Out of SP Astra, Gillette 7 O’clock Yellow and Green, Persona Platinum Chrome, Vokshod, Kai and Gillette GSB which would be the smoothest blade. I do a two pass shave with a Merkur 34 and I hate weepers, I tried Feather and way to sharp for me, my neck is a tiny bit sensitive.
Smoothest blade
- Thread starter Anthony88
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If by smoothest you mean least sharp, then it is probably the Astra SP. But less sharp doesn't necessarily mean fewer weepers or less irritation. Good luck!
this is a question only you can answer. blades are cheap, it is easy to test them. at RBC you can create your own sample pack, you don't even need to get a tuck of each.
Lately I have rediscovered Bic CPs, those are the sharpest blades out there, yet I find them smoother than mid-sharp blades.
Lately I have rediscovered Bic CPs, those are the sharpest blades out there, yet I find them smoother than mid-sharp blades.
You have a good list of blades that are usually recommended, but like the others have said, you'll have to try them and find out for yourself.
I tried a bunch of them and have been moving towards mild blades since that's what works for me. Again, like @spacemonkey42 said, less sharp blade does not always mean fewer weepers or irritation.
I tried a bunch of them and have been moving towards mild blades since that's what works for me. Again, like @spacemonkey42 said, less sharp blade does not always mean fewer weepers or irritation.
From your list, I find Astra SP and Voskhod to be not-very-sharp but they are both very smooth - just not sharp enough to cut my whiskers well. (just my experience with my whiskers --- many people LOVE Astra SP and get wonderful shaves from them)
Not on your list that I find extremely smooth and also sharp is Gillette Platinum (dark blue box). I've found them to work really well in every razor I've tried and they always give a comfortable shave. And they can be found around $10-12 per hundred so not much more than the Astra SP.
Not on your list that I find extremely smooth and also sharp is Gillette Platinum (dark blue box). I've found them to work really well in every razor I've tried and they always give a comfortable shave. And they can be found around $10-12 per hundred so not much more than the Astra SP.
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Gillette Siver Blue and Persona Comfort Glide give me the closest most comfortable shave. Feather are the sharpest but not always comfortable.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Gillette silver blue DE blades are sharp & smoooth and Astra SP are sharp and smooth that seems to be blades folks like to use a lot as a general over all useable blade and cost .
If I was you, I would try a pack of Derbys.
They have a reputation of being dull but smooth, kind of like a butter knife caked in Teflon. But they're still DE razor blades, even the dullest one is probably the sharpest object you own. IME, they give 3 or 4 shaves that are nearly as smooth as a disposable before the coating wears off.
Gillette Platinums are kind of similar. They start off smooth but very sharp as well, and they kick *** for 3 or 4 shaves until the coating wears down. For $10/100, they're a pretty great deal.
Kais are the opposite. They aren't especially smooth out of the wrapper, but they sit in a long groove of "pretty darn good" for like 8 shaves.
They have a reputation of being dull but smooth, kind of like a butter knife caked in Teflon. But they're still DE razor blades, even the dullest one is probably the sharpest object you own. IME, they give 3 or 4 shaves that are nearly as smooth as a disposable before the coating wears off.
Gillette Platinums are kind of similar. They start off smooth but very sharp as well, and they kick *** for 3 or 4 shaves until the coating wears down. For $10/100, they're a pretty great deal.
Kais are the opposite. They aren't especially smooth out of the wrapper, but they sit in a long groove of "pretty darn good" for like 8 shaves.
Silver Blue and Astra from my experience. Derbys are not as good as they used to be. Tell you what, if you want a smoother shave, get a slant bar razor. It glides instead of tugging. I'm to the point no where I want to sell all my non-collector razors because I use my Merkur slant all the time now.
Blades are the most YMMV aspect of ‘traditional’ wet shaving. As others note, only you can make this choice.
For me, there are two aspects to this question:
1. ‘Smoothest’ blade out of the wrapper, and
2. ‘Smoothest’ over the life of the blade.
Some blades, such as Personna labs, take a shave or three to really settle in for me.
For me, there are two aspects to this question:
1. ‘Smoothest’ blade out of the wrapper, and
2. ‘Smoothest’ over the life of the blade.
Some blades, such as Personna labs, take a shave or three to really settle in for me.
There's not one best blade for everybody. If you had a coarse black beard or light blonde peach fuzz, you would choose differently.
- Try the blades you're interested in and see how they do
- Beard preparation is very important and can make your shave much smoother
- Get a fresh blade whenever your old one gets tired
- Weepers and such are not from the blade, but from you
- A mild razor with a sharp blade is a good combo for most people. Dull blades are not the solution.
Agreed. I was literally answering the OP's question, but this ^^ is the complete answer. Although I am sticking with my position on slant bar razors being the smoothest shave you can get.
I'm using Derby Extras now and IMO the dull days are long over. Very smooth in my 1961 Tech.
So many factors are involved that one blade may feel smoother for one person but not for another. However, the same names keep coming up over and over. I find Lab Blues and GSBs are sharp enough to shave very efficiently but never seem to bite. A Feather, especially In a Feather AS-D2, can be exceptionally smooth, but in just about any other razor it can bite unless your technique is very good.
Tough to tell you what would be your grail blade.
You skin, and beard. Are like your finger prints, unique.
Ask 10 people your question, bet you get more then 1 same answers.
This can be a challenge, but I’d recommend you do a lot of reading here. Over time, you’ll find people who have similar needs and likes. The collective wisdom here is staggering.
At least, that’s what I did in several categories: soaps, brushes and razors. I saved a lot of time. I can’t say “money”…. Look at my tag line. I learned to trust several people’s advice. I have some awesome razors and the best blades for them and my face
I’ve tried just over a dozen blades in the past 10 years, only three of which made it to your initial list (Astra SP, Personna PC, and Feather; all very good but not smooth to me).
The only time I ever thought “OOOO, THIS is what they mean by a smooth blade” is when I tried a Tiger Platinum for the first time….but that is just me, it doesn’t get great reviews.
The only time I ever thought “OOOO, THIS is what they mean by a smooth blade” is when I tried a Tiger Platinum for the first time….but that is just me, it doesn’t get great reviews.
Not on the list but Treet Platinum. Such a consistent performer over 3 shaves too.
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