Participation PIF - Czech Out These Blades

[BigJ]

Are these the same blades in different packaging?
​

Thanks for the chance to try some blades that are new to me! So I have no preconceptions whatsoever.

PURPOSE. To give each option a fair trial, answer the question and pick a favorite.

METHODS.

Prep: Hot shower then CereVe face wash.

Razor: Wolfman WR1/WRH2 handle.

Brush: 2 or 3-band badger from my rotation.

Soap: Cella for blade 1, then assorted Fine options for blade 2.

After: Floid vigoroso for blade 1, then La Toja splash for blade 2.

Rating: My usual 10 point system after each shave.

RESULTS.

TATRA blade 1
Shave #1: 8
Shave #2: 8.5
Shave #3: 8.5
Shave #4: 8.5
Shave #5: 8.5
Shave #6: 8.5
Shave #7: 8.5
average: 8.4

Tiger blade 1
Shave #1: 7.5
Shave #2: 8
Shave #3: 7.5
Shave #4: 7.5
Shave #5: 7.5
Shave #6: 8

 

[k2clones29]

Tiger blade 1 shave 4

The blade is starting to dull, but it's still giving a smooth DFS. My setup was QED Australian Red Clay soap, Proraso Pre-Shave, Gillette SS razor, and Ogallala Bay Rum soap and AS. The shave was above average with no nicks or irritation. It did not get as close a shave as the one two days ago. This shave was a 7.

 

[PlutoViola]

Tatra #1 shave #5
Gillette Slim on 6
Sudsy Soapery Top O the Morning

I gave in to my curiosity rather than my annoyance. I wanted to see what this blade would do after yesterday's odd experience. Yesterday I started getting a bit of tugging, but zero irritation (how?). This morning I had my best shave with this blade. I started to feel the blade a bit and it was still smooth. It delivered a very good shave that I truly have no issues with. I have had better shaves with other blades, but this was no slouch. Interesting. The blade was much more efficient this time around.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[Grundi]

How do you compare Tatra to GSB, Personna platinum, Astra platinum? Thanks

For me, GSB's are great blades and last 6 - 8 shaves. There are only a few blades that I'd rate higher than a GSB (Gillette PP from Brazil is one of the few). Astra SP blades are excellent when the Q/A is doing their job, but you can find some duds in the same tuck as some good ones; the good Astra SP blades are just below GSB's. I don't have much experience with Personnas (although I do have a tuck waiting to be tried).

That said, rating of the blades for me (with some others thrown in ever so gingerly) would be: GPP's > GSB's > Astra SP's = Dorco Primes = Derby Premiums = ELOIS Inoxidables > Wilkinson (German) >= Tatra Platinums > Tiger Platinums >>>>> Flying Eagles (I'm still bitter about these)

 

[Grundi]

Love this thread, @Grundi! The participation PIF is a great idea. Thank you for including me.

You're welcome, and thank you for your kind response. These have been quite a bit of fun to do, to read all the posts, and a very welcome distraction from all the bad stuff swirling about. @Space_Cadet and @Toothpick were the actual Patrons of the PIFs, I was just the middle man, mostly. The idea for doing these came from all the other amazing PIFs and PassArounds. B&B is an incredible Community!!

 

[stone and strop]

Shave 7 with the Tatra.
Same players,
Tabac
Universal full blade shavette
444 Balm
H&V C&CC

I really thought this might be it for this blade. I guess shave 8 will be in order
Overall still a very good, close comfortable shave. Easily still getting trouble spots in short order with near zero sting from an aftershave with high alcohol content.
I am very impressed, not only with the smoothness of this blade but the longevity of its edge as well.

 

[fast shaver]

Tiger shave #4 this A.M. The first shave was always good & close. The following shaves were OK but, the blade is slowing down some unlike the Tatra blade.

