What makes a razor blade good or bad??

[Southbound1]

Hi all,
I am currently going through a blade sample pack to find at least two different brands of blades to buy in bulk. It isn't fair to paint with a broad brush and say blade A and B are no good but blade c is good, because ymmv. Its safe and fair to asses the blade isn't right for you. Three times a blade cut you: Whenever its not sharp enough, too sharp, or a nice smooth and sharp comfortable blade will remind you if you get sloppy with your technique. Me i want a blade thats sharp enough to handle tough stubble but smooth enough to glide over skin imperfections without drawing blood. In a nutshell i want a blade thats very efficient at cutting stubble with very little resistance, but not very efficient at cutting every skin imperfection they shave over.


Whenever i honed straight razors, i aimed for sharp and smooth. A blade thats too sharp for my less than perfect skin i will get weepers every bump it hits it takes them off. Finding the right de blade takes time and patience. I take notes on how many shaves i get per blade and also jot down the comfort level and performance of each blade. So far for me, Personna American made blades are rough on the first shave by shave 2 on the blade its done, because its tuggy. The German Personna are good blades for me a balance of sharp and extremely smooth i get at least 6 shaves per blade! Feathers aint for me, likes to cut skin as much as it likes to cut hair, cutting performance does last long. Kai, rough shaves for me and tugging. Bic first two shaves were great, after that it was done. Wilkerson sword German blade i drew my conclusions too soon, but now i look back at my notes a good blade. Derby Extra not for me. Derby premium i can tell a difference based on my notes i tried a premium and a Extra months apart the premium was definitely better, even better than the USTA.

Still have to try these : Lord platium class , tiger, Gillette 365, Wilkerson sword India, Bolanzo Egypt, Dovo, Merkur, Timor (Probably made in the same facility). I recently bought a few Fatip blades from Italy thats supposed to be a sharp and smooth blade, that aren't coated and are made in Italy not Germany along side Timor and Merkur. Did some online digging (Fatip) and found that they made their own de blades.Anyways just sharing my observations for me.

 

[driftwood]

For me a blade is good when it's sharp enough to do my regular 2 pass shave and reduce my stubble to sn acceptable level (not necessarily bbs) and leave me without irritation. I also want it to go at least three shave and work in a variety of razors and be easily available. So if a blade cuts close without irritation, works in a good range of razors and is actually obtainable, it gets the 'good' moniker.

If it cant do that, or rather, if I need to work hard, or adapt my technique too much I generally move on from that blade. I can't recall right now but there are blades in this category that can work in one particular razor but for me remembering which blade needs a particular razor is too much effort so I generally drop those blades.

The blade that hit the sweet spot for me in all categories was the Voskhods.

 

[musicman1951]

I think you have defined your idea blade very well. Aside from too many bad edges (poor QC) every blade is good for somebody.

Unfortunately for your wallet, I suspect your choice of razor might be more important than for most shavers given your requirements.

 

[Jamolay]

I have really liked the German made blades. Timor has been great.

 

[cranewarrior]

Given my moderate hair growth, I thought blades on the mild range would be best for me, but after testing over 45 blades in a year, I confirmed differently. Sharp blades actually are better for me. Less passes and clean-up needed means less irritation for my usually dry skin.

I gravitated to Gillette offerings. I like the Silver Blue, Nacet/Perma Sharp, and KCG the best for the combination of performance and ease of buying.

And yes, the razor matters, but these Gillettes work with most any razor I own.

 

[VerbaVolant]

What makes a razor blade good or bad??​

The quality of the lather.

If you catch my drift.

 

[helicopter]

Balance is good; both edges have similar performance, rather than a sharp edge and a mild edge.

Lot consistency is good. If you sample a blade you like, you can get more and they will have similar performance. You can discuss sharpness, smoothness, and other attributes of the blade with another person, and you aren't discussing apples and oranges.

Even grinds are good. Small scratches of uniform size that do not bleed past transitions into subsequent bevels prevent premature edge failure. The sharpness on an even edge is more consistent from one location to another, so it won't cut and tug in different places.

A tough and durable steel is good. Blades don't wear evenly while shaving. They wear much faster toward the middle. The slower a blade wears, the more consistent it's sharpness will be in different locations along the edge. It is also nice if the blade lasts a long time, and even if you are one and done, in extreme cases, an edge can fail, chip, or roll during the first shave.

Consistent sharpness as the blade wears is good. Most blades have a sputtered metallic coating that reduces initial sharpness and bit. As the coating wears and the bare metal below is exposed it becomes sharper, and then as the metal wears, it becomes duller. If it is done right, you can get several shaves without a big change in sharpness. Everyone has a sweet spot and a perfect edge. It is better if the blade changes less, so it can be in the sweet spot longer with people it suits.

