What 5 blade pack do you wish you had received if you first bought a razor and blades in a beginner pack??

[Alum Ladd]

My first razor came with a 5 pack of Derby extras. I found these to be *cough* sub-optimal for my needs. In fact they nearly made me give up before I had started.

I suspect that if a little more thought would go into choosing a 'good' blade by manufacturers and distributors selling often nice razors with often 'bad' blades, many, many more would stick with the hobby. Again I would probably guess that maybe 40% of new D/E shavers give up because of manufacturers 5 pack blade sample choices. (A wild guess on that percentage estimate, but I suspect it's a lot)

What blade choice would you put into a newbie razor pack if you were a manufacturer? Obviously economics has most to do with it I s'pose, but any thoughts on the 'ideal' starter blade with a new razor? What would you have liked to have received?
I am counting out Feathers because they would be not a good pick for most newbies I suspect.

 

[Seelector]

Astra SP seems like a good and cheap choice to me! My first "real" DE razor was a Rockwell 6C which ships with some truly terrible blades IMO. Luckily the vendor I bought it from threw in a tuck of Astra SP's which are still one of my favourite blades.

 

[silverlifter]

Astra SP seems like a good and cheap choice to me!

Agree. This was the tuck I was given with my first safety, and I'm still using them today.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I would include and I use Lord Platinum, Voskhod, Rapira Platinum Lux / Swedish Supersteel, and Ladas. I would include but do not use Astra Stainless / Platinum and Wilkinson Sword. The only blades I have really disliked were Derby, Rockwell, Treet, and Merkur. I like Feather and Kai but they are not for a starter pack.

 

[Alum Ladd]

@Seelector & @silverlifter Yeah, I would have preferred Astra, but now I have a prejudice against Derby Extras. Maybe unfair, but they were dull and hard work I thought. I have discovered The Gillette/WS Saloon packs made in Gillettes (?) Indian plant. They seem to punch way above price point. £3.60 for 55 on Ebay. Smooth and very efficient. Not tried Astra yet.

I am going to sanitise and use my 40's English tech tomorrow night for the first time. I've got 20 IP's so I will pair them up.

 

[Legacoid]

I have to agree - I don't think a single razor I've bought has come with blades that I've found usable!

I'd add Lord's Silver Star blades to the suggestions already made - I still find it to be a very good balance between sharpness, smoothness and longevity / consistency. However, I think razor manufacturers might do better to include a variety pack rather than a single brand, along with instructions to work through all of them if the user doesn't luck out with a good match on the first try.

 

[Billy T.]

Definitely Polsilver S.I

 

[lancre]

My first razor came with a 5 pack of Derby extras. I found these to be *cough* sub-optimal for my needs. In fact they nearly made me give up before I had started.

I suspect that if a little more thought would go into choosing a 'good' blade by manufacturers and distributors selling often nice razors with often 'bad' blades, many, many more would stick with the hobby. Again I would probably guess that maybe 40% of new D/E shavers give up because of manufacturers 5 pack blade sample choices. (A wild guess on that percentage estimate, but I suspect it's a lot)

What blade choice would you put into a newbie razor pack if you were a manufacturer? Obviously economics has most to do with it I s'pose, but any thoughts on the 'ideal' starter blade with a new razor? What would you have liked to have received?
I am counting out Feathers because they would be not a good pick for most newbies I suspect.

My first DE, a Merkur 23C, came with a seven tuck sampler which included a tuck each of pre-2016 Derby Extras, Feathers, 7 O'Clock SS (Russian), Bic, Shark SC, Merkur, and Lord Platinum Class.

Of these, I would recommend to manufacturers that they ship the 7 O'Clock first, then the Derby Extras.

The Extras were the first blade I tried, and they absolutely blew away the carts I'd used before. Today, they are my index blade as I know them better than any other.

The 7 O'Clocks SS blades were sharper but if I'd started with them, I'd have done myself an injury.

