It was a pretty routine setup and I’m a very consistent even keeled daily shaver. It wasn’t a bad shave just not great. PolSilver to me is magical when I use em. I’ve nicked myself once with a PolSilver and that was borderline intentional. I just wanted to see what I could get away with. I love using different blades. They all have their own unique qualities. I also enjoy reading your journey.
My Blade Search Journal
- Thread starter AUvet14
- Start date
I have some Sharp Titanium. They’re decent. I’ve not tried Super Max thou.Polsilverarewere my go to blade. I prefer Feather now but only for the first shave. I really like Derby Extra too, the old ones that most hate.
In my Gillette NEW SC however, I couldnt tell a Polsilver from a Blue Diamond Titanium.
SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/supermax-blue-diamond-titanium.521972/
200 for around $12USD!
Super-Max Super Blue Diamond TITANIUM - https://connaughtshaving.com/supert.html
The Blue Diamond is a good blade but for me, only with razors that have some blade gap. In my Old Types and Fatip I dont like them as much. In my NEW SC and Slim though, they're a very nice blade and the price sure is right.
- Thread starter
- #184
Dorco ST301 shave #1:
36 hours of hair growth for today’s shave. As expected, the first pass was a bit on the rough side but that normal with that much growth. The Dorco ST301 is definitely a smooth blade but is yet another blade that seems lacking in the sharpness department. Very comfortable shave, issues in my trouble spots getting a smooth finish but still overall very comfortable. I’d probably place this in the Tier 2 because of smoothness and the fact that they are dirt cheap. A solid blade for someone who’s facial hair isn’t coarse perhaps. I’ll give it another go tomorrow and see if my feelings change at all.
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36 hours of hair growth for today’s shave. As expected, the first pass was a bit on the rough side but that normal with that much growth. The Dorco ST301 is definitely a smooth blade but is yet another blade that seems lacking in the sharpness department. Very comfortable shave, issues in my trouble spots getting a smooth finish but still overall very comfortable. I’d probably place this in the Tier 2 because of smoothness and the fact that they are dirt cheap. A solid blade for someone who’s facial hair isn’t coarse perhaps. I’ll give it another go tomorrow and see if my feelings change at all.
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- Thread starter
- #186
Glad I could be of help! Keep in mind these are only my preferences for what I like but I try to do a decent comparison from one blade to another so hopefully this is helpful!
- Thread starter
- #187
Dorco ST301 Shave #2:
Yet another quality shave. My feelings about this blade remain the same though. The first pass was much smoother today given the fact that I was only dealing with 1 day's growth but in the later passes I had more trouble achieving a very smooth finish. Overall comfort is still really good though and irritation-free.
Tier 1:
T1. Wizamet IS/Polsilver SI
T1. Gillette Platinum
T1. Feather
4. Persona "Lab Blue"
5. Gillette Nacet
Tier 2:
T6. Voskhod
T6. RPL
8. Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum
9. Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge
10. Derby Premium
11. Dorco ST301
12. Parker Premium Platinum
13. Gillette 7 o'clock Super Stainless
Tier 3:
14. Kai
15. Perma Sharp Super
16. Personna Platinum
17. Wilkinson Sword
18. Gillette Silver Blue
Tier 4:
19. Astra SS
20. Astra SP
21. Lord Platinum
22. Bic Chrome Platinum
I am down to 2 blades to try in my search before I start to refine some of the differences between similar blades. My next blade will probably be the Chinese Gillette Wilkinson Sword. I am a little reluctant to try the Shark Platinum since I have read that Sharks and Lord's are very similar and possibly the same blade just branded differently and I was not a fan of the Lord blades. I will give it a fair chance though.
Yet another quality shave. My feelings about this blade remain the same though. The first pass was much smoother today given the fact that I was only dealing with 1 day's growth but in the later passes I had more trouble achieving a very smooth finish. Overall comfort is still really good though and irritation-free.
