Question to fans of Voskhod blades?

[skibik]

For those that have used a number of these blades and like them did you happen to find dud or dulls blades in any of the tucks?

I ask because I just acquired 100 of them and the first shave I only made it through half the shave and had to load up a different brand blade all together. The blade felt as if it was scraping the whiskers of instead of cutting.

I have been DE shaving for 9 months after 30+ years of electric shavers and twin disposables. I have been trying samples and found a couple decent blades but still looking for something better. The Merkur blade in the Merkur 34C on my very first shave was awesome but the tuck I acquired since leave something to be desired. I have been working through some samples and found a couple that work but not like the very first DE shave. So with all the rave about Voskhod I decided to pick some up, my big mistake without trying them first. So, I was just wondering if any of you have come across duds or dull blades with Voskhod. I ask because I don't even know if I care to try another one of these blades. If so I wonder if opening a different tuck would help.

Any help on this topic would really be appreciated.

PS, please no responses like "have you tried ______ blade". I am just wondering if there are duds with this brand and whether I should even try another blade.

Just to list what I have tried:
Wilkinson Sword Classic(one of the few that works okay for me)
Gillette 7 o'clock Permasharp(another one that works okay)
Perma Sharp(Russian) (didn't work when I first used it but it does okay now)
Feather(real rough at first, so-so now)
Astra SP(not good at all)
Shark(not good)
Personna Red(same feeling as the Voskhod)
Store branded Personna(used one threw the rest)
Topaz
Laser or Vidyut(can't remember if they are one in the same or used them both)
Gillette Wikinson Sword(India)
Merkur(blade that came with razor was wonderful, new tuck not good)
Derby(just finished a tuck, they were okay but won't be buying anymore)

 

[cw62803]

Yes - that exact thing has happened to me. Usually I find Voskhods one of the smoothest, most enjoyable blades out there - but recently I opened one that was virtually unusable - rough and uneven.

I still consider it one of the great values out there.

 

[skibik]

Yes - that exact thing has happened to me. Usually I find Voskhods one of the smoothest, most enjoyable blades out there - but recently I opened one that was virtually unusable - rough and uneven.

I still consider it one of the great values out there.

Have you had the chance to use another one yet from that shipment? I am reluctant to try another one.

I won't shave until tomorrow morning but usually the day before I make my selection on a blade if it is time to change(still working on samples). I grabbed another one from the same tuck, put it in the razor and thinking no I can't and tossed it before even using it. I grabbed a new tuck of them and pulled one out and will give that a chance in the morning. I do have a back up razor ready with a different blade if I find myself in the same predicament.

 

[cw62803]

Have you had the chance to use another one yet from that shipment? I am reluctant to try another one.

I won't shave until tomorrow morning but usually the day before I make my selection on a blade if it is time to change(still working on samples). I grabbed another one from the same tuck, put it in the razor and thinking no I can't and tossed it before even using it. I grabbed a new tuck of them and pulled one out and will give that a chance in the morning. I do have a back up razor ready with a different blade if I find myself in the same predicament.

I did, and the others were fine.

 

[skibik]

I did, and the others were fine.

Thanks. Gives me a little more confidence to give another blade a try in the morning.

 

[Attercop]

My hair grows pretty slow. 2 days is a salt and pepper look and that's the perfect time to use a voskhod IMO. 3-4 days is a little longer and it will tug on the first pass. It's not the sharpest but the smoothest shave with no irritation as long as my whiskers aren't too long. Also 2nd shave with this blade is better than brand new somehow

 

[CamberwellCarrot]

I haven't encountered any sub-par Voskhod blades as yet. For me, they're one of my favourite blades - very smooth and very inexpensive to boot.

 

[GoneRetroInOH]

So far my luck with Voshkod has been good. I just did a seventh shave with one this morning, seemed good as new.

 

[Adam18]

I'm very happy with my first 5 pack of Voskhods. A perfect match for my Maggard's MR5 - V.3 razor. In fact, I just bought a 100 blade pack from Italian Barber. The 100 pack was delivered a few days ago, and I have not yet tried a blade from it. I'll probably open it up in a couple of weeks, and I'll post my impressions here.

 

[skibik]

Shaved this morning on a 2 day beard just like Saturday and I didn't make it through half the shave. Funny thing is I start on my neck right side and move to the left, my skin or beard area just under the left side of my chin has always been a little more difficult to shave and this blade feels like it is trying the rip the whiskers out by the roots. It started fine on the right side and thought "hey the first blade might have been a dud" and as I was hitting center neck it is like I lost the edge on the blade. There are 2 other blades that have felt this bad. One was the Personna Red and that one I thought I was shaving with cat claws and ditto on a grocery store Personna the one in the 10 blade dispenser, those were just as bad and pitch the remainder of those.

Well I will set them aside for now and figure out what to do with them.

Thanks for the help.

 

[cw62803]

Shaved this morning on a 2 day beard just like Saturday and I didn't make it through half the shave. Funny thing is I start on my neck right side and move to the left, my skin or beard area just under the left side of my chin has always been a little more difficult to shave and this blade feels like it is trying the rip the whiskers out by the roots. It started fine on the right side and thought "hey the first blade might have been a dud" and as I was hitting center neck it is like I lost the edge on the blade. There are 2 other blades that have felt this bad. One was the Personna Red and that one I thought I was shaving with cat claws and ditto on a grocery store Personna the one in the 10 blade dispenser, those were just as bad and pitch the remainder of those.

Well I will set them aside for now and figure out what to do with them.

Thanks for the help.

i hope you find something that works for you.

