Derby Premium--a light concealed under a bushel?

[AshleyC]

A few months back, before all this Chinese blade stuff, I loaded a Derby Premium into a Fatboy and experienced a really good, effortless shave. And I remarked I would have to revisit the Derby Premium and give it an objective evaluation.

Today, I loaded a new Derby Premium into the Fatboy and dialed it up to 9. Soap was RazoRock "What the Puck" Gold Label.

Prep was a shower, followed by rubbing in hair conditioner and leaving it on while I build a lather. Conditioner is slick in its own right, so I leave it on and brush the first application of soap on to it.

My first pass going N-S and I realized I wasn't "letting the weight of the razor do the work". I was applying pressure...but I wasn't suffering any consequences for doing it. So I kept doing it for E-W, S-N, and the cleanup BBS "search and destroy" ATG.

And BBS is what I got. Neck and face, with just a slight hint of against the grain resistance around the Adam's Apple. But here's the thing. No weepers. And essentially no alum block feedback. I've experienced more feedback from witch hazel on a bad technique shave than I did from alum on this shave. The witch hazel felt like nothing. The Skin Bracer splash was the most uneventful application I probably ever had for a shave this close.

Going to have to look into this further.

 

[psfred]

I like the Premiun much better than the Extra. Will have to try another of each someday.

 

[Mempho]

The Derby Premium is a decent blade at a very good price.

 

[geneaut]

I've used a few of them over the years and found them to be good budget blades. I have other budget blades I prefer so I may not purchase many in the future, but I don't worry about using up the ones I have.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The Derby Premium is in my top 5, along with Feather, Astra Platinum, Gillette SharpEdge, and Wilkinson Sword.

I have one in my razor right now. It's been in there 22 days so far, and has just started to feel like it might be fading. I would guess I have had maybe 15 or 16 shaves in that time. The Extras work well for me too, but only for about 10 shaves.

I intend giving it a clean and flip, and giving it one final shave. After that, I'll be putting in a Derby Usta from a new pack that arrived this morning. I haven't tried an Usta yet, and am looking forwards to seeing how it compares.

 

[RB3812]

Good to hear the Derby Premiums getting some luv here. I bought and used up 100 Derby Extras when I went back to wet
shaving about 10-12 years ago. I thought they were pretty decent, so when they ran out I bought the Derby Premiums.
Both the Extras and Premiums seem to last a long time, but I think I tend to keep them in the razor too long, and of that package
of 100, I probably have 60-70 left, so why not shave with the blade at its sharpest??

I tried some Gilette Nacets (?), which were damn good, but after I read that they were made in Russia, I decided not to buy them
again. But I think when I make my next order from Maggards I'll order a couple of 5 pkgs. of something else just to try them out.

 

[Jayson74]

I have used Derby Premiums in several razors. They are a fine blade, sharp and smooth.

I usually bin blades after 3 or 4 shaves so cant comment past that.

Jay

 

[nlife]

I like the Derby Premium's as well. Decent blade, smooth and comfortable.

 

[NorthernSoul]

They are pretty good, I'd say, especially for the money. Along the lines of the Astra SS blades, but last a little longer.

 

[BigJ]

Great review!!


The Premiums are very fine blades IME also.

 

[Lockback]

Another Derby Premium fan here. Nice blade.

 

[DEgeezer]

Premiums are definitely a cut above the Extras. (Pardon the pun).

 

[Phil Dumont]

I also like the Derby Premiums, give me about 7 to 10 very good shaves. They are in my top 3 of blades (together with Rapira Platinum Lux and Dorco ST301). They are clearly better than the Derby Extras for me, these are less smooth and last me about 5 shaves.
For me the Astra SP's are too "biting" on the first 3 shaves before they become smooth like the Derby Premiums.

What a weird difference there seems to be between our skins, some find Astra SP's to be very smooth from the first shave on .

 

[steve638]

Anything Derby I have ever used got me by far the worst results of any blade I've tried. To be fair however it was when I first gave DE shaving a try and I'm sure my technique was atrocious

 

[ShavingPrimate]

It has been a while since I have shaved with these. Starting the first week of the new year, I am using the Derby Premium.

The first shave was today. Very fine. I will see how the rest of the week goes...

 

[phdezra]

I am very happy with "Derby Extra" ATM. However, I know there is also Derby Professional, and now hearing of Derby Premium. Is there a "ranking" any of you would assign in terms of sharpness and so on for these Derby blades?

ALSO, it seems that Derby is NOT most people's first choice. In everything I read online as well as YouTube videos (c'mon we're all glued to those wonderful unboxing/tryout shavers/blades!), Derby seems to be near the bottom of the "very good list" whereas Feather, Nacet and others "rank" much higher. I personally think it depends on the razor + blade combo.

ALSO ALSO, I think I read that Derby Extra blades come from Turkey (or China?), but Derby Premium are made in Sweden. Sounds like they are mfred all over the place!?

When I googled "derby premium compared to derby extra" the Premium comes up with 4.6 stars and the Extra with 4.4 stars.

Comments?

 

[phdezra]

Anything Derby I have ever used got me by far the worst results of any blade I've tried. To be fair however it was when I first gave DE shaving a try and I'm sure my technique was atrocious

THIS is what I was referring to above. Is the quality control simply bad and batches are all over the place? I do wonder about reading that Derby Extra is made in both Turkey and China; worrisome. Derby Premium, if 100% Sweden, must be another level? Yes?

 

[AshleyC]

Looking at the Amazon listing for the Derby Premiums, it looks like they are made from Swedish steel, but not in Sweden. All varieties of Derby are made in Turkey.

I haven't tried other grades of Derby, just these Premiums (which I bought August 2019). Yesterday's shave, with a new Futur also used a new Derby blade. I'd call it closer by a smidgen than the Fatboy shave I started this thread with, but with more alum block and AS feedback.

 

[Lil Cooties]

I've also heard that the Extras use Swedish steel as well, although no idea how accurate that is. Lots of manufacturers use Swedish steel, I saw a roll of Sandvik steel in a video showing how Treet makes blades in Pakistan.

 

[thombrogan]

@phdezra , I believe Derby Professional are just the single-edged version of Derby Extra. They’re for barber razors - usually an item used by professionals even though they’re popular amongst shave nerds, too.