man this is good stuff!!!!
thanks for some great information
charliec
thanks for some great information
charliec
Newbie experiences on a sample pack
- Thread starter lli
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
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With the difference between the Lord stainless and the lord platinum in mind, I did not have much hope for this blade. I did not like the super stainless version, what are the chances I would like this one?
Well, to my surprise, I did like this one. It is smooth, it is sharp (seem to be my two criteria for liking a blade). No drag, no burn or irritations. Not as sharp as Astra Keramik or Lord Chrome, I think sharper than Derby.
The blades lasted for at least 4 days as that is the maximum I will use my blades for.
Please allow me to comment again on packaging: I don't care. Some people don't like small carton packs. Some others don't like the glue some manufacturers put on the blade to make the wrapper stick. I have found no interference with the quality of the shave (as far as I can tell), so why packaging is a ddistinguishing factor...
Thumbs up for this one,
Next:
Treet Platinum
With the difference between the Lord stainless and the lord platinum in mind, I did not have much hope for this blade. I did not like the super stainless version, what are the chances I would like this one?
Well, to my surprise, I did like this one. It is smooth, it is sharp (seem to be my two criteria for liking a blade). No drag, no burn or irritations. Not as sharp as Astra Keramik or Lord Chrome, I think sharper than Derby.
The blades lasted for at least 4 days as that is the maximum I will use my blades for.
Please allow me to comment again on packaging: I don't care. Some people don't like small carton packs. Some others don't like the glue some manufacturers put on the blade to make the wrapper stick. I have found no interference with the quality of the shave (as far as I can tell), so why packaging is a ddistinguishing factor...
Thumbs up for this one,
Next:
Treet Platinum
- Thread starter
- #43
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Unlike the reviewer in the review section, this blade did not rank in the smooth category. There was too much drag to rank it as smooth.
No complaints, but also not a wow experience.
Changed it after a day, as I did not like it too much, and again after another day.
Reason: drag.
My recent blades tries have left me with the question: how much does liking or not liking a blade depends on taste. How much of how one likes or dislikes a blade has to do with the type of beard? I think I have a pretty heavy beard. Thick hairs. And it grows quite fast.
Therefore the blades I like are sharp and smooth. And sharp is probably above average sharp.
How sharp and smooth go together, I don't know. Sputniks are probably sharp and not smooth, judging from the nicks I got. Astra Keramik and Lord Chrome are probably smooth and sharp. I guess others can be smooth, but if they are not sharp, they will cause drag.
Anyone would like to share their views on this?
Next up: Nacet
Unlike the reviewer in the review section, this blade did not rank in the smooth category. There was too much drag to rank it as smooth.
No complaints, but also not a wow experience.
Changed it after a day, as I did not like it too much, and again after another day.
Reason: drag.
My recent blades tries have left me with the question: how much does liking or not liking a blade depends on taste. How much of how one likes or dislikes a blade has to do with the type of beard? I think I have a pretty heavy beard. Thick hairs. And it grows quite fast.
Therefore the blades I like are sharp and smooth. And sharp is probably above average sharp.
How sharp and smooth go together, I don't know. Sputniks are probably sharp and not smooth, judging from the nicks I got. Astra Keramik and Lord Chrome are probably smooth and sharp. I guess others can be smooth, but if they are not sharp, they will cause drag.
Anyone would like to share their views on this?
Next up: Nacet
- Thread starter
- #44
I wish this lade was easily available in The Netherlands.
Although I think I already singled out my favourit, this Nacet blade could be the one I would turn to when bored of the Astra Keramik.
No nicks, no drag, stays sharp for at least 4 shaves. Shaves well WTG,XTG ATG.
My main criteria seem to be: sharp and smooth. This blade has qualifies for both. Maybe not as smooth as the Astra keramik, but certainly smooth enough.
If this blade is available to you in a local shop, be sure to give them a try.
Next Treet Blued.
Although I think I already singled out my favourit, this Nacet blade could be the one I would turn to when bored of the Astra Keramik.
No nicks, no drag, stays sharp for at least 4 shaves. Shaves well WTG,XTG ATG.
My main criteria seem to be: sharp and smooth. This blade has qualifies for both. Maybe not as smooth as the Astra keramik, but certainly smooth enough.
If this blade is available to you in a local shop, be sure to give them a try.
Next Treet Blued.
- Thread starter
- #45
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As leisureguy posted a quite favourable review of these blades, even comparing them to my now favourite Astra Keramik, my hopes were high.
At first the blade did not disappoint. A very smooth shave. The blade cut my beard like a knif trough butter.
You feel the but coming?
But the result did not last. During the day, my face was getting less mooth than a lot of the other blades. Actually, I have not experienced this before. I began to doubt not the blade but myself. Did I prep less? Did I forget to do the XTG?
