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Personna Platinums gave me a new appreciation for how bad a blade can be

Holy cow. Just had the worst shave I’ve ever experienced in my 8 years of Wet shaving with a DE. It was so bad I feel the need to talk about it.

When I started out the first blade I tried was Vokshod and I liked it enough that I used it exclusively for 7 years until a couple months ago. I finally decided I wanted to see what else is out there so I bought a bunch of sample packs and have been experimenting.

First I tried Personna Lab Blues. They were comfortable and smooth and frankly in a blind test I’m not sure I would be able to differentiate them from the Vokshods I used for 7 years.

Next I tried Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinums (Black). First 2 shaves were maybe slightly better than the Vokshods and Lab Blues but shaves 3 onward were rougher but overall not a huge difference.

At this point I was beginning to doubt that different blades affected the shave that much.

Then I tried Personna Platinums (blue package made in Germany). Used the same razor (Karve CB with SB C plate) and same soap (B & M Seville Omnibus). I went slow and careful with 1 WTG and 1 XTG pass and the outcome was horrible.

Previously the most weepers I’ve had in one shave where I had to use my styptic pencil was 2 or 3. Tonight I had to use it in 6 or 7 spots. It was a blood bath. I’m dumbfounded. I thought these were one of the better blades out there so I had high expectations.

I will say that once the bleeding stopped and my face didn’t sting anymore I noticed that my shave feels incredible smooth. Maybe these are sharper than anything I’ve used before? Not sure. It would be interesting to see how they did with a more mild razor but I think it will be a while until I’m interested in trying them again.

Does my experience resonate with anyone else who has tried them?
 

lasta

Blade Biter
How was your pre-prep? Any skin problems before shaving?

German Personna are not on my top list either, but are perfectly capable and by no means lesser than Voskhod.

First impressions can be lasting, but by no means final. My initiatiation with Nacet and Gillette Wilkinson Swords were mediocre. Now, both are blades I'd happy use any day.
 
Certain blades work better with certain razors. More aggressive blades work really well in my milder razors, or adjustables on lower settings whereas the opposite is true with mild blades. An example of each for me would be that I have a King C Gillette, and that is probably my most mild razor, and it works absolutely AMAZING with Feather, Gillette Platinums, basically any really sharp blade. If used those same blades in my Fatboy on setting 9, I would probably end up in the hospital! Don't write a blade off I'd say, unless you only have one razor and you're absolutely against the idea of owning another one which is understandable.

For me, Voshkods were absolutely unusable, but I only had one tuck from a sample pack that I bought when I first got into wet shaving a couple of years ago and sometimes I feel like I owe it another shot. Food for thought!
 
IMHO those aren’t the best Personnas but, blades are such a ymmv thing. I was gifted a few Nacets by a member and loved them. They also sent me some Permasharps which didn’t agree with me at all.
Try the Israeli Personnas. You might enjoy them. Or maybe life is too short and stick with whatever you like/get along with. I’ll send you a couple Israelis if you’d like to try em.
 
My experience is the complete opposite. They’re the only blade I’ve ever bought in bulk. I find they work well in every razor I own - not usually the best in any of them, but I know it will reliably be pretty sharp and pretty smooth. Never irritating. Vokshods are among the worst I’ve ever tried. I find them dull and irritating in every razor I own.
 
Had a similar epiphany with Voshkods. 99,9% of blades do actually behave the SAME. Yes. It's true. Mostly. My go to is a humble Shark Chrome, just to say. The Shark Chromes shave the same as dozens of other blades I tried. They shave well. Very well, I'd say.

But when you encounter the truly horrid ones, that's when you understand there are actually a few hell's children, after all. Voshkods are amongst them. And most others from Mostochlegmash actually.
 
Were these the German Personna blades you tried?

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I had just ordered a batch of these blades. I have initiated the refund process through Amazon. They are in my car, waiting to be dropped off at the UPS store, tomorrow morning!

Without a doubt, these were the absolute worst DE razor blades I have ever used. These things are awful!

With the exception of a few blades here and there that came with a razor, I buy all of my DE blades in packages of a hundred, or multiples thereof.

My "stash" consists of about two dozen of the most popular blades that are in current production. The prices for which range from 5-60 cents per blade.

Not one single blade out of any of these has ever been as rough on my face as these Blue Personna's.

And, I shave with every one of these blades in all of my razors, from the 34c and R89 to the R41. No issues at all.

So if these are the blades that you used, it is not you nor it it your razor!
 
The blade may have been a dud. I suggest you try another & see if it's just as bad. Sorry to put your face through that again! Searching for excellent blades can be hit & miss, but once you find several you like, you'll have smooth sailing for many ore years!
 
Wow! Are the new German Personnas that bad vs. The Israeli Reds? I love the Israeli Reds but haven’t tried the German ones.

I have 800-900 Israeli Reds as I like them so much and stocked up a couple years back while they were super cheap.
Hmm...
I highly regard Personna Platinums (both) and have not noticed a dropoff nearly as significant as presented.
I just finished last week with an Israeli Platinum, next week I will use a German Platinum.
 
The blade may have been a dud. I suggest you try another & see if it's just as bad. Sorry to put your face through that again! Searching for excellent blades can be hit & miss, but once you find several you like, you'll have smooth sailing for many ore years!
One more addition to my post above. Give the blade a second try. If I recall, those Personnas need one shave to smooth out. Your second shave should be much smoother than the first.
 
The German are not my fav but still maybe in top 7 or so ?
For sure a YMMV as I am sure some do not like them :)

I love the green 7 O’Clock many do not again a YMMV

do wonder if its a bad one or something
 
When I first tried the Personna platinum (Israeli version) blades the first two blades really didn’t work for me. Now I find them to be one of the blades I’ve used. I think part of it was my technique was still improving when I first tried them though
 
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