 

[skibik]

i hope you find something that works for you.

I have a couple that work pretty decent, the Wilkinson Sword Classic and the Gillette 7 o'clock Permasharp. I just have to stop looking for that one blade that becomes "the one". I am going back through my samples, using them up and then order the one that is the best of them and concentrate more on the shave.

Even though some of the shave I have had in the last 9 months of DE have left something to be desired at least for the most part I am enjoying the shave again. After 30+ years, the last few years especially, I haven't said that very often but time are a changing.

 

[Lenaud01]

I have a couple that work pretty decent, the Wilkinson Sword Classic and the Gillette 7 o'clock Permasharp. I just have to stop looking for that one blade that becomes "the one". I am going back through my samples, using them up and then order the one that is the best of them and concentrate more on the shave.

Even though some of the shave I have had in the last 9 months of DE have left something to be desired at least for the most part I am enjoying the shave again. After 30+ years, the last few years especially, I haven't said that very often but time are a changing.

Have you tried a feather of Personna med prep?

 

[meliahog]

My two blades that I find work the best for me are:
1. Wilkinson Sword Classic (German, Black tuck/white insert)
2. Gillette Platinum Plus (get them at Walgreen's)
Razor is either an EJ Long Handle or 1948 Gillette Aristocrat. Great shave from both with either blade.

I have a 5 pack of Voskhod and used one blade. Gave a good shave, but not as sharp as the WSC or GPP.
I have in my den but have not tried the Feather or the Astra SP (glad Atsra's were free samples from WCS orders based on your post.)

Mikey

 

[skibik]

Have you tried a feather of Personna med prep?

I tried Feather, it is listed in the first post, as it was my first purchase with the Merkur 34c and they get the job done but I just don't care for them. After trying a Personna Red and those Personna grocery store blades I won't let any type of Personna near my face again.

I am running back through my samples and going to use them one as most of them I can put up with one shave. When I near the end it will likely be either Wilkinson Sword Classics or 7 o'clock Permasharp blades.

 

[skibik]

My two blades that I find work the best for me are:
1. Wilkinson Sword Classic (German, Black tuck/white insert)
2. Gillette Platinum Plus (get them at Walgreen's)
Razor is either an EJ Long Handle or 1948 Gillette Aristocrat. Great shave from both with either blade.

I have a 5 pack of Voskhod and used one blade. Gave a good shave, but not as sharp as the WSC or GPP.
I have in my den but have not tried the Feather or the Astra SP (glad Atsra's were free samples from WCS orders based on your post.)

Mikey

I live in a rural area of the state and no Walgreen's within a couple hours. If I see a Walgreen's next time I hit the bigger city I will stop in and check for blades. Our local drugstore carries those Wilkinson Swords Classics in the black tuck for around a buck thirty, I do like them in the Ball end Tech but so-so in the Slim. Astra SP's my friend gave me one but wasn't to impressed with it. When I ordered my gold plated Slim from Hibco I bought a 50 blade sampler that I have been working on for a few months and that had a pack of Astra's but I have not come to open them yet. I am going to re-try them when I get through the 2 different free Rapira blades that came as free gifts with this order of Voskhod blades. I am little leery to try them since they come from the same factory. But I already have my Tech loaded so if the Rapira blade goes belly up part way in I am ready.

 

[neosaint99]

I think Voskhods are coated, even on the edge. So for me generally the 1st stroke or so on each edge will be draggy. But it smooths up after that and is a great blade. Have not had any problems with them thus far.

 

[Robwiz]

I've got on really well with Voskhods and haven't had any duds. I find them the smoothest of all I've tried and they certainly give me the most comfortable shaves.

I'm just wondering whether you might try varying your technique. The neck is the trickiest part of the shave because of the direction of growth and judging the angles.

How about starting parallel to your ears and work inwards then shave your neck after both sides, moustache area and chin? Also, experiment with as shallow a blade angle as you can achieve. Also try shorter, slower strokes.

 

[neosaint99]

Agree with Rob. Also, the 34C has a lot of weight. I may be repeating but just let it glide. Also, let it follow the flats of your neck, if that makes any sense. Even when choosing to go WTG, XG or ATG, the razor needs to be angled so that the safety bar can make maximum contact with the skin without having to press much. So, at least for me, when shaving below the jaw, its always a compromise else I would be applying too much pressure resulting in quite a bit of razor burn.

 

[skibik]

Like everyone else I have a certain way I shave my face, same way I have been doing it for 30+ years and I really don't plan on changing it for this blade. I started this DE venture at the beginning of the year and the 34C was the first razor and I got a nice shave from it, better than I had been getting with my Dad's Injector and the twin disposables I had been using. I think I pretty much have the technique down and I know I do stray once in a while but not this bad.

This morning I tried the Rapira Platinum Lux that was sent to me with the Voskhods as a free gift and I still couldn't finish the first pass. Luckily I had a Merkur blade(a blade that hasn't been so nice to me lately either) loaded into my Ball End Tech for back up and finished the rest of the shave with 3 passes plus touch ups(usually I only do 2, WTG and combination or between XTG/ATG pass and some touch ups ATG) and I ended up with a near BBS shave and no irritation. Haven't been able to say that in a couple weeks. I have another freebie Rapira blade that come with the shipment and not even going to load it. I am tossing it.

Conclusion, That me thinking the first blade was a dud was all wrong since after using one from a different tuck and even the Platinum Lux this morning they are not duds, they just feel dull to.

I would like to thank all of you that responded but this thread has come to an end. I can't use the blades and they are gone.

Thanks.