Can We Define Some Blade Terminology?

[Salsa]

Hello everyone,

I want some clarification on a few things blade-related. Terms describing different blades get thrown around a lot but I have not actually heard someone explain why something applies to this or that blade. I'm a bit of an amateur theologian, and terms or explanations that "suggest but do not define" are pet peeves for me!

Here's what I'm talking about:

• What makes a blade "forgiving"? Does it perform well under various levels of pressure without nicking? Is it milder?
• What makes a blade mild? Or aggressive? Is it solely the sharpness of the blade? Or are there other factors?
• What makes a blade good for sensitive skin? Is it sharper, and therefore requires fewer passes to achieve a close shave? Or duller, so as not to cut too closely to the skin? Is it ground smoother to prevent tugging? Does the coating make a difference?
• What are the main differences between blades that are "stainless" vs those that are "platinum". What makes one "better"? Manufacturers often make both, one costing more than the other. Why?

Thanks everyone. If I have forgotten anything you might think would be relevant, please share.

 

[ackvil]

Quite honestly, I don't buy these characterizations of blades. I think it is more of an individual's thoughts about a blade. YMMV is something that comes up with blades.

Some blades feel harsh on my face when I use them. These same blades are loved by others. I find that the razor, not the blade, is really what makes the most difference in the shave. For example, with a Muhle R.41, for me, no blade is forgiving.

However, some blades deteriorate faster. For example, the Voskhod blade gives me a nice first shave but by shave 3 it feels harsh. On the other hand, a Personna Medical Prep blade, for me, gets better after the first shave and I can get at least five or six shaves with them. A Feather blade is regarded as one of the sharpest blades in production. In a more aggressive razor (such as some of the slants, a Red Tip, etc.) I can get only two good shaves with that blade before it seems to dull and feel harsh. However, with a Feather AS-D2 - a milder razor - I can get five or six good shaves with the same blade.

The coating on a blade is also a matter of personal preference. I have Lord SS, Super Chrome, and Platinum blades - among others. The cost for 100 of each was the same. I found that all of the blades were good but that the Super Chrome and Platinums just felt better.

 

[Mad Man]

There used to be an acronym heavily used ‘round these parts that somehow has been forgotten.

YMMV

Your Mileage May Vary.

It’s an easy way of saying “it’s forgiving for me, but may not be for you”, “it’s mild for me but may not be for you - YMMV”.

There are few “givens”, I believe, in shaving and everyone travels their own road - and everyone’s “mileage“ may vary....

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

Hi Salsa. For me, a lot of the terms you list have little meaning. I think blades are either sharp, or very sharp. Other words which I believe can be relevant include smooth, and long-lived, although there's a lot of subjectivity (or YMMV) about even these.

 

[Abz88]

As a fellow newbie,one of the best pieces of advice I picked up from this site was the above mentioned YMMV and to pick up a sample pack of blades (I went with the Connaught Popular Sampler due to numerous recommendations) to see what worked best for me.

Try not to focus on the terminology and just try and find a blade that works for you.

 

[emwolf]

I've tried much lauded blades that seemed to tear my face apart. I've tried much maligned blades and usually they are much maligned for a reason. One thing I've found that helps is a glass hone for DE blades. Those that I previously found rough, about 30 swipes on the hone and they are nearly as good as my most comfortable blades (for me it's Nacet).

 

[BigJ]

Some great responses above!

Let me try to answer your specific questions:

• What makes a blade "forgiving"? Does it perform well under various levels of pressure without nicking? Is it milder?

I generally don’t use the term ‘forgiving.’ There is one major exception, Feathers which I find totally ’unforgiving’ of any minor lapse in technique. I avoid using pressure and also prefer sharper blades.

• What makes a blade mild? Or aggressive? Is it solely the sharpness of the blade? Or are there other factors?

I avoid the terms ‘mild’ or ‘aggressive‘ when describing blades. These terms are more useful when describing razors. My best results come from pairing sharp, comfortable blades with razors in the ‘mild-moderate’ range. Simply my preference.

• What makes a blade good for sensitive skin? Is it sharper, and therefore requires fewer passes to achieve a close shave? Or duller, so as not to cut too closely to the skin? Is it ground smoother to prevent tugging? Does the coating make a difference?

My ’top-tier’ blades have four characteristics:
1. Sharp
2. Smooth
3. Comfortable, and
4. Long-lasting.

• What are the main differences between blades that are "stainless" vs those that are "platinum". What makes one "better"? Manufacturers often make both, one costing more than the other. Why?

Modern blades are generally made from stainless steel. Many also have coatings, such as ‘platinum,’ that can make a considerable difference in how the blade performs.

In the end you really need to try things for yourself to see what makes you happy.

 

[musicman1951]

Some great responses above!

Let me try to answer your specific questions:

• What makes a blade "forgiving"? Does it perform well under various levels of pressure without nicking? Is it milder?

I generally don’t use the term ‘forgiving.’ There is one major exception, Feathers which I find totally ’unforgiving’ of any minor lapse in technique. I avoid using pressure and also prefer sharper blades.

• What makes a blade mild? Or aggressive? Is it solely the sharpness of the blade? Or are there other factors?

I avoid the terms ‘mild’ or ‘aggressive‘ when describing blades. These terms are more useful when describing razors. My best results come from pairing sharp, comfortable blades with razors in the ‘mild-moderate’ range. Simply my preference.

• What makes a blade good for sensitive skin? Is it sharper, and therefore requires fewer passes to achieve a close shave? Or duller, so as not to cut too closely to the skin? Is it ground smoother to prevent tugging? Does the coating make a difference?

