These daggum Bic Chrome Platinums…

[Proper Irish]

I just can’t get a bead on these things.

2 days ago I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Bison and found it to be a good, balanced sharp + smooth blade, but not overly so in either category. Performed very much like an Astra SP.

Today I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Overlander and it felt like the most highest performance blade I’ve ever used. Felt like it was sharp or even sharper than a Feather but smooth and gentle as can be.

I can’t tell if there’s significant sample-to-sample variation from blade to blade, or if these Bics are just super picky about which razor they’re in.


Anyone else have similar experiences with these Bics?

 

[nav]

I just can’t get a bead on these things.

2 days ago I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Bison and found it to be a good, balanced sharp + smooth blade, but not overly so in either category. Performed very much like an Astra SP.

Today I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Overlander and it felt like the most highest performance blade I’ve ever used. Felt like it was sharp or even sharper than a Feather but smooth and gentle as can be.

I can’t tell if there’s significant sample-to-sample variation from blade to blade, or if these Bics are just super picky about which razor they’re in.


Anyone else have similar experiences with these Bics?

Yup...mega picky with razors!!
Only the razors approved by the BIC blade will work well.

BIC is my daily blade, paired with either blackbird or progress.

It's quite a magical blade actually!!

 

[Cranky James]

Funny, I just used my last BIC Chrome Platinum and am considering restocking. The Feather is my #1 blade of choice but I like to change it up and the BICs always seemed to work for me. The razors I’ve used them in are the Leaf Twig, Razorock German 37, and Merkur 37C.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there are bad batches though. When I was still a cartridge shaver I was infuriated at how often I seemed to get a bad batch. It happens with all products really.

 

[WVShaver]

As mentioned above, every batch of blades can vary. Some of my blades like the GSBs have been very consistent through the years and even wrapper changes. But my Astra SPs are all over the place. One box was super sharp and felt like a Nacet but even smoother and was an amazing blade but others are at my lower end of acceptable sharpness. All are smooth and very usable blades. With my Nacets I’ve had slight variance but one box had very rough feeling blades. I only tested 2 blades from that box but it was nothing like any other Nacet I’ve tried.

For the Bics I found them sharper then Feathers. They were noticeably the sharpest blade I found in about 40-50 I tested so far. But I didn’t find them as smooth as I like, but they were better then Feathers. I don’t get the love for Feathers because for me they feel rough on my face and my Nacets & Rubies feel just as sharp without the harshness.

I can see why some would like the Bic since it is noticeably sharper. I may have to buy 100 for further testing in the future and see if it was just my tuck that had rougher blades. If the Bics I tested were just a little smoother I’d be using them all the time since I like my sharp blades. I just won’t sacrifice smoothness for sharpness. My top 3 are Rubie, Nacet, GSB.

 

[mcee_sharp]

They've found a wonderful home in my Progress (it puts a nice bend in them).

In my GC 84 it was like using a cheese grater to shave.

 

[ChriWilson]

These for me are similar to Feathers, in that I do not push longevity.
Though not my favorites, for my usage they have been fine up to 3-shaves in an R89 or ASD2 and then binned

 

[WVShaver]

They've found a wonderful home in my Progress (it puts a nice bend in them).

In my GC 84 it was like using a cheese grater to shave.

The 84p is my go to so maybe these need tested again in my Feather ASD2.

For me I’ve often found if a blade is rough feeling in one razor it’ll likely be rough in another as well but maybe the BIC will be the exception. I didn’t find the blade really harsh but it wasn’t very smooth either.

 

[JimL911]

Yup...mega picky with razors!!

This. Good blade in the right razor but I found it too picky.

 

[reformedshavr]

Yup...mega picky with razors!!
Only the razors approved by the BIC blade will work well.

BIC is my daily blade, paired with either blackbird or progress.

It's quite a magical blade actually!!

I have a Gillette 1930's NEW RFB LC and a 1931 NEW SC. Ironically, the BIC is the one blade that makes them shave like butter.

 

[nav]

This. Good blade in the right razor but I found it too picky.

Once you get the combo right, you'll not use any other blade

I have a Gillette 1930's NEW RFB LC and a 1931 NEW SC. Ironically, the BIC is the one blade that makes them shave like butter.

That's the thing...it's impossible to say which razor will pair up nicely. But the right combo makes it BUTTER SMOOTH!

 

[Brutus]

Although I never had a bad experience with BiC blades, I was reluctant to use them regularly as there always seemed to be reports of some people who had problems with them.

I used to believe that this was related to BiC quality control, but more recently I have come to believe that BiC blades work - for whatever reason - better with some razors than with others.

Be that as it may; I still have to come across the first BiC blade that does not work well in my razors and BiCs have now become my go-to blades, as they are close to Feathers in sharpness, close to Nacets in durability, and close to Astras in price (at least where I live).


Great blade…


B.

 

[DrakeMegrim]

BICs have been great for me. I've only got a tech and 6C so it's not a huge sample size of razors but they work amazingly. There's also the added benefit of no glue marks!

 

[psfred]

I avoid the issue of matching blades to razors by using an adjustable, it's unusual to find a blade that won't give me a good shave at some setting on the razor!

 

[BigJ]

This. Good blade in the right razor but I found it too picky.

+1! Yes indeed! They are not the best in my ‘daily driver‘ (Wolfman WR1). In contrast much better in my Lord L6!

 

[Largefarva]

This is a blade that just hasn’t worked for me at all no matter what I use it with. Granted, I haven’t used it in an extensive amount of razors…but it just doesn’t do a good job for me.

It is a comfortable shaving blade but it just doesn’t get close enough for me to get a BBS without doing extra passes and cleanup that I normally don’t have to do with any of my other blades.

And then I come across threads like this one and it makes me want to try again! So maybe I will try this blade on Sunday in my Henson ++ for a head shave.

 

[Zantetsuken]

I'm planning to put these in a GC 1.05. Praying it pairs well.

 

[dmshaver]

I find the Bic to be a sharp blade yet uncomfortable in many razors. I'm a fan of sharp blades as the Feather is my #1 blade. But the Bic is just too "hot" in most razors for me.

 

[Lil Cooties]

I quite like the BICs, works fantastic in my Fatip and well enough in my other razors, but I can understand it being a picky blade. Funnily enough, not a fan of Feathers, but I see the two compared often.

 

[Salty_Shaver]

I just can’t get a bead on these things.

2 days ago I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Bison and found it to be a good, balanced sharp + smooth blade, but not overly so in either category. Performed very much like an Astra SP.

Today I loaded a fresh Bic into my Karve Overlander and it felt like the most highest performance blade I’ve ever used. Felt like it was sharp or even sharper than a Feather but smooth and gentle as can be.

I can’t tell if there’s significant sample-to-sample variation from blade to blade, or if these Bics are just super picky about which razor they’re in.


Anyone else have similar experiences with these Bics?

Use the same razor and blades for 30 days then you will know if it’s the razor or the blades.

 

[mcee_sharp]

Had mentioned earlier in the thread they play well in my Progress. Another thing of note is that the sharper than avg Big CP (and Feather) can go 4 comfortable and efficient shaves in the Prog.

Wouldn't think of using them past 3 in others.