newb needs help - which blade next?

[BuckeyeMark]

started with personnas - have five shaves under my belt with those.

bought West Coast Shaving's sampler pack and now have Astras, Crystal and Feathers.

dropped in an Astra yesterday morning and got a bunch of razor rash. may have been my own fault - too many strokes trying to get a perfect shave. is that blade too aggressive for me right now? should I go back to Personnas?

am aware of West Coast Shaving's FAQ:

F.A.Q.

Q. In which order should I try the razor blades?
A. The general recommendation is to try the blades in the following order:

Dorco
Merkur
Derby/Crystal
Red Pack Israeli
Swedish Gillette/Wilkinson Sword (UK)
Feather

but I don't have a Dorco or Merkur blade and wonder where Astras and Personnas fit into this scale.

thanks for your help.

 

[82R100]

I'd recommend, probably, using at least two blades of each type before moving on. Crystals might be a good next step before trying the Astras next.

I'd save the Feathers for last.

- Chris

 

[r0ckrat]

FYI Personnas and the Red Pack Israeli's are generally considered synonomous (same). If your Personnas came in a read/white pack and were made in Israel, then they are "red packs".

 

[rbaloha]

Astras requires time to find the sweet spot. Its a good blade but just takes time to master.

Agree -- save the feathers for last. Do not be scared -- take your time.

 

[Shave Cat]

started with personnas - have five shaves under my belt with those.

bought West Coast Shaving's sampler pack and now have Astras, Crystal and Feathers.

dropped in an Astra yesterday morning and got a bunch of razor rash. may have been my own fault - too many strokes trying to get a perfect shave. is that blade too aggressive for me right now? should I go back to Personnas?

am aware of West Coast Shaving's FAQ:

F.A.Q.

Q. In which order should I try the razor blades?
A. The general recommendation is to try the blades in the following order:

Dorco
Merkur
Derby/Crystal
Red Pack Israeli
Swedish Gillette/Wilkinson Sword (UK)
Feather

but I don't have a Dorco or Merkur blade and wonder where Astras and Personnas fit into this scale.

thanks for your help.

How much experience do you have DE shaving? If it is only 5 shaves, you may have a difficult time assessing blades. I suggest using a middle of the road blade and a good quality soap or cream until you are getting consistently good shaves. Then you can change one product at a time and see if your shaves are better or worse. Of the new blades you have, Crystals would be a good choice. If the Personnas you've been using are the American ones from Wal-Mart, they are not the same as Crystals, which are often referred to as Israeli Personnas. The Astras should be sharper than the Crystals, and Feathers, the sharpest of all. Many newbies will write off a blade as being unusable, only to try it again a year and find out the issue was their inexperience.

-Clarke