How long did it take you to find your favorite blade? And what is it?

[Brian H Shaves]

I love a LOT of blades, most mentioned here in this thread actually. The few I go to the most are:
1. Astra SP
2. Gillette Platinum
3. Nacet
4. Perma Sharp.

 

[gpjoe]

I'm kinda stoopid.

I've used Shark SS, Bolzano, Treet, Tatra, Bic, Nacet, GSB, Gillette Platinum, Gillette Super Blue, Astra SP and SS, Wilkinson Sword, Feather, Wizamet, Gillette 7 O'clock, Gillette Ruby, Merkur, Crown, Lord, Polsilver, Derby Extra & Premium, Personna, Dorco, Voskhod, "Leaf", unbranded, (off the top of my head), and more, so my experience is limited...

...and they all seem to work very much the same for me, at least I can't sense much difference. Of course I haven't done any scientific analysis or looked at any under a microscope or run any metallurgical tests, only shaved with em.

I just bought 700 Astra SP, and 6 assorted packs of 100 (Bic, Nacet, GSB, Gillette Platinum, Derby, Wilkinson) and stopped "searching".

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

Well, current favorite blade is GSB’s. Now working on the last pack of 100. But we’ll see what I actually settle on. Still have to try Bic Chrome Platinum, KIA’s as a few tuck samples.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I don’t yet know how much experimenting I’ll be doing. I do keep track of the razor/blade combinations and the shaves. I’m too new to predict where I’ll end up but I like having a few blades I know work well for me.

At the moment, I’m using Personna comfort coated US, Nacet, Wizamet, Kai, 7 O’clock Black and I have a couple others I’ve yet to try: Perma-Sharp, Gillette Platinum “Light”.

As I stated earlier, I copied a few favorites of people here instead of guessing. Someone here counted 109 different DE blades. It was a bit overwhelming for me to choose.

I did buy 10 King C Gillette blades right off the bat. They are good but I’m not sure their performance warrants the cost.

 

[lurchbrian]

all i can say is good luck . i have been looking for 3 years and still swap from time to time as i get used to each blade i go back and forth .

 

[chris100]

I've been DE shaving for about 8 years. I tend to use blades for a while if they don't tug, and my favorite blades tend to be those that last a long time for me. I use a Muhle R108 and Merkur 34C, and the blades below have worked great for me in either razor.
Personna blue
Nacet
Polsilver
GSB

 

[cakaguna]

Not too long. Currently, it’s the Astra SP… although recent razor acquisitions work better with a GSB. I need to revisit a few in the new razors, I have a few left over from an older sample pack.

 

[mikhou]

It took about a year going through five or six population brands before I committed to my first hundred pack (Astra SP).

Then one day the clouds parted and I got a free sample of a not much loved blade, the Tiger Platinum. It was my first experience with a “smooth” blade, and is now my current favorite.

I have since restarted my blade exploration, but Tiger is still my favorite.

My experience as well. My favorite has ended up being the Tatra Platinum (which I believe are made in the same factory as the Tiger).

 

[NorthernSoul]

I think it's unnecessary to pick just one blade to rule them all, there's many good blades. Also, remember the razor and blade together are a system, so different razors may favor certain blades over others.

My list of favorites:

Personna Med Prep
BIC Chrome Platinum
Feather
Perma-Sharp Super
Nacet
Lord Silver Star

I haven't tried all the blades available out there, though. After awhile, you have accumulated more than you need, so you stop buying 100-packs.

 

[d_e]

About a year. The objective was to find non-Gillette, non-China replacements, basically hunting for underdogs. Never got around to India or Bangladesh blades before finding some I liked.

Treet Durasharp, 7 Days, Lord Super Chrome, Rapira Platinum.

 

[nav]

Took me a very long time!

Started wet shaving in 2009.
Tried several dozen blades, many of which were good.

I settled on the Gillette blacks and GSB for a couple of years, until 2014, when I discovered Wizamet/polsilver. What a game changer!
I used this blade exclusively until about 2 years ago, when I discovered the BIC chrome platinum.

It's basically a feather that's easier on my skin and lasts longer! I get glass-like skin when used in combo with the blackbird razor.

BIC and Wizamet are the only two blades I use and I really don't bother trying more blades now as I've stocked up enough of these for my lifetime!

 

[Deutschland]

Can't nail it down to just one blade. i like kai, personna labs and mühle blades the same. if i had to pick one of them with a gun pointed to my head, i would probably take the kai's.

 

[GrizzlyCA]

I am six months into DE shaving and have used a number of blades. I use a Gamechanger.84 and English FBT. For the tech, I would chose a feather all day. For the gc, my favorite is the Kai. I have recently tried the Dorco Titan and was impressed with that. I also love the Polsilver blades but they are hard to find and even more than Kai’s.

 

[nav]

I am six months into DE shaving and have used a number of blades. I use a Gamechanger.84 and English FBT. For the tech, I would chose a feather all day. For the gc, my favorite is the Kai. I have recently tried the Dorco Titan and was impressed with that. I also love the Polsilver blades but they are hard to find and even more than Kai’s.

The Wizamet blade is the replacement for polsilver.

 

[Deano]

I really dont know when but ive been using GSB blades for years. I still try another blade now and then but GSB works good in all my razors so they are the ones l have stock piled. YMMV

 

[AndyPanda]

I accidentally got my perfect setup on my first purchase - pure dumb luck plus a week or two of reading reviews online. When I bought my DE razor ('Merica), I ordered 100 Gillette Platinum (dark blue box) and a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat soap. Since then I have tried about 30 different blades (a dozen or so razors and a dozen or so soaps) hoping to find something even better.

I really like Feather, Nacet, Perma-Sharp, 7 O'clock black and a few others -- but I sort of struck the lottery by sheer luck on that first purchase and might as well have just stopped buying stuff right there. Even the soap and razor are still my favorite despite having since bought things that are much more highly rated. However I have improved quite a bit over the $9 brush I bought at first so dumb luck failed me on that one.

I have a lot of fun trying different blades and soaps and razors -- but every time I lather up the MWF and put a GP in my 'Merica razor I get a wonderful shave that is hard to beat.

 

[Hopalong]

“Let me start with two words, Made In America.”
Two more words, Personna lab blue.

 

[nlife]

It took a bit, but I found the Treet Platinum in a sampler pack after trying 10 or so blades. I recently tried the Derby Premium and it's a solid performer as well.

Apparently I gravitate to medium sharp blades rather than the really sharp ones. I just get a smooth, comfortable shave from them.

 

[GrizzlyCA]

The Wizamet blade is the replacement for polsilver.

Thank you. I have those as well. Maybe it’s me but they feel different.

 

[nav]

Thank you. I have those as well. Maybe it’s me but they feel different.

Could you please share the manufacture date? (It's printed on the tuck)