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1st try Suneko Amorphous Diamond blades

m949

m949

First shave with a Suneko blade today. The blade was loaded in my Mühle Rocca R95.

My first impression is that this blade is very sharp; comparable to Wizamets and Permasharps. I didn't feel any tugging or roughness during my shave. However, I do have some irritation on my neck area which has always been a problem zone for me, either with removing hair or general sensitivity. I guess that I've made a pass too many on the neck (WTG, ATG, XTG) with a first use of this blade. I definitely feel the irritation there. Two passes should be the maximum for me with this blade, especially with a new one. The good news is that I didn't have any nicks or weepers.

Overall I'm quite impressed with this blade, but you'll have to take my observations with a grain of salt since my only blade experience is with Gillette blades so far (GSB, Gillette Platinum, 7 o'clock green, Permasharp, and Wizamet) and one or two Mühle blades (which aren't my cup of tea). So my comparison capacity is a tad limited.

Nevertheless, I think these are great blades; sharp and smooth and on par with some of the Greats. I'll have to see how the Suneko performs on a second or third shave. From what I have gleaned on this thread the shaves should become smoother by then.

My next shave is planned for Friday, it's better if I let my skin recover a bit before taking this blade for its next ride.
 
Leverspro

Leverspro

Blade #2 of 100 this week used twice in back to back daily shaves and in two different razors. I was coming off two weeks of marvelling at how easy and comfortable a Personna blade was when I picked up this fresh blade. First shave made me wonder if there was any difference. Very smooth and comfortable. Second shave with a very heavy copper razor gave me some irritation on the most sensitive area on my neck. It leaves me feeling that the Suneco is very sharp and not at all forgiving in big gap heavy razors. Knowing that I believe proper technique can easily master it. Third shave with this blade will be in the Brass'Bird tomorrow to test my conclusions.
 
Leverspro

Leverspro

Shave #3 today with the second blade of this pack. Very good experience, smooth, efficient with zero redness.
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m949

m949

Second shave today with the Suneko in the Mühle Rocca R95. Achieved a BBS in two passes. However, I have the same problem as with the first shave; a stinging feeling in the face, although there doesn't seem to be any razor burn or visible irritation. Just the burning feeling that one or two skin layers have been scraped off.

It might be that this blade is not suitable for myself in the Rocca and that it is a better suit for me in the much milder R89. Just as @Leverspro mentioned, this blade might not be very forgiving in razors with big blade exposure.

I don't want to write this blade off just yet. I will keep trying it out and hopefully I can make it work for me. It is a remarkable blade with great potential.
 
Pinto90

Pinto90

Lots of messages, even conflicting ones, about a Chinese blade, some very positive ones leave you curious.
My curiosity concerns who produces them in China.
What is the name of the manufacturer of this Suneko blade?
 
m949

m949

Third try of the Suneko blade

Pre-Shave: Warm water splash / YBN Glycerin Skin Care

Razor: Mühle R89 DSC Destroyer Handle
Blade: Suneko Amorphous Diamond Super Stainless (1)
Brush: Mühle Liscio Black Fibre
Bowl: DSC scuttle
Soap: Mühle Grapefruit & Mint
Alum: none
A/S: 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser
EdT: Zino Davidoff

I had to try the Suneko in the much milder R89 with a brush I know and a soap with the least potential for irritation. I had to rule out other variables which may cause this "burning face" I've been experiencing and this setup was the one which should do it.

The good stuff first: this blade is incredibly sharp and very efficient, even in the R89. I achieved a CCS today with this blade, and that's all I was aiming for in this test shave.

Now for the bad: this blade doesn't agree with my face at all. I can't pinpoint whether it is the sharpness, the grind or possibly the coating. But even in the R89 with a quick shave aimed at minimum irritation, I feel a stinging in the shaved areas. This stinging will last probably the whole day, if past experience is any guide. I paid attention not to exert any pressure, not to shave areas without lather, and to properly prep pre-shave. The strange thing is that there is no redness, just this burning feeling. I also didn't have any nicks or weepers, but this feels like many nano-cuts.

There is a lot pf praise for this blade and I really think this is a very good blade, but it isn't for me. As many of you say YMMV. I have tried other blades known for their sharpness, and never had an issue like that, even in the more aggressive Rocca. I have tried so far GSB, Platinum, 7 o'clock Green, Permasharp and Wizament, all of which agreed very well with me and never caused me this kind of discomfort.