Expensive private label packaging is bad. Those Fatip blades you bought are just overpriced Tigers or Tatras. Rex blades, Razolution, Boker, Tatara, the new Merkur, every blade marked "Made in Europe" and every blade marked "Made in EU" is a Tiger ot a Tatra. There is no need to try them all. Since they have poor balance and poor lot consistency overall, you are really better off skipping them all, but if you must try or buy them, the OEM branded ones are better because they are the same blades for less money.

As for German blades, they are all made by Edgewell in their Solingen Wilkinson Sword plant, and by Giesen and Forsthoff. If you try Edgewell's Personna Platinum, their Wilkinson Sword Classic, their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, and Giesen and Forsthoff's Timor, you have tried them all. These blades are better than the private label versions because they are the same blades for less money.

Chinese blades are similar. OEM branded blades are usually better because they are more transparent and less expensive than the private labels.

None of the above is something personal or subjective.

The subjective part mostly relates to the sharpness, or lack of it, and how the edge feels on your skin and hair. The feel is mostly determined by sharpness. It is more complicated than a single number, because blades have different sharpness in different locations, and spots that don't cut well can slip or tug depending on the grind, steel, coatings, and so on.

Your face will ultimately determine what works for you, and that is going to be personal. That doesn't mean that there are not good and bad things about various blades.

Many of the differences between blades can be accurately summarized with "A is better than B." Other differences can not.

 

[Southbound1]

Balance is good; both edges have similar performance, rather than a sharp edge and a mild edge.

Lot consistency is good. If you sample a blade you like, you can get more and they will have similar performance. You can discuss sharpness, smoothness, and other attributes of the blade with another person, and you aren't discussing apples and oranges.

Even grinds are good. Small scratches of uniform size that do not bleed past transitions into subsequent bevels prevent premature edge failure. The sharpness on an even edge is more consistent from one location to another, so it won't cut and tug in different places.

A tough and durable steel is good. Blades don't wear evenly while shaving. They wear much faster toward the middle. The slower a blade wears, the more consistent it's sharpness will be in different locations along the edge. It is also nice if the blade lasts a long time, and even if you are one and done, in extreme cases, an edge can fail, chip, or roll during the first shave.

Consistent sharpness as the blade wears is good. Most blades have a sputtered metallic coating that reduces initial sharpness and bit. As the coating wears and the bare metal below is exposed it becomes sharper, and then as the metal wears, it becomes duller. If it is done right, you can get several shaves without a big change in sharpness. Everyone has a sweet spot and a perfect edge. It is better if the blade changes less, so it can be in the sweet spot longer with people it suits.

Expensive private label packaging is bad. Those Fatip blades you bought are just overpriced Tigers or Tatras. Rex blades, Razolution, Boker, Tatara, the new Merkur, every blade marked "Made in Europe" and every blade marked "Made in EU" is a Tiger ot a Tatra. There is no need to try them all. Since they have poor balance and poor lot consistency overall, you are really better off skipping them all, but if you must try or buy them, the OEM branded ones are better because they are the same blades for less money.

As for German blades, they are all made by Edgewell in their Solingen Wilkinson Sword plant, and by Giesen and Forsthoff. If you try Edgewell's Personna Platinum, their Wilkinson Sword Classic, their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, and Giesen and Forsthoff's Timor, you have tried them all. These blades are better than the private label versions because they are the same blades for less money.

Chinese blades are similar. OEM branded blades are usually better because they are more transparent and less expensive than the private labels.

None of the above is something personal or subjective.

The subjective part mostly relates to the sharpness, or lack of it, and how the edge feels on your skin and hair. The feel is mostly determined by sharpness. It is more complicated than a single number, because blades have different sharpness in different locations, and spots that don't cut well can slip or tug depending on the grind, steel, coatings, and so on.

Your face will ultimately determine what works for you, and that is going to be personal. That doesn't mean that there are not good and bad things about various blades.

Many of the differences between blades can be accurately summarized with "A is better than B." Other differences can not.

"As for German blades, they are all made by Edgewell in their Solingen Wilkinson Sword plant, and by Giesen and Forsthoff. If you try Edgewell's Personna Platinum, their Wilkinson Sword Classic, their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, and Giesen and Forsthoff's Timor, you have tried them all. These blades are better than the private label versions because they are the same blades for less money."

So there's no difference between the Wilkerson sword German and Personna German blade? You mentioned that their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, i don't understannd, that statement? I think the Personna German is a good blade so far for me.

As far as the Fatip i read all kinds of things here, mostly they are believed by many here they are made in Germany?? I read somewhere online that they're (Fatip blades) made in Italy by there own division.


So there's 2 German plants that make blades, and they're Edgewell and Giesen and Forsthoffs? I assume G&F make Timor and Merkur, correct?? What about Dovo??


