Barbieria Italiana Sampler Question

[BarryR]

I didn't realize they had sampler packs until Leisureguy mentioned it in another post. How are the blades in these packs? They're on the inexpensive side, but that doesn't mean they're not good.

http://www.razorandbrush.com/Sampler.html

I'm a newbie and still working through my (large size) letterk sampler. I'm figuring out my next step for when I get toward the end of the sampler.

 

[Jim]

The proprietor of the site where these blades are from could not comply with requests from the moderator team here at the B&B to show some respect to our community's members and has since moved on.

 

[Leisureguy]

It's hard to internalize, but no one can tell you whether the blades are good FOR YOU. I was avoiding the German Wilkinsons because of various comments that they were mediocre, even though I know perfectly well---in my head---that the way one person reacts to a blade doesn't tell much about how another will react to the blade. I got a selection of blades from this vendor (who may have moved on from B&B, but still is in business) and found, to my surprise, that FOR ME the German Wilkinsons are very nice indeed.

I was pushed to go beyond the Big 5 blades by jbc, who kept trying new and odd brands of blades, and reminding us that you really have to try a blade to determine how it works for you. And I was surprised to find blades I like better.

What we forget is that most men in less affluent countries still shave with a double-edged blade, and so the companies there have a market---and a competitive market. Each brand of blades sells to some group, for whom that blade is the right blade.

So explore and experiment...

 

[BarryR]

Thanks. I realize the YMMV part but was wondering whether there's anything remotely like a consensus on the quality of any of these. I have read some fairly positive reviews for DORCO blades.

 

[Leisureguy]

My personal consensus of my own opinion and experiments is that the German Wilkinsons are very nice indeed, as are the Astra Superior Platinum. I got 4 good shaves from my first Sputnik blade (and haven't got back to it---a shame there's only one shave a day!). I've ordered the largest sampler pack, so I'll soon have more experience with the various brands.

The consensus judgment of the Merkur blades, BTW, is that they're terrible---and yet for some guys they're the best of all the blades they've tried. It's very individual. With blades, don't trust the experience of others, trust your own experience. All of these brands are doing well because, for many guys, each of the brands is good.