What blade do you use in your Muramasa?

[BigAlVista]

I find that some razors seem to have a sweet spot for some blades (at least for me). With the Blackbird Lite, Israeli reds work really well. With my Timeless .95, I love the Kai blades. Wizamets for the Blackbird OC. BIC, Feather and Permasharps for the Henson...But I just can't seem to find "the one" for the Muramasa (stainless).

I've been trying different blades in the Muramasa trying to find one that yields a shave worth the price. No luck, so far. Noting that technique can have a big impact, I've been trying blades at different aggression settings (from 3 to 5), experimented with different angles (ride the guard, ride the cap, neutral angle), and have tried different levels of pressure.

What blade do you use for your Muramasa? Have you found its soul mate?

 

[Amorphous Metal]

Well most of my shaves is with Feathers, and I like it the most in Muramasa. Some shaves I had with Feathers were the sharpest and smoothest I ever had with any razor. However technique and slippery nature of a soap really do matters a lot. I find Feathers in Muramasa to be the best in really slippery lathers using neutral angle.

Recently I found Perma-Sharps were quite good, almost as sharp. I consider purchasing larger amount just for price/performance ratio for me in comparisson with Feathers. (I have to test Nacet, since it is supposed to be similar.)

Dorcos (STP301 and ST301) are surprisingly good. These blades I choose if time is of the essence. Put one Dorco in and then go zapping around your face. If speed, CCS or DFS is your goal. Really smooth albeit with a lower sharpness.

 

[abies]

I'm probably not the right person to answer this because I've been experimenting a lot with blades since I got my Muramasa. Also, in general, whatever I use in other razors feels smoother to me in a Muramasa, so in that sense they're all good blades in the Muramasa for me.

I guess if I had to pick I'd say Personnas in the Muramasa I like the most, but I haven't used a Feather in it yet. My guess is if I had one I'd like it but I haven't tried it yet. I also have liked Timor in it but I haven't used many blades with it yet.

 

[Brutus]

For my steel and Ti Muramasas I use all my regular blades (in declining order of frequency):
Bic, Nacet, Feather, Permasharp,
the occasional Rapira, Astra Stainless and,
even less often, Astra Platinum and Personna blades.

As I spend most of the year in Europe, Personna blades, which are rarely found in Europe, are a bit of an outlier for me.

I keep the Muramasas at a setting of 4 or 5, which gives me a similar blade exposure and gap as my Masamune Nodachi Ti.


B.

 

[abies]

For my steel and Ti Muramasas I use all my regular blades (in declining order of frequency): Bic, Nacet, Feather, Permasharp, the occasional Rapira, Astra Stainless and, even less often, Astra Platinum and Personna blade.

I have the razor set at 4 or 5, which gives me a similar blade exposure and gap as my Masamune Nodachi Ti.


B.

This might or might not be a tangential, but do you feel like your titanium and stainless Muramasas shave the same in term of blade feel and things like that (putting aside things like heat transfer, smoothness of the cap surface, and so forth)?

 

[BigAlVista]

OK. Thanks everyone. The consensus seems to be "sharp blade, with mild to moderate exposure". Trying a Kai right now. Started on 5 with a fresh blade. Left me a bit sore after the second pass. Gonna try that same blade on a 4 tomorrow. After the Kai is dead, I'll try Lab Blues and Israeli Reds. Then some sharper Gillette blades (7 O'clock Black's, Nacets and PermaSharps, then BIC and finally Feathers. I've already tried Wizamets and Rapira Plat. Luxes. Those are both blades I love in my Blackbird, but couldn't get an easy BBS shave with them in the Muramasa.

 

[BigAlVista]

Well most of my shaves is with Feathers, and I like it the most in Muramasa. Some shaves I had with Feathers were the sharpest and smoothest I ever had with any razor. However technique and slippery nature of a soap really do matters a lot. I find Feathers in Muramasa to be the best in really slippery lathers using neutral angle.