 

[gvw755]

Fourth shave with the Tatra. Tonight I loaded the blade in my vintage Knockout Razor. WTG pass was totally effortless and did not leave much for the ATG pass. The ATG pass was also effortless and very comfortable. There was enough spots under my chin left over for me to do an XTG pass and, again, I ended up with a BBS. The Tatra blade is not showing any signs of slowing down just yet, and the Knockout Razor lived up to it's name (again).

 

[NicksDad]

A quick summary of my Tatra experience:

I’m three shaves in with the Tatra after going 10 shaves with the Tiger, and I honestly can’t detect a difference between them. Both are smooth and sharp, in the same camp as Astra SP, and both seem to be a great value for the money. I might buy 100 of the Tigers to have on hand because I slightly prefer the packaging. About the only thing I don’t care for with either blade is the wax. They’re already double-wrapped, so I don’t think wax is needed at all. Apart from that, I can’t find any fault with them.

I can’t keep going because the Timeless pass-around is finally inbound to me and I want to get a few shaves with my regular kit before it arrives. Thanks again (many times over) for letting me play!

 

[Chad3]

Seventh shave with the Tatra and the JAWS. For me the blade dropped off significantly since the last shave. To be fair I did have an additional day of growth but quite a bit of tugging that was not apparent in previous shaves.
switching to tiger for my next shave.

 

[Balthier]

Tatra Shave #6
Razor: Fatip Grande OC
Soap: Proraso Red
Brush: Yaqi Purple Haze
Aftershave: Pinaud

Hot shower prep. Just got the fatip in the mail my first open comb. WTG blade felt a little tugging and got 2 weepers around sensitive area on bottom of neck and on adams apple. Did XTG and ATG only on neck and chin. I did enjoy the efficiency of this razor. This made me wonder what a new smooth blade feels like in it and might have allowed to feel how much it has worn down. Still a decent and incredibly close shave probably the most aggressive razor I have tried to date minus a shavette.

 

[Weean]

Tiger Platinum Edge 1, shave 5. Wilkinson Sword Classic (plastic), Art of Shaving Lavender soap

I wasn't expecting much of this shave, but I was pleasantly surprised. There was some tugging, but I've had worse with brand new blades from other brands, and the finish is more than acceptable. I will be retiring this edge now, but more because I'm in a hurry to try the Tatra's than anything (and really, who needs more than ten shaves/blade?).

Colour me impressed.

 

[Space_Cadet]

@Space_Cadet and @Toothpick were the actual Patrons of the PIFs, I was just the middle man, mostly.

Grundi is being very modest like he always is. He has done a lot of work on the these PIFs and we should thank him for his efforts. As one of the initiators of this PIF, I also want to thank this wonderful community and everybody who took part in this PIF and posted reviews.

 

[PlutoViola]

Tatra #1 shave #6
Gillette Slim on 6
SV Dolomiti

Yesterday's very good shave encouraged me to keep going with this blade, and I'm glad I did. Excellent shave this morning, and if anything it was kind of boring. The blade has gone back to basically no blade feel, and almost no feedback, no tugging, and a very smooth efficient cut. I'm happy with the result. If this blade had started out this way I would have a very hard time not ordering a bulk pack of them.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[BigJ]

Are these the same blades in different packaging?
​

Thanks for the chance to try some blades that are new to me! So I have no preconceptions whatsoever.

PURPOSE. To give each option a fair trial, answer the question and pick a favorite.

METHODS.

Prep: Hot shower then CereVe face wash.

Razor: Wolfman WR1/WRH2 handle.

Brush: 2 or 3-band badger from my rotation.

Soap: Cella for blade 1, then assorted Fine options for blade 2.

After: Floid vigoroso for blade 1, then La Toja splash for blade 2.

Rating: My usual 10 point system after each shave.

RESULTS.

