And while you're trudging through 30 or 50 blades, your technique is steadily, subconsciously improving, so it starts to feel like "Actually, any of these blades can produce a good shave" LOL
How many blade brands have you tried?
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And while you're trudging through 30 or 50 blades, your technique is steadily, subconsciously improving, so it starts to feel like "Actually, any of these blades can produce a good shave" LOL
Very true, I’m starting to notice the same thing.
I have tried 20-25 different blades. I am not fond of Feather. I can only get two good shaves from a Feather before it becomes too rough for my sensitive skin. I have also found a few blades that are not sharp enough to slice through my thick, coarse beard (Merkur, VDH, Derby, Shark). Although I can use Astra SP and Gillette Rubie, they are just marginally sharp enough for my beard and smooth enough for my face. Thus, I do not get an enjoyable shave with these blades.
For most of the rest, my opinion of them depends largely on the type of razor I am using. I like mid-sharp blades (Polsilver, 7 O'Clock Yellow) in aggressive razors like a Muhle R41 or Parker Variant on an aggressive setting. I like very sharp blades in moderately aggressive razors (Gillette Nacet, BIC Chrome Platinum, 7 O'Clock Black, and Personna Israeli Reds. There are some blades that seem to work in any razor I use them in: Wilkinson Sword, Dorco Prime Platinum, Astra Superior Stainless, Crystals, Personna Lab Blue, Rapira Platinum Lux, 7 O' Clock Green, Gillette Silver Blue, and Voskhod.
Razor blades are very much a YMMV thing. The blades you will like depend on the coarseness of your beard, the sensitivity of your skin, and the aggressiveness of the razor in which they are being used. Thus, I highly recommend trying a wide range of blades in every razor you own until you find out what works for you.
For most of the rest, my opinion of them depends largely on the type of razor I am using. I like mid-sharp blades (Polsilver, 7 O'Clock Yellow) in aggressive razors like a Muhle R41 or Parker Variant on an aggressive setting. I like very sharp blades in moderately aggressive razors (Gillette Nacet, BIC Chrome Platinum, 7 O'Clock Black, and Personna Israeli Reds. There are some blades that seem to work in any razor I use them in: Wilkinson Sword, Dorco Prime Platinum, Astra Superior Stainless, Crystals, Personna Lab Blue, Rapira Platinum Lux, 7 O' Clock Green, Gillette Silver Blue, and Voskhod.
Razor blades are very much a YMMV thing. The blades you will like depend on the coarseness of your beard, the sensitivity of your skin, and the aggressiveness of the razor in which they are being used. Thus, I highly recommend trying a wide range of blades in every razor you own until you find out what works for you.
It's been a little eye-opening for me to go back to blades I passionately LOVED or HATED when I first started. I would cut myself and think "This blade SUCKS" or manage to eek out a blood and irritation free BBS shave and think "Best blade EVER!!!". Nowadays, I can get a decent, error-free shave from most blades, and excluding a few I truly do love or hate, I don't see as huge a difference between them as I used to. Perhaps technique and prep impact the subjective experience of a blade more than people in the initial phase of wet shaving may realize.
I have my favorites (Yellows & Polsilvers) and I believe blades are different, just not quite "as" different as I used to think.
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By far the blade I've used most is the Gilette Nacet, but I've tried around 40 different brands.
Just two. Gillette Wilkenson sword and Astra SP. I bought 100 of each and traded away 50 of each. From now on, it will be Astra SP.
I agree, I have my favorites as well, but recently revisited 2 blades that I thought sucked in the beginning ( Derby Premium and Treet Platinum) and I had excellent shaves with both of them. I've learned how to change blade angle and stroke technique depending on the blade, and it's opened up many options that simply didn't work for me before.
Over time, our shaving skills improve making it easier to use blades that might have been too sharp, or too harsh. Often a new shaver will start out with a mild razor like a TTO from the local discount store. Over time, many of us acquire better razors, often including more aggressive ones.
Then, over an even longer period of time as we age, we start to see changes in our beard and in our skin that might make certain blades work better and others work worse.
I have found that I can use all but the least sharp of razor blades as long as I install them in the right razor. However, I tend to prefer the sharper razor blades.
I tried a lot of blades (and have this compulsion to keep trying more).
Bulk purchases include: Personna reds, Personna labs, GSB, Wizamet SI, Nacet, and Astra SP. I probably have samples of another 2 dozen options.
Bulk purchases include: Personna reds, Personna labs, GSB, Wizamet SI, Nacet, and Astra SP. I probably have samples of another 2 dozen options.
Started shaving almost 3 months ago.
So, let's see... it's an interesting exercise. All experiences and opinions are very highly subjective.
Baili blade in green wrapper (came with my first razor) - tore my face to shreds. To be fair, I did everything wrong. So, perhaps not the blade's fault.
Astra SP - a reliably smooth, reasonably sharp blade that became my daily driver and the benchmark I check all other blades against.
Astra SS - felt harsher than SP. Perhaps I should give it another try.
Personna Blue - gave me great shaves but every time I'd get a cut or a weeper. Or two. Another blade I'll keep trying.
Parker Premium - came with my Parker Variant. A very decent shave, I'd rate it just a tad below SP.
Derby Premium - bought them because I was told that's what Parker sells (rebranded) as Parker Premium, also because of great reviews. No matter how hard I try to like them, I can't. They feel harsh and irritate my face.
