Here's a small project, how would you rate these blades, sharpness/smoothness

[sharpstar90]

I wanted to add that I don't think it's a dog's breakfast at all. The only duds I see in there are maybe the Rockwell's and I've heard Sharks can be hit or miss for some people. The Rapira Swedish Steel may be sort of "meh", though I haven't used them personally. I have heard Big Ben's are good and so are the Crowns. Some people think Voskhods are one of the greatest blades produced today. If I didnt have so many razor blades I would pick some up to try. I am set up until next century!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Specifically from the ones in your list...

Not Tried:
Asco (blue package, 10 blades per pack)
Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Russian greens)
Qshave
Rockwell Swedish Stainless
Shark Super Stainless Blades
Ladas Super Stainless
Lord Super Stainless
Lord Classic
Lord Super Chrome
Lord Platinum Class
Rapira Stainless
Rapira Super Stainless
Rapira Swedish Supersteel
Big Ben
Crown

(Note: I do have some of the ones in bold here, but haven't tried them yet)

Personal Favourites:
Astra SP
Personna Platinum (ie Personna Red)(White plastic dispenser 10 blades per pack)
Derby Premium
Wilkinson Sword (Black plastic 10 blade dispenser)

(Note: The German Wilkinson Sword Classic is my No.1)

Disappointing:
Shark Super Chrome Blades
Rapira Platinum Lux

I have bailed on both of these when they still had shaves left. The Shark Super Chrome it "clingy" rather than tuggy. It doesn't glide through hairs. It's as if the chrome increases friction on the hair shafts. The Platinum Lux was just kinda soulless and boring, if I remember correctly. I know I was very happy to move on from both of them.

Nice, but not top tier:
Voskhod

Perfectly usable, and I did enjoy it, but it was short lived. I could use them, but there's other blades I enjoy more.

IMPORTANT: These are with MY beard, MY technique, and MY razors, none of which is a Mamba! However, I do tend to prefer Mild razors, which is what I understand the Mamba to be.

 

[SpannerX]

Specifically from the ones in your list...

Not Tried:
Asco (blue package, 10 blades per pack)
Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Russian greens)
Qshave
Rockwell Swedish Stainless
Shark Super Stainless Blades
Ladas Super Stainless
Lord Super Stainless
Lord Classic
Lord Super Chrome
Lord Platinum Class
Rapira Stainless
Rapira Super Stainless
Rapira Swedish Supersteel
Big Ben
Crown

(Note: I do have some of the ones in bold here, but haven't tried them yet)

Personal Favourites:
Astra SP
Personna Platinum (ie Personna Red)(White plastic dispenser 10 blades per pack)
Derby Premium
Wilkinson Sword (Black plastic 10 blade dispenser)

(Note: The German Wilkinson Sword Classic is my No.1)

Disappointing:
Shark Super Chrome Blades
Rapira Platinum Lux

I have bailed on both of these when they still had shaves left. The Shark Super Chrome it "clingy" rather than tuggy. It doesn't glide through hairs. It's as if the chrome increases friction on the hair shafts. The Platinum Lux was just kinda soulless and boring, if I remember correctly. I know I was very happy to move on from both of them.

Nice, but not top tier:
Voskhod

Perfectly usable, and I did enjoy it, but it was short lived. I could use them, but there's other blades I enjoy more.

IMPORTANT: These are with MY beard, MY technique, and MY razors, none of which is a Mamba! However, I do tend to prefer Mild razors, which is what I understand the Mamba to be.

Thank you, exactly what I was thinking.

 

[SpannerX]

I wanted to add that I don't think it's a dog's breakfast at all. The only duds I see in there are maybe the Rockwell's and I've heard Sharks can be hit or miss for some people. The Rapira Swedish Steel may be sort of "meh", though I haven't used them personally. I have heard Big Ben's are good and so are the Crowns. Some people think Voskhods are one of the greatest blades produced today. If I didnt have so many razor blades I would pick some up to try. I am set up until next century!

I think the same with regards to the dog's breakfast, I was just throwing it out there in regards to having a lot of blades.

 

[SpannerX]

My small contribution :
-Shark Super Chrome-sharp but coarse, not too comfortable(though honestly I only used one blade so far, in one razor, out of a stock of 150 of them). Depending on your skin type and beard toughness might work better for you
-Astra SP and Rapira Platinum Lux are very smooth and pretty sharp. Both good blades. Rapira maybe a bit sharper.
-Personna Platinum-very smooth, not too sharp. On my beard drags a bit. Lord Super Stainless about the same.
-Lord Platinum Class-smooth and sharp but QC might be an issue. Smoothness-wise they're even better than Astra or Rapira
-Voskhod-probably the smoothest blade on the market today. A pleasure to shave with if you softened your beard properly.
-Wilkinson Sword (not sure if you mean the Classic version made in Germany, that's what I have). Tried several blades. Smooth but also can cut you pretty bad if you're not paying attention. I'd say medium sharpness. I have about 17 left still. Haven't used them in quite a while.
QShave-I have a tuck that I haven't opened yet. Not sure if I will ever get around to testing these.
The rest I have never owned.
It really depends on what kind of blade you want. The stock you have would satisfy any preference. For a nice combination of smoothness/sharpness besides Astra, Rapira is an excellent choice out of the list you mentioned and maybe Lord Platinum Class if you get blades with no quality issues. For smoothness, Voskhod is best and if you want raw sharpness Shark Super Chrome.

