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Review from 20 Blade PIF - Part 5 Of 6

Yes, this is another 20 Blade PIF thread...actually part 5 of 6. Being lucky winner #5 of the 20 Blade PIF, I enthusiastically claim my place in line!! Each of us received 20 blades and were asked to select a few of the blades and review them.

Thank you, @Toothpick, for the generous and varied selection of blades. Luck of the draw, I haven't tried 15 out of the 20 blades, so I'm very glad to have participated and been selected!!

Now to the good stuff, trying blades!!

Blade Review - The Flying Eagle
FlyingEagle_1_2.JPG


Initial reaction - this blade is absolutely beautiful, black with relief print, made in exotic Shanghai, beautiful artwork, just a gorgeous blade!!

@lancre has recent reviewed the same blade: lancre's review of The Flying Eagle!

Look at this beauty - look at the lines this blade makes my razor, it's pulling me in, can't resist...
FlyingEagle_2_2.JPG


Ouch - Ok, enough drooling, harsh reality bites me on the chin!!

Contradictions galore - this blade has them in abundance - great name, great looking blade (what's more awesome than a black blade), great packaging, but, but, but...it is dull, dull, dull, right out of the top notch, doubled layer packaging. And yet after 2 passes (WTG and ATG) there was no razor burn; granted there were no cut whiskers, but, hey, you can't have everything. So pick and choose carefully.

The Shave - did I mention that this blade is dull? Wanted to make sure so that you're not fooled by this blade's amazing looks. It hugged and kissed and yanked and wrestled every hair on my face; wow, the shave was very painful...very painful. 6 hours later, I need to shave again.

Results - I really, really, really wanted to like this blade. But, the blade would have none of that. I recommend trying it just because you can then tell people that you've tried one of the most beautiful but worst blades available.
 
Yes, this is another 20 Blade PIF thread...actually part 5 of 6. Being lucky winner #5 of the 20 Blade PIF, I enthusiastically claim my place in line!! Each of us received 20 blades and were asked to select a few of the blades and review them.

Thank you, @Toothpick, for the generous and varied selection of blades. Luck of the draw, I haven't tried 15 out of the 20 blades, so I'm very glad to have participated and been selected!!

Now to the good stuff, trying blades!!

Blade Review - The Flying Eagle
View attachment 786303

Initial reaction - this blade is absolutely beautiful, black with relief print, made in exotic Shanghai, beautiful artwork, just a gorgeous blade!!

@lancre has recent reviewed the same blade: lancre's review of The Flying Eagle!

Look at this beauty - look at the lines this blade makes my razor, it's pulling me in, can't resist...
View attachment 786306

Ouch - Ok, enough drooling, harsh reality bites me on the chin!!

Contradictions galore - this blade has them in abundance - great name, great looking blade (what's more awesome than a black blade), great packaging, but, but, but...it is dull, dull, dull, right out of the top notch, doubled layer packaging. And yet after 2 passes (WTG and ATG) there was no razor burn; granted there were no cut whiskers, but, hey, you can't have everything. So pick and choose carefully.

The Shave - did I mention that this blade is dull? Wanted to make sure so that you're not fooled by this blade's amazing looks. It hugged and kissed and yanked and wrestled every hair on my face; wow, the shave was very painful...very painful. 6 hours later, I need to shave again.

Results - I really, really, really wanted to like this blade. But, the blade would have none of that. I recommend trying it just because you can then tell people that you've tried one of the most beautiful but worst blades available.

It was definitely playing hard-to-get.
 
You guys are great!! Thank you for the comments and encouragement!!

Blade Review - Wilkinson Sword
WilkinsonSword_Blade_1.jpg


Hmmm - anyone know why some images load sideways while others load correctly?

Initial reaction - this is definitely a German blade, this is an efficient, sharp, no frills blade, but pay attention, focus on the task at hand.

A long standing, personal matter - this is another blade that I've wanted to try from time immemorial. There were supposed to be Wilkinson Sword blades included in the sampler pack that I started DE shaving with, but the seller substituted Merkur blades. Now's my chance to check this off my bucket list.

