Is Bestshave.net restocking their sampler pack anytime soon?

[Galuppo]

I don't know if this is the right subforum to post, so please delete this thread if it's the wrong place.

Does anybody know if bestshave.net usually restocks their sampler pack? It's been out of stock for a while, and I don't know if I should expect something to change. I really wanted to test it, since they have wide variety for a decent price.

Alternatively, could you tell me if this pack is worth buying on ebay for $10,99 with free shipping?

• 10 X ASTRA SUPERIOR PLATINUM (RUSSIA),
• 10 X WILKINSON SWORD (GERMANY)
• 10 X DERBY EXTRA (TURKEY),
• 10 X PERMA-SHARP (RUSSIA) ,
• 10 X RAPIRA SUPER STAINLESS (RUSSIA),

I'll be using those blades on a Gillette Tech I've just bought. Please keep in mind that I'm a beginner!

Thank you very much!

 

[VerbaVolant]

...Does anybody know if bestshave.net usually restocks their sampler pack?...

bestshave.net people know the answer to your question. Did you contact them before posting here?

If not, here is a useful link:

bestshave.net Contact Us

Great service from them, by the way.

 

[BRITD]

I would not recommend any newbie buy a blade sampler pack like Bestshaves. It only includes 1 blade of each brand, includes many obscure, lesser known blades and none of the popular and favourites of seasoned DE shaving masters like Polisilvers, Feathers, Personna, Gillette 7's and more.

You can buy some great 5 or 10 packs from bestshave of some popular blades like Derby's, German Wilkies, Perma-Sharp, Astra's, Rapira S/S and Shark S/S. You could then complement such with blades like Personna's and feathers from other vendors. Such would give you a great opportunity to properly test out some great blades like I have done. Good luck.

 

[Galuppo]

I would not recommend any newbie buy a blade sampler pack like Bestshaves. It only includes 1 blade of each brand, includes many obscure, lesser known blades and none of the popular and favourites of seasoned DE shaving masters like Polisilvers, Feathers, Personna, Gillette 7's and more.

You can buy some great 5 or 10 packs from bestshave of some popular blades like Derby's, German Wilkies, Perma-Sharp, Astra's, Rapira S/S and Shark S/S. You could then complement such with blades like Personna's and feathers from other vendors. Such would give you a great opportunity to properly test out some great blades like I have done. Good luck.

Wow, I didn't know their other blades were so cheap! I'm planning to buy the following, then:

20x Derby Blades

20x Astra Platinum

20x Astra Superior

10x Perma Sharp

Total: $8.07

Is that a good choice for a Gillette Tech? Would you add or remove something?

Thank you very much!

 

[mikeschu]

Wow, I didn't know their other blades were so cheap! I'm planning to buy the following, then:

20x Derby Blades

20x Astra Platinum

20x Astra Superior

10x Perma Sharp

Total: $8.07

Is that a good choice for a Gillette Tech? Would you add or remove something?

Thank you very much!

It's a good start. I don't think I'd go with 20 of the above blades; 10 each for a sampler is probably good. Also, Derbys tend to not be sharp; a butter knife may have more of an edge than a Derby in a Tech. While sharpness may not be a good thing to start with, it will be a consideration as you become more proficient at shaving.

Pick up some Rapiras, Shark Stainless, Polsilvers and SuperMax blades (not sure which ones); 10 of each of those and reducing to 10 each of the others is a good sampler. Also consider the sampler packs at West Coast Shaving if you haven't looked already.

Adding: another alternative entirely is to buy a sleeve of Astra SPs from Amazon (cheap) and you'll be set for blades for a while. It would be one less thing to worry about while getting your technique down.

 

[BRITD]

It's a good start. I don't think I'd go with 20 of the above blades; 10 each for a sampler is probably good. Also, Derbys tend to not be sharp; a butter knife may have more of an edge than a Derby in a Tech. While sharpness may not be a good thing to start with, it will be a consideration as you become more proficient at shaving.

Pick up some Rapiras, Shark Stainless, Polsilvers and SuperMax blades (not sure which ones); 10 of each of those and reducing to 10 each of the others is a good sampler. Also consider the sampler packs at West Coast Shaving if you haven't looked already.