 

[Cafebarian]

Wish I started with Shark Platinum! Would have saved a lot of time trying all the Russian brands

 

[Alum Ladd]

My first DE, a Merkur 23C, came with a seven tuck sampler which included a tuck each of pre-2016 Derby Extras, Feathers, 7 O'Clock SS (Russian), Bic, Shark SC, Merkur, and Lord Platinum Class.

Of these, I would recommend to manufacturers that they ship the 7 O'Clock first, then the Derby Extras.

The Extras were the first blade I tried, and they absolutely blew away the carts I'd used before. Today, they are my index blade as I know them better than any other.

The 7 O'Clocks SS blades were sharper but if I'd started with them, I'd have done myself an injury.

That's interesting that you say pre-2016 Derbys @lancre. Have they really gone down hill since? I am interested in getting a couple of packs of Russian blades 7 O'Clock and the Voshkod, and trying the Bics.

 

[lancre]

That's interesting that you say pre-2016 Derbys @lancre. Have they really gone down hill since? I am interested in getting a couple of packs of Russian blades 7 O'Clock and the Voshkod, and trying the Bics.

No, they were redesigned in 2016, making them thinner and sharper than they had been previously. The older blades came in a tuck that read properly in portrait mode, and the newer ones read properly in landscape mode.
There were a lot of the older blades in stock after the change, so you need to look at the labeling to be sure. It could be my imagination, but it seems to me that the old Extras were a little pickier about your angle of attack.

How long have you been shaving with a DE?

 

[Alum Ladd]

No, they were redesigned in 2016, making them thinner and sharper than they had been previously. The older blades came in a tuck that read properly in portrait mode, and the newer ones read properly in landscape mode.
There were a lot of the older blades in stock after the change, so you need to look at the labeling to be sure. It could be my imagination, but it seems to me that the old Extras were a little pickier about your angle of attack.

How long have you been shaving with a DE?

Will be coming up to 2 months in a week or so. Wonderful! Relaxing, challenging, historically rich, and full of retro tech. Well I am a retro model myself. A great new hobby.
It's ironic that the last of the boomer generation got sucked into plastic disposables, foam and carts. It was our huge trust with the 'new' and trust in 'science and modernity' that lured us away from classic DE shaving that the earlier boomers rightly stuck with.

 

[Stuart Ganis]

My first bought razor came with Gillette Blue blades, that was back in 1958..

 

[Alum Ladd]

My first bought razor came with Gillette Blue blades, that was back in 1958..

Nice! What kind of shave did you get with those blades compared with any of todays? May I ask what razor you got?

 

[Mempho]

If I were buying I'd wish for Gillette Silver Blues, the king of blades in my opinion. But if I were selling, I'd definitely load the buyer up with every one of my remaining Derbys.

 

[Anu]

Probably Feather, Gillette (7 O'clock Yellow, Perma-Sharp, Rubie and Siver-Blue) and Voskhod. Had more than acceptable experiences will all of them, granted, I do prefer an edge on the on the wicked side. These days I mainly use them in Gillettes ranging from old style, new, hybrid tech and adjustables.

 

[JCarr]

Good inexpensive blades:

1) Gillette Wilkinson Sword
2) Silver Star
3) Astra Stainless Steel
4) Sharp Titanium
5) Derby Premium
6) Shark Platinum

 

[Yuritau]

Either of the Astras, Gillette Platinum, Polsilver SI, or Kai.

Only the KCG razor has come with a blade that was at all decent.

 

[Whilliam]

The only razor I ever got that included a blade was an R41; the blade was a Derby Extra. Rough and tuggy, a total waste of steel. I'd opt for Astra greens, at least in an R41.

 

[lancre]

Will be coming up to 2 months in a week or so. Wonderful! Relaxing, challenging, historically rich, and full of retro tech. Well I am a retro model myself. A great new hobby.

Set aside the Derby Extras and any other blade you aren't happy with, but don't discard them. You're still early on the learning curve. Your technique is changing shave-by-shave at this point. Try those blades again a year from now, and you may find your opinion of them has changed. I know that happened to me with Merkur blades. Also, the best blade for you in one razor may not be the best in a different razor.

BTW, what was the orientation of the type on the tuck label for your Derbys?