ASCO blue, wow!

[Feek]

Up until now I've only used four different brands of blade, Derby, Gillette yellow, Astra SP and Feather but I took delivery of a blade sampler pack yesterday and decided to work through them alphabetically using one blade for one shave.

So I started with the ASCO blade in a blue box with a red stripe at the end (top left of the picture).

Three passes with one more added touch up under my neck and my shave was easily as good as when I last used a Feather and that took multiple neck passes for this level of smoothness.

I've searched the forum and the ASCO blade seems to be one of those little gems, if it works then it seems to work well.

I like it. I rate it above the Feather for a number of reasons: Very smooth, good shave using less passes than the Feather and less than half the price. I think I'll find myself ordering 100 of these before I've worked my way through the sample pack.

Here's the sampler pack, I've got a lot here to get through so going alphabetically, it'll be the Big Ben next.

View attachment 275791

 

[Feek]

Replying to my own thread!

Used a Big Ben today and it was pretty much the same as the ASCO except if I were being picky I could say I have a slight feeling of tightness afterwards. The shave itself is identical to yesterday.

 

[ArNav]

I don't understand why would a company like Lord make so many identical blades under different confusing names and packaging. Bewildering.

 

[Feek]

I've read various reports about the Lord blades, some people swear they're all the same, others say they're all different.

 

[The M]

I don't understand why would a company like Lord make so many identical blades under different confusing names and packaging. Bewildering.

Its because by making so many different ones they can appeal to a large number of markets. Big Ben blades would sell well in a store near the actual Big Ben. Its all about appealing to your target market.

 

[ArNav]

Well, that seems like an explanation to having a couple of different names or different packaging, but not so many, because then people get confused, can't understand what blade to get, and each different name gets a lesser "cut", less attention, less recurring purchases, etc'.

 

[americanarmsdealer]

If you like the ASCO and Big Ben, I'll bet you'll really like the Racers. #2 with a bullet on my all time blade list, only topped by Schick Platinum Plus. All that, and I think the graphics on the packaging are pretty cool, too. Kinda retro geeky, you know?

 

[Feek]

I was going to use a Crown today as I'm going alphabetically but I've searched and don't think anyone has a good word to say about them so I used the Racer as per your suggestion.

I noticed a little tugging with it so I'd put it slightly behind the Big Ben (which I've rated the same as a Feather) and ahead of 7 O'Clock Yellows and Astra SPs. The shave was still good but not as effortless as the ASCO.

 

[Griffo]

If you like the ASCO and Big Ben, I'll bet you'll really like the Racers. #2 with a bullet on my all time blade list, only topped by Schick Platinum Plus. All that, and I think the graphics on the packaging are pretty cool, too. Kinda retro geeky, you know?

I'm a big fan of Racer as well.

My box of Asco is orange with some pyramids on them so not sure if they are the same or have a different coating them or they have just changed the packaging. I like Asco as well but the Racer wins cos I like the packaging more

 

[Griffo]

I was going to use a Crown today as I'm going alphabetically but I've searched and don't think anyone has a good word to say about them so I used the Racer as per your suggestion.

I noticed a little tugging with it so I'd put it slightly behind the Big Ben (which I've rated the same as a Feather) and ahead of 7 O'Clock Yellows and Astra SPs. The shave was still good but not as effortless as the ASCO.

I find Asco and Racer very similar although my first shave with a Racer was a disappointment I've subsequently revisited them and they are amongst my favourite blade now, always smooth and comfortable and I get a decent shave from them.

I've used Crown - only 2 left in the box and they are OK but maybe not as good as Asco. Very smooth but maybe not as sharp as the Asco. I originally used them after my face had an argument with a R41 with a Shark SC in it and it was just the nice mild shave I was looking for to get my face back to health.

I find the Lords similar with Shark SC, Lord Platinum and Lord SC being sharper and longer lasting but prefer Racer and Asco as they are a better match with the EJ and R41 - I'll never use a Shark SC in the R41 again - ever.

 

[CapnPanther]

Don't know if they're different, but the Ascos in the orange package are fine blades and among my favorites.

 

[Feek]

I used an ASCO for the third time yesterday evening and it was unsatisfying. The shave felt OK but I had a minor nick (first one in a couple of weeks) and today my regrowth feels far greater than usual so the blade had clearly lost its edge after just two shaves. I'll start trying the Lord labelled blades out of the sample pack next.

 

[Feek]

Well I won't be using this one again.



Quite an unpleasant shave, felt like it was slicing me up (it actually wasn't) but my face didn't feel good afterwards. I applied an alum block as I thought I'd been nicked.

Did my usual three passes and didn't bother with the normal neck touch up. I have a barely acceptable shave.

So much for those who say all Lord branded blades are the same, they clearly aren't!

 

[Griffo]

I had the same problem as you with my first Lord platinum. It did get better on the 2nd shave I thought but i have to say, there's still 4 blades left in my pack so it's not a blade I've rushed to return to. Considering how smooth and comfortable Racer blades are from the same stable it does prove that all Lord blades are not the same.

 

[americanarmsdealer]

+1 to The Lord blades not being the same. I've tried several, and they all had subtle differences.

 

[Paddan1000]

Your experience with the Lord blades seems to mirror mine. I can guarantee you will get a pleasant surprise when you get to the Lord Super Stainless "Super".

 

[tfinch]

They do seem different to me as well. Anybody tried Silver Star? I really have good shaves with those.

 

[Feek]

Your experience with the Lord blades seems to mirror mine. I can guarantee you will get a pleasant surprise when you get to the Lord Super Stainless "Super".

Yes, very nice. A three pass shave with touch up, superb.

As it happens, I ordered 100 ASCO blades today, my first bulk blade purchase.

 

[Feek]

Third shave today with a Lord Super Stainless "Super" and the shave was good although I had one minor nick that I didn't even notice. I've been finding that once I get a nick out of a blade that it's generally gone past its best and it's time to change it. That would put the life of the Lord Super Stainless "Super" to be the same as the ASCO, ie two shaves. That seems a little low but at just 7p each, it's fine.

 

[talibeard]

+1 to The Lord blades not being the same. I've tried several, and they all had subtle differences.

Ditto. I tried about 10/12 different blades and while some are close none seem to be identical.

I don't understand why would a company like Lord make so many identical blades under different confusing names and packaging. Bewildering.

I wonder where your information comes from. Please enlighten us.