Recently I found Perma-Sharps were quite good, almost as sharp. I consider purchasing larger amount just for price/performance ratio for me in comparisson with Feathers. (I have to test Nacet, since it is supposed to be similar.)

Dorcos (STP301 and ST301) are surprisingly good. These blades I choose if time is of the essence. Put one Dorco in and then go zapping around your face. If speed, CCS or DFS is your goal. Really smooth albeit with a lower sharpness.

What setting did you use with the Feathers? At 4.5, I got a bit of irritation, but at 3, did not get a close shave. Note that I am a daily shaver with a moderately sensitive lower neck. My best shaves have been with the following: One Blade, Blackbird OC or SB with Wizamets, Blackbird Lite with Israeli Reds, and Timeless .95 with Kai blades. Feathers/BICs/Pernasharps/Nacets in a Henson + or ++ have also been great.

 

[Zule]

For me, I find that the adjustable aspect of the razor allows you to compensate for a lot of different razor blades and still get a smooth shave. For a derby, I’ll use a 3 or 4 setting for the first couple shave’s and it will be smooth. For sharper blades like Wizamets, Perma-Sharps, Feathers, etc I’ll start off on 1 and after three shaves I’ll move up to three and my last couple shaves I’ll set to 4 or 4.5. I can get a higher number of comfortable shaves out of a sharper razor blade than just 3-4 out of say, a Derby.
The only blade I disliked in the Muramasa was the Treet Carbon blade even at 5 initially

 

[Zule]

Also. I bought the new Razor Blades made by Tatara. They pair quite well with their safety razor and I highly recommend them. I would say they are very middle of the road for sharpness, smoothness, and longevity.

 

[Amorphous Metal]

What setting did you use with the Feathers?

I usually use it at 3 for a new Feather blade. 4 is the max level I would sometimes use.

 

[BigAlVista]

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Amorphous Metal]

Also. I bought the new Razor Blades made by Tatara.

I am vary of such blades, since I had a bad experience with one such case (not Tatara). I fell for one such promise of a competing company, claiming the blades were made to exacting specifications of its razor. I bought 100 and for a couple of tucks all was fine, but then tuck after tuck, a series of dull blades. The only time when I was furious about something connected with my wet shaving journey. I binned all the rest since I had no intention of searching the good blades out of the bad ones.

I fully understand economical motives for such products which is in essence to sell to the buyers of their razors also DE blades as a way for happy customers to generate revenue with consumable product (raison d'etre invented by Gillete). The cheapest you get them the larger your (as a razor company) margin. The problem is, that quality assurance unfortunately costs alot, whereas quality control is probably all that some manufacturers use. I fancy myself believing these Tatara blades have better quality since they are proclaimed to be made in Europe.

One of the reasons I also, for the time being, prefer the Feather blades and am willing to accept the bill that comes with them, is that knowing about Japanes (cultural) obsession with a certain way of doing things, which combined with quality assurance being tightly knit into their "way" for the last couple of decades, I think Feathers (and Kai) have the highest probability of being up to spec and as intended as far as DE blades are concerned.

 

[BigAlVista]

I am vary of such blades, since I had a bad experience with one such case (not Tatara). I fell for one such promise of a competing company, claiming the blades were made to exacting specifications of its razor. I bought 100 and for a couple of tucks all was fine, but then tuck after tuck, a series of dull blades. The only time when I was furious about something connected with my wet shaving journey. I binned all the rest since I had no intention of searching the good blades out of the bad ones.

I fully understand economical motives for such products which is in essence to sell to the buyers of their razors also DE blades as a way for happy customers to generate revenue with consumable product (raison d'etre invented by Gillete). The cheapest you get them the larger your (as a razor company) margin. The problem is, that quality assurance unfortunately costs alot, whereas quality control is probably all that some manufacturers use. I fancy myself believing these Tatara blades have better quality since they are proclaimed to be made in Europe.

