Blade inquiry from a newbie

[Baritone]

Hello all

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but here goes:

How can you determine what blade works best for you? I've ordered the big sampler from West Coast Shaving & am a bit intimidated by all the variety/variables.

The ideal DE blade/shaver/beard combination means low irritation, BBS shaves, etc? Anything else?

I've been using a DE razor about a month & my technique is improving, but isn't perfect. I want to continue figuring this all out! I've been switching blades once a week (i.e. every 6-7 shaves). Is this too infrequent?

Thanks


David

PS: my current setup:
1961 Gillette flared tip SS
PDP soap
el cheapo boar brush (have a Edwin Jagger Best Badger Shaving Brush siitting under the tree - must use self-control to NOT rip open the box & use that beauty!)

 

[fabchef]

Hey David..well shaving is a personal thing, and every guy has a different beard..some lighter and some with the heavy 5 o'clock shadow! hahah i'm on the lighter side and find that i get a good shave when i do so every 3-4 days. Also what type of skin do you have? i get knicks in the same spots almost every time.
the type of razor makes a difference, if you have a more aggressive razor you have to be careful of what types of blades you use...can you give us more info? ie: shaving freq. , types of blades you got, your technique....
let us know...there are more guys in this forum that have more experience then me...and remember...shaving has a learning curve...i just learned about a month or so ago about proper face preping for the soap before you shave and it does make a difference...
g'luck!
fabs

 

[Luc]

You will know when using it it. If it feels sharp and smooth, you will probably keep that combo (razor + blade). The shave will become closer/better with practice. Some of them might/will feel dull right away, others will pull and will be uncomfortable.

 

[BBrad]

Welcome, David, to Badger and Blade!!

First of all, there are no dumb questions. This forum is populated with gentlemen (and a few fine ladies, too) who treat each other with respect and courtesy. It's a wonderful place to hang out, share ideas, experiences, and ask questions!

Your Super Speed razor is a great choice for a beginning DE user. They are gentle, and easy to master. You may find yourself wanting a more aggressive razor down the road, or, like many here, you will couple it with the sharper blades to get the results you want.

About the best advice I can give is to stick with one razor and blade combination for several weeks. It takes a while for you to master the techniques and see what works best for you, your beard, and skin. You will find your shaves getting better every day. Once you reach that point, you have good reference for trying other blades and really be able to appreciate and define the differences.

The EJ Best Badger brush is wonderful. I have had one for just over a year now, and it just keeps getting better every shave!

Again, sir, welcome . . . enjoy the journey!!

 

[Baritone]

I've a med/rough beard.
Skin is pretty sensitive
Daily shaver (some Saturdays I'll be lazy & go 'grizzly')
Gillette 1961 SS

Personna (blue) blades tore me up
Switched to a drugstore brand (stainless steel DE) - these work okay.

Now I've got these blades coming: (i.e. the "Mother of all DE Sampler Packs")

Merkur Super Platinum (10 blades)
Feather New Hi-Stainless Platinum (10 blades)
Crystal or "Israeli" (10 blades)
Derby Extra (5 blades)
Wilkinson Sword (5 blades) OUT OF STOCK REPLACED WITH LORD STAINLESS
Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (5 blades)
Astra Superior Platinum (5 blades)
BIC Chrome Platinum (5 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-300 (10 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-301 (10 blades)
Red Pack Israeli (10 blades)
Lord Platinum (5 blades)
Sharp (5 blades)
Shark Super Chrome (5 blades)
Shark Super Stainless (5 blades)
Nacet Platinum (5 blades)
Super-Max Stainles (10 blades)

 

[DE7]

I've a med/rough beard.
Skin is pretty sensitive
Daily shaver (some Saturdays I'll be lazy & go 'grizzly')
Gillette 1961 SS

Personna (blue) blades tore me up
Switched to a drugstore brand (stainless steel DE) - these work okay.