TATRA blade 1
Shave #1: 8
Shave #2: 8.5
Shave #3: 8.5
Shave #4: 8.5
Shave #5: 8.5
Shave #6: 8.5
Shave #7: 8.5
average: 8.4

Tiger blade 1
Shave #1: 7.5
Shave #2: 8
Shave #3: 7.5
Shave #4: 7.5
Shave #5: 7.5
Shave #6: 8
Shave #7: 7
average: 7.6

 

[Demolition]

Twelfth shave with Tatra Platinum Blade #1

May 21: As before, I'm able to shave on "automatic" with this blade. All of my shaves with the Tatra have been smooth, trouble-free, and surprisingly quick because I don't have to watch what I'm doing. A far cry from the Tigers that I've tried.

At this rate, I'll be able to get to 25 shaves on this blade, easily.


Fifth shave with Tiger Platinum Blade #2

May 22: Roughness is still present on all three passes, particularly ATG. The shaves feel close, but are less than comfortable.

As a side note, I've noticed that the Tiger blades are always more "scummy" after shaving with them. A close inspection with a jeweller's loupe reveals a lot of dead skin cells accumulated on the Tiger blades' edges after my shaves. The Tatra, by comparison, is always fairly clean.

As a result, I'm not as convinced as before that Tatra and Tiger blades come off the same production line. I suspect that I'm not the only one who has noticed these kinds of details because some reviewers have commented on the extreme closeness of the Tiger while stating that the Tatra feels less close. Many of those reviewers also mention that they appreciate the extreme closeness of the Tigers.

I've always thought that my skin was pretty tough, but now I'm wondering if these people have elephant hide on their faces. Or, maybe I just don't like having all of my epidermis scraped off.

 

[epipeman]

Kit: Rockwell 6c R6 , Tiger (4) , Arko, Omega S10083 S-Brush Pro.

The blade may be beginning to tire as today's effort failed to reach DFS by a whisker. A good solid shave, though.

 

[BigJ]

Are these the same blades in different packaging?
​

Thanks for the chance to try some blades that are new to me! So I have no preconceptions whatsoever.

PURPOSE. To give each option a fair trial, answer the question and pick a favorite.

METHODS.

Prep: Hot shower then CereVe face wash.

Razor: Wolfman WR1/WRH2 handle.

Brush: 2 or 3-band badger from my rotation.

Soap: Cella for blade 1, then assorted Fine options for blade 2.

After: Floid vigoroso for blade 1, then La Toja splash for blade 2.

Rating: My usual 10 point system after each shave.

RESULTS.

TATRA blade 1
Shave #1: 8
Shave #2: 8.5
Shave #3: 8.5
Shave #4: 8.5
Shave #5: 8.5
Shave #6: 8.5
Shave #7: 8.5
average: 8.4

Tiger blade 1
Shave #1: 7.5
Shave #2: 8
Shave #3: 7.5
Shave #4: 7.5
Shave #5: 7.5
Shave #6: 8
Shave #7: 7
average: 7.6

TATRA blade 2
Shave #1: 8.5

 

[k2clones29]

Tatra Blade 2, Shave 1

I have missed this blade. Don't get me wrong, the Tigers are nice, but this blade is great!. Slightly different setup: Australian Red Clay soap and Proraso Pre-Shave for prep, MW Lilac soap, Merkur Futur set to 6, and Clubman Vanilla AS. Another outstanding shave with this blade. It was an effortless DFS, bordering on BBS. No nicks nor weepers. No burning with the alum block. I give today's shave a 9.

 

[stone and strop]

Shave #8 Tatra
Same players
Tabac
Universal full blade shavette,
444 Balm
H&V C&CC

I'm beginning to think someone is playing a trick on me (changing the blade on me).
Each time I am almost hoping for it to slide so I can use my straights but I told myself I would use it till I thought it needed to be changed and that's just not happening yet.
This is the third time I have brought a straight with my shavette to the shave just incase the shave was not up to par with the Tatra.
Third time it returned unused!
While it is slightly inferior to the first use it is very close to new condition still delivering a fine shave able to tackle trouble spots quickly.
It seems to just go and go. If it were one of my straights I would keep using it as is. Still smooth and plenty sharp.
A very impressive blade.