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Mild/Smooth Blades?

Smooth and mild... like a camel. Maybe not so much.

I have a RR Mission that's been giving me trouble. Before I go and get a whole new razor, though, I thought I might look into some milder blades.

What I've tried so far:
Gillette Silver Blue (best performer yet, though still harsh and one of the more expensive blades)
Astra SP (a great blade on the 4th-5th shave)
Derby Extra (green, cuts me)
Bic (cuts me)
Treet (doesn't cut the hair)
Rapira (cuts me)

I have a sample pack ready to order from tryablade. My selections include:
Persona Lab Blues
All manner of Sharks
Tatras
Tigers
Derby Ustas
Dianes
Dorco, platinum and stainless
Kais (just because I'm curious about the super blade)
Lord superstainless
and
SuperMax Superstainless

Am I barking up a reasonable tree? Am I missing anything? There are a lot more blades on their menu, I just don't know much about them (other than the facts that persona LBs come well recommended, and I had good shaves with one of the sharks in my Lord L6, though I have forgotten which shark...)
 
Treet Classic... mild, sharp, but not too much. Nicely fade away after 4 shaves, no sudden weepers, works well for me in *89 style razors and Fatip OC. Perhaps play with razor bit more? Should cut nicely.

PermaSharp are my most stashed blades, mildish but the sharpest I've tried
 
Tiger - very smooth but still sharp to do the job
Muhle(Personna) - smooth but for me too mild and gets dull quickly
Permasharp - smooth and mild
 
Well, blades may be the most YMMV aspect of ‘traditional’ wet shaving. In the end you need to keep trying until you find what works best.

That said, here is my personal ‘top-tier’ in no particular order:
Personna red
Personna lab (or med prep)
Wizamet SI (or Polsilver)
GSB
Astra SP
Nacet
 
Smooth and mild for me are
Personna Med prep/Labs
Silver Star
Treet Platinum
Dorco Prime
Dorco ST series HQ
Super-Max Super Stainless
Super-Max Blue Diamond
Super-Max Diamond Edge
Just to name a few.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
Blades are a very ymmv thing. If by mild you mean not too sharp, I wonder about some of the above choices. But you say GSB is the best performer yet, and they ain't dull.

I always found Gillette Greens very smooth, but unfortunately not quite sharp enough for me. Might be worth a try.
 
IMHO, your focus is on the wrong thing.

Treet carbon steel blades are rather dull compared to most blades, so I am not surprised if they are not sharp enough to shave.

Most people say that Derby Extra (green) blades are not very sharp, so the question is "Why are they cutting you?". Those blades are so dull that they rip out my old man beard hairs rather than cutting them. If these blades are cutting you, you are either using a razor that is too aggressive or your shaving technique needs improvement.

BIC Chrome Platinum blades are some of the sharpest blades available. After the first shave, they become even sharper than Feather Hi Stainless blades which are known to be the sharpest blades out of the wrapper. Yet, I can use either of these blades without bloodletting as long as I use the right razor, shave using the proper shave angle, and apply no more than minimal pressure during the shaving stroke. Using a high quality lather also makes a difference. I have thin, sensitive skin and take aspirin as a blood thinner, so it does not take much for blood to flow. Yet, nicks and cuts are rare, perhaps one every couple of months.

Please tell us which razor you are using for your shaves and which shaving cream or soap you use to prepare your lather.
 
I found Dorco ST-300, Personna Platinum (newest version) and King C Gillette blades to provide a mild experience while still removing enough hair. The Personna and KCG are about the same for me and the ST-300 a little bit sharper. Considering prices my go-tos are the ST-300 followed by the Personna.
The Tiger was on the verge of dull for me and required me to make additional passes to get the same result as the aforementioned.

Feather Hi-Stainless, Astra Superior Platinum, Astra Superiro Stainless, Dorco Titan and Derby Premium all initially caused irritation for me. The Feather and Astra SS were the only ones that caused nicks.

With time and practice I could reduce all irritation and completely avoid nicks, but I still prefer a milder blade. It leaves me more leeway for when I'm not completely focused (usually from lack of sleep) and still creates excellent results.
 
Blades are a very ymmv thing. If by mild you mean not too sharp, I wonder about some of the above choices. But you say GSB is the best performer yet, and they ain't dull.

I always found Gillette Greens very smooth, but unfortunately not quite sharp enough for me. Might be worth a try.
I was just wondering about this today as well. Perhaps I'm having trouble because I need sharper blades, not duller?

IMHO, your focus is on the wrong thing.

Treet carbon steel blades are rather dull compared to most blades, so I am not surprised if they are not sharp enough to shave.

Most people say that Derby Extra (green) blades are not very sharp, so the question is "Why are they cutting you?". Those blades are so dull that they rip out my old man beard hairs rather than cutting them. If these blades are cutting you, you are either using a razor that is too aggressive or your shaving technique needs improvement.