Now I've got these blades coming: (i.e. the "Mother of all DE Sampler Packs")

Merkur Super Platinum (10 blades)
Feather New Hi-Stainless Platinum (10 blades)
Crystal or "Israeli" (10 blades)
Derby Extra (5 blades)
Wilkinson Sword (5 blades) OUT OF STOCK REPLACED WITH LORD STAINLESS
Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (5 blades)
Astra Superior Platinum (5 blades)
BIC Chrome Platinum (5 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-300 (10 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-301 (10 blades)
Red Pack Israeli (10 blades)
Lord Platinum (5 blades)
Sharp (5 blades)
Shark Super Chrome (5 blades)
Shark Super Stainless (5 blades)
Nacet Platinum (5 blades)
Super-Max Stainles (10 blades)

Of the blades you listed, I'd say you can expect good results from the following in you SS razor:
Crystal
Red Pack Israeli
Shark Super Chrome

I wouldn't expect great results from the Derbys or Dorcos. This is just based on my experience; YMMV. I haven't tried any of the other blades in an SS.

Mike

 

[PhatMan]

Baritone,

Of all the shaving variables, blade choice is the most personal.

What works for one person may not work for another,

For me, the Treet Blue Specials are the worst blade I have ever tried bar-none; for others however, they shave wonderfully !

The usual advice is to initially try a 'middle-of-the-road-agressive' blade such as the Personnas or Derbys.

If you find these tuggy, go one up on the scale to say a Russian Gillette 7'o Clock Sharpedge. repeat as necessary.

I am quite lucky, as my beard needs the sharpest of blades, so the choice was quite easy - Feathers/Russian Gillette 7'o Clocks/Iridium Supers.

With your sampler pack, after you have tried the Personnas & Derbys, pick a blade at random and do a shave; you will quickly find the blades that suit you

Good luck !

Best regards

Russ

 

[rm71]

Baritone,

Of all the shaving variables, blade choice is the most personal.

What works for one person may not work for another,

For me, the Treet Blue Specials are the worst blade I have ever tried bar-none; for others however, they shave wonderfully !

The usual advice is to initially try a 'middle-of-the-road-agressive' blade such as the Personnas or Derbys.

If you find these tuggy, go one up on the scale to say a Russian Gillette 7'o Clock Sharpedge. repeat as necessary.

I am quite lucky, as my beard needs the sharpest of blades, so the choice was quite easy - Feathers/Russian Gillette 7'o Clocks/Iridium Supers.

With your sampler pack, after you have tried the Personnas & Derbys, pick a blade at random and do a shave; you will quickly find the blades that suit you

Good luck !

Best regards

Russ

What he said. Welcome to B&B.

 

[beginish]

All good advice, and I would only suggest that you save the Feathers for later in your testing. Welcome to B&B!

 

[Mike'sWorld]

Welcome!!!!
One big test for me is that the blade must work with all the razors in my regular rotation.

My superspeed is my most forgiving, any blade will work well in it.

More aggressive razors usually work better with less aggressive blades.

Just a personal preference, but I don't want a blade that works in only some of my razors.

My regular rotation includes a red tip, 70's superspeed, open comb new, fatboy, and so on.

 

[ackvil]

As others have said, blades are a very personal thing. A blade that works for you may not work for others.

As for me, I get my best shave from Persona Medical Prep/Lab Grade Blades, Persona Reds, Bolzano, and Gillette Russian Yellows. However, I discovered that my blade preference changed as my technique improved. On the first go round, for example, I found the Derby blades to be terrible. Now they are fine for me. The same with the Russian Yellows: they used to result in cuts and irritation - but no more. Try them all and go back to them when you have shaved for 6 months.

I am one of those individuals that has a thick, wiry beard with sensitive skin so what works for me may not work for you.

Welcome to B&B and don't be shy about asking questions.

 

[T.Ryan]

Welcome to Badger & Blade, the finest wet-shaving gathering on the planet and in cyberspace. Enjoy your journey and may you have a lifetime of happy shaves.

 

[Bay Rum]

What ever you do try them all because some are going to be awful and others ok and then some will be fantastic. Honestly some replies scared be from trying Feathers but after my technique improved i could use any of them.I found one that worked for me Astras, used them until I got comfortable then I tried the rest of my sampler and found I liked 7 o' clock yellows and iridiums
better. I then saw the light and went to straights.

