Not saying it isn’t the most controversial/subjective, but i’d be curious to know if it surpasses the natural vs synth/film honing topic
emotions run wild on that but perhaps less people argue about it.Of the Revolutions of Razor Blades
- Thread starter alahatala
- Start date
Not saying it isn’t the most controversial/subjective, but i’d be curious to know if it surpasses the natural vs synth/film honing topic
emotions run wild on that but perhaps less people argue about it.
Even if you pay top dollar for DE blades it remains a pittance compared to the price of a Fusion or its new heated and more expensive cousin. Heck, it's a pittance compared to the prices at The Dollar Shave Club! However, thanks for sharing!
I seem to remember @Mischka saying that heat treating and coating applications being closely held trade secrets and only those that need to know, really know. Raw stock is held to a standard but who knows what might happen to it after it reaches a manufacturing facility.
If I remember right, @AimlessWanderer has some experience in the metallurgic field.
Thats what makes sorting all of this out difficult. No one really knows, and anyone can say they do but they most likely dont, making it a guessing game. Either way, its good information.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
@luvmysuper The metals thickness data was my assumption. Having a couple of decades experience in manufacturing (heavy engineering), I didn't believe the blade manufacturers would grind the thickness of the blades unless they had to, and stainless blades didn't appear to have a ground finish. I looked into the international standards for cold rolled sheet at blade thickness, and that was the standard deviation covered in those specs. Essentially plus or minus half of one thousandth of an inch from the nominal size.
They also correlated with @Esox of Mike's findings on blade thickness. Although some coated blades may appear marginally thicker, if they were already towards the upper limit before coating.
Aside from the commonality of blade thickness, material grade, heat treatment, and coatings, there is potential for divergence in the edge geometries.
The opening post suggests that Astra Platinum, Gillette Silver Blue, and Polsilver are all the same blade. Not a prayer! I could easily blind test those and know one from the other. In my primary razor, the Polsilvers tug so badly, they feel like they're trying to rip the hair from my face, the Gillette Silver Blue feels almost serrated, it's that scratchy, and the Astra Platinum is wonderful. Those findings have been consistent across different batches of the same blades.
Yes, but... Standby for an 8 page reply Al hahaha.
As I understood the OP's point, all those blades are the same base blade, and only the coatings differ. That could be true, I have no way of knowing. I like Polsilvers and find them, easily, the best of the three you mention but equate shaving with a GSB akin to a broken bottle lol. I believe the Polsilver coatings better handle my own hairs composition and yet it just rips the coating right off GSB, which is why they improve, marginally, over several uses.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I read that opening post slightly differently, Mike, I think. He seemed to be suggesting they were identical blades with different wrappers and etching/printing. Yet you and I would both know if someone snuck a GSB in a different wrapper, due to the quantity and volume of our profanity on the first use of it
FWIW purely my own personal experience of all the blades mentioned, most feel and work differently from each other. I have not tried all mentioned, some feel similar, most feel and work differently for me. As someone mentioned, edge geometry, as well as coating, blade thickness and blade dimension and metal composition must have some effect on blade performance. As another poster mentioned, the cost of blades is so small a percentage of both overall shaving costs and so much less than alternative shave methods that it does not seem worth saving a penny or two a shave to spend a lot of time on this. More productive I think is to sample, experiment and find what you like in your razor(s), stock up and enjoy the shave.
I would sooner use a Graham Field again, I think. Its a toss up lol.Yet you and I would both know if someone snuck a GSB in a different wrapper, due to the quantity and volume of our profanity on the first use of it
I am not going to get worked up over a 19 y/o member who has made exactly one post. There are differences that can be seen visually (see my Eye Test posts) and actually felt by all of us. Move along folks, there is nothing to see here.
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There is a b&b member who makes microscopic photos of the blades. Which makes comparison possible.
They might have the same steel and coating but still differ in edge geometry.
They might have the same steel and coating but still differ in edge geometry.
Thank you @alahatala for your contribution. If you are still around and care responding, can you explain what you mean by "Non-chrome blades"?
I must admit, I stopped reading after that but I am curious and would like to set this one straight.
That would be me.
You'll not be getting an answer I'm afraid.
A one post wonder then?
He is now.
Did he turn pink?
He clicked his Ruby Red Slippers.Did he turn pink?
Just like that, eh?
I read this thread when it was initially posted and admit the OP’s follow up posts were quite confrontational and see why the Mods removed them. What I’m curious about is his post the Mods removed that had the Russian article he got his information from that was allegedly from an employee at the St Petersburg plant. I didn’t read it or click on it initially as it was late and had planned on coming back to see if I could use translate to see what the article said but it’s gone now.
Mods, any chance we can have the post with just the article the OP was referencing? That may prove this to be complete BS or give us some clarification, maybe lost in translation or misinterpretation of what was said in the article
Mods, any chance we can have the post with just the article the OP was referencing? That may prove this to be complete BS or give us some clarification, maybe lost in translation or misinterpretation of what was said in the article
The first photo is a Perma sharp blade, the second is a wizamet blade. The Wizamet blade does have a smaller and more obtuse micro bevel. If you look at the Perma sharp blade, you can see a taller micro bevel, which to me means a more shallow angle, if the blade thickness is the same. So even if the blade blanks are the same, the grind is different in addition to the coating. It is like saying every straight razor is the same regardless of how they were honed.
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