Sharpest DE blade?
- Thread starter Xcursion88
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Nice discussion, gents.
I have shaved with just 2 or my 10-tuck SHARP! Feathers and I have had slightly different experiences with each. They both start out ready to nick me but they "break in" to a glassy smooth phase (after 3 to 6 shaves) which lasts a long time (weeks). My first Feather lasted longer with more smoothness and fewer nicks than the second blade. Both blades went for weeks in my '57 Tech razor.
I have tried two Gillette Silver Blue blades, which I found to be effectively on par with the Feather's sharpness but much kinder. These went longer during their buttery smooth phase (which begins on shave 2 or 3) and had very good longevity. Fewer nicks, close to none.
I've also had good luck with Astra SP. I find them to be a close to the GSB in performance and may have longevity. For me they are sharp enough to meet the good shaving performance standards for closeness & comfort. I would be pleased with Astra SP or GSB for life, being a little less sharp than Feather. I don't think I'll purchase more Feather blades unless my beard continues to coarsen as the grey hairs fill in. (They don't shave as easily as my younger man's whiskers.) So for me it's not about which blade is the sharpest, it's about which blade delivers a shave which meets my standards and leaves me feeling comfortable.
I have shaved with just 2 or my 10-tuck SHARP! Feathers and I have had slightly different experiences with each. They both start out ready to nick me but they "break in" to a glassy smooth phase (after 3 to 6 shaves) which lasts a long time (weeks). My first Feather lasted longer with more smoothness and fewer nicks than the second blade. Both blades went for weeks in my '57 Tech razor.
I have tried two Gillette Silver Blue blades, which I found to be effectively on par with the Feather's sharpness but much kinder. These went longer during their buttery smooth phase (which begins on shave 2 or 3) and had very good longevity. Fewer nicks, close to none.
I've also had good luck with Astra SP. I find them to be a close to the GSB in performance and may have longevity. For me they are sharp enough to meet the good shaving performance standards for closeness & comfort. I would be pleased with Astra SP or GSB for life, being a little less sharp than Feather. I don't think I'll purchase more Feather blades unless my beard continues to coarsen as the grey hairs fill in. (They don't shave as easily as my younger man's whiskers.) So for me it's not about which blade is the sharpest, it's about which blade delivers a shave which meets my standards and leaves me feeling comfortable.
Again you are referring to his shave experience, his subjective judgements, not his objective tests.
+1
Same here. I found most of his reviews and test results to be consistent to how the blades felt to me, but not for all, which is just the YMMV factor. As a general review, it is quite good.
For example the Treed Black Beauty blades that he completely obliterated in his review. I have no experience with them, so can't say from personal experience, but for as horrible as he said they are, I'm sure there're some people out there who get nice shaves from them. But most likely I'll guess the general consensus will be that they are not so great.
I didnt find Kai sharp either, but they are smooth with a very nice blade feel.
Gillette Yellow are top of the heap for me. They cut better than any other blade I've tried and are in a different world of smoothness compared to Feather. Feather blades dont cut that well for me and never have, but in my R41 they give me one very good shave.
Bic Chrome Platinum I also found to be a very sharp and smooth blade.
Polsilver is my standard. Both sharp and smooth with some blade feel for the first 4 shaves. After that it just gets smoother and sharper. I used one for 20 shaves. It was, and still is, the best blade I have ever used, on its 20th shave.
Nacet I found sharp but I honestly dont think I could tell one from an Astra SP, which are also sharp.
Derby Extra, the older version too I might add, made in into my top 3 blades from nearly 30 different types tested.
The moral of my story being, everyones skin and hair types, composition, are different. Finding the blade that matches you, is the important part.
+1
Same here. I found most of his reviews and test results to be consistent to how the blades felt to me, but not for all, which is just the YMMV factor. As a general review, it is quite good.
For example the Treed Black Beauty blades that he completely obliterated in his review. I have no experience with them, so can't say from personal experience, but for as horrible as he said they are, I'm sure there're some people out there who get nice shaves from them. But most likely I'll guess the general consensus will be that they are not so great.
I found his reviews like most everyone's, very subjective to his skin and whiskers. Treet Black Beauty's are one of my favourite blades, I use them in summer for a BBS and irritation free have, they don't last very long, I get 2 quality shaves, but to me they are worth buying and like anything else, my advice is to try the blades and make your own decision. One thing I learned (been wet shaving forever, and DE shaving for a year) is try razors, blades, brushes, and software and make your own decision what works for you. I hear guys like Derby, I could not get a 1/2 decent shave with them. To each his own
Not "most everyone" everyone. I give Chase's reviews more weight because he's also informed by his objective tests. He's also a fellow head shaver, and as a general rule I don't pay much attention to blade reviews from non head-shavers.
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- #27
From blades I've experience with I think the out of the box number is damn accurate.
The second and third shave numbers on some I wonder about.
That's why I said about Wilkinson sword blades.
To me it seems no way those blades are sharper at that point than before. By shave three I'm ready to discard a Wilkinson sword blade for a new one.
I love super sharp blades but at shave three they no longer seem very sharp.
Definitely out of the box these numbers seem spot on.
It's a great read and guide none the less.
Thanks
You are referring to which Wilkinson . The two Chase tested had very different sharpness profiles, the Chinese-Indian only marginally sharper on second use, the German pretty drastically so.
Absolutely true. There are so many different skin and hair types, and this seems to make blade choice like scent or taste.
Some people have skin tough enough to allow them to shave with an axe!
In my case, I'm weak-sauce and can't even shave ATG on my neck with a DE, or I just haven't found the right blade that will allow me to comfortably do that yet, so I'll keep trying blades (there are still so many I haven't tried).
I will give the black beauties a try someday. They definitely look very cool.
Feather
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- #31
In
I'm talking about this one
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For me Indian Gillette Blacks were good balance between sharpness and comfortable. But they seem to go pretty dull by 5th shave and hit the wall by 7th shave. Then I discovered Polsilvers and it was something else. Sharp as they are, they become smooth by 3rd shave and then just stays sharp+smooth till even a 10th shave.
Feathers were sharpest for me but that's all they have in them before hitting the dull wall by 4th shave. I'd rather stick with a sharp but comfortable blade than with sharpest one.
Feathers were sharpest for me but that's all they have in them before hitting the dull wall by 4th shave. I'd rather stick with a sharp but comfortable blade than with sharpest one.
I usually do heavy. This thing however, all in, is only 40 grams. And I want it!
Above the Tie. Cool little, LIGHT aluminum razor.
Above the Tie. Cool little, LIGHT aluminum razor.
Gotcha. You'll note in Chase's subjective review although the blade tested much sharper on second use (which might be fourth use for a non head shaver) it didn't change the character of the shave for him. Thus it might not "feel" sharper in the same way as some other coated blades do as they are broken in. I have only a few shaves with the German Wilkie so speculation on my part.
How is this possible?
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