BIC Chrome Platinum blades are some of the sharpest blades available. After the first shave, they become even sharper than Feather Hi Stainless blades which are known to be the sharpest blades out of the wrapper. Yet, I can use either of these blades without bloodletting as long as I use the right razor, shave using the proper shave angle, and apply no more than minimal pressure during the shaving stroke. Using a high quality lather also makes a difference. I have thin, sensitive skin and take aspirin as a blood thinner, so it does not take much for blood to flow. Yet, nicks and cuts are rare, perhaps one every couple of months.

Please tell us which razor you are using for your shaves and which shaving cream or soap you use to prepare your lather.
I've been using Arko and a RR Mission. Currently working through an Astra multipack. My goal is to see if there is a blade that makes the mission more usable. I can get away with a WTG shave just fine, any blade, but the trouble comes when I try anything else. Front of chin, underside of jaw, neck, and extreme sides of mustache almost always get cut, as the hair is much coarser there, and doesn't cut so easily, plus the skin on my throat is more sensitive and prone to irritation.
Maybe I should just give up on the mission, it just seems like a shame to quit. Surely it's a good razor that can give good shaves.
 
Wilkinson Sword (made in germany) and King C Gillette blades would both be high on my recommendations for blades if one is specifically seeking smoothness.
 
Smooth and mild... like a camel. Maybe not so much.

I have a RR Mission that's been giving me trouble. Before I go and get a whole new razor, though, I thought I might look into some milder blades.

What I've tried so far:
Gillette Silver Blue (best performer yet, though still harsh and one of the more expensive blades)
Astra SP (a great blade on the 4th-5th shave)
Derby Extra (green, cuts me)
Bic (cuts me)
Treet (doesn't cut the hair)
Rapira (cuts me)

I have a sample pack ready to order from tryablade. My selections include:
Persona Lab Blues
All manner of Sharks
Tatras
Tigers
Derby Ustas
Dianes
Dorco, platinum and stainless
Kais (just because I'm curious about the super blade)
Lord superstainless
and
SuperMax Superstainless

Am I barking up a reasonable tree? Am I missing anything? There are a lot more blades on their menu, I just don't know much about them (other than the facts that persona LBs come well recommended, and I had good shaves with one of the sharks in my Lord L6, though I have forgotten which shark...)
Gillette Platinum!
I've tried everything on your list except 3 of them. The Gillette Platinum should meet what you're looking for. It's for me the blade that tames anything down but remains sharp enough to be comfortable & smooth (the smoothest!)
LRod
 
I personally feel most DE’s are way too aggressive, even the ones considered mild. Most DE’s don’t hold the blade very rigid either which doesn’t help matters. A wicked sharp blade in a mild razor that has a vice-like grip on both sides of the blade and close to the edge is probably what you’re looking for.

The smoothest DE I’ve ever used was a Karve straight bar with a B plate. With a Silver Blue it was about a smooth a shave I’ve ever gotten from a DE. Still, I’d rather use a Gillette Guard cartridge than the Karve since it’s more efficient, comfortable, and easier to use with its pivoting head.

Smooth is the wrong term to describe a sharp edge as far as I’m concerned. Smooth is when you slide the right razor / blade combo across your face and it’s so gentle and efficient that you say

“what a smooth shave!”
 
Gillette Platinum!
I've tried everything on your list except 3 of them. The Gillette Platinum should meet what you're looking for. It's for me the blade that tames anything down but remains sharp enough to be comfortable & smooth (the smoothest!)
LRod
Are the Platinums renamed Silver Blues, or are they a different blade entirely?

I personally feel most DE’s are way too aggressive, even the ones considered mild. Most DE’s don’t hold the blade very rigid either which doesn’t help matters. A wicked sharp blade in a mild razor that has a vice-like grip on both sides of the blade and close to the edge is probably what you’re looking for.

The smoothest DE I’ve ever used was a Karve straight bar with a B plate. With a Silver Blue it was about a smooth a shave I’ve ever gotten from a DE. Still, I’d rather use a Gillette Guard cartridge than the Karve since it’s more efficient, comfortable, and easier to use with its pivoting head.

Smooth is the wrong term to describe a sharp edge as far as I’m concerned. Smooth is when you slide the right razor / blade combo across your face and it’s so gentle and efficient that you say

“what a smooth shave!”
That is kind of what I'm looking for. It doesn't strike me as smooth if I can feel a sharp edge scraping it's way across my skin, leaving nicks and irritation.
 
Most DE’s don’t hold the blade very rigid either which doesn’t help matters.
Curious to know what DE's you're using?
All my modern razors hold the blade super rigid. My vintage ones are a different story though.
But I don't see so much correlation between blade rigidity & agressiveness in a razor.
 
Are the Platinums renamed Silver Blues, or are they a different blade entirely?
Totally different blades.
Silver Blues are nothing like the GP's!
Here:

gillette-gillette-platinum-double-edge-razor-blades-30506395861145_1080x_7e4e32c5-1833-4d3b-a4...jpg


You can get them on Amazon!
25 for like $6
100 for like $13

If you've got your technique down packed and the GP's don't change anything, then it might be time for a different razor.
LRod
 
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