My ’top-tier’ blades have four characteristics:
1. Sharp
2. Smooth
3. Comfortable, and
4. Long-lasting.

• What are the main differences between blades that are "stainless" vs those that are "platinum". What makes one "better"? Manufacturers often make both, one costing more than the other. Why?

Modern blades are generally made from stainless steel. Many also have coatings, such as ‘platinum,’ that can make a considerable difference in how the blade performs.

In the end you really need to try things for yourself to see what makes you happy.

Absolutely agree with all of this. Blade samplers rule.

 

[Alohawyatt]

I bought a 100 pack of blades two months ago. After the first shave, I thought I had made a mistake. Cuts and irritation galore. Rather than pitching my new purchase, I decided to try it in a different razor. I also took a good look at my lather and technique. The first razor was aggressive. The second less aggressive razor worked fine but was not my favorite. After ten shaves, I went back to the aggressive razor. I'm still on that same first blade. Today's shave was as good as the eleventh shave. It looks like the blade just needed to be broken in. I have been keeping count, and I just past thirty. If this keeps up, how long will that 100 pack go? It also makes me wonder what has to happen to make me throw out a blade. Will it eventually start pulling hair. Or will it just not give a smooth shave. I don't chase a BBS. So, I think it will be the pulling problem. If it starts to fill like its yanking hair out, then that's as far as it goes. What makes you throw out a blade?

 

[Invicta]

... It also makes me wonder what has to happen to make me throw out a blade. Will it eventually start pulling hair. Or will it just not give a smooth shave. I don't chase a BBS. So, I think it will be the pulling problem. If it starts to fill like its yanking hair out, then that's as far as it goes. What makes you throw out a blade?

If performance slips below an acceptable level then discard it, only you can make that decision. Generally I find it takes more buffing on the final pass to get the same result and too much buffing can lead to irritation.

 

[Scrape&Splash]

It very likely depends on a few things:
1.) Temper of the blade - has to be hard enough to not bend but not so hard that it fractures and becomes dangerous
2.) Double bevel edge. Having seen good blades under a microscope, it looks like blades have a fairly low angle edge and a fairly high angle secondary bevel. If I had to guess, I'd say 20 degree & 35 degree. This is important because the secondary bevel makes the edge more resistant to damage while still maintaining a reasonably deep edge.
3.) The amount of strop - the consistency of the edge is important for smoothness of cut and also for durability because small inconsistencies in blades are the places where they deform and the blade degrades from that point.
4.) Coatings - coatings do wear off, but they provide a lowered friction against skin.
5.) Metallurgy / additives - I don't know precisely how this would affect blades, but it affects many aspects of other types of blades, so it likely affects razor blade performance. Many things can be added to steel to cause it to have different performance and working characteristics.
6.) Blade thickness. The thicker the blade, the less it will chatter, all else held equal, and particularly if the razor poorly supports the edge. Chatter is clearly a problem that will result in "gotchas"

As to what you prefer - it depends on all these factors

 

[Cal]

There used to be an acronym heavily used ‘round these parts that somehow has been forgotten.
YMMV
Your Mileage May Vary.

What rock have you been lying under, Paul... and for how long?

 

[Mad Man]

What rock have you been lying under, Paul... and for how long?

Not long enough...

 

[aardvark772]

Hello everyone,

I want some clarification on a few things blade-related. Terms describing different blades get thrown around a lot but I have not actually heard someone explain why something applies to this or that blade. I'm a bit of an amateur theologian, and terms or explanations that "suggest but do not define" are pet peeves for me!

Here's what I'm talking about:

• What makes a blade "forgiving"? Does it perform well under various levels of pressure without nicking? Is it milder?
• What makes a blade mild? Or aggressive? Is it solely the sharpness of the blade? Or are there other factors?
• What makes a blade good for sensitive skin? Is it sharper, and therefore requires fewer passes to achieve a close shave? Or duller, so as not to cut too closely to the skin? Is it ground smoother to prevent tugging? Does the coating make a difference?
• What are the main differences between blades that are "stainless" vs those that are "platinum". What makes one "better"? Manufacturers often make both, one costing more than the other. Why?

Thanks everyone. If I have forgotten anything you might think would be relevant, please share.

With coatings from what I’ve read on refinedshave is that the shaves get sharper and sharper as you continue using the blade as the coating wears off. Blades with no coating start sharp and generally become smoother

 

[5whiskey]

I bought a 100 pack of blades two months ago. After the first shave, I thought I had made a mistake. Cuts and irritation galore. Rather than pitching my new purchase, I decided to try it in a different razor. I also took a good look at my lather and technique. The first razor was aggressive. The second less aggressive razor worked fine but was not my favorite. After ten shaves, I went back to the aggressive razor. I'm still on that same first blade. Today's shave was as good as the eleventh shave. It looks like the blade just needed to be broken in. I have been keeping count, and I just past thirty. If this keeps up, how long will that 100 pack go? It also makes me wonder what has to happen to make me throw out a blade. Will it eventually start pulling hair. Or will it just not give a smooth shave. I don't chase a BBS. So, I think it will be the pulling problem. If it starts to fill like its yanking hair out, then that's as far as it goes. What makes you throw out a blade?

My first foray into wet shaving was about 12 years ago. I bought a hundred pack of Derby blades and that lasted me nearly 10 years. I too found the derby a little rough until shave 3 or 4, then it smoothed out a ton and gave good shaves. I don’t know how many shaves I got per blade. At least 12 to 15 on average (if not more), and I often changed the blade just because I thought “crap I havent changed my blade in over a month it’s probably that time.” Half the time, honestly, the blade would still shave ok.