What has been your absolutely worst blade?

[cgsample]

Only blade I've thrown away after one shave was a Shark. Just had my second shave with a Rapira, and it's going into the trash!

Picked up some no name generics from the local supermarket and they're great! Only clue is "Product of Israel" printed on the back. Assume they are Personnas?

 

[GuybrushThreepwood]

Ladas Super Stainless. The first one gave me a lot of cuts on my neck, i thought maybe i did something wrong or the blade was a dud, so i tried another blade 2 days later and had the same horrible experience. By far the worst blade i have encountered so far.

 

[SGWB]

...
Picked up some no name generics from the local supermarket and they're great! Only clue is "Product of Israel" printed on the back. Assume they are Personnas?

It's pretty safe to assume they were made in the same ASR owned plant that makes Personna Platinum Chrome blades. The store brands may not be manufactured to exactly the same specs.

 

[Shaving like a boss]

I have used Wilkinson Sword Classics forever and have had great luck. Recently however, I was in a bind and couldn't get a pack. SO..off to Walmart I went and picked up a pack of VdH stainless ice tempered blades. LIARS! DECEIVERS! Those blades are made from dull, spent uranium. The shave was akin to using a garden hoe with which to shave. And the razor burn was of biblical proportions. Slapped on the Skin Bracer and the burn was incredible before the menthol finally cooled things down. VdH....hands down my most hated blade.

 

[drb1956]

I have used Wilkinson Sword Classics forever and have had great luck. Recently however, I was in a bind and couldn't get a pack. SO..off to Walmart I went and picked up a pack of VdH stainless ice tempered blades. LIARS! DECEIVERS! Those blades are made from dull, spent uranium. The shave was akin to using a garden hoe with which to shave. And the razor burn was of biblical proportions. Slapped on the Skin Bracer and the burn was incredible before the menthol finally cooled things down. VdH....hands down my most hated blade.

I have previously commented on VDH blades, and this is where it gets subjective to the user. I use these blades because I can no longer get Gillette Super Platinums, but, I have no problem using VDH blades. I have a VDH razor, which is not a very aggressive razor, but I have yet to get razor burn, and I don't use a shave soap-I use Ivory soap. I think prep is important-I wash my face with Ivory, rinse off, and soap up really good(no brush), and I get a really smooth shave. On average I get about 6-7 shaves on a blade, but sometimes I only get 3, as the quality for that blade is just not there, and I get a lot of pulling and it is not smooth at all. Out of a pack of 5 sometimes all the blades are great, and sometimes I get one blade that is terrible. Never more than one in a pack so far that is not up to quality. Wish they were a little cheaper, but all in all, not a bad blade for me. I returned to DE shaving after 20 plus years, and VDH is what I found on the marketplace that can be bought in the store, without ordering on the internet. Going to order a sampler pack online, just to see if there is something else I like.

 

[tysonic]

Wilkinson Sword (black dispenser) - absolutely horrible, didn`t even finish first pass cause I felt pain on my face after each stroke, tried couple of them and it was the same. Bic Chrome - nicks, irritation, tugging, geez. Third place is occupied by Derby Extra - some blades are just ok but the inconsistency is unbelievable! For every couple of blades I had one dud which was horrible. Tried about 20 of them and never again. Will test Derby Premium next week though.

 

[Shaving like a boss]

Wilkinson Sword (black dispenser) - absolutely horrible, didn`t even finish first pass cause I felt pain on my face after each stroke, tried couple of them and it was the same. Bic Chrome - nicks, irritation, tugging, geez. Third place is occupied by Derby Extra - some blades are just ok but the inconsistency is unbelievable! For every couple of blades I had one dud which was horrible. Tried about 20 of them and never again. Will test Derby Premium next week though.

Its funny how different people like different blades. Wilkinson blades (black pack from germany) are one of my faves.

 

[drb1956]

Its funny how different people like different blades. Wilkinson blades (black pack from germany) are one of my faves.

Is it possible the Wilkinson and the VDH blades are made in the same factory? I read this on a previous post or on this site. It would be interesting to take a tour of one of these factories that make these blades. Or are they being manufactured in a guys garage?? Just a thought, if DE shaving is so popular at this time again, why are not more mfg's here in the USA getting into the act. Not enough profit margin I suppose, or lack of machinery, as I understand they sold off most if not all the machines that make these blades to foreign entities. But, I would bet the quality would be great if they were made here!! I bet someone here has one of those machines...

 

[sjerquinn]

Is it possible the Wilkinson and the VDH blades are made in the same factory? I read this on a previous post or on this site. It would be interesting to take a tour of one of these factories that make these blades. Or are they being manufactured in a guys garage?? Just a thought, if DE shaving is so popular at this time again, why are not more mfg's here in the USA getting into the act. Not enough profit margin I suppose, or lack of machinery, as I understand they sold off most if not all the machines that make these blades to foreign entities. But, I would bet the quality would be great if they were made here!! I bet someone here has one of those machines...