This is truly a pity, because the blade performs exceptionally good and I would have loved to have it in my rotation, even if it would work for me just in the R89. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
 

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AshleyC

AshleyC

m949 said:
Third try of the Suneko blade

Pre-Shave: Warm water splash / YBN Glycerin Skin Care

Razor: Mühle R89 DSC Destroyer Handle
Blade: Suneko Amorphous Diamond Super Stainless (1)
Brush: Mühle Liscio Black Fibre
Bowl: DSC scuttle
Soap: Mühle Grapefruit & Mint
Alum: none
A/S: 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser
EdT: Zino Davidoff

I had to try the Suneko in the much milder R89 with a brush I know and a soap with the least potential for irritation. I had to rule out other variables which may cause this "burning face" I've been experiencing and this setup was the one which should do it.

The good stuff first: this blade is incredibly sharp and very efficient, even in the R89. I achieved a CCS today with this blade, and that's all I was aiming for in this test shave.

Now for the bad: this blade doesn't agree with my face at all. I can't pinpoint whether it is the sharpness, the grind or possibly the coating. But even in the R89 with a quick shave aimed at minimum irritation, I feel a stinging in the shaved areas. This stinging will last probably the whole day, if past experience is any guide. I paid attention not to exert any pressure, not to shave areas without lather, and to properly prep pre-shave. The strange thing is that there is no redness, just this burning feeling. I also didn't have any nicks or weepers, but this feels like many nano-cuts.

There is a lot pf praise for this blade and I really think this is a very good blade, but it isn't for me. As many of you say YMMV. I have tried other blades known for their sharpness, and never had an issue like that, even in the more aggressive Rocca. I have tried so far GSB, Platinum, 7 o'clock Green, Permasharp and Wizament, all of which agreed very well with me and never caused me this kind of discomfort.

This is truly a pity, because the blade performs exceptionally good and I would have loved to have it in my rotation, even if it would work for me just in the R89. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
Click to expand...

I read your post and decided to make today's shave with a Suneko(2) I first used a few days ago in a Fatip Piccolo. Except today it would be a Fatboy set to 9. Because I'd done two shaves with the Fatboy recently with Derby Premiums, ending with close shaves, near BBS, but with little to no feedback with alum and AS. I mean virtually nothing.

But here's the thing. I was dragging that Fatboy into my skin like a cartridge razor. Really heavy pressure. Like I wouldn't dare to do with my Timeless bronze or Merkur Futur. I seemed to pay no price for doing that with that Fatboy/Derby combo.

I was curious, in light of your post, to see what would happen with a Fatboy/Suneko combo with me again pouring on the pounds per square inch.

The peripherals:
Shower as the pre-shave. Am I the only guy who looks at the shower as "That which I must do in order to get to the shave."?

Parker synthetic brush
RazoRock "WTP?" Gold Label soap
Alum
Witch hazel
Proraso white label aftershave

If anything, I was applying more pressure for this shave. Three passes, but no cleanup or chasing the BBS. One slight nick, but it was a scab from my Piccolo shave and I was expecting it. Call it CCS/DFS, mostly DFS on the face.

Like with the Derby, negligible feedback on the face during the alum block rub. More pronounced on the neck, but very mild. More of a curiosity. But still more noticeable than the Derby. I rarely get any sort of feedback from witch hazel, except for the most egregious shaves. If I wanted maximum AS feedback, in the past that would've meant Skin Bracer. But that is now a watered down shadow of itself. The Proraso was mild on the face, more "tingly" on the neck. Nothing to get me to swear off Sunekos!

But unlike what is so often claimed, I don't have sensitive skin. I have 51-year-old skin that's been sunburned, windburned, poison-ivyed, shaved on with cold water in a canteen cup, and rubbed raw by Kevlar helmet chin straps.
 
m949

m949

AshleyC said:
I read your post and decided to make today's shave with a Suneko(2) I first used a few days ago in a Fatip Piccolo. Except today it would be a Fatboy set to 9. Because I'd done two shaves with the Fatboy recently with Derby Premiums, ending with close shaves, near BBS, but with little to no feedback with alum and AS. I mean virtually nothing.

