So many people complain about the simple task of removimng a blade after each use. It only takes an ever so brief moment, and it also prevents the next generation to use your razor from complaining about the rust on an otherwise fine razor because someone was too lazy to remoive a blade. For me it's just part of thre daily shave and clean-up afterward.
Carbon Forest of Treets: A deep dive into carbon steel double-edge blades
- Thread starter slimshavy
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #102
Great to hear! I know others leave the blades in and just rinse and blow out as much water as they can. I'm more particular about it in part because I'm shaving every other day. If you shave every day, you might get more out of a blade than me, even if you don't thoroughly dry it.
- Thread starter
- #103
Treet Silver
Blade Two, Shave One
Aug. 8, 2022
Hi-yo Silver! The Treet Ranger rides again!
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
The experiment gets its first do-over as I try a second Treet Silver in the Slim to see if the previous blade was a dud. The result is a better shave, but not a great shave. In short, I don't think the last blade was an anomaly; this Slim-Silver pairing just hasn't performed as well as the NEW-Silver pairing for me.
The shave was pretty similar to the last, although I paid more attention to proceeding cautiously, which can't help but influence the result. It was smoother on the first pass but still hit some nicks on the second. I needed four passes and had a hard time in the mustache. I didn't get the neck that close.
Fewer dots of blood but still a good number. A couple persisted past the rinse but went away with dabbing soon after. Some irritation but mostly in the spots the shave was closest (as one would hope, I suppose).
Good enough to get to a second shave and hope I've tamed Silver. The second shave was better than the first in the NEW, so there's some hope even given the different performances of the two razors.
Blade Two, Shave One
Aug. 8, 2022
Hi-yo Silver! The Treet Ranger rides again!
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
The experiment gets its first do-over as I try a second Treet Silver in the Slim to see if the previous blade was a dud. The result is a better shave, but not a great shave. In short, I don't think the last blade was an anomaly; this Slim-Silver pairing just hasn't performed as well as the NEW-Silver pairing for me.
The shave was pretty similar to the last, although I paid more attention to proceeding cautiously, which can't help but influence the result. It was smoother on the first pass but still hit some nicks on the second. I needed four passes and had a hard time in the mustache. I didn't get the neck that close.
Fewer dots of blood but still a good number. A couple persisted past the rinse but went away with dabbing soon after. Some irritation but mostly in the spots the shave was closest (as one would hope, I suppose).
Good enough to get to a second shave and hope I've tamed Silver. The second shave was better than the first in the NEW, so there's some hope even given the different performances of the two razors.
I've been following this thread, mainly because I think that Treet is one of the better brands out there but have only tried a handful of the different blades, I'm interested in how they compare.
But I have to ask - how much blood do you draw with a typical favorite blade? From the saga, it appears that you rarely escape a shave without losing some. I get a weeper (usually a single) once a month or so. The culprit is usually a Personna Platinum Chrome I tried to get one more shave out of. I don't think I've drawn a drop with any of the Treet blades I've used. I can't remember drawing any with a Voskod either.
I normally use mild razors: a Merkur 38C and a Rockwell with the #2 plate. I used to use the #4 plate, but decided the #2 is good enough. I don't get as close a shave, but it is irritation-free. Well worth the tradeoff.
- Thread starter
- #105
This is a very good question, because this thread makes me sound like a masochist, or maybe just a clumsy shaver.
I don’t usually draw blood with a favorite blade. I looked at some of my older posts here and I wasn’t cutting myself with the vintage Schick Super Stainless, which is pretty sharp, or with the Silver Stars, which are pretty dull. I have a pretty tough beard and also chase BBS shaves, so there’s often a trade off there. I’ll keep going even if there’s risk of getting cut, as I don’t mind a few tiny cuts if it means a closer shave.
Some blades—Voskhod is a favorite—will let me make multiple passes in trouble areas and not cut me. Others, like Feathers, will cut more skin than hair if I push it.
I think blood would be exceedingly rare if I shaves every day. I’d back off where there’s resistance and be close enough for the work day. But I try to make each shave last two days (it’s starting to look like a fool’s errand).
To the Treets: to be blunt, these haven’t performed at a level I’d expect for blades I would buy. They’re unusual in that they tend to cut me before the against-the-grain pass. The cuts are unusually fleeting, though; they’re usually healed before the shave ends. Other blades cut me far less, but I’m more likely to get one that “weeps” after the shave is over.
The razor I’m currently using, the Slim, is my most unforgiving and temperamental razor. I’ll get more random cuts from the Slim than other razors. I have it open to 8, sure, but the same was true when I used to use a lower setting or adjust settings mid-shave.
