Try the SS you won’t be disappointed.
What happened to Astra SP blades?
- Thread starter Panzermeister Dave
- Start date
The Russians make good blades!
Thanks
200 SS already stocked.
Are 200 enough?Thanks
I personally have 300 Astra SS and think maybe 400 would be enough. Just joking.
Once i'm done with aquiring my 1,000 Wizamets I will reconsider stocking up Astra SS's. Yet if the Wizamets hold as long as I believe they do there might be no need for a big bunch of other blades.Are 200 enough?
I personally have 300 Astra SS and think maybe 400 would be enough. Just joking.
Current stock stands at approx.
1,300 DE's (Personna Platinum, Bic, Perma-Sharp gold, Nacet, Voskhod, Astra SS, Bluebird)
200 GEM PTFE
40 Schick Injectors
Just curious how many shaves does the Astra SS give you. Only 3 for me. Super Iridiums give me 5, but they are not my favorite blade.
Astra SS 3-4 in a DE but I use a 1/2 in my Eco Hawk for headshaving and toss them afterwards.
Polsilvers 6+ and I am only now switching to Wizamets. The plan is to go all of March with 1-2 blades as part of the Fixed Four challenge.
Polsilvers 6+ and I am only now switching to Wizamets. The plan is to go all of March with 1-2 blades as part of the Fixed Four challenge.
Every guy's face is different, the manufacturing plant does maintenance once in a while.
They have switch back to ink stampings.
They have switch back to ink stampings.
I have tried Astra Superior Platinum blades from several different sources hoping I might find one that works for me. Unfortunately, I have never gotten a great shave from an Astra SP. They are neither sharp enough for my coarse beard nor smooth enough for my sensitive face. It is the only only platinum coated blade I have used that I did not like. I would use them if that was the only blade available, but I would rather not.
I do like the Astra Superior Stainless blades. I find them to be much sharper and smoother than the SP blades, even though they are not platinum coated. Go figure!
I do like the Astra Superior Stainless blades. I find them to be much sharper and smoother than the SP blades, even though they are not platinum coated. Go figure!
My experience is the same. I gave up on the Astra SP. The Astra SS on the other hand is much smoother and sharper. I have been contemplating picking up some of the Astra SS sleeves of 100 for $7 on Amazon. At that price if you can get 3 or 4 good shaves it is still a good deal. But like @Multum in parvo Wizamet SI/Polsilver SI are very long lasting for me, smooth and sharp. That is the direction that I am going now.
Platinum coated blades are not sharper than non-coated blades, even Astra superior stainless has PTFE coating.
Agreed, the platinum coating does not make the blade sharper. However, many very sharp blades are platinum coated: Feather High-Stainless, BIC Chrome Platinum, Personna Platinum Chrome (Israeli Reds), 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (Black), Gillette Platinum, Dorco Prime Platinum, SuperMax Blue Diamond Platinum, Shark Platinum, Rapira Platinum Lux and the new King C Gillette platinum coated blades. These are all great blades if paired with the right razor.
There are only three platinum blades that I have used that are platinum coated that I do not like: Astra Superior Platinum and Rubie Platinum Plus. These two blades are similar in quality; they are neither sharp eenough for my coarse beard, nor smooth enough for my sensitive face. I also recently tried some vintage Nacet Platinum blades made in London. I expected the blades to be sharp based on the Nacet name, but they were no better than the Astra SP blades. They gave an uncomfortable shave. tugging at my beard rather than slicing through it.
The Derby blades (both Extra and Premium) are said to be coated with a coating made from ceramic, platinum, titanium and polymer, but they do not work for me, either.
Thus, the way blades are manufacturered, ground and polished is more important than the coating applied. However, some tough coatings like tungsten and iridium may contribute to the durability of the blade.
How could anyone hate Astra SP? It's unthinkable! It's the gold standard of DE blades!
Last summer when I returned from disposables to DE razors, I ordered a sample pack from WCS. While working my way through them, I decided that the Astra SP blades really worked for me so I ordered a 100 blade package from a seller on Ebay who is located in Australia but advertised US shipping. The blades arrived quickly in a package from Amazon who appears to be doing his warehousing and shipping.
I could find no visual or shaving difference between the 5 blade sample and the new blades. They both looked the same, and were manufactured in St Petersburg. The 100 package had a date code on the carton of February 2020.
I recently ordered a package of 50 Astra SS also manufactured in Russia to give them a try, and they are as good as the SP blades. I am not sure which I like better, but neither of them disappointed me.
I use both in a gold plated 40s vintage fat handle Gillette Tech, and cannot find a better shaving combination.
I could find no visual or shaving difference between the 5 blade sample and the new blades. They both looked the same, and were manufactured in St Petersburg. The 100 package had a date code on the carton of February 2020.
I recently ordered a package of 50 Astra SS also manufactured in Russia to give them a try, and they are as good as the SP blades. I am not sure which I like better, but neither of them disappointed me.
I use both in a gold plated 40s vintage fat handle Gillette Tech, and cannot find a better shaving combination.
Astra SP's were inconsistent when I shaved with a DE.
