No more Voskods for me

[AshleyC]

Did a late night shave this evening. Prep was several rinsings, and a splash of Lectric Shave.

I selected my Parker Variant and a new Voskhod blade on a very aggressive setting. Cream was Proraso blue.

Two swipes and I was done with it. Horrible dragging tugginess. Very uncomfortable. Was this even intended to be a cutting implement?

Loaded an Astra SP into my Game Changer and proceeded to have a very nice, smooth shave. I have several tucks of Voskhod left, destined to be curios in an antique store 50 years from now.

I know...this is the part where somebody says that once you wear off the coating, it gets better. No thanks. A blade should work properly on Day One. I'm not messing with these things again.

 

[abj]

I selected my Parker Variant and a new Voskhod blade on a very aggressive setting.

Maybe that was the problem?

 

[Invicta]

I selected my Parker Variant and a new Voskhod blade on a very aggressive setting.

Two swipes and I was done with it. Horrible dragging tugginess. Very uncomfortable. Was this even intended to be a cutting implement?

Loaded an Astra SP into my Game Changer and proceeded to have a very nice, smooth shave.

Would you tell us why the Astra SP did not go in the Variant at the same aggressive setting? That would be a better comparison between the Voskhod and the Astra SP.
Voskhods are not in my top tier but I can get more than a handful of shaves out of one.

 

[naughtilus]

Did a late night shave this evening. Prep was several rinsings, and a splash of Lectric Shave.

I selected my Parker Variant and a new Voskhod blade on a very aggressive setting. Cream was Proraso blue.

Two swipes and I was done with it. Horrible dragging tugginess. Very uncomfortable. Was this even intended to be a cutting implement?

Next time this happens, regardless of blade/razor combo, try a more shallow cutting angle.

 

[Brian C.]

I’d take them off your hands but I can’t buy anything this year. They work great in my slant.


AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;MFR2019

 

[AshleyC]

I may have given the impression that this was a new experience for me regarding the Vs.

Nope, the tuggy, abrasive shave is a recurring theme for me whether it is an aggressive razor or setting or a mild vintage Tech. I wasn't doing a comparison test, which is why I didn't immediately plop in an Astra in the same razor. Actually, the last time I used a V was in that Game Changer...which is why I decided to give one a try in a much more aggressive razor. Nor is this the first time I've ever stopped after two or three strokes with a V and thought "Nobody is this cheap. Why are you putting yourself through this?" and swapped it out for a different brand.

 

[Raven Koenes]

I'm of the opinion that Voskhod blades are the devil incarnate. I'm always just amazed that they don't spin around flinging pea soap in all directions. Seriously, they are the only blade I've tried that I haven't liked and with a vegence. Someday I want to try a Graham Field just to see if there is anything worse. My thoughts are ditch the Voskhods. Pick someone you don't particularly like and pif them or throw them out. I'm here to support you in this. Friends don't let friends shave with Voskhods.

 

[naughtilus]

They're not that bad!

They give me 2 good shaves per blade. I guess I'm not really picky?

 

[Steelerfan]

I have used 2 Voskhod blades from a Russian sampler pack from RBC. I was not that impressed by them. I felt that the blades from PPI were better. The only 2 blades from Rapira that I liked were the Platinum Lux and Chrome blades. All the rest I tried were average blades including Voskhod.

 

[Raven Koenes]

They're not that bad!

They give me 2 good shaves per blade. I guess I'm not really picky?

 

[RayClem]

I find Voskhod blades to be decent in most razors. They are PTFE coated, so they will be slightly sharper on the 2nd shave than the 1st. On the other hand, Astra SP blades are not sharp enough for my beard. Whether blades work for you depend on the coarseness of your beard, the sensitivity of your skin, the quality of your lather, the aggressiveness of your razor, and the proficiency of your technique.

By changing both your blade and your razor, it is impossible to tell which caused the difference in shave quality.

When comparing two different blades, I install them in two identical razors. I then shave one side of my face with one razor and the other side with the second razor. That way, the only difference is the blade itself (along with slight differences from one side of my face to the other) and I can get a fair comparison of blade quality.