I hope people don’t take from this that I think all Treet carbons are a bloodbath. My aim is that people will see how the different blades perform differently from each other and get some inkling of how they might work on their own faces. Of course I’d love to find a new favorite blade but even short of that I hope that others can use these trials to find a good blade and a good bargain.
Thanks for following and I’m glad to answer any questions!
My only objection to it is time. I always shave in the morning when I am getting ready for work. I am a single Dad of 3 kids and time is sometimes in short supply in the morning. I still do it but a stainless blade I just leave alone.
- Thread starter
- #107
I get this. Sometimes I wonder if the drying and storing routine is worthwhile. I'm committed to it for these trials, but once this is done I might test some blades for longevity when they're left in the razor versus removed and dried. I'd be surprised if drying even gained me a single extra shave on a blade.
I would say on a carbon blade it is worth the time unless you are just trashing them each time. On a stainless I don't think it is. I get 7 good shaves out of a stainless before it gets duller than I like. The carbons give me my most comfortable shave but if I leave one in the razor it's unusable the next day. Otherwise I can get 4-5 shaves with taking care.
- Thread starter
- #109
Treet Silver
Blade Two, Shave Two
Aug. 8, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
Silver's back on track with shave two. Pretty close to shave one, maybe a little better. Maybe I was a little more careful. Still had red spots show for fleeting moments after the second pass, across the grain. Then negotiated as close a shave in the mustache as I dared, getting a lot of resistance and then blood spots during the fourth pass (third was diagonal).
Under the lip, a spot with a few dots in it after the third (and final) pass there. Neck was better, less irritation, and jaw mostly avoided any weepers or irritation, though I hit it with many cleanup strokes to get BBS.
Result was probably BBS everywhere but mustache and lower neck (where I can't easily manipulate skin to go truly against the grain). I'd say less irritation than the first shave with this blade. Moving on to shave three.
Blade Two, Shave Two
Aug. 8, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
Silver's back on track with shave two. Pretty close to shave one, maybe a little better. Maybe I was a little more careful. Still had red spots show for fleeting moments after the second pass, across the grain. Then negotiated as close a shave in the mustache as I dared, getting a lot of resistance and then blood spots during the fourth pass (third was diagonal).
Under the lip, a spot with a few dots in it after the third (and final) pass there. Neck was better, less irritation, and jaw mostly avoided any weepers or irritation, though I hit it with many cleanup strokes to get BBS.
Result was probably BBS everywhere but mustache and lower neck (where I can't easily manipulate skin to go truly against the grain). I'd say less irritation than the first shave with this blade. Moving on to shave three.
- Thread starter
- #110
Treet Silver
Blade Two, Shave Three
Aug. 12, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
(Note that date of the second Silver shave was Aug. 10, not Aug. 8)
The short story is that I'd hoped that the earlier shaves would have worn any irregular parts of the blade off (face honing, say) and left a blade that is less sharp but also less unpredictable. But the random cuts still appeared throughout the shave, to my consternation.
Overall, the shave went similar to the last, but with a harder time cutting thick hair and an easier time cutting skin. I'm moving on from the Silver. At least for my face, Slim and Silver were not meant to be. The ill-fated couple leave you with these parting words:
I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow
I hope it bleeds all day long.
Our friends say it's darkest before the sun rises
Well we're pretty sure they're all wrong.
Blade Two, Shave Three
Aug. 12, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
(Note that date of the second Silver shave was Aug. 10, not Aug. 8)
The short story is that I'd hoped that the earlier shaves would have worn any irregular parts of the blade off (face honing, say) and left a blade that is less sharp but also less unpredictable. But the random cuts still appeared throughout the shave, to my consternation.
Overall, the shave went similar to the last, but with a harder time cutting thick hair and an easier time cutting skin. I'm moving on from the Silver. At least for my face, Slim and Silver were not meant to be. The ill-fated couple leave you with these parting words:
I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow
I hope it bleeds all day long.
Our friends say it's darkest before the sun rises
Well we're pretty sure they're all wrong.
Time for a New Edge combination! 
(hope your weekend isa Treet better)
(hope your weekend is
Nice, queuing up some Mountain Goats now...
(No, I didn't get the reference, had to google it.)
(No, I didn't get the reference, had to google it.)
- Thread starter
- #113
I'm gearing up to see them in a few weeks, so they're on repeat on my head.
- Thread starter
- #114
Treet Classic
Shave One
Aug. 14, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
The end of the second round snuck up on me. This is the last carbon-steel Treet to meet the Slim.
