Is the Derby Usta the Holy Grail of inexpensive double edge blades?

[JCarr]

Eagerly awaiting a pack of Derby Usta double edge razor blades, I saw a few older posts from folks who tried them and thought they were better than the Derby Premium blades and much better than the Derby Extra blades. For me, personally, Derby Premium almost make the cut...no pun intended...but, not quite. So if the Derby Usta is better than the Derby Premium...this blade just might be for me. And at a price point of $7.50 for 100...like...WOW!

Now I will sit back and enjoy all of the collected experience and thoughts concerning this blade.

 

[jmudrick]

I can't tell the difference between them .

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[EclipseRedRing]

I have only tried the Extra in the Derby range and that was enough to dissuade me from trying any of their other offerings unless I received a tuck in a sample pack. They are on a par with Rockwell as the worst blades I have tried. Blades are a very personal thing though so many people no doubt will love them.

 

[ehsa]

Derby tho I haven’t used them in some year were terrible and have never bought them again. That being said there are folks who like and use them. As in all things in shaving it is always subjective. Try them you never know. John

 

[NPK]

I've tried the Usta...meh...ok...not a grail inexpensive blade for me tho.

I got 100 Shark SS blades for less than $6 on the jungle store last year...that's a contender.

 

[Billy T.]

Definitely not. Tuggy and dull like the rest of the Derby blades.

 

[Yukonmark]

I've tried all the Derby blades and I prefer the premium to the rest.
But for a cheap blade I find that the Shark SS in difficult to beat in its price range.
I will quantify this by saying that I'm mainly a Shavette shaver and with a Shavette you can get a good shave out of pretty much anything, so the difference isnt as noticeable as with a DE. For example, Big Ben blades feel like your shaving with a strip of aluminium cut from a coke can in a DE but you can get a decent, comfortable shave out of then in a Shavette.

 

[JCarr]

I received a shipment notification on the pack I purchased on eBay. Will post after I've tried one. Trying not to get my hopes too high.

 

[Yukonmark]

What razors are you using

 

[macintoshBR]

Usta in Turkish means "master", like a real good cook or a real good barber are called "usta". I have not tried the new Derby, though. From the Turkish brands, Permasharp is my favorite (they are made in Russia but they are marketed as Turkish)

Currently a 100-pack of Permasharp blades can be purchased for $6.50-$8.50 in Turkey.

I've heard Zaza blades are also decent and quite cheap.

 

[JCarr]

What razors are you using

I have a Timeless stainless steel .68, an EJ Chatsworth and a Fatip Nobile. I also have an inexpensive Fendrihan butterfly that I use on occasion.

To test the Derby Usta, I would more than likely use the EJ Chatsworth. The Timeless makes just about any blade seem ok to great.

 

[BigJ]

In that price range I prefer TATRA or Tiger blades from the Czech Republic or some of the Lord options.

But YMMV for sure, especially when it comes to blades.

 

[musicman1951]

I thought Astra's were the grail of cheaper blades. Lots of people love them and they're currently $7.19 on Amazon.

 

[ChiefHA]

Gentlemen if refer back to history, it is the search for the Grail that is the adventure. None have ever truly found it, so we must continue the quest..........

 

[Atlantic59]

Seems as though the Usta blades were intended for sale in Turkey. Why else use the name "Usta", a Turkish word that most people would not know? The other wording on the package refers to new technology which may be the grinding process. Derby made some changes to their machinery awhile back which I believe applies to all their blades. Looking forward to hearing about your experience with the Ustas. But, I suspect they're not very different from other Derby blades we already know.

 

[merovirginian]

At that price point, my favorite blade is Dorco Prime Platinum (STP-301). My last purchase was $8 for 100. Just don't be careful about getting the right Dorco blade if you want to try it. The others are ... lesser in my opinion.

 

[JCarr]

In that price range I prefer TATRA or Tiger blades from the Czech Republic or some of the Lord options.

But YMMV for sure, especially when it comes to blades.

Thank you for the post...I'd forgotten about those Tiger blades from the Czech Republic. They were very good!

 

[Stevieboy1966]

I regularly use Derby Premium and like them and I find Derby Usta to be even better for me smooth and sharp and in the humble Schick Krona I’ve yet to find anything that shaves me as close.

 

[kingfisher]

No. Treet Classic is. Phenomenal blade. Only good for about two shaves, though, because they are carbon steel.

Permasharps are also pretty nice. Way better than Astra Superior Stainless, IMO. As Astras go, the stainless are better than the platinum, IME.

 

[JCarr]

In that price range I prefer TATRA or Tiger blades from the Czech Republic or some of the Lord options.

But YMMV for sure, especially when it comes to blades.

I still have 4 Tiger Platinum blades in my stash. I will be using another one soon. On Amazon, these blades are $9.99 for 100. All in all...not bad!