 

[ajkel64]

I quite like them. I won 100 in a PIF last year. Admittedly I have only used 2 tucks and I think every blade has been fine for me. Sorry they don't work for you. As always YMMV.

 

[Raven Koenes]

There are so many good blades out there. Life is too short to try to make a blade you don't like work. The best blades will work well in any razor, under any condition, immediately.

 

[RayClem]

There are so many good blades out there. Life is too short to try to make a blade you don't like work. The best blades will work well in any razor, under any condition, immediately.

Considering that razors range in aggressiveness from very mild (Weishi/VDH TTO) to very aggressive (Muhle R41), it is not reasonable to expect that a single blade will work well in every razor. In my VDH, I like using the very sharpest blades. I cannot get a close shave with less sharp blades in a mild razor. In my R41, with significant face feel, I like using mid-sharp blades that are very smooth. The sharpest blades feel too harsh in that razor. For moderately aggressive razors I can use most blades other than the least sharp blades that just aren't sharp enough to cut my coarse beard.

 

[BigJ]

The St. Petersburg blades are definitely more to my taste also!

YMMV for sure when it comes to blades.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Considering that razors range in aggressiveness from very mild (Weishi/VDH TTO) to very aggressive (Muhle R41), it is not reasonable to expect that a single blade will work well in every razor. In my VDH, I like using the very sharpest blades. I cannot get a close shave with less sharp blades in a mild razor. In my R41, with significant face feel, I like using mid-sharp blades that are very smooth. The sharpest blades feel too harsh in that razor. For moderately aggressive razors I can use most blades other than the least sharp blades that just aren't sharp enough to cut my coarse beard.

I agree there are definitely variable preferences, but one should be able to put a blade in a stick and shave with it. At the end of the day the razor is just another holder.

These blades for me are just right in everything from a Gillette Tech to an r41 due to them being both sharp and smooth:

1. Polsilver
2. Gillette Platinum
3. Gillette Yellow
4. Silver Star
5. Timor

 

[tube_guy]

Did a late night shave this evening. Prep was several rinsings, and a splash of Lectric Shave.

I selected my Parker Variant and a new Voskhod blade on a very aggressive setting. Cream was Proraso blue.

Two swipes and I was done with it. Horrible dragging tugginess. Very uncomfortable. Was this even intended to be a cutting implement?

Loaded an Astra SP into my Game Changer and proceeded to have a very nice, smooth shave. I have several tucks of Voskhod left, destined to be curios in an antique store 50 years from now.

I know...this is the part where somebody says that once you wear off the coating, it gets better. No thanks. A blade should work properly on Day One. I'm not messing with these things again.

I have a question for you, if you don't mind. Did this Voskhod blade have glue dots on it, or no glue at all? I've noticed that the newer Voskhods have four glue dots. The older Voskhods had none. Thank you!

 

[ackvil]

They're not that bad!

They give me 2 good shaves per blade. I guess I'm not really picky?

That's all I can get from these blades. The first shave is excellent, the second good, and the third is horrible. This is one of the few blades that don't last for me.

 

[ghostlife]

I find them the dullest/tuggiest of all the Rapira blades I've tried so far. Every other one is pretty good.

 

[RayClem]

I agree there are definitely variable preferences, but one should be able to put a blade in a stick and shave with it. At the end of the day the razor is just another holder.

These blades for me are just right in everything from a Gillette Tech to an r41 due to them being both sharp and smooth:

1. Polsilver
2. Gillette Platinum
3. Gillette Yellow
4. Silver Star
5. Timor

I have not tried the Silver Star or Timor blades, so I cannot comment on them.

I consider the Polsilver, Gillette Platinum and 7 O'Clock Yellow blades to be good blades, but I find them to be mid-sharp as far as my coarse beard is concerned. I like those blades in an aggressive razor like the R41, but I prefer even sharper blades in milder razors. For those who do not have a beard as coarse as mine, there may be no need for a sharper blade.