Tier 1:
T1. Wizamet IS/Polsilver SI
T1. Gillette Platinum
T1. Feather
4. Persona "Lab Blue"
5. Gillette Nacet
Tier 2:
T6. Voskhod
T6. RPL
8. Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum
9. Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge
10. Derby Premium
11. Dorco ST301
12. Parker Premium Platinum
13. Gillette 7 o'clock Super Stainless
Tier 3:
14. Kai
15. Perma Sharp Super
16. Personna Platinum
17. Wilkinson Sword
18. Gillette Silver Blue
Tier 4:
19. Astra SS
20. Astra SP
21. Lord Platinum
22. Bic Chrome Platinum
I am down to 2 blades to try in my search before I start to refine some of the differences between similar blades. My next blade will probably be the Chinese Gillette Wilkinson Sword. I am a little reluctant to try the Shark Platinum since I have read that Sharks and Lord's are very similar and possibly the same blade just branded differently and I was not a fan of the Lord blades. I will give it a fair chance though.
- Thread starter
- #188
Wizamet Iridium Super Round 2 Shave #3:
Another great shave this morning. Comfortable. Same great shaving experience, different day.
Another great shave this morning. Comfortable. Same great shaving experience, different day.
- Thread starter
- #189
Wizamet Iridium Super Round 2, Shave #4:
Another good shave this morning, this time with probably my favorite scented soap and one of my top performers. If I'm feeling up to it tomorrow morning, I'll give the Gillette Wilkinson Sword a try.
Another good shave this morning, this time with probably my favorite scented soap and one of my top performers. If I'm feeling up to it tomorrow morning, I'll give the Gillette Wilkinson Sword a try.
- Thread starter
- #190
Gillette Wilkinson Sword (China) Shave #1 & 2:
This blade is actually pretty decent. I'd have to look back to see how i liked the Wilkinson Sword but I think I was a bit critical of it. The GWS is quite smooth. I'd say just as smooth as any blade in my top 10. I would rate the sharpness slightly higher than medium sharpness. The overall comfort was pretty good. No nicks, cuts, irritation. It isn't the longest lasting smooth shave compared to my top blades but still a very good shave. I'll have to ponder on where exactly to rank this blade but I'd say somewhere between 8-11
This blade is actually pretty decent. I'd have to look back to see how i liked the Wilkinson Sword but I think I was a bit critical of it. The GWS is quite smooth. I'd say just as smooth as any blade in my top 10. I would rate the sharpness slightly higher than medium sharpness. The overall comfort was pretty good. No nicks, cuts, irritation. It isn't the longest lasting smooth shave compared to my top blades but still a very good shave. I'll have to ponder on where exactly to rank this blade but I'd say somewhere between 8-11
- Thread starter
- #192
I actually feel that it provides a little extra slickness. Idk if that's placebo effect or not but I feel like I notice it when I don't use it. I've used it for quite some time and not really sure I know any different at this point. lol
- Thread starter
- #193
Shark Platinum Shave #1:
I went into this shave, my final blade to test, with a bit of dread. My expectations were low for the Shark Platinum. I have read that the Shark and Lord bodes are quite similar if not the same blade rebranded. I feel that, while similar, the two blades do fee slightly different. I started on the 4 plate but did not get a comfortable glide. It wasn’t terrible. It just felt a little rough and wasn’t the most pleasant sensation of scraping a blade across my face. I switched to the 2 plate on the Rockwell and that resulted in a much more comfortable shave. I didn’t feel it was the best blade I’ve tried by any means but it was tolerable and still provided a good shave without any bloodshed. On the 4 plate I’d put it in my bottom tier because of the discomfort but on the much milder 2 plate I’d bump it up to maybe tier 3. I’ll have to read through this thread again and compare to my comments on the other blades before I can decide where I want to actually rank these last 2 blades though.
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I went into this shave, my final blade to test, with a bit of dread. My expectations were low for the Shark Platinum. I have read that the Shark and Lord bodes are quite similar if not the same blade rebranded. I feel that, while similar, the two blades do fee slightly different. I started on the 4 plate but did not get a comfortable glide. It wasn’t terrible. It just felt a little rough and wasn’t the most pleasant sensation of scraping a blade across my face. I switched to the 2 plate on the Rockwell and that resulted in a much more comfortable shave. I didn’t feel it was the best blade I’ve tried by any means but it was tolerable and still provided a good shave without any bloodshed. On the 4 plate I’d put it in my bottom tier because of the discomfort but on the much milder 2 plate I’d bump it up to maybe tier 3. I’ll have to read through this thread again and compare to my comments on the other blades before I can decide where I want to actually rank these last 2 blades though.