The Shave - so far, I've had 2 close, long lasting shaves with this blade; however both shaves did result in some razor burn, too. It's definitely sharp and holds its edge. But don't get distracted like yours truly did, or you'll bare the brunt of its indignation, or a deep weeper, same thing in the end. It's not a smooth blade, but not a scratchy either; just an efficient blade that gets the job done. I'm using the Wilkinson Sword in a Maggard V2 OC which is not as aggressive razor as some, but not as mild as my regular Merkur 20C.

Results - decent shave, better than some (cough, cough, Flying Eagle, Derby, cough, cough) but not smooth like some others (cough, cough, Astra SP, Dorco Primes, cough, cough).

Hey - I know there's still a lot more blades to try, but I think I can still get 1 or 2 more shaves from this blade. So I'll switch it over to my Merkur 20C, just for grins. I'm not cheap, I just can't bring myself to throw this blade away while there's still shaves left on it. PS Anyone want to see my margarine container collection with mismatched lids?? Ok, maybe I'm cheap.
 
Blade Review - Wilkinson Sword (continued) - 4 Nice Shaves

Friday, I switched the blade over to my Merk and was able to get 2 additional nice shaves from this blade. By the end of shave #4, though, the performance was beginning to drop off, not drastically, but there was a sign for the upcoming off ramp. But, hey, that's 4 very good shaves.

Final impressions - I think this blade favors a milder razor (Merkur 20C), although it did work well in my OC (Maggard V2), just not as smooth. Now that I've been able to try this blade, I really wish it had been in the sampler pack, because I can see this blade working its way into my regular rotation...that is, when I actually settle on a regular rotation...
 
Blade Review - Rise Platinum by Super-Max

Blade_SuperMax_Rise_Platinum.jpg


First Impressions - the packaging reads Distributed by: Super-Max Ltd., so, after doing some research, it's an Indian blade made by Super-Max. Good looking blade, clean looking design on the wrapper. Let's do this.

The Prep - same old, same old, for an adventurer I sure do like my ruts

The Shave - it was an ok shave, nothing super special, and the only real point of interest is that I was only able to get 2 shaves from the blade before it became too dull and tuggy.

Final Thoughts - I'm glad I had the opportunity to try this blade. I wish something would have stood out.
 
Blade Review - Eddison Super Stainless by ??? (wait, I know this one) - 4 shaves

Blade_Eddison_SuperStainless.jpg


First Impressions - Hey!! That packaging looks familiar!! Other than the handwritten "Eddison" on the wrapper, this could have been any Israeli Personna factory blade (and there's a bunch of them)

Down Thru The Ages - Long ago and far away, the Eddison blade was developed by Okava for Israeli domestic distribution. After a while, the Okava company was sold to Perma-Sharp, who then sold their Israeli holding to ASR, which was then acquired by Edgewell. They are still made in Israel at the Personna blade factory. And like the Lords blade factory in Egypt, produce several difference brands, that perform very similar to each other.

The Prep - similar, either Merkur 20C or Maggard OC v2, 2 different Downeast Shave Soaps, etc, etc.

The Shave - the results of shaving with the Eddison blade was near indistinguishable from the Israeli Personna (IP Red) blade. I got 4 very nice, 2-pass shaves from this blade. I would have to say that, for me, like the IP Reds, this blade is at the top of the middle of the pack. Definitely a solid performer.

Final Thoughts - It awesome to see a historical blade continue to be manufactured and manufactured to a high standard. I liked this blade (and I like Israeli Personna also).
 
Blade Review - Eddison Super Stainless by ??? (wait, I know this one) - 4 shaves

View attachment 791593

First Impressions - Hey!! That packaging looks familiar!! Other than the handwritten "Eddison" on the wrapper, this could have been any Israeli Personna factory blade (and there's a bunch of them)

Down Thru The Ages - Long ago and far away, the Eddison blade was developed by Okava for Israeli domestic distribution. After a while, the Okava company was sold to Perma-Sharp, who then sold their Israeli holding to ASR, which was then acquired by Edgewell. They are still made in Israel at the Personna blade factory. And like the Lords blade factory in Egypt, produce several difference brands, that perform very similar to each other.