Kai is supposed to have great edge retention. I didn't like it for me and my skin and beard. For me a Derby premium is sharper than a kai. I will probably get disagreements there, but i am not trying to be controversial, i agree blades are a personal thing and a YMMV. One guy above mentioned the quality of lather. For me i make my lather nice and hydrated and i prep really well, so i have no excuse for poor lather or prep at all.



About the American made Personna i have tried Accuthrive and Comfort coated/lab blues. 'For me' they're terrible blades.

Mike

 

[helicopter]

"As for German blades, they are all made by Edgewell in their Solingen Wilkinson Sword plant, and by Giesen and Forsthoff. If you try Edgewell's Personna Platinum, their Wilkinson Sword Classic, their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, and Giesen and Forsthoff's Timor, you have tried them all. These blades are better than the private label versions because they are the same blades for less money."

So there's no difference between the Wilkerson sword German and Personna German blade? You mentioned that their low cost low quality generic blade from a private label, i don't understannd, that statement? I think the Personna German is a good blade so far for me.

As far as the Fatip i read all kinds of things here, mostly they are believed by many here they are made in Germany?? I read somewhere online that they're (Fatip blades) made in Italy by there own division.


So there's 2 German plants that make blades, and they're Edgewell and Giesen and Forsthoffs? I assume G&F make Timor and Merkur, correct?? What about Dovo??


Kai is supposed to have great edge retention. I didn't like it for me and my skin and beard. For me a Derby premium is sharper than a kai. I will probably get disagreements there, but i am not trying to be controversial, i agree blades are a personal thing and a YMMV. One guy above mentioned the quality of lather. For me i make my lather nice and hydrated and i prep really well, so i have no excuse for poor lather or prep at all.



About the American made Personna i have tried Accuthrive and Comfort coated/lab blues. 'For me' they're terrible blades.

Mike

The low cost low quality generic blade is the third specification. There is no OEM branded version of it, but it is available as Rite Aid store brands, "by Amazon" store brand in Europe, and others. The steel is not as durable and the edge is not as sharp as the Personna Platinum spec or the Wilkinson Sword Classic spec. It is a low price white label product. If they were trying to make a good blade, they would be marketing it under their own brands. You might like it, but that doesn't change the marketing proposition.

Giesen and Forsthoff makes Dovo. Merkur is now made by Czech Blades, since they switched to cardboard tucks. Fatip are Czech Blades. You can tell Czech blades because they are thin, light, laser printed, and will be marked "Europe," "cz," or "EU." Every other European facility consistently says the country where they are made, "Germany," "Greece," "Russia." There are no DE blade factories in any other European country. There are two in Russia, two in Germany, one in Greece, and one in Czechia. Czech Blades have poor balance, durability, and lot consistency. There is a reason OEM branded ones are 8 cents each.

I agree with you about Kai. They have an undeserved reputation due to sharing country of manufacture with Feather. They are not especially sharp, but they are cut a little wide, which gives them more exposure and can give a subjective feeling that can be confused with sharpness.

Edit: Wilkinson Sword Classic and Personna Platinum are different specifications. The Wilkinson Sword Classic is sharper.

 

[sternej]

My favorite blades have multiple coatings. Two that come to mind are Dorco ST301 and Treet Dura Sharp. The Dorco Titans I think have less coating on them. When I use them I feel the 'scrape' it's not terrible but the ST301 has a smoothness that is so comfortable. I'm three and done so I've never used a coated blade long enough for the coatings to wear off.

 

[Southbound1]

The low cost low quality generic blade is the third specification. There is no OEM branded version of it, but it is available as Rite Aid store brands, "by Amazon" store brand in Europe, and others. The steel is not as durable and the edge is not as sharp as the Personna Platinum spec or the Wilkinson Sword Classic spec. It is a low price white label product. If they were trying to make a good blade, they would be marketing it under their own brands. You might like it, but that doesn't change the marketing proposition.

Giesen and Forsthoff makes Dovo. Merkur is now made by Czech Blades, since they switched to cardboard tucks. Fatip are Czech Blades. You can tell Czech blades because they are thin, light, laser printed, and will be marked "Europe," "cz," or "EU." Every other European facility consistently says the country where they are made, "Germany," "Greece," "Russia." There are no DE blade factories in any other European country. There are two in Russia, two in Germany, one in Greece, and one in Czechia. Czech Blades have poor balance, durability, and lot consistency. There is a reason OEM branded ones are 8 cents each.

I agree with you about Kai. They have an undeserved reputation due to sharing country of manufacture with Feather. They are not especially sharp, but they are cut a little wide, which gives them more exposure and can give a subjective feeling that can be confused with sharpness.