I think the main reason they're manufactured outside of the US is because a large portion of the world still uses DE blades vs carts. Which isn't the case here in the US. You can find Wilkinson Sword, Gillette 7 O'Clock and other plastic DE razors on The Bay being sold out of various Asian countries. Economically it makes more sense for Gillette and other blade manufacturers to keep their operations outside of the US and just import the small percentage of their products to fulfill the demand rather than opening up a plant here.

 

[RapidRob]

I think the main reason they're manufactured outside of the US is because a large portion of the world still uses DE blades vs carts. Which isn't the case here in the US. You can find Wilkinson Sword, Gillette 7 O'Clock and other plastic DE razors on The Bay being sold out of various Asian countries. Economically it makes more sense for Gillette and other blade manufacturers to keep their operations outside of the US and just import the small percentage of their products to fulfill the demand rather than opening up a plant here.

Personna still manufactures DE blades in the US and actually exports blades to China.

 

[sjerquinn]

Personna still manufactures DE blades in the US and actually exports blades to China.

Right, but even they've moved some operations overseas.

 

[Mike R]

I don't know if they're still the same now, but 10 or so years ago, Zorrik (Vidyuk). I don't think you could pop a balloon with 'em. There weren't too many blades available, but you could get Zorriks for something like $0.95 for 100.

Blech!

 

[Laird]

A friend gave me some NOS "Rexall" branded blades after cleaning out her late father's house. A box of about 50 or so and it was still factory sealed in the cellophane. Also some of the same blades that were new in the paper envelopes but loose from the original (previous) box he had obviously started. They're blue carbon and look similar to the old Gillette blue blades. They tug like you would not believe, yet give a good result. It's just necessary to take a determined shaving stroke to overcome the initial tug. These are without a doubt, the worst blades I've tried. But I like Derby blades. One of my best shaves was when I had not looked in my razor to see what it was loaded with. The blade was so smooth during the shaving stroke I thought it must be one of my Feathers or at least an Astra SP. It was a Derby (pre-2016 I might add). I bought 1000 of them for a little over seventy dollars. They work great in all my razors and I believe that my personal improvement in prep and technique since 2013 has made the biggest difference to my shaves and that the hardware aspect has become less important. I can get the same results with any of my razors or blade combinations at this point.

 

[lancre]

A friend gave me some NOS "Rexall" branded blades after cleaning out her late father's house. A box of about 50 or so and it was still factory sealed in the cellophane. Also some of the same blades that were new in the paper envelopes but loose from the original (previous) box he had obviously started. They're blue carbon and look similar to the old Gillette blue blades. They tug like you would not believe, yet give a good result. It's just necessary to take a determined shaving stroke to overcome the initial tug. These are without a doubt, the worst blades I've tried. But I like Derby blades. One of my best shaves was when I had not looked in my razor to see what it was loaded with. The blade was so smooth during the shaving stroke I thought it must be one of my Feathers or at least an Astra SP. It was a Derby (pre-2016 I might add). I bought 1000 of them for a little over seventy dollars. They work great in all my razors and I believe that my personal improvement in prep and technique since 2013 has made the biggest difference to my shaves and that the hardware aspect has become less important. I can get the same results with any of my razors or blade combinations at this point.

+1
Technique usually trumps tools.

 

[Shaving like a boss]

VDH are the most horrible blade known to man kind. I tried to like them, I really did. I tried them in a Slim, I tried one in a Fat Boy, I even tried one in a Milord AND a Russian Ideal. It made no difference. Every one felt like I was shaving with a broken bottle. And when I slapped on some Gabel's Bay Rum....well you have seen the movie home alone? That was it. A close second is TopCare (Israeli Personna? ) I actually found a burr on one of the blades in the tuck. The one I tried made two passes then I trashed it.

 

[Tokyospike]

Ladas and Sputnik (though I may have had a bad Sputnik). Compared to the 20 other DE brands I've tried, the Ladas were the least efficient and not comfortable.

 

[JazzDoc]

Here's another thumbs down for Derby. Might as well shave with a butter knife.

 

[Pierce13]

This idea just came to me.....Find out what the worst blades are and PIF them! Woo!

So here's how it will work - List just ONE of the most horrendously uncomfortable blades you've ever used. I'll compile a list after we get a decent amount of different blades. Chances are that I have them already, and if not I will get them.

Then...I'll PIF them to a few lucky souls that are brave enough to try THE WORST BLADES EVER.

So...What are your worst blades!?

Treet "Silver". Just a miserable experience. I felt like I had shaved with a loose-leaf notebook.

 

[ajlawhorne]

In my experience, its Derby Extra for the win... or the loss. Actually my neck lost. I looked like I had the measles after shaving with it.

 

[Whilliam]

The Derby that came packed with my R41.