The Prep - similar, either Merkur 20C or Maggard OC v2, 2 different Downeast Shave Soaps, etc, etc.

The Shave - the results of shaving with the Eddison blade was near indistinguishable from the Israeli Personna (IP Red) blade. I got 4 very nice, 2-pass shaves from this blade. I would have to say that, for me, like the IP Reds, this blade is at the top of the middle of the pack. Definitely a solid performer.

Final Thoughts - It awesome to see a historical blade continue to be manufactured and manufactured to a high standard. I liked this blade (and I like Israeli Personna also).


Nice to see the historical background.
 
Blade Review - Lan Fei from Shanghai (be afraid, be very afraid)!!

Blade_LanFei.jpg

Initial reaction - um, the printing is off and the blade is punched poorly, maybe I shouldn't...ah, why not?!?

Second reaction - see, that's what you get for not paying attention to your initial reaction. I could only manage one-pass before having to change this out for a Personna.

Third reaction - @Toothpick, both a Flying Eagle and a Lan Fei in the same pack?!? Dude, have mercy!!

This blade literally (Todd from Scrubs) high-fived every hair on my face. Mind you, it didn't cut a one of them, not one!!, just whacked them and moved on. I checked for whisker speckles in the lather on the razor...NONE!!! Although the Graham-Fields and Flying Eagle blades were bad, at least they actually cut whiskers. The Lan Fei just left a swath of pain.

"Lan" is a Mandarin vulgarity and "Fei" means swift, so this Lan Fei blade is swiftly going to the bad place!!

Try this blade simply for the really bad experience!!
 
Grundi,
Let's see... Graham-Field, Flying Eagle AND Lan Fei? :a47:
Man, you must be THE bad blade magnet!
So far, I've only had to survive the Flying Eagle.:001_tt2:
 
Grundi,
Let's see... Graham-Field, Flying Eagle AND Lan Fei? :a47:
Man, you must be THE bad blade magnet!
So far, I've only had to survive the Flying Eagle.:001_tt2:
There must be some record that I'm close to breaking...how awesome would that be, to have tried THE MOST bad blades...and LIVED!!!

Pssstt...hey, @lancre, I've got some blade recommendation, heh, heh, heh!!

Well you never never know unless you try!
I must have been one of those kids who had to touch things...just to see if it was truly as hot as they told me it was!!

I am having a great time trying these blades...whether they're good or bad!!
 
There must be some record that I'm close to breaking...how awesome would that be, to have tried THE MOST bad blades...and LIVED!!!

Pssstt...hey, @lancre, I've got some blade recommendation, heh, heh, heh!!


I must have been one of those kids who had to touch things...just to see if it was truly as hot as they told me it was!!

I am having a great time trying these blades...whether they're good or bad!!

Forks in the AC outlets...
 
Blade Review - Lan Fei from Shanghai (be afraid, be very afraid)!!

View attachment 795727
Initial reaction - um, the printing is off and the blade is punched poorly, maybe I shouldn't...ah, why not?!?

Second reaction - see, that's what you get for not paying attention to your initial reaction. I could only manage one-pass before having to change this out for a Personna.

Third reaction - @Toothpick, both a Flying Eagle and a Lan Fei in the same pack?!? Dude, have mercy!!

This blade literally (Todd from Scrubs) high-fived every hair on my face. Mind you, it didn't cut a one of them, not one!!, just whacked them and moved on. I checked for whisker speckles in the lather on the razor...NONE!!! Although the Graham-Fields and Flying Eagle blades were bad, at least they actually cut whiskers. The Lan Fei just left a swath of pain.

"Lan" is a Mandarin vulgarity and "Fei" means swift, so this Lan Fei blade is swiftly going to the bad place!!

Try this blade simply for the really bad experience!!

I've got one of these lined up for my next blade change... :1eye:
 
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