But here's the thing. I was dragging that Fatboy into my skin like a cartridge razor. Really heavy pressure. Like I wouldn't dare to do with my Timeless bronze or Merkur Futur. I seemed to pay no price for doing that with that Fatboy/Derby combo.

I was curious, in light of your post, to see what would happen with a Fatboy/Suneko combo with me again pouring on the pounds per square inch.

The peripherals:
Shower as the pre-shave. Am I the only guy who looks at the shower as "That which I must do in order to get to the shave."?

Parker synthetic brush
RazoRock "WTP?" Gold Label soap
Alum
Witch hazel
Proraso white label aftershave

If anything, I was applying more pressure for this shave. Three passes, but no cleanup or chasing the BBS. One slight nick, but it was a scab from my Piccolo shave and I was expecting it. Call it CCS/DFS, mostly DFS on the face.

Like with the Derby, negligible feedback on the face during the alum block rub. More pronounced on the neck, but very mild. More of a curiosity. But still more noticeable than the Derby. I rarely get any sort of feedback from witch hazel, except for the most egregious shaves. If I wanted maximum AS feedback, in the past that would've meant Skin Bracer. But that is now a watered down shadow of itself. The Proraso was mild on the face, more "tingly" on the neck. Nothing to get me to swear off Sunekos!

But unlike what is so often claimed, I don't have sensitive skin. I have 51-year-old skin that's been sunburned, windburned, poison-ivyed, shaved on with cold water in a canteen cup, and rubbed raw by Kevlar helmet chin straps.
Click to expand...
You're my hero to endure such a possibly torturous and potentially very messy shave. In a hundred years I wouldn't have dreamt to attempt such a feat. From what you describe, I think we can safely say that there isn't anything wrong with the blade, its sharpness, or its geometry.

After reading your post, my intuition was to suspect that the coating is the culprit. However, after my morning shave today I think I'll have to completely revise my initial conclusion. It's not the blade and it probably never was.

I shaved today with a new Wizamet in the Mühle Rocca, a blade which didn't cause me any issues before, and lo and behold exactly the same post shave feeling as with the Suneko. Surely that can't be the Suneko blade then.

What changed in the course of one week? My prep is the same as before; I usually shower in the evening - shave in the morning, but I believe I do a good pre-soaking of the face, usually with exfoliating cleanser, not drying the face for the next step. This is then followed by generous application of glycerin / Olive oil product before applying lather to the face. I wipe off residual lather before the second pass, then have another warm water splash before lathering up again. I complete with cold water splash, alum on some days, and Aftershave. I very seldom get weepers, haven't nicked myself once and only get little alum feedback, usually on the neck. The only sensitivities I have may be some fragrances - Noble Otter Orbit gives me some redness.

I did two and a half pass shaves (WTG, ATG, XTG on the neck) with Permasharps and Wizamets in the Rocca - nothing. I mapped my beard growth as well as a I could; cheeks are pretty much straight; whirls on the neck and growing N-S or maybe more accurately E-W / W-E; hence the occasional XTG shave on the neck.

I only have two razors, the Rocca and the R89. I started with the R89 and still use it every second shave. Shave angles are different between these two; the R89 needs about 30 degrees which I pretty much do now by feel. The Rocca needs a different angle, almost parallel to the face. It gives audible feedback when the right angle is met.

I use Mühle soap a lot, a hard puck which is supposedly made by Speick. I also use some artisan soap samples, such as Grooming Department, House of Mammoth, Southern Witchcrafts, etc., all great performers. I lather in a scuttle, pre-soak my badger brush, quickly wet my synthetic brushes and normally can produce a slick lather, adding water splashes when needed.

I use short strokes when shaving, never long strokes - two, three strokes then rinse the blade. I make sure not to shave on areas without lather, adding where needed. I don't crush my brushes. I don't put undue pressure on them ever. I paint my face in up-down strokes rather than in swirling motions.

I consciously ensure that I don't apply any pressure when shaving, often trying to let the razor do the work. That's why I like a bit of weight in a razor. Every time I apply pressure, I can feel it immediately with a small sting of the blade.

Much of what I do, I have learnt here from you guys. Reading through incredible threads of newbie advice honed by what must be a century of collective shaving wisdom. Maybe you can find the error of my ways from the above long winded treatise, which must sound to many of you like an attempt in shaving redemption. I assure you it is not. This is my attempt in self reflection and an endeavor to better my shaving skills. I can only assume now that an ATG pass with such a sharp blade is not for me, and that I should stick with WTG passes. The Suneko's will stay for me for a while, I will probably revisit them again, maybe in a few weeks.