One of the reasons I also, for the time being, prefer the Feather blades and am willing to accept the bill that comes with them, is that knowing about Japanes (cultural) obsession with a certain way of doing things, which combined with quality assurance being tightly knit into their "way" for the last couple of decades, I think Feathers (and Kai) have the highest probability of being up to spec and as intended as far as DE blades are concerned.

Totally agree with you on the QC topic. The Kai blades are not the sharpest out of the wrapper, but seem to be really well engineered for a specific profile. It is the *only* blade that gives me a consistent, easy, low alum feedback BBS shave on my Timeless. Feels like the blade is a bit stiffer than others, and consistently so across tucks. I don't wonder if the shave will be the same as the last one (definitely an issue with some blades).

Same with the Feathers. Every feather is just like every other...one super aggressive shave followed by two identical but less aggressive ones. Then, to the bin.

 

[lisamiller]

Interesting discussion! I've been using Feathers in my Muramasa and find that a setting of 3.5 gives me the perfect balance between sharpness and comfort. I've noticed that the angle and pressure are crucial to avoid irritation, especially on my sensitive neck area. Has anyone tried using Gillette Silver Blues? I'm curious if they might offer a smoother shave without sacrificing closeness.

 

[BigAlVista]

I tried GSBs. Was a good shave, but not like "this is the one". I got some irritation from it. For a razor that costs $400+ with the base, "Good" isn't good enough. Right?

 

[BigAlVista]

Interesting discussion! I've been using Feathers in my Muramasa and find that a setting of 3.5 gives me the perfect balance between sharpness and comfort. I've noticed that the angle and pressure are crucial to avoid irritation, especially on my sensitive neck area. Has anyone tried using Gillette Silver Blues? I'm curious if they might offer a smoother shave without sacrificing closeness.

With the Feathers, how were shaves 2, 3 and 4? Did you up the aggression to 4 on the follow ups?

 

[BigAlVista]

BTW, It's 10 hours since I tried the Kai blade at Level 5. Still no stubble. If I can get the same level of hair cutting at level 4, I'm thinking I may be good to go. I'm finding I really like the extra stiffness of the Kai blades (once they sharpen up. The first pass from the fresh blade at L5 was not pleasant). I should try the Feathers next, but at 3.5. Thanks, Lisa

 

[tomas1870]

What setting did you use with the Feathers? At 4.5, I got a bit of irritation, but at 3, did not get a close shave. Note that I am a daily shaver with a moderately sensitive lower neck. My best shaves have been with the following: One Blade, Blackbird OC or SB with Wizamets, Blackbird Lite with Israeli Reds, and Timeless .95 with Kai blades. Feathers/BICs/Pernasharps/Nacets in a Henson + or ++ have also been great.

Muramasa Ti is very tricky for me. Small change in setting can have big impact on my shave.
For me best results was:
-Kai blade
-1st pass on 4
-2nd pass on 4.5
-3rd pass on 3.5
important for me is to stay in positive blade exposure, I was not able to archive nice results on settings 1 and 2, on 3 I need too much buffing. It can be my bad skills, but overall Muramasa is best for me around setting 4

 

[BigAlVista]

Serms like you are one step ahead of me. I'll try that regimen tomorrow.

 

[Amorphous Metal]

For the sake of the argument, I just shaved with Muramasa set on 4 for all passes with a new Feather blade inserted (my usual procedure, WTG, ATG, chin line and neck ATG in 90° different direction and followed by slight buffing of some areas on neck, chin, moustache). BBS for sure. But two tiny weepers on neck/chin transition, the tiniest of irritation on my neck. But after aplying shave balm weepers were no more, and iritation was not there in a few minutes.

For me setting 3 is the sweet spot for a new Feather. I go with the flow and increase by feel above 3 for subsequent shaves, depending on perceived sharpness/tugging. But do not go above 4.

P.s.
In the past I did also shave a few times with 5 on Muramasa + new Feather. Even at that setting it is still a very well behaved razor, but a bit much for daily shaving since the irritation is more pronounced, so I do not use that setting. For me I imagine it would be useful, if I would shave every 3 days or more.