This is very close to my thinking. Especially the Wilkinson sword. Thank you.

 

[BigJ]

I tend toward sharp, smooth blades in mild/moderate razors.

That said, my ‘top tier’ blades (for what is worth and in no particular order):
Astra SP
Personna red
Personna lab
Nacet
GSB

The main thing is to establish your preferences as you are the only one whose opinion really counts!

 

[SpannerX]

I tend toward sharp, smooth blades in mild/moderate razors.

That said, my ‘top tier’ blades (for what is worth and in no particular order):
Astra SP
Personna red
Personna lab
Nacet
GSB

The main thing is to establish your preferences as you are the only one whose opinion really counts!

 

[Macduff]

Okay, here's my current inventory of blades, from 100 packs down to one/a partial tuck left. I think it would be interesting to see how users would rate these blades on smoothness/ sharpness. Some of these I haven't used yet, seeing as how they were in sampler packs and just haven't gotten around to them yet. I'm also trying to stick to the sabbatical this year so won't be buying anything for a while, but I'd like to know where they stand (Mostly to find a blade that might work best with my .70 Mamba. It's been a bit of a dog so far for me).

So, in no particular order, here's the list:
Astra SP
Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Russian greens)
Asco (blue package, 10 blades per pack)
Personna Platinum (ie Personna Red)(White plastic dispenser 10 blades per pack)
Derby Premium
Qshave
Rockwell Swedish Stainless
Shark Super Chrome Blades
Shark Super Stainless Blades
Ladas Super Stainless
Lord Super Stainless
Lord Classic
Lord Super Chrome
Lord Platinum Class
Rapira Stainless
Rapira Super Stainless
Rapira Swedish Supersteel
Rapira Platinum Lux
Voskhod
Big Ben
Crown
Wilkinson Sword (Black plastic 10 blade dispenser)

Yes, it's a bit of a dog's breakfast for blades, but I'd like to find one out of those that might work well with my Mamba, or else it's going to be sitting for quite a while in the drawer. I've tried the 7 O'Clock SS, the Astra SP, and a Personna Red in it so far, and it hasn't been great. Out of what I have left, which ones do you think might work best in it.

Thanks in advance!

Haven’t tried all of those but here are the ones i have. (1 is dullest 10 is sharpest)

Lord Super Stainless 2
Lord Platinum Class 4
Rockwell 4
Voskhod 5
Wilkinson Sword (German) 5
Shark Super Chrome 6
Rapira Super Stainless 6
Rapira Platinum Lux 7
Personna Israeli Red 7

I should note that these are all totally subjective. Refined shave has actual numbers on some of these as far as “real” sharpness is concerned. So some may actually be sharper but i perceived them less sharp due to the glide (or rather lack thereof) of what they were coated with.

 

[Macduff]

My small contribution :
-Shark Super Chrome-sharp but coarse, not too comfortable(though honestly I only used one blade so far, in one razor, out of a stock of 150 of them). Depending on your skin type and beard toughness might work better for you
-Astra SP and Rapira Platinum Lux are very smooth and pretty sharp. Both good blades. Rapira maybe a bit sharper.
-Personna Platinum-very smooth, not too sharp. On my beard drags a bit. Lord Super Stainless about the same.
-Lord Platinum Class-smooth and sharp but QC might be an issue. Smoothness-wise they're even better than Astra or Rapira
-Voskhod-probably the smoothest blade on the market today. A pleasure to shave with if you softened your beard properly.
-Wilkinson Sword (not sure if you mean the Classic version made in Germany, that's what I have). Tried several blades. Smooth but also can cut you pretty bad if you're not paying attention. I'd say medium sharpness. I have about 17 left still. Haven't used them in quite a while.
QShave-I have a tuck that I haven't opened yet. Not sure if I will ever get around to testing these.
The rest I have never owned.
It really depends on what kind of blade you want. The stock you have would satisfy any preference. For a nice combination of smoothness/sharpness besides Astra, Rapira is an excellent choice out of the list you mentioned and maybe Lord Platinum Class if you get blades with no quality issues. For smoothness, Voskhod is best and if you want raw sharpness Shark Super Chrome.

Supermax it’s interesting that you mention Lord Platinum having quality issues. I’m on my second blade and it performed VERY differently than the first. The first was almost unusable but the second was actually pretty decent. It’s only the second blade brand i’ve used where there was a very noticible difference in quality. I rated them at a 4 because the first was about a 3 and the second about 6. Glad to know it’s not just me that experienced this.

 

[SpannerX]

Haven’t tried all of those but here are the ones i have. (1 is dullest 10 is sharpest)

Lord Super Stainless 2
Lord Platinum Class 4
Rockwell 4
Voskhod 5
Wilkinson Sword (German) 5
Shark Super Chrome 6
Rapira Super Stainless 6
Rapira Platinum Lux 7
Personna Israeli Red 7

I should note that these are all totally subjective. Refined shave has actual numbers on some of these as far as “real” sharpness is concerned. So some may actually be sharper but i perceived them less sharp due to the glide (or rather lack thereof) of what they were coated with.

Thank you, I think I'll try the Rapira platinum lux in it next. When I get around to it. Used my 6C on plate 5 for the first time in a while and it was excellent.