I appreciate your tests! You know i drew my conclusions too soon on the Wilkerson sword German blade. I looked back at my notes and really it was a good blade. I said it offered resistance in the upper lip atg but i can't remember how many uses i went (2-3) i believe i could have went 6-7. I don't know how many shaves it takes for the comfort coat to wear off and revealing the bare bones apex? Anyways only had one from a sample pack, so i want to revisit them again. I read your findings on the German Personna blue tuck, and your conclusions was that the Wilkerson sword was better tougher steel. I wander if they're (Wilkerson, personna German) are honed different?? I may go back and compare you scope shots of each blade. The German Personna is a good blade for me.



I wander if this guy here in this thread was telling truth ot not, only 3 different blades made at St Petersburg and put into different wrappers?? It makes me think!! I know one thing the discussion go a little . Of the Revolutions of Razor Blades - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/of-the-revolutions-of-razor-blades.614697/
I look at some of your scope shots of St Petersburg blades and they mostly have that one single grind instead of multiple facets. I think Voshckood has 2 bevel facets.

 

[helicopter]

I appreciate your tests! You know i drew my conclusions too soon on the Wilkerson sword German blade. I looked back at my notes and really it was a good blade. I said it offered resistance in the upper lip atg but i can't remember how many uses i went (2-3) i believe i could have went 6-7. I don't know how many shaves it takes for the comfort coat to wear off and revealing the bare bones apex? Anyways only had one from a sample pack, so i want to revisit them again. I read your findings on the German Personna blue tuck, and your conclusions was that the Wilkerson sword was better tougher steel. I wander if they're (Wilkerson, personna German) are honed different?? I may go back and compare you scope shots of each blade. The German Personna is a good blade for me.



I wander if this guy here in this thread was telling truth ot not, only 3 different blades made at St Petersburg and put into different wrappers?? It makes me think!! I know one thing the discussion go a little . Of the Revolutions of Razor Blades - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/of-the-revolutions-of-razor-blades.614697/
I look at some of your scope shots of St Petersburg blades and they mostly have that one single grind instead of multiple facets. I think Voshckood has 2 bevel facets.

I edited my other post when I re read your earlier question. Personna Platinum and Wilkinson Sword Classic are different specifications. Wilkinson Sword Classic is sharper. Yes it is also tougher and the performance, the durability and consistency of sharpness is impressive. That doesn't necessarily mean it will feel better on your face. It feels better on my face.

Peak sharpness with that blade is probably after 2 shaves or so with a typical beard.

The assertion that PPI only has three specifications, with the coating being the only difference is incorrect. They have different thicknesses, grinds, and coatings. They probably have different alloys as well. As with any blade production line, there are also certain similarities. The idea that there are three specific coating options may be correct, and coatings do drive a significant part of performance.

I think the PPI blades all go through three stages of grinding, but a lot of them are pretty close in angle on the primary and secondary, and on all of them, the tertiary bevel is basically just a light polish right by the apex.

 

[Mammutlesto]

In my experience the Wilkinson Sword Classics are the best European made blade. Giesen and Forsthoffs are also excellent (Timor & Mühle) but they are premium priced.

 

[helicopter]

In my experience the Wilkinson Sword Classics are the best European made blade. Giesen and Forsthoffs are also excellent (Timor & Mühle) but they are premium priced.

Excluding Russian blades, I strongly agree. Including Russian blades, I still agree, but less enthusiastically.

 

[Edgelord]

I do not know that I can tell the blade nuances that more experienced shavers feel. I just know what works for me.

I like reading threads by members who seem like students of blades (Ivan, Helicopter…).

What makes a blade good or bad for me is simply a shave without blood or irritation. If a blade is not working for me, I set it aside to be revisited later.

At the point, I use Nacet, Feather and PermaSharp most… but I have a lot of other blades.

 

[dailydeshaver]

What makes a good blade for me:
1) the right sharpness+aggressiveness / smoothness tradeoff for the skin/hair type
2) consistency from shave #1 and multiple shaves

Consistency of prep + lather + soak time + consistent number of days between shaves + WTG/ATG passes, are key when testing blades for consistency.

 

[DesertIguana]

In my world, it is Sharp, it last more then THREE Shaves, and last it is Value for price paid.

 

[Frito Ray]

What I find funny is that when one starts off, only 5% of the blades are good, but after a few years one realizes that one can make due with 95% of the blades out there.

 

[BigJ]

Blades are the most YMMV aspect of ‘traditional’ wet shaving.

That said, what I look for:
Sharpness
Smoothness
Comfort
Long-lasting

When I find a blade that meets all four criteria, then it gets placed in my personal ‘top-tier!’

 

[Phil Harmonica]

For me, a really good blade/razor combo leaves little to no feedback from the alum or aftershave lotion post shave.