struggled with them. I switched to GSB and used them exclusively for 5 years and they are still my favorite. I have now added other sharp blades and like the ones mentioned above. I have never tried many of the others like Derby etc, but I still don't care for Astra SPs although I find the Astra SSs much better but still not quite as sharp as what I am currently using.

 

[PreachTheWord]

The Astra SP was the worst blade for me. Rougher than 3 nights in jail. I'll never pick one up again.

 

[DickyRivers]

I’ll throw in with the Derby Extra crowd. Mediocre is about as good as they get on my face... and they only get worse with use.

 

[Padinkler]

Funny how ymmv, but there are some common themes here. The Bic CPs tore my face up when I tried them in my sample pack. Maybe it was a bad blade, but I’ll never use another one to find out.

 

[RayClem]

Funny how ymmv, but there are some common themes here. The Bic CPs tore my face up when I tried them in my sample pack. Maybe it was a bad blade, but I’ll never use another one to find out.

Most folks are using sample packs when they are just starting out and have not developed an excellent shaving technique. BIC Chrome Platinum blades are extremely sharp and will tear up your face if you technique is less than perfect. If you have now been shaving long enough to refine your technique, you might try them again and be surprised at how good they are. Blood loss is almost always due to poor shaving technique rather than blade quality, but an extremely sharp blade will point out errors in technique quite quickly.

 

[Atlantic59]

...BIC Chrome Platinum blades are extremely sharp and will tear up your face if you technique is less than perfect. If you have now been shaving long enough to refine your technique, you might try them again and be surprised at how good they are....

I would love to know why people have such diametrically opposed opinions on the BIC Chrome blades. I have always found them good and sharp. Yet some people say they had to stop shaving and toss the blade because it was pulling instead of cutting?! Another says they are about as sharp as a Derby Extra?! So it is not always complaints that the BICs tore people's faces to shreds. How is this possible -- it's just bizarre?!

 

[guitarslinger]

I'm starting to wonder if there are a bunch of counterfeit Bics floating around.

They were the opposite of sharp for me. Serrated glass shards would have been an upgrade. I sent 99 of them to my buddy @Steinmetzify . He had the same experience, and had blood shooting out of his cheek.

 

[RayClem]

I'm starting to wonder if there are a bunch of counterfeit Bics floating around.

They were the opposite of sharp for me. Serrated glass shards would have been an upgrade. I sent 99 of them to my buddy @Steinmetzify . He had the same experience, and had blood shooting out of his cheek.

I guess counterfeits or poor QC would be a possibility. I wish you still had a couple to send to me so I could see how they compare to the ones I have.

I have sensitive skin, but love BIC CP blades in a mild to moderate razor. Admittedly, I would be reluctant to try them in my Muhle R41.

 

[guitarslinger]

I guess counterfeits or poor QC would be a possibility. I wish you still had a couple to send to me so I could see how they compare to the ones I have.

I have sensitive skin, but love BIC CP blades in a mild to moderate razor. Admittedly, I would be reluctant to try them in my Muhle R41.

Calling @Steinmetzify Do you still have these, or did you send them out to Ajax?

 

[Steinmetzify]

@guitarslinger nope, I PIFd them here. I’ll go back thru PMs and see if I can find the guy.

I can’t remember if I told you or not, but he was sure they were fakes; he did a bunch of testing with some Chromes he’d gotten from Maggard’s, and the boxes were slightly different, the printing was as well, and he went double fisted with razors loaded with each, the Maggard’s ones were awesome and the ones I sent him were just plain terrible.

 

[guitarslinger]

@guitarslinger nope, I PIFd them here. I’ll go back thru PMs and see if I can find the guy.

I can’t remember if I told you or not, but he was sure they were fakes; he did a bunch of testing with some Chromes he’d gotten from Maggard’s, and the boxes were slightly different, the printing was as well, and he went double fisted with razors loaded with each, the Maggard’s ones were awesome and the ones I sent him were just plain terrible.

Are you going to try the Maggard's ones??

 

[Steinmetzify]

Are you going to try the Maggard's ones??

That's gonna be a big fat negative Ghost Rider

 

[Galaktus]

Actually, I've tried them. They weren't good, but they weren't terrible either. Compared to Flying Eagle, they're a delight.

The reason there isn't a Flying Eagle survivors club is that there have been so few survivors!

Lol. I'm a Flying Eagle survivor and well, but to be honest, I only let the blade torture me for about an inch and a half, first pass from my sideburn before I tapped out. Pulled so hard, it would have won a stump pulling contest.

I am one of those who love Bic blades. Derby's are also great for me.

If anyone has any if those horrible Graham Field blades left, I'd love to try one.

 

[lancre]

Lol. I'm a Flying Eagle survivor and well, but to be honest, I only let the blade torture me for about an inch and a half, first pass from my sideburn before I tapped out. Pulled so hard, it would have won a stump pulling contest.

I am one of those who love Bic blades. Derby's are also great for me.

If anyone has any if those horrible Graham Field blades left, I'd love to try one.

I've got one GF left. PM me a mailing address, and I'll send it off.

 

[Galaktus]

I've got one GF left. PM me a mailing address, and I'll send it off.

Thanks! I'll try my best to do a whole shave with it, and post a review here. Won't be on a work day though, haha.

 

[Yukonmark]

Big Ben. Using a bean can lid would have been smoother