Any pros try sampler packs again?

[Monkeyboy]

I went through a lot of different blades when I started DE shaving several years ago. I settled on a few that I've had good results with and have stuck with them. But shaving involves a lot of variables other than the blades. I'm sort of curious to go through a sampler pack again now to see how well my favs compare and if my findings are any different.

Has anyone ever given this a shot?

 

[CaptainK]

Has anyone ever given this a shot?

Not only have folks given it a shot, but it's a recommended practice. One's technique improves over time, and a blade that performed poorly in the past may not be its fault.

 

[Chester]

I'm perpetually in a sample pack. I can't seem to use the same brand of blade for more than a month.
-- Chet

 

[goby]

I've used a DE for about 20 months straight. I really think I can use any blade and get a good shave. But it would be fun to see if I can get a good shave from the dreaded Green 7'Oclocks that I hated as a newbie.

 

[aimsport]

I'm not a pro, but, yes, I've gone through the sample packs again.

Amazed at how much my blades changed since I tried them last.

 

[htownmmm]

I haven't done this because of having so many blades in the first place-any time I found one that I liked, I promptly ordered 100 of them.

Now I know which blades work best for my face, so those are the only ones I will stockpile.

However, I will try a 5 pack of a blade I am not familiar with just to see what all the fuss is about.


marty

 

[Red Ketchup]

I like to change razor, cream and blade.
Marc

 

[Monkeyboy]

I've used a DE for about 20 months straight. I really think I can use any blade and get a good shave. But it would be fun to see if I can get a good shave from the dreaded Green 7'Oclocks that I hated as a newbie.

That's what I'm curious about too, if I'll change my mind. In the beginning those yellow and green 7'oclocks were about the roughest blades for me I've tried, it might be hard to work up the nerve to try those again.

 

[Monkeyboy]

My suspicions may be correct. Early on I thought Derby blades were okay - a little rough and not especially sharp. I now gave a Derby a go and got an effortless, comfortable, fantastic shave.

Curiously I've just now seen the posts that newer Derbys in the changed packaging are inferior to the old type. Strange.

 

[Luc]

My suspicions may be correct. Early on I thought Derby blades were okay - a little rough and not especially sharp. I now gave a Derby a go and got an effortless, comfortable, fantastic shave.

Curiously I've just now seen the posts that newer Derbys in the changed packaging are inferior to the old type. Strange.

I had the same type of experience with Merkur blades. In the end, I thought they were all right but way too expensive to be a regular in my rotation...

 

[man00ver]

Monkeyboy, I've been through all my original sampler blades at least twice, and have just finished a round with some other blades I bought individually to sample. I did a palm-stropping for the first time on Saturday, using a Wal-Mart Wilkinson sword blade that I deemed horrible the first time out, and was very pleasantly surprised at how much it improved!

This Wal-Mart blade and the Derby were both poor performers in my initial trials. I'll do the Derby again a week from Saturday, and I'll definitely be palm-stopping it before installation.

The following blades improved for me after the first shave, and I'll be stropping them as well for the next go-around: Merkur, Astra SP, Feather, Lord Platinum, Shark SC, and Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (yellow).

FYI, the following units were smooth and good to me right out of the box: Personna Meds, NOS Gillette Bleue Extra, Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (black), Shark SS, and Nacet Platinum. No stropping required for these, in my book.