What blades work by age, ethnicity, etc.

[Hex]

It fascinates me how there can be so many different opinions as to what blade works best.

I fully understand that YMMV and that there are a lot of variables, but I would think that, and I am speculating as to what variables are important, for a given age group, ethnicity, years shaving, and wet shaving experience, that there would be a lot of similarities as to choice of blades.

I wonder if any of the mods or others have done such a study. Anonymously, of course.

I would be very interested in the results or happy to conduct a survey myself.

I bet it would make a cool looking graph.

I am a 71 year old, German Irish descent, been shaving since 15, and recently back to wet shaving so my razor technique is pretty good. The face prep/brush/lather techniques need work.

I would expect that if there were another shaver here with similar specs as mine, that his choice of blades would mirror mine. I wouldn't wager a Tabac on it though.

There, I started it if anyone wants to participate.

 

[georgekyr]

Let's say there are about 30 different razors (just a very rough guess) and about 50 different blades (again just a very rough guess). Just calculate the possible combinations. In order to do some scientific study on this you need an enormous sample and too much time (at least 3 shaves with each of the lets say 1500 combinations which will take some 15 years ).
I just made the above numbers to point out that we can only share experiences. I have 2 razors. One fatboy adjustable and one feather popular. I have also tried 15 different blades and no 2 combinations are exactly the same, more of the time being very far appart. Luckily I found some that work for me a lot so I am sticking to those and just trying something different from time to time.
For me Timor's are the best all around blade and in the fatboy I can get a great shave (in the popular a bit worse, but still very good). I can get almost the same experience with a feather but just in the feather popular razor. The feather in a fatboy causes too much irritation. I don't mention the rest of the blades since they are worse for me...

 

[Silvermink]

For my part, I'm 30, of Scottish/English/French descent, and so far I like Feathers.

 

[Speedwell68]

I'm British, Cornish to be specific, 36 years old. I have two razors, a 2009 Muhle R89 and a 1953 Gillette Superspeed and the only blade I have found that works well with both is a Dorco 301. Israeli Personnas work well in the R89 but not in the Superspeed. Derby also work well in the R89, but not in the SS. Wilkson Sword are just plain awful, as are Gillette Bleue. Supermax Super Stainless work well in the SS and are OKish in the R89. I think you get the picture.

 

[DE Shaver]

Interesting concept. I would imagine that skin characteristics can be largely inherited and, by extension, more common to an ethnicity. Although many blades work for me, the ones I found to be particularly compatible are as follows:

1. Feather
2. Super Iridium
3. Gillette Bleue Extra (NOS)
4. Blue Birds

This is in order of preference. I'm Italian by heritage and in my mid-forties.

 

[Hex]

Let's say there are about 30 different razors (just a very rough guess) and about 50 different blades (again just a very rough guess). Just calculate the possible combinations. In order to do some scientific study on this you need an enormous sample and too much time (at least 3 shaves with each of the lets say 1500 combinations which will take some 15 years ).
I just made the above numbers to point out that we can only share experiences. I have 2 razors. One fatboy adjustable and one feather popular. I have also tried 15 different blades and no 2 combinations are exactly the same, more of the time being very far appart. Luckily I found some that work for me a lot so I am sticking to those and just trying something different from time to time.
For me Timor's are the best all around blade and in the fatboy I can get a great shave (in the popular a bit worse, but still very good). I can get almost the same experience with a feather but just in the feather popular razor. The feather in a fatboy causes too much irritation. I don't mention the rest of the blades since they are worse for me...

Thank you for your response Georgekyr.

I follow your reasoning.

And since you say that you get a "a bit worse than a great shave" in a Popular with a Timor, I will give that a try. If I get a horrible shave, it might be due to prep or some other factor that I am trying to quantify.

If I get a great shave-1, then I would speculate that our beards are similar.
And, according to my thesis, we would be approximately the same age and ethnicity.

I get a great shave in my Popular with a Feather, or at least close enough to the Tech that the differences are minimal.

When I use a Feather in a more aggressive razor, like my Muhle OC, I am extra
careful . Though the shave might be a bit more irritating, it's still a very good shave, equal to the Tech.

 

[Hex]

Interesting concept. I would imagine that skin characteristics can be largely inherited and, by extension, more common to an ethnicity. Although many blades work for me, the ones I found to be particularly compatible are as follows:

1. Feather
2. Super Iridium
3. Gillette Bleue Extra (NOS)
4. Blue Birds

This is in order of preference. I'm Italian by heritage and in my mid-forties.

Thank you DE for your response.
Your Feathers and Iridiums are my number 1 & 2 as well. I have not tried numbers 3 & 4.
Based upon the enormous response I have gotten to my poll, I would speculate that our beards are similar.

So, we're nailing this down.

 

[Hex]

I'm British, Cornish to be specific, 36 years old. I have two razors, a 2009 Muhle R89 and a 1953 Gillette Superspeed and the only blade I have found that works well with both is a Dorco 301. Israeli Personnas work well in the R89 but not in the Superspeed. Derby also work well in the R89, but not in the SS. Wilkson Sword are just plain awful, as are Gillette Bleue. Supermax Super Stainless work well in the SS and are OKish in the R89. I think you get the picture.

Thank you Speed for your data.

Have you been shaving long, say about 20 years ?

Or did you start later or perhaps have a beard for a long time ?

thanks again

 

[ackvil]

Hi George:

I am of Italian heritage. I am 68 years old. I have been shaving since I was 14 years old. I have a heavy beard and sensitive skin.

My favorite, as you may recall, is the Medical Personna followed by the Personna Reds.

These blades work great in all of the razors I use: Mergress and Mergress XL, FB, Slim, Knack.

 

[bustr]

I am also 71, have a full but normal beard, and 100% Norwegian.
1. Feather 2.Perma-Sharp a very very close second,and they last longer. 3. Most Russian Gillrtte are good. All used mostly in various Techs. As for method I have used many soaps have several brushes, nothing beats Shave Secret shave oil after 2-3 min. of hot towels. Use exactly as package directs, no soap, cream, or brush.

 

[jsrdrnr]

And another variable to throw in the mix...what about the women and their legs??? What works best for them??? (us?) I am one of the strange ones, I can shave with just about any blade and it "work" for me but of course, some are better than others.
I prefer...
Feathers
Derby
Astra

 

[Ski-Patroller]

I'm 67 with a relatively light beard. English, Scot and Irish decent.

My favorites so far are:
Feather
Super Iridium
Astra

I can get 4-6 Three pass shaves out of any of these. I only very rarely get a weeper, and the rare cut is from bad technique.

 

[Casey]

28, half Scots, quarter Northern Irish, quarter German. Heavy, wiry beard, skin like tanned leather. I've been shaving since 13, and the magic blade for me is a Medical Personna.

There may be something to this idea. My dad's 63, solid Scots-Irish, and the same propensity for a beard like a 180 grit sanding sponge. Out of the sample pack I built for him (Dorco 300 and 301, Merkur, Shark, Gillette Black, Feather, Med Personna) the Personna's his fave.