The shave was much like other Treets in the Slim, not terribly sharp but I still had a few spots of blood that went away before the shave was done. I also backed off the mustache area a bit, so that and part of my neck were less than BBS.
The shave felt rough but not the roughest. I had some irritation but not the most irritation. The aftershave burn was strong, but you guessed it, not the strongest I’ve experienced.
I’m giving it another shave because it wasn’t the worst experience. I wouldn’t read much into my not having given the Classic a second go in the first round with the NEW short comb. This one could have gone the other way.
Shave One
Aug. 14, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
The end of the second round snuck up on me. This is the last carbon-steel Treet to meet the Slim.
The shave was much like other Treets in the Slim, not terribly sharp but I still had a few spots of blood that went away before the shave was done. I also backed off the mustache area a bit, so that and part of my neck were less than BBS.
The shave felt rough but not the roughest. I had some irritation but not the most irritation. The aftershave burn was strong, but you guessed it, not the strongest I’ve experienced.
I’m giving it another shave because it wasn’t the worst experience. I wouldn’t read much into my not having given the Classic a second go in the first round with the NEW short comb. This one could have gone the other way.
- Thread starter
- #115
I just went back and read about that shave and, yeah, it was terrible. This one was definitely better.
- Thread starter
- #116
Treet Classic
Shave Two
Aug. 14, 2022
A special Treet: Today’s hike at the Treat Farm
And one shot in the other direction
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Thor’s Hammer Bay Rum
A pleasant surprise for a blade that was supposed to be done. I went slowly and carefully and was waiting for the pass when I’d get bloodied and stop, but it never came.
Mustache could have been closer but it was OK. Elsewhere had much less irritation than other recent shaves, and only a very few, very fleeting dots of blood.
Shave seems very close; at day’s end, it’s basically BBS except jawline and some of the mustache.
I guess this signs me up for use three with a blade I didn’t think would get two uses. I’ll take it!
Shave Two
Aug. 14, 2022
A special Treet: Today’s hike at the Treat Farm
And one shot in the other direction
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Thor’s Hammer Bay Rum
A pleasant surprise for a blade that was supposed to be done. I went slowly and carefully and was waiting for the pass when I’d get bloodied and stop, but it never came.
Mustache could have been closer but it was OK. Elsewhere had much less irritation than other recent shaves, and only a very few, very fleeting dots of blood.
Shave seems very close; at day’s end, it’s basically BBS except jawline and some of the mustache.
I guess this signs me up for use three with a blade I didn’t think would get two uses. I’ll take it!
- Thread starter
- #117
Treet Classic
Shave Three
Aug. 16, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
So the surprise third shave was perfectly acceptable. Not quite as smooth as the second but far better than the first.
It was still rough going with a not-sharp blade, but there were no cuts the first two passes, and about three at shave’s end. Actually, I did cut myself on an early pass, but on my earlobe (that was with a blade tab and not an edge; first time that’s happened and I still far prefer razors that leave the tabs exposed).
I took extra care and did five mustache passes, so some irritation there and lightly elsewhere. Overall I feel like I was on a victory lap with this blade anyway, so having what is pretty close to a BBS is a nice bonus.
Good reminder that things can still surprise me when I think I know everything about a particular razor or razor-blade combination.
Shave Three
Aug. 16, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim, set at 8
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
So the surprise third shave was perfectly acceptable. Not quite as smooth as the second but far better than the first.
It was still rough going with a not-sharp blade, but there were no cuts the first two passes, and about three at shave’s end. Actually, I did cut myself on an early pass, but on my earlobe (that was with a blade tab and not an edge; first time that’s happened and I still far prefer razors that leave the tabs exposed).
I took extra care and did five mustache passes, so some irritation there and lightly elsewhere. Overall I feel like I was on a victory lap with this blade anyway, so having what is pretty close to a BBS is a nice bonus.
Good reminder that things can still surprise me when I think I know everything about a particular razor or razor-blade combination.
- Thread starter
- #118
Treet Second Round Roundup
Gillette Slim
We’re through a second round, and we have some drastically different performances than the first, with only the Falcon and Super Power lasting the same number of shaves in both razors:
Four shaves
Dura Sharp blue
Three shaves
Falcon, Silver, Classic
Two shaves
Super Power, New Edge
One shave
Black beauty
Compare this with Round One in the NEW short comb:
Four shaves:
Silver
Three shaves:
Falcon
Two shaves:
Super Power, Dura Sharp, Black beauty
One shave:
New Edge, Classic
Some cases were on the line whether to give another shave, but what stands out are blades that had a two-shave difference from their performance in the NEW: the Dura Sharp and the Classic both earned two extra shaves in the Slim, to four and three shaves, respectively.