Feather - expected a meat grinder, got a smooth perfection. Beats ASP in comfort and sharpness, but perhaps not enough to switch, given high cost and it being so sharp I have to use extra care while shaving.
I may have missed one or two...
So, let's see... it's an interesting exercise. All experiences and opinions are very highly subjective.
Baili blade in green wrapper (came with my first razor) - tore my face to shreds. To be fair, I did everything wrong. So, perhaps not the blade's fault.
Astra SP - a reliably smooth, reasonably sharp blade that became my daily driver and the benchmark I check all other blades against.
Astra SS - felt harsher than SP. Perhaps I should give it another try.
Personna Blue - gave me great shaves but every time I'd get a cut or a weeper. Or two. Another blade I'll keep trying.
Parker Premium - came with my Parker Variant. A very decent shave, I'd rate it just a tad below SP.
Derby Premium - bought them because I was told that's what Parker sells (rebranded) as Parker Premium, also because of great reviews. No matter how hard I try to like them, I can't. They feel harsh and irritate my face.
Feather - expected a meat grinder, got a smooth perfection. Beats ASP in comfort and sharpness, but perhaps not enough to switch, given high cost and it being so sharp I have to use extra care while shaving.
I may have missed one or two...
You did not mention the type of razor you are using. If you are using a very mild razor, then Feather blades can be rather smooth. In an aggressive razor, they can be harsh.
Watch out for Personna Lab Blue blades. they have a very thick "comfort coating" that makes the first shave very smooth, and somewhat dull. However, as the coating wears off, the blades become wicked sharp. If you are expecting the second shave to be like the first, you might get an unpleasant surprise. Personally, I prefer the Israeli Reds as they do not have the thick coating, so they start sharp and stay sharp.
Since you have only been DE shaving for three months, your technique is probably evolving. As you refine that technique, you may be able to use the sharper blades without issue.
Not looking for "the One or two" best blades. I really like the diversity of the top 10 -12 blades I love so far... I have tried 22 so far. will go to around 35 or so... Would like a rotation of 5 to 7 blades... Believe it or not, the top ones so far for me are: Treet Platinum, Bolzano Superinox, Rapira Platinum Lux, Voshhod Teflon, and Wilkenson Sword Germany....
I'm in the 50+ range. I didn't give a second chance to some of them. I have my favorites but I keep trying new ones because I know that out of a dozen I will eventually find an expected gem. It happened in the past with Treet Platinums, Super Max Super Platinums and Gillette Sputniks to name a few.
Many people favorites have been a big letdown to me, namely all the Rapiras and both Astras.
Others are middle of the road blades for my face: not bad, not excellent: Israeli Personnas, Gillette Platinums, Perma-Sharps.
Many people favorites have been a big letdown to me, namely all the Rapiras and both Astras.
Others are middle of the road blades for my face: not bad, not excellent: Israeli Personnas, Gillette Platinums, Perma-Sharps.
you sound like me....
Love love Treet Platinums. I never hear anyone talk these up..fantastic blade for me. Love Spudniks as well...great singers sounds alike
I've tried 13 different blades. About a third were very good and about a third were trash. I don't think there is a single "best blade". Even the good ones are good in different ways. Feathers and Nacets, GSBs and Polsilvers, the various 7 O'Clocks, are all similar to each other but different. It's a cheap way to put a little variety in my day.
Sixteen. Only Derby Extra and Lord Rainbow's weren't very good so far, and the Rainbow was fine to start with, just didn't last very long.
Polsilver SI and 7 O'Clock Black were the best so far, and German Wilkinsons are very close. Nacets are so-so, but I expect a better experience when I try them again in a decade or so.
It's a slow process when you average 60 shaves per blade, and that includes my first two when I was just learning, expect much better on the next time around.
Polsilver SI and 7 O'Clock Black were the best so far, and German Wilkinsons are very close. Nacets are so-so, but I expect a better experience when I try them again in a decade or so.
It's a slow process when you average 60 shaves per blade, and that includes my first two when I was just learning, expect much better on the next time around.
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Having so many different blades to try, in the beginning I limited myself to max 6 shaves per blade in order to quickly rotate them. Then I pushed the number of shaves to 8. Now it depends on how many of a given blade I have left. I'm on a forced constraint imposed by the implosion of the country I'm currently living in. National posts collapsed. DHL and Paypal stopped operations following Trump's sanctions. I can't order from abroad and locally all I can find are Dorcos. If a Polsilver comes in rotation, as I only have 5 left, I push it for more than 25 shaves.
I just used a fresh Feather in my Parker Variant set to 3.5, which I would consider a middle-aggression setting, i.e. neither mild nor really aggressive (the top setting is 5). It gave a very smooth and pleasant shave.
I think everyone's faces and facial hair are different, and so are everyone's reactions to different blades. E.g., as I mentioned above, Derby Premium just don't agree with me and give me some irritation every time, even though many people highly praise them. OTOH I used two Feathers so far out of my ten-blade sample pack, with an Astra in between, and both gave me the same smooth, irritation free shave, that I rate just above Astra in smoothness. Yet, many people complain that Feathers leave their faces burning at best, and sliced like salami at worst. I don't believe that all of them are using super aggressive razors; rather, their faces don't seem to get along with Feathers just like my face doesn't get along with some of the universally praised brands...