 

[klm099]

Most brands of blades work fine for me, seems like the Gillette Bleue does the best, but personna, derby, iridium, rapira all do a fine job

I change blades when I feel the blade pull (rather than neatly slice) my whiskers, usually after 4 days, sometimes 3, sometimes 6. You will know when you feel that pull that the blade is getting dull

good luck,
ken

 

[gearchow]

Welcome aboard! If you get a chance, please go introduce yourself at Shave Clinic & Newbie Check-In.

I wish I could help about the blades. Modern blades all seem the same to me. I can't distinguish wine either.

-jim

 

[Duke of Somerset]

Welcome! Best way to test suitability of a blade for your skin is to fix all other variables, i.e. use the same cream/soap, brush and razor. I generally trial two blades of a given brand before moving on. I'm mindful of factors like comfort during the shave (is it pulling/tugging or slicing neatly), closeness and of course lack of irritation.

Once you've figured out which blades work best, you can go back and re-test the ones that didn't in different razors. It's actually one of the more enjoyable parts of DE shaving. Enjoy!

 

[icedoverfire]

Welcome!

I have to add that the constant tweaking and refining you can do given the sheer number of brands of available blades means that you'll be able to keep tailoring your equipment to give you optimal results.

Case in point: I thought myself wedded to Asco blades, but I'm starting to switch to Astra SPs.

Best,

- ice

 

[kingfisher]

I've a med/rough beard.
Skin is pretty sensitive
Daily shaver (some Saturdays I'll be lazy & go 'grizzly')
Gillette 1961 SS

Personna (blue) blades tore me up
Switched to a drugstore brand (stainless steel DE) - these work okay.

Now I've got these blades coming: (i.e. the "Mother of all DE Sampler Packs")

Merkur Super Platinum (10 blades)
Feather New Hi-Stainless Platinum (10 blades)
Crystal or "Israeli" (10 blades)
Derby Extra (5 blades)
Wilkinson Sword (5 blades) OUT OF STOCK REPLACED WITH LORD STAINLESS
Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (5 blades)
Astra Superior Platinum (5 blades)
BIC Chrome Platinum (5 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-300 (10 blades)
DORCO Platinum ST-301 (10 blades)
Red Pack Israeli (10 blades)
Lord Platinum (5 blades)
Sharp (5 blades)
Shark Super Chrome (5 blades)
Shark Super Stainless (5 blades)
Nacet Platinum (5 blades)
Super-Max Stainles (10 blades)

That's an impressive so-called sample pack. Of those, I've tried the Gillette yellows, the Astra SPs, the BIC CPs, the Dorco ST-301s, the Red Pack Israelis, and the Feathers. My order of preference is (with score on a scale of 1-10):
Feather 9
Astra 8
Bic 7
Red Pack 7
Gillette yellow 6
Dorco -23

The Feathers and Astras stand out for me; the Bic, Red Packs, and Gillette yellows are pretty similar. The Dorcos I wouldn't use if they were the last blade on earth. I'd scrape my stubble off with a sharpened oyster shell first. Or grow a beard.

YMMV.

 

[Carnivore]

I recently finished my WCS sampler pack. My method was to order the blades using the reviews as a guide--I put the more intimidating ones in the back so my technique had time to improve.

I then shaved with each blade three times (there were some blades that were obviously not for me and I didn't do all three trials). I put the notes from the shaves into an outline for future reference. I had planned to go through the sampler once more to take learning out of the equation, but then I went to France and got a pack of Bleue Extras and that was that

I wouldn't switch soaps too much. I did a little and my data are a little inconsistent because of it. Make sure you can make good lather! If it's too dry, you will burn the crap out of your face no matter what blade you use! You did go watch Mantic's videos on youtube, right?

As for the blade changing frequency, it's quite personal. I just did a little pre-travel touch up with a Bleue Extra that was on its seventh run. I discovered that six is the limit for me. It'll vary depending on the blade and your face. Change blades when their performance drops below acceptable levels. We're only paying 30 cents for blades, so it's not worth shredding your face to save a tiny amount of money.

Good luck! Have fun!

 

[Chuckaluck]

Welcome aboard! There are no dumb questions here! We are here to help! You are going to love your EJ best badger! My only advice would be to save the Feathers for later on when you get your technique down a bit. I love Feathers and they are the only blade I use now, but YMMV.