I just had my first shave with these blades and they just hit the top of my list. I feel like they are just as sharp as feathers and very forgiving. Anyone new to wetshaving should try these blades!
I like the Iridiums a lot. Also picked up some Gillette 7 o'clock Sharp Edge blades, which look just about identical to the Iridiums -- from the same plant, I understand -- feel as sharp and are maybe (on my face) just a bit smoother. Either way, smooth, comfortable and very sharp blades.
Funny thing. I actually used one today and it was great too! I have not used a SI for several months. Can't wait to see how long I can push it to get great shaves.
I just received some in my latest order. I'm trying out Iridiums, Astras, and Feathers. The top 3 that I've read so much about. Looking forward to trying the Iridiums once I'm done with the Feathers (which are awesome, btw).
Well, my last purchase was super irridiums and timor blades. After all the reading I had done here I decided to buy 30 super irridiums and 10 timor blades. I have really regreted that. The super irridiums are a very good blade, sharp and smooth, feathers are just a tad sharper while the irridiums are a bit smoother and last longer. But where I found my paradise were the timor blades...a little less sharp, but smoother...a great blade for sensitive skin.
Also a big fan of the si. I've used feathera in the past and while they are indeed sharper, they are not as smooth cutting as the si imho. All part of the fun of wet shaving, trying out different products.
on BST. Prior to that, I ran through a sample pack of Astras. Iridiums rock, but I may grab a smaller quantity of Astras to compare them side by side...are they worth more than twice the money?
In my Fatboy and Gillette Slim adjustable, the Iridiums are wonderful. In the fixed-angle/gap Merkur long handle (a #23, I think), the Astras are far more forgiving while still being very sharp. If I put a Feather in the Merkur I may as well use the styptic pencil as aftershave - rarely any cuts or nicks but I tend to remove a thin layer of skin and thus get "weepers".
Despite having a fairly wiry beard I have tender skin and it gets scraped/cut easily. You might think that my skin would toughen over time, but the reverse seems to happen - once I make a raw spot, I keep scraping it raw again until I stop shaving for a week or so and let it heal (and I feel grungy when I miss even a day shaving). The solution has been to use one of the adjustables and change the setting to match the blade. In the Fatboy I use the Astras on 3-5, the Reds on 2-3, and Bluebirds/Feathers on 1-2. I'd use a "0" setting for the Feathers if my razor had one. For me it's a balance between setting the razor aggressively enough to reduce the beard quickly, or being more gentle and still scraping my skin by needing more passes.
At it's worst, though, the DE is far better than disposables.
The Iridium blades are one of the two products that, for me, never fail to perform. I have a '40s Superspeed that gives me a close, comfortable shave with any blade that I put in it. The Iridium is the blade that I find serves the same role. I've had a great shave with it no matter which razor it is used in. So far, I've used it in the '40s SS, Tech, Slim, New, Diplomat, Tuckaway, HD Rocket and even a Parker 65R. The shaves have been excellent in every razor. Although blades seem to be the product where the adage YMMV is the most applicable, it seems that the Iridium and Feather blades have less negative comments than any of the others. It is definitely on the must try list of anyone new to DE shaving.