Adding: another alternative entirely is to buy a sleeve of Astra SPs from Amazon (cheap) and you'll be set for blades for a while. It would be one less thing to worry about while getting your technique down.

+1. although I would add a pack of German Wilkies. Both of the Astra's (S/S, S/P) are the same blade, just different coating so I would just get the Astra Platinums. That should keep you in blades for a year.

 

[Galuppo]

It's a good start. I don't think I'd go with 20 of the above blades; 10 each for a sampler is probably good. Also, Derbys tend to not be sharp; a butter knife may have more of an edge than a Derby in a Tech. While sharpness may not be a good thing to start with, it will be a consideration as you become more proficient at shaving.

Pick up some Rapiras, Shark Stainless, Polsilvers and SuperMax blades (not sure which ones); 10 of each of those and reducing to 10 each of the others is a good sampler. Also consider the sampler packs at West Coast Shaving if you haven't looked already.

Adding: another alternative entirely is to buy a sleeve of Astra SPs from Amazon (cheap) and you'll be set for blades for a while. It would be one less thing to worry about while getting your technique down.

Wow, thanks for the suggestion! I actually live in Brazil, so I'm restricted to international sellers only, and Bestshave happens to be the cheapest one. Could you tell me if you approve of this set? Remember that Permasharps and Wilkinsons were getting bad reviews due to poor quality control, so I decided to skip them.

10x Astra Platinum
10x Supermax Blue Diamond
10x Derby
10x Rapira
5x Polsilver Super Iridium
10x Shark

Thank you very much!

 

[mikeschu]

Wow, thanks for the suggestion! I actually live in Brazil, so I'm restricted to international sellers only, and Bestshave happens to be the cheapest one. Could you tell me if you approve of this set? Remember that Permasharps and Wilkinsons were getting bad reviews due to poor quality control, so I decided to skip them.

10x Astra Platinum
10x Supermax Blue Diamond
10x Derby
10x Rapira
5x Polsilver Super Iridium
10x Shark

Thank you very much!

Someone else will need to chime in on the SuperMax. I would say bump up the Polsilvers if you can as they make excellent trading material if you don't like them. Otherwise it's a great start.

 

[eth]

Both of the Astra's (S/S, S/P) are the same blade, just different coating so I would just get the Astra Platinums.

While this statement may be fact (blades honed to the same spec, coated differently), the coating makes a significant difference. It's not like a red car vs. a blue car, more like smooth tire treads vs. mountain bike treads. A few members can't tell the difference between the Astras, but I certainly can and so can several others (these are all the individual differences and so on, obviously). The SP is the more popular one, but for some only the SS works. My point here is that throwing them together as "the same blade, with different coating" is misinforming, because the coating is an important difference.

Remember that Permasharps and Wilkinsons were getting bad reviews due to poor quality control, so I decided to skip them.

Keep in mind that a lot of members just post a thread (or post in an existing thread, old or new) in the razor blade forum to talk about a blade, and don't use the review section much. This applies to me as well, I find scoring shaving items very difficult, since the top of the scale moves all the time. I would recommend Googles site: search to find more information about the various blades. Perma-Sharp Supers are made by Petersburg Products International, who also makes the Russian Gillette blades, Astras, Polsilver SIs and others. I haven't read anything that suggests Perma-Sharps have any worse quality control compared to other PPI blades, and my impression of PPI quality control is very good, both from reading this forum and plenty of personal experience.

 

[VerbaVolant]

I would not recommend any newbie buy a blade sampler pack like Bestshaves. It only includes 1 blade of each brand, includes many obscure, lesser known blades and none of the popular and favourites of seasoned DE shaving masters like Polisilvers, Feathers, Personna, Gillette 7's and more.

You can buy some great 5 or 10 packs from bestshave of some popular blades like Derby's, German Wilkies, Perma-Sharp, Astra's, Rapira S/S and Shark S/S. You could then complement such with blades like Personna's and feathers from other vendors. Such would give you a great opportunity to properly test out some great blades like I have done. Good luck.

I would have to agree with this. Also I would like to add that for a proper assessment of a new blade one needs to shave with more than one blade, several days with the same brand. Nevertheless, great products, great prices and excellent service from this vendor.