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Bottom Tier Blades

Hi guys. I’ve got a question.
What’s your lowest ranked blade you use in your rotation? I mean the lowest in your lowest tier that you still like to use nevertheless. I. E. The bottom 20 %. For me it’s my Rapiras. They are initially sharp but lack longevity....but I enjoy using them. All responses much welcomed. Thanks!
 
Hi guys. I’ve got a question.
What’s your lowest ranked blade you use in your rotation? I mean the lowest in your lowest tier that you still like to use nevertheless. I. E. The bottom 20 %. For me it’s my Rapiras. They are initially sharp but lack longevity....but I enjoy using them. All responses much welcomed. Thanks!
Actually, that's my lowest tolerable blade too. Anything from Rapira (Voskhod, Ladas, etc). They definitely give good shaves. It's just that they're so short lived.
 
well if counting sample packs that I got with razors derby extra and dorco 300. I will probably use them eventually, but would I actually buy these blades though nope. The indian gillette 7 o' clock permasharps are fairly good and were cheap, but yellows are a lot better. Still have to test the indian wilkies and lord platinums.
 
Sounds like most of my DE blade rotation is someone’s bottom tier. I abandon blades in my bottom tier:
BIC
Merkur
Timor
Bolzano
Personna Red
Derby Extra

My top tier (have bought 100, currently use):
Rapira Platinum Lux
SuperMax Blue Diamond platinum
Voskhod
Feather (short life)
Astra SP (neglected them, now appreciating them again)
 
So far the only blade I really don't want to try again was Bic as they just felt so sharp I didn't enjoy having them on my face!

Having said that I *will* try them again sometime to double-check but they're the only one I tried so far where I felt really compelled to swap out the blade halfway through.

Just too uncomfortable!
 
Lower tier, “duller” blades are ok with me if they’re somewhat smooth. Gillette greens fit that category.... I’ve got 100 of them. They’re decent performers. I’ll use one again soon. I don’t like supersharp blades generally. Even Feathers annoy me. Nacets too. Techs have been my main razor and I do a lot of buffing to get my usual bbs so a very sharp blade is not so good for that.
 
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I have a spreadsheet...

Looking at it, most Lord brands, many Rapira brands, buncha Chinese blades and Treet carbons (I like the Treet stainless). For me lower tier means I'm willing to finish the tuck (eventually). I have a few blacklisted blades I won't even do that for.
 

Space_Cadet

I don't have a funny description.
Sounds like most of my DE blade rotation is someone’s bottom tier. I abandon blades in my bottom tier:
BIC
Merkur
Timor
Bolzano
Personna Red
Derby Extra

My top tier (have bought 100, currently use):
Rapira Platinum Lux
SuperMax Blue Diamond platinum
Voskhod
Feather (short life)
Astra SP (neglected them, now appreciating them again)

Wow, that's a little surprising!
Timor, Bolzano and Perdonna Red are your BOTTOM TIER?
And such modest blades as Rapira Platinum Lux and Voskhod are your TOP TIER? :eek2:
 
Razor blades are a YMMV thing so what work for some folks may not work for others. The question I have is that since razor blades are relatively inexpensive, why would anyone have a blade in their rotation that they consider to be bottom tier?

For me, Astra SP are the lowest quality blades that I can use. They do not give me a close, comfortable shave, but they will remove hair. I might pull one out once a year or twice to see if my opinion of them has changed; so far it has not. There are other blades I refuse to use at all:Derby Extra, VDH, Merkur, Shark Chrome.

I use about 100 blades a year. Although I will occasionally use a 2nd tier blade, 80-90% of the blades I use are from my top tier: BIC Chrome Platinum, PermaSharp Super, Nacet, 7 O'Clock Black, Personna Israeli Reds, Astra SS, Dorco Prime Platinum, and SuperMax Blue Diamond. I purchase these blades in bulk packs.

However, just because some blades work well for my tough beard and others do not, that does not mean they might not be great for you.
 
So far the only blade I really don't want to try again was Bic as they just felt so sharp I didn't enjoy having them on my face!

Having said that I *will* try them again sometime to double-check but they're the only one I tried so far where I felt really compelled to swap out the blade halfway through.

Just too uncomfortable!
When I shave with a new BIC, they are sharp, nearly as sharp as a Feather. But the second and subsequent shaves are extremely smooth. I finally binned one yesterday after 14 shaves because I felt a couple of tugs. I normally get 4 shaves from a Feather.
 
For me, it’s Voskhod blades. They’re nice and sharp for two shaves, and by the third shave they’re like a jagged edge going over my face. At least I love them for two shaves.
 
Wow, that's a little surprising!
Timor, Bolzano and Perdonna Red are your BOTTOM TIER?
And such modest blades as Rapira Platinum Lux and Voskhod are your TOP TIER? :eek2:

A recent German Wilkinson was the first German made blade that gave me a good shave.

My recent Merkur test blades have all been the single blades that are packed with new Merkur razors. Seven of those, but I still have a few left.

I bought a single Timor test blade from Razor Blades Club and have had three that come with Geisen&Forstoff (Timor) razors.

I bought one sample tuck of Bolzano.

Three strikes.

BIC Chrome Platinum start bad and get worse for me (one sample tuck). I have read about BIC inconsistency and QC issues.

Personna Reds (sample of 10) did not shave well for me. Below Derbys. I use and enjoy Personna injector blades and Gem PTFEs.

It seems as though Russia (Rapira PL, Voskhod, Astra SP, Nacet and others) and Japan (Feather and Kai) are my sweet spots. The SuperMax BD are the only blades from less developed countries that I have enjoyed enough to stock up.
 

Space_Cadet

I don't have a funny description.
For me, Astra SP are the lowest quality blades that I can use.

I tend to agree. I tried them when I just started wet shaving and they were so rough and irritating I couldn't stand them. But I guess the YMMV factor in razor blades can work wonders.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
There's three category of blades for me. Top tier are ones I stocked up on (Wilkinson Sword, Feather, Astra SP, Gillette SharpEdge, Derby Premium, SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium), middle tier are blades I'm perfectly happy to use but wouldn't particularly bother stocking up on (Derby Extra, Perma-Sharp, Gillette Platinum, Kai, Personna Platinum), and then there's the blades which really don't work for me (Shark Super Chrome, Zaza, Polsilver SI, Voskhod, Personna Lab Blue).

The lowest of that middle tier is probably the Personna Platinum. A good blade for travelling, as I don't mind ditching it before the blade is finished, or the pack being accidentally left behind.
 
For me, it’s Voskhod blades. They’re nice and sharp for two shaves, and by the third shave they’re like a jagged edge going over my face. At least I love them for two shaves.

I have a similar experience with Feather blades. They won't make it through three shaves for me. Thus, I have eliminated them from my rotation.
 
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