Item Description
Some background:
I admit I wasn't sure what to expect when I loaded up my HD with a Sputnik blade from Mother Russia. I'd read varying reviews on the internet. Some said Sputniks are great and others considered them cheap and ineffective. I'm going on record to say that, for me, these little blades are a treat.
For comparison, I have dark, coarse facial hair and I usually use an HD/Derby Extra combo for consistently good results. I've also used Feathers, Crystals, Merkurs, Sharps, Astras and a few others.
The test:
I followed my usual pre-shave routine of a hot shower, a little conditioner on my face and some face-soaking time. After that, I lathered up with some Body Shop shaving cream (love the stuff), and set to work on a four-pass shave.
Through the first WTG pass, I noticed that the blade was fairly sharp and it was doing a good job at hair-reduction with minimal tugging and pulling. My next two XTG passes got me to a place where I could have quit and had a "good enough" shave. I wasn't quite sure if I should go for the fourth, ATG pass. I'm sometimes cautious about pushing my luck with an untested blade, but I forged ahead. With many blades, this last pass is the make-or-break pass that can either cause some irritation or hopefully give me a happy, BBS face. With the Sputnik, it was smooth, irritation free and gave me a very close shave.
The packaging isn't amazing—a cardboard box of five, double-wrapped blades—but I've never bought a pack of blades because of the packaging. Plus, there's something a bit old-fashioned and charming about pulling a blade out of a box that says "Sputnik." Pricewise, these are easy on the wallet—100 for less than $20.
My final thoughts:
Overall, I could use these blades every day and be happy with consistently good results. I don't know if it would ever replace the Derby as my go-to blade, but I'm definitely interested in getting a few more to add to my rotation.
I admit I wasn't sure what to expect when I loaded up my HD with a Sputnik blade from Mother Russia. I'd read varying reviews on the internet. Some said Sputniks are great and others considered them cheap and ineffective. I'm going on record to say that, for me, these little blades are a treat.
For comparison, I have dark, coarse facial hair and I usually use an HD/Derby Extra combo for consistently good results. I've also used Feathers, Crystals, Merkurs, Sharps, Astras and a few others.
The test:
I followed my usual pre-shave routine of a hot shower, a little conditioner on my face and some face-soaking time. After that, I lathered up with some Body Shop shaving cream (love the stuff), and set to work on a four-pass shave.
Through the first WTG pass, I noticed that the blade was fairly sharp and it was doing a good job at hair-reduction with minimal tugging and pulling. My next two XTG passes got me to a place where I could have quit and had a "good enough" shave. I wasn't quite sure if I should go for the fourth, ATG pass. I'm sometimes cautious about pushing my luck with an untested blade, but I forged ahead. With many blades, this last pass is the make-or-break pass that can either cause some irritation or hopefully give me a happy, BBS face. With the Sputnik, it was smooth, irritation free and gave me a very close shave.
The packaging isn't amazing—a cardboard box of five, double-wrapped blades—but I've never bought a pack of blades because of the packaging. Plus, there's something a bit old-fashioned and charming about pulling a blade out of a box that says "Sputnik." Pricewise, these are easy on the wallet—100 for less than $20.
My final thoughts:
Overall, I could use these blades every day and be happy with consistently good results. I don't know if it would ever replace the Derby as my go-to blade, but I'm definitely interested in getting a few more to add to my rotation.
