Astra stainless now with free glue spots!?

[soo-do-nym]

Gentlemen

I'm now almost a month into my wet-shaving journey (not that I didn't use water to shave with my old schick and can'o foam... but you get what I mean) and I've now worked my way through a Derby Extra, a Feather and now an Astra Stainless blade (all in a Muhle R106 if anyone is counting).

So far I am enjoying the Astra immensely BUT, when I first opened it up, I found that the inner layer of grease-proof paper (it came in a dual wrapping) was glued to the four corners of the blade with small spots of glue/gum substance. The paper was easily removed but the glue spots remained on the blade (covering the cutting edge on each corner I might add) ... is this normal?

It does not seem to affect the shave (given that I am still refining my technique and process I can't really say if it is better or worse than any of the others) but I am a little off-put by the thought of dragging some sort of chemical adherent, attached to a very sharp piece of metal, across my face every morning (again I feel I should reiterate that I don't notice any difference when I actually do so).

Anyone share a similar experience when unwrapping an Astra Stainless (as opposed to a Platinum I think) and have any long-term, glue related, effects?

EDIT: disregard 'stainless' they are 'platinum superiors'... My mistake.

 

[DMT]

Astras are notorious for having excessively big spots of wax on their blades to hold the wrapping shut sometimes they go off target and go close to the edge it's nothing to worry about

 

[Sawblade]

If it really bugs you, use the blade you're taking off to scrape the wax off of the new one.

 

[JDTTO]

Even though these are considered as harmless, it puts me off buying astra's. There are too many good blades out there without exessive wax spots.

 

[tacchini]

after wilkinson sword blades, the astras are the blades i use most, the little bit of gum on the blades does do my head in a bit, but they are a top blade for me.

 

[soo-do-nym]

Thanks gents!

I don't feel any ill effects and, being heartened to hear that my batch of blades are not poisoned, I will continue to use them (I think I like the Astras the best of all the blades I've yet tried).

 

[Nick Danger]

I haven't found the glue / wax spots on my Astra SP blades to present any problems yet. I really like these blades — and not just because of the price — so I plan to stick with them for now.

Nick

 

[JoshuaNY]

The only thing that bothers me is when I am taking the old blade out of the razor it tends to stick and I have to use more force then i would like to remove a sharp object.

 

[kingfisher]

Yep. It's par for the course with Astra blades.

 

[retturn2blades]

I like Russian blades and the Astras are so cheap by the 100s. And I've yet to experience any wax/glue problems with mine.

 

[Vanman]

I don't like the wax spots either. If you think about it they can alter the height of the blade once in the razor. Also I don't like having to clean the wax off of the razor afterwards either. If you don't, and put another blade in, it will compound the issue. So I try and remove the wax which is on there pretty good. I will have to try the old razor blade as a scraper routine. Thanks for the tip. By the way I really like the Astra blades.

 

[BlackBard]

Wax? What wax? By the time I am ready to change the blade, having rinsed my razor a few times in hot tap water, the wax is gone. Astra SP is my one, and only, blade.

 

[kingfisher]

Too bad the thread title can't be rearranged to read "Astra stainless now glue-spot free."

That would be awesome.

 

[johns777]

All the wax I have encountered on them wipes right off in some water.

 

[phillylion]

Astras are one of my favorite blades. The wax spots used to bother me but I don't pay any attention to them anymore. Doesn't seem to affect anything.