I was ready fot the next day.
But after having duly prepared my face, I put the Treet Blued to work. What the ****? As dull as could be. Nothing compared to the smoothness of the day before.
Was this the rust I read about? It must have been, but I could see nothing.
I quickly changed the blade and I had a similar experience as the day before. Including the fast return of hairs.
Reason enough to give up on this blade.
Next up the last on on the list..Feathers
But first a week of Astra....
As leisureguy posted a quite favourable review of these blades, even comparing them to my now favourite Astra Keramik, my hopes were high.
At first the blade did not disappoint. A very smooth shave. The blade cut my beard like a knif trough butter.
You feel the but coming?
But the result did not last. During the day, my face was getting less mooth than a lot of the other blades. Actually, I have not experienced this before. I began to doubt not the blade but myself. Did I prep less? Did I forget to do the XTG?
I was ready fot the next day.
But after having duly prepared my face, I put the Treet Blued to work. What the ****? As dull as could be. Nothing compared to the smoothness of the day before.
Was this the rust I read about? It must have been, but I could see nothing.
I quickly changed the blade and I had a similar experience as the day before. Including the fast return of hairs.
Reason enough to give up on this blade.
Next up the last on on the list..Feathers
But first a week of Astra....
- Thread starter
- #46
link
Now this is a blade many seem to have tried. And as it was in my sample pack, so I have tried it as well.
At first I was a bit anxious. Not because I was afraid to hurt myself. But because I was afraid I would like it more than the Astra Keramik I now have sufficient stock of to last me the next 5 years. It would be a bummer as I seem to be one of the few who like the AK blade so much.
I could see why people like it. It is a light blade that glides over your skin. No drag at all.
I finished my shave in good order, real smooth face, no nick, no burns.
But during the hour after the shave, a certain sensation started to manifest itself on my face. Someone wrote in a review that he feels like the top layer of his skin was peeled of. And that is exactely how I felt.
I tried another day, and a second blade, but have decided I like the AK best.
Maybe in a year or ten, when my face is like leather, I will like the Feather. But for now my face is just to sensitive...
When I feel like it: Crystal
Now this is a blade many seem to have tried. And as it was in my sample pack, so I have tried it as well.
At first I was a bit anxious. Not because I was afraid to hurt myself. But because I was afraid I would like it more than the Astra Keramik I now have sufficient stock of to last me the next 5 years. It would be a bummer as I seem to be one of the few who like the AK blade so much.
I could see why people like it. It is a light blade that glides over your skin. No drag at all.
I finished my shave in good order, real smooth face, no nick, no burns.
But during the hour after the shave, a certain sensation started to manifest itself on my face. Someone wrote in a review that he feels like the top layer of his skin was peeled of. And that is exactely how I felt.
I tried another day, and a second blade, but have decided I like the AK best.
Maybe in a year or ten, when my face is like leather, I will like the Feather. But for now my face is just to sensitive...
When I feel like it: Crystal
- Thread starter
- #47
- Thread starter
- #48
Link to the review section: LINK
From the new to try list, I tested the Kai first and did not like them very much:
The price was right. 25 blades for 8 sing dollar.
Quality to me is a combination of sharpness and longevity.
As a reference, I rate Merkur blades as dull, derby medium sharp, my personal favorite Astra Keramik as sharp, and feather as ultrasharp.
I was expecting a sharp blade, something alike feather. Maybe because it comes from Japan, maybe because it felt ultrathin. However I found the 3 i tried to be duller than Derby. Also I had the feeling the blades deteriorated during the shave. I changed the blade in the middle of the second shave.
So quality overall is low..
Packaging I don't care, else it would have been even lower.
It is just a paper wrapping, the blade is not even branded. But as said, I don't care.
Because of the positive reviews ealier,I will retry these blades later on. If I adjust my ratings, I will let you know, but for now, this is it....
From the new to try list, I tested the Kai first and did not like them very much:
The price was right. 25 blades for 8 sing dollar.
Quality to me is a combination of sharpness and longevity.
As a reference, I rate Merkur blades as dull, derby medium sharp, my personal favorite Astra Keramik as sharp, and feather as ultrasharp.
I was expecting a sharp blade, something alike feather. Maybe because it comes from Japan, maybe because it felt ultrathin. However I found the 3 i tried to be duller than Derby. Also I had the feeling the blades deteriorated during the shave. I changed the blade in the middle of the second shave.
So quality overall is low..
Packaging I don't care, else it would have been even lower.
It is just a paper wrapping, the blade is not even branded. But as said, I don't care.
Because of the positive reviews ealier,I will retry these blades later on. If I adjust my ratings, I will let you know, but for now, this is it....
This is very interesting to me as a retread blade shaver. It also points up the difference between individuals (and probably individual razors).