So, let me end my ramblings with this: I wasn't right. This was NOT the blade. There is NOTHING wrong with the Suneko blade. This IS an exceptional blade, the many positive experiences in this thread are testament to that. Don't let my noob skills discourage you to try this blade out. You would miss something exceptional if you wouldn't.
 
cranewarrior

cranewarrior

m949 said:
What changed in the course of one week?
Click to expand...

I can only offer the thought that your skin health matters a lot in wet shaving, I have discovered. When I have outbreaks of dry skin I am more prone to skin irritation. It's nothing to do with my shaving gear probably, other than DE shaving even with mild razors and blades is more testing than the cheap single or twin blade disposables I once used.

Are you dehydrated or suffering from any skin issues?
 
m949

m949

cranewarrior said:
I can only offer the thought that your skin health matters a lot in wet shaving, I have discovered. When I have outbreaks of dry skin I am more prone to skin irritation. It's nothing to do with my shaving gear probably, other than DE shaving even with mild razors and blades is more testing than the cheap single or twin blade disposables I once used.

Are you dehydrated or suffering from any skin issues?
Click to expand...
You may be onto something here. I have been slacking lately with hydration and my skin does feel a tad dry. Even more so after a shave. Maybe more (skin) hydration is the key here. Interesting that DE shaving can provide us this kind of feedback. I'll definitely will be making some adjustments. Thanks for pointing it out.

Yet another argument for holding on to my Suneko stash and revisit them again.

Oh, and you should definitely try this blade. It is probably the sharpest and most efficient I have ever tried. Then again, I only tried GSB, Platinum, Permasharp and Wizamet's so far. My feeling is that the Suneko is definitely in the league of Wizamet and Permasharp. I don't know whether it's comparable to Feathers, as I haven't had the pleasure yet, but I'm sure the Suneko is quite close.
 
cranewarrior

cranewarrior

m949 said:
My feeling is that the Suneko is definitely in the league of Wizamet and Permasharp. I don't know whether it's comparable to Feathers, as I haven't had the pleasure yet, but I'm sure the Suneko is quite close.
Click to expand...

Wow. I'll be sure and try it first in a mild razor then. I fat-fingered and ordered 500 of these by mistake instead of 100, so I dearly would want to like these Suneko blades.
 
Umma2gumma

Umma2gumma

Just for kicks looked them up. They are almost 1.5 times more expensive than Astra SP now. Are they 1.5 times better ? Or is it just the Ali seller riding the hype.
 
Stikeyoda

Stikeyoda

Total surprise shave yesterday. I got a Menlo Nealon in the mail. My usual process is to use a Treet Carbon for my first shave with a new razor because it is so predictable and I know it well. However something kept telling me to use a Suneko. Wow... no pressure 3 pass no touch up BBS on a first try. A little alum sting on neck. And the Nealon has a reputation for aggression. Suneko may pass AccuForge in my top 10 now.
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V12Stu

V12Stu

Still enjoying using my Suneko blades - they work extremely well in the Karve Overlander and this combination seems perfect in every way.

Thought I'd order another 100 blades (I ordered 100 first time around) but last week, I couldn't complete the purchase and website was saying the vendor would not ship to my address (in the UK - same address that they shipped the last box of 100 to......)

Tried again yesterday and the Suneko blades no longer appear on the vendor's pages. Not sure if anyone else in different countries are seeing the same?
 
cranewarrior

cranewarrior

V12Stu said:
Still enjoying using my Suneko blades - they work extremely well in the Karve Overlander and this combination seems perfect in every way.

Thought I'd order another 100 blades (I ordered 100 first time around) but last week, I couldn't complete the purchase and website was saying the vendor would not ship to my address (in the UK - same address that they shipped the last box of 100 to......)

Tried again yesterday and the Suneko blades no longer appear on the vendor's pages. Not sure if anyone else in different countries are seeing the same?
Click to expand...
It may be a UK ban thing on shipping razor blades. I can still order these to the USA, although Kung Fu Scissors seems to be out of the 100 packs right now on AliExpress. No problems with getting a 50 qty though to get to the final order submission stage.

At $15 per 100 with taxes and shipping though, I'd rather buy Gillette Silver Blues.
 
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