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Shark Platinum Shave #1:
I went into this shave, my final blade to test, with a bit of dread. My expectations were low for the Shark Platinum. I have read that the Shark and Lord bodes are quite similar if not the same blade rebranded. I feel that, while similar, the two blades do fee slightly different. I started on the 4 plate but did not get a comfortable glide. It wasn’t terrible. It just felt a little rough and wasn’t the most pleasant sensation of scraping a blade across my face. I switched to the 2 plate on the Rockwell and that resulted in a much more comfortable shave. I didn’t feel it was the best blade I’ve tried by any means but it was tolerable and still provided a good shave without any bloodshed. On the 4 plate I’d put it in my bottom tier because of the discomfort but on the much milder 2 plate I’d bump it up to maybe tier 3. I’ll have to read through this thread again and compare to my comments on the other blades before I can decide where I want to actually rank these last 2 blades though.
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LOL! Without any bloodshed! Classic!
- Thread starter
- #195
Gillette Wilkinson Sword (China) Shave #3:
This shave went quite well. Standard R4 plate for 2 passes followed by the R2 plate. The shave was quite good and relatively comfortable. Excellent end results with no irritation. On a soap note, I gave the Stirling Sandpiper another go and I did enjoy it slightly more on the second go around but I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites. Pleasant scent, not super strong. Performs very well as all the Stirling soaps I have tried do.
Blade Rankings:
Tier 1:
T1. Wizamet IS/Polsilver SI
T1. Gillette Platinum
T1. Feather
4. Persona "Lab Blue"
5. Gillette Nacet
Tier 2:
T6. Voskhod
T6. RPL
8. Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum
9. Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge
10. Derby Premium
11. Gillette Wilkinson Sword (China)
12. Dorco ST301
13. Parker Premium Platinum
14. Gillette 7 o'clock Super Stainless
Tier 3:
15. Kai
16. Perma Sharp Super
17. Personna Platinum
18. Wilkinson Sword
19. Gillette Silver Blue
20. Shark Platinum
Tier 4:
21. Astra SS
22. Astra SP
23. Lord Platinum
24. Bic Chrome Platinum
Now that I have all blades ranged, I should note that the Top 5 definitely stood out above the rest. I will give the Gillette Nacet another go to see if it will stay in Tier 1 or drop down and top the list of Tier 2 blades. As for the Tier 2 blades, take their positioning within Tier 2 with a grain of salt. All were very similar, generally all were fairly mild blades with really good smoothness but seemed to struggle in my couple trouble spots. Tier 3 all provided a good shave but weren't really the most comfortable way to get there. Tier 4 I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole again. I might give the Astra SP one more go considering its popularity but I doubt it at this point.
This shave went quite well. Standard R4 plate for 2 passes followed by the R2 plate. The shave was quite good and relatively comfortable. Excellent end results with no irritation. On a soap note, I gave the Stirling Sandpiper another go and I did enjoy it slightly more on the second go around but I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites. Pleasant scent, not super strong. Performs very well as all the Stirling soaps I have tried do.
Blade Rankings:
Tier 1:
T1. Wizamet IS/Polsilver SI
T1. Gillette Platinum
T1. Feather
4. Persona "Lab Blue"
5. Gillette Nacet
Tier 2:
T6. Voskhod
T6. RPL
8. Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum
9. Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge
10. Derby Premium
11. Gillette Wilkinson Sword (China)
12. Dorco ST301
13. Parker Premium Platinum
14. Gillette 7 o'clock Super Stainless
Tier 3:
15. Kai
16. Perma Sharp Super
17. Personna Platinum
18. Wilkinson Sword
19. Gillette Silver Blue
20. Shark Platinum
Tier 4:
21. Astra SS
22. Astra SP
23. Lord Platinum
24. Bic Chrome Platinum
Now that I have all blades ranged, I should note that the Top 5 definitely stood out above the rest. I will give the Gillette Nacet another go to see if it will stay in Tier 1 or drop down and top the list of Tier 2 blades. As for the Tier 2 blades, take their positioning within Tier 2 with a grain of salt. All were very similar, generally all were fairly mild blades with really good smoothness but seemed to struggle in my couple trouble spots. Tier 3 all provided a good shave but weren't really the most comfortable way to get there. Tier 4 I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole again. I might give the Astra SP one more go considering its popularity but I doubt it at this point.