The round one winner, Silver, limped to three shaves in the Slim, and the Black beauty lasted a single shave, both a decline. The New Edge edged up a spot to two shaves.
Comparing razors, you’ll see a higher number of total shaves overall on the Slim than the NEW. This surprised me and I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe I’m better at using Treets; maybe I’m expecting less from them. Maybe the Slim doesn’t wear them down as much. I will say that the Slim’s aggression is a double-edged sword (no pun intended). It seems like some of these blades need to be honed before their first shave, as that’s been the roughest shave. Seems like some irregularities in the blade edge, but I mostly notice this in the Slim. (To be fair, I got random cuts with the NEW as well.)
Averaging would tell you the Silver is in the lead right now, but I’d argue that the Falcon probably should be ahead of it for its consistency. I’m curious, going into Round Three, about the blades that saw big differences between rounds One and Two; experience tells me that the Gillette Old Type shaves much more like the NEW than the Slim, but it has its quirks. After a round in the Old, we may have a clear picture of the blades or I may turn to the Red Tip (a closer kin to the Slim) for the last word.
Taking a shave or so off before jumping into Round Three with the Old. Thanks for following so far and feel free to chime in with questions or requests!
Gillette Slim
We’re through a second round, and we have some drastically different performances than the first, with only the Falcon and Super Power lasting the same number of shaves in both razors:
Four shaves
Dura Sharp blue
Three shaves
Falcon, Silver, Classic
Two shaves
Super Power, New Edge
One shave
Black beauty
Compare this with Round One in the NEW short comb:
Four shaves:
Silver
Three shaves:
Falcon
Two shaves:
Super Power, Dura Sharp, Black beauty
One shave:
New Edge, Classic
Some cases were on the line whether to give another shave, but what stands out are blades that had a two-shave difference from their performance in the NEW: the Dura Sharp and the Classic both earned two extra shaves in the Slim, to four and three shaves, respectively.
The round one winner, Silver, limped to three shaves in the Slim, and the Black beauty lasted a single shave, both a decline. The New Edge edged up a spot to two shaves.
Comparing razors, you’ll see a higher number of total shaves overall on the Slim than the NEW. This surprised me and I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe I’m better at using Treets; maybe I’m expecting less from them. Maybe the Slim doesn’t wear them down as much. I will say that the Slim’s aggression is a double-edged sword (no pun intended). It seems like some of these blades need to be honed before their first shave, as that’s been the roughest shave. Seems like some irregularities in the blade edge, but I mostly notice this in the Slim. (To be fair, I got random cuts with the NEW as well.)
Averaging would tell you the Silver is in the lead right now, but I’d argue that the Falcon probably should be ahead of it for its consistency. I’m curious, going into Round Three, about the blades that saw big differences between rounds One and Two; experience tells me that the Gillette Old Type shaves much more like the NEW than the Slim, but it has its quirks. After a round in the Old, we may have a clear picture of the blades or I may turn to the Red Tip (a closer kin to the Slim) for the last word.
Taking a shave or so off before jumping into Round Three with the Old. Thanks for following so far and feel free to chime in with questions or requests!
- Thread starter
- #119
Treet Relief
I'm taking a detour into non-Treet carbon-steel blades before starting Round 3 of the Treets in a new razor.
Tiger
Blade one, Shave one
August 20, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
First impressions: Even before unwrapping this blade, I could tell how thick it is. The real surprise came when I opened the wrapper and discovered it’s a black blade:
More accurately, a mottled blue and amber sort of blade, much bluer than the black beauty.
But enough of the preliminaries! You’re here to see if I could actually get through a shave with this blade that doesn’t seem to be fit for shaving a human face. The answer: yeah, sort of.
It was intensely pulling from the first stroke. I needed some severe skin stretching from the first pass (normally it’s optional until later passes). The first pass left a lot of stubble that I sort of cleaned up again with the grain.
I had hoped the second pass, across the grain, wouldn’t struggle as much, but of course it did. I usually don’t notice the Slim’s lack of blade clamping, but this blade was bringing out all sorts of behavior, especially skipping.
I gave up hope and continued with the shave; we must imagine Sisyphus happy. I did four full passes and then just free-form shaving. It was like vacuuming: not long passes but going over little spots over and over.
What kept this futile exercise going was the fact that this blade was so dull that I didn’t get any cuts. Seems like a uniformly dull edge, which is better than one with burrs.
Eventually I just had to stop shaving. I felt like I was just dragging a credit card edge across my face: not exactly uncomfortable but you’re not getting a smooth face out of it.
Left with a patchy shave and a good laugh. Smooth in some spots, longer stubble in others. Good enough for a vacation shave.