I'm using a feather travel as my first razor. I will eventually get something bigger and heavier for daily use. Following the advice of others here, I ordered a pack of Astras with the razor. ProHairSupply sent me a pack of Vincents, but what the heck, it was a place to start.
I should mention that I've always had a relatively tough hide coupled with a soft beard. Back in the 70's, I used to dry shave with just the cartridge from one of the early dual-blade shavers when I was backpacking. A little razor burn but no big deal (oh to be young and dumb again).
As I stated, I started out with the Vincent, which provided an adequate shave.
After about three days, I switched to the feather. WOW! Effortless, smooth, with only a couple of minor knicks.
Six days later, I switched to the Derby Extras that came with the "Choice" sampler kit that I ordered from West Coast Shaving. My initial impression was that the Derby blade wasn't as sharp as the 6-day old feather, and felt a little rougher. On the second day, one side was definitely duller than the other. By the third day, I was ready for a new blade. The second derby only lasted one shave. I swapped in another feather for tomorrow.
My plan is to work my way through two each of the sample blades, with a single feather blade in between each new sample as a control. I've added two blades to the mix -- a Gillette platinum available at Walmart, and a pack of 7 O'Clock Yellows. By the time that I get through these and decide on a blade for this razor, it will be time to buy that bigger, heavier razor that I'm considering, so that the whole process can begin again.
I'm using a feather travel as my first razor. I will eventually get something bigger and heavier for daily use. Following the advice of others here, I ordered a pack of Astras with the razor. ProHairSupply sent me a pack of Vincents, but what the heck, it was a place to start.
I should mention that I've always had a relatively tough hide coupled with a soft beard. Back in the 70's, I used to dry shave with just the cartridge from one of the early dual-blade shavers when I was backpacking. A little razor burn but no big deal (oh to be young and dumb again).
As I stated, I started out with the Vincent, which provided an adequate shave.
After about three days, I switched to the feather. WOW! Effortless, smooth, with only a couple of minor knicks.
Six days later, I switched to the Derby Extras that came with the "Choice" sampler kit that I ordered from West Coast Shaving. My initial impression was that the Derby blade wasn't as sharp as the 6-day old feather, and felt a little rougher. On the second day, one side was definitely duller than the other. By the third day, I was ready for a new blade. The second derby only lasted one shave. I swapped in another feather for tomorrow.
My plan is to work my way through two each of the sample blades, with a single feather blade in between each new sample as a control. I've added two blades to the mix -- a Gillette platinum available at Walmart, and a pack of 7 O'Clock Yellows. By the time that I get through these and decide on a blade for this razor, it will be time to buy that bigger, heavier razor that I'm considering, so that the whole process can begin again.
- Thread starter
- #50
I have tried the Kai again, and I retract my previous comments. Maybe I had a bad batch, maybe my lather was not up for it. I don't know. I did not like them, now I do!
The Kai blade then. It is sharp, not as sharp as the feather, as sharp as the astra keramik or even sharper. It has a surgical feel to it. As in it feels very thin and sharp. Astra feels thicker while also sharp.
In short: I like the Kai blade!
This total difference in experience had thought me not to discard a blade too quickly.
The difference in experiences may also have to do with the fact that I am not a newbie anymore. After a year of DE shaving, I consider myself past the newbie state. Beginner?
I am debating if I should retry more blades that I did not like at first.
I am certainly not retrying the ones that I found very dull and uncomfortable such as Merkur or Rotbart.
But the ones that just felt uncomfortable I could retest.... hmm something to debate (and for you to comment on?).
I now regret not having bought more a Mustafa's in Singapore. I think I could develop a taste for these blades.
Something else: I never tested the Gillette Swedes. Maybe it was my Dutch instinct, If I like them I have to buy them and they are not exactly cheap...
To be tested next week: Gillette Swedes.
The Kai blade then. It is sharp, not as sharp as the feather, as sharp as the astra keramik or even sharper. It has a surgical feel to it. As in it feels very thin and sharp. Astra feels thicker while also sharp.
In short: I like the Kai blade!
This total difference in experience had thought me not to discard a blade too quickly.
The difference in experiences may also have to do with the fact that I am not a newbie anymore. After a year of DE shaving, I consider myself past the newbie state. Beginner?
I am debating if I should retry more blades that I did not like at first.
I am certainly not retrying the ones that I found very dull and uncomfortable such as Merkur or Rotbart.
But the ones that just felt uncomfortable I could retest.... hmm something to debate (and for you to comment on?).
I now regret not having bought more a Mustafa's in Singapore. I think I could develop a taste for these blades.
Something else: I never tested the Gillette Swedes. Maybe it was my Dutch instinct, If I like them I have to buy them and they are not exactly cheap...
To be tested next week: Gillette Swedes.
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