- Thread starter
- #196
Gillette Wilkinson Sword (China) Shave #4:
Similar experience as the previous shaves although this was definitely the last shave for this blade. Still decent results but a bit more irritation today, especially on my neck.
I think I will take a week break and go to the trusty Polsilver before I start to delve a little deeper into some of the other blades. Blades I plan on trying a second time that I haven’t already purchased 100 packs of include: Gillette Nacet, Voskhod and RPL (side by side comparison), Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum, and maybe Derby Premium. I may throw another one or two in there as well.
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Similar experience as the previous shaves although this was definitely the last shave for this blade. Still decent results but a bit more irritation today, especially on my neck.
I think I will take a week break and go to the trusty Polsilver before I start to delve a little deeper into some of the other blades. Blades I plan on trying a second time that I haven’t already purchased 100 packs of include: Gillette Nacet, Voskhod and RPL (side by side comparison), Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum, and maybe Derby Premium. I may throw another one or two in there as well.
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- Thread starter
- #197
Back to Polsilver SI for a bit. Nothing really new to mention here. Same great shaving experience and results.
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- Thread starter
- #198
Well I haven't logged the last few shaves. Honestly, they've been pretty boring. Nothing new to reports. Experiemented with a few products. Same great Polsilver shaves. Now I'm back to my Round 2 of the second cut.
Gillette Platinum Round 2, Shave #1:
I have already purchased a 100 pack of the GP but I'm still going back for a second visit to analyze again. Today I tried a few things differently. I have found recently that I am getting less/no razor burn when using the milder plate settings so I used the R3 plate for 3 passes this morning rather than the R4 plate I've been using. I also face lathered this morning with the Catie's Bubbles and honestly I got a better lather than when I have bowl lathered this particular soap. The results were exceptional. I am very pleased with my decision to make this a staple in my blade rotation. Super smooth, very sharp, supremely comfortable. It definitely deserves a spot in my top 3. On a side note, this soap scent is one of my girlfriend's favorites so it will probably a regular in the rotation going forward.
Gillette Platinum Round 2, Shave #1:
I have already purchased a 100 pack of the GP but I'm still going back for a second visit to analyze again. Today I tried a few things differently. I have found recently that I am getting less/no razor burn when using the milder plate settings so I used the R3 plate for 3 passes this morning rather than the R4 plate I've been using. I also face lathered this morning with the Catie's Bubbles and honestly I got a better lather than when I have bowl lathered this particular soap. The results were exceptional. I am very pleased with my decision to make this a staple in my blade rotation. Super smooth, very sharp, supremely comfortable. It definitely deserves a spot in my top 3. On a side note, this soap scent is one of my girlfriend's favorites so it will probably a regular in the rotation going forward.
- Thread starter
- #199
Gillette Platinum Round 2, Shave #2:
No picture today. I used the Stirling pre-shave soap rather than the Proraso preshave. I used Stirling Dubshire soap and aftershave samples. I face lathered again as well. Rockwell 6S R3 plate for 2 passes and R2 plate for the third and cleanup passes. Good performance. Idk that I will reorder the Dunshire scent when I run out but it isn’t bad. The blade performance was once again excellent. If you like sharp, smooth blades, I would highly recommend giving the GP a try.
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No picture today. I used the Stirling pre-shave soap rather than the Proraso preshave. I used Stirling Dubshire soap and aftershave samples. I face lathered again as well. Rockwell 6S R3 plate for 2 passes and R2 plate for the third and cleanup passes. Good performance. Idk that I will reorder the Dunshire scent when I run out but it isn’t bad. The blade performance was once again excellent. If you like sharp, smooth blades, I would highly recommend giving the GP a try.
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- Thread starter
- #200
Gillette Platinum Round 2, Shave #3:
No picture again. A&E Choco Cubano for the soap. R3 plate once again. I feel like I can tell the blade is wearing slightly bear the end of the 3rd shave so it seems 4 shaves seems to be the limit for this blade for me but that’s no big deal really. We will see how the 4th shave goes. It still feels smooth but the sharpness seems to be fading a bit.
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No picture again. A&E Choco Cubano for the soap. R3 plate once again. I feel like I can tell the blade is wearing slightly bear the end of the 3rd shave so it seems 4 shaves seems to be the limit for this blade for me but that’s no big deal really. We will see how the 4th shave goes. It still feels smooth but the sharpness seems to be fading a bit.
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