I'm taking a detour into non-Treet carbon-steel blades before starting Round 3 of the Treets in a new razor.
Tiger
Blade one, Shave one
August 20, 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Leviathan
First impressions: Even before unwrapping this blade, I could tell how thick it is. The real surprise came when I opened the wrapper and discovered it’s a black blade:
More accurately, a mottled blue and amber sort of blade, much bluer than the black beauty.
But enough of the preliminaries! You’re here to see if I could actually get through a shave with this blade that doesn’t seem to be fit for shaving a human face. The answer: yeah, sort of.
It was intensely pulling from the first stroke. I needed some severe skin stretching from the first pass (normally it’s optional until later passes). The first pass left a lot of stubble that I sort of cleaned up again with the grain.
I had hoped the second pass, across the grain, wouldn’t struggle as much, but of course it did. I usually don’t notice the Slim’s lack of blade clamping, but this blade was bringing out all sorts of behavior, especially skipping.
I gave up hope and continued with the shave; we must imagine Sisyphus happy. I did four full passes and then just free-form shaving. It was like vacuuming: not long passes but going over little spots over and over.
What kept this futile exercise going was the fact that this blade was so dull that I didn’t get any cuts. Seems like a uniformly dull edge, which is better than one with burrs.
Eventually I just had to stop shaving. I felt like I was just dragging a credit card edge across my face: not exactly uncomfortable but you’re not getting a smooth face out of it.
Left with a patchy shave and a good laugh. Smooth in some spots, longer stubble in others. Good enough for a vacation shave.
Treet Falcon
I hope you won't mind if I join the party? I have bad news... this was an excellent shave, just as good as I remember from the last time I used one of these!
After having a Tiger methodically yank the hairs off of my face yesterday, it was a relief to be using something well proven in the past. I wanted to try the Silver, but decided the risk wasn't worth it. For me these are just as sharp as the Treet Platinum, but are somehow better made. This shouldn't be surprising as I have read that these and some others are run through the same honing and coating machines as the stainless Platinums. The Platinums start off with a badly finished edge and start scraping after the first pass.
I use one edge at a time, I find it easier to be consistent. I tend to use shorter strokes, but on the first pass I found myself having to slow down as the blade was visibly knocking down the stubble. I have pretty tough hair, but it's not particularly dense. Some blades just crash into the hair, like the Tigers, and refuse to sever them. This razor has a high amount of blade bend and I suspect that is a large part of why I am getting such low resistance. I wouldn't be able to glide on the first pass though, let's not exaggerate! I got through that and the second pass on my neck before I started to detect a fall off. Going up on my cheeks was starting to get scrapie and I was sure I was going to pay a price. But I was able to switch to some gliding strokes to try to grab any stragglers before things got heated. I will switch to the other edge and continue to consider these two and done blades. I will have to assess whether the price is as good as it seems when only used twice.
Let's not beat around the bush, this razor is efficient and it doesn't like to deliver less than a BBS shave. I got there in two passes, but the final result wasn't 10/10 closeness. It was easily 9/10 without the pain I endured yesterday.
I hope you won't mind if I join the party? I have bad news... this was an excellent shave, just as good as I remember from the last time I used one of these!
After having a Tiger methodically yank the hairs off of my face yesterday, it was a relief to be using something well proven in the past. I wanted to try the Silver, but decided the risk wasn't worth it. For me these are just as sharp as the Treet Platinum, but are somehow better made. This shouldn't be surprising as I have read that these and some others are run through the same honing and coating machines as the stainless Platinums. The Platinums start off with a badly finished edge and start scraping after the first pass.
I use one edge at a time, I find it easier to be consistent. I tend to use shorter strokes, but on the first pass I found myself having to slow down as the blade was visibly knocking down the stubble. I have pretty tough hair, but it's not particularly dense. Some blades just crash into the hair, like the Tigers, and refuse to sever them. This razor has a high amount of blade bend and I suspect that is a large part of why I am getting such low resistance. I wouldn't be able to glide on the first pass though, let's not exaggerate! I got through that and the second pass on my neck before I started to detect a fall off. Going up on my cheeks was starting to get scrapie and I was sure I was going to pay a price. But I was able to switch to some gliding strokes to try to grab any stragglers before things got heated. I will switch to the other edge and continue to consider these two and done blades. I will have to assess whether the price is as good as it seems when only used twice.
Let's not beat around the bush, this razor is efficient and it doesn't like to deliver less than a BBS shave. I got there in two passes, but the final result wasn't 10/10 closeness. It was easily 9/10 without the pain I endured yesterday.
