Which blade sampler to buy ?

[zeo_max]

Need to choose a blade sampler. I wanna find a good blade for my EJ DE89, but I'm not sure if choosing one of the huge samplers would really be worth it. Please give me your opinion on which samplers contain the most worthwhile blades. Here are the links:

http://www.amazon.com/FEATHER-Ocloc...9&sr=8-1&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler

http://www.amazon.com/Double-Safety...9&sr=8-2&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler

http://www.amazon.com/Blades-Double...9&sr=8-5&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler

http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Sampler...9&sr=8-6&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler

http://www.amazon.com/Blades-Double...9&sr=8-7&keywords=safety+razor+blades+sampler

Thanks

 

[Uncle Brian]

If those are the only ones you want to consider i would go with Number 1
Too many blades gets confusing and there is enough variety in that pack to give you some idea of what suits your face.
my $00:02

 

[zeo_max]

Well I'm a newbie so I just put there whatever amazon had. But I do like the idea of picking #1 for simplicity's sake.

 

[Jakpro]

I bought this one a couple of weeks ago: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00408QC3C/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00

I liked the brands offered to allow me to try some of the most popular ones. I can't say that it is any better than the ones that you listed!

 

[Phoenix.]

I would go with either of these from WCS I bought prom them personally and i got my order the next day.

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/DE-Blade-Sampler-Pack-Extended_p_11.html

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/DE-Blade-Sampler-Pack-Choice_p_20.html

 

[Winblows]

@ connaughtshaving.com

 

[Galhatz]

None of the above. If I had to do it again, I'd a 100-pack of Astras for ~$10.
Learn to shave with them for a while until I get a solid technique and then start experimenting with different blades.

 

[cpeter47]

I went with the westcoastshaving everything pack.

 

[ronwell]

What I did was read this article: http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/education/double-edge-shaving/48-choosing-the-right-blade.html

I couldn't find a sampler pack that contained all of them, so I went to West Coast Shaving and ordered a 5 or 10 pack of all the blades mentioned and tried them according to the order of sharpness rated in article, working from least to most sharp. After working through the cycle once, I did it again, as my technique was more refined by that point.

 

[cpeter47]

What I did was read this article: http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/education/double-edge-shaving/48-choosing-the-right-blade.html

I couldn't find a sampler pack that contained all of them, so I went to West Coast Shaving and ordered a 5 or 10 pack of all the blades mentioned and tried them according to the order of sharpness rated in article, working from least to most sharp. After working through the cycle once, I did it again, as my technique was more refined by that point.

Nice, thanks for the article Ron

 

[drocu]

I would recommend checking out Bull Goose. There's a lot of variety there and most of the samplers are reasonably priced and contain known winners. In general, crowd pleasers seem to be Feathers, Astras, Gillette yellows/blues/blacks, and Personnas. I'd stick with a sampler that had most if not all of those. A lot of samplers, I've found, give you a bunch of blades that are known duds (generally speaking). Obviously, YMMV.

This looks pretty good for $17.
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/bumvpblsapa4.html

 

[Haggises]

Found an ebayer who sold me a sampler of Astra SP, Rapira platinum lux, Voskhod and Ladas.
Also tried Wilkies, Feathers and Personna reds.
Liked the Voskhods and Rapiras so much I bought 100 each.

 

[Chester]

Need to choose a blade sampler. I wanna find a good blade for my EJ DE89, but I'm not sure if choosing one of the huge samplers would really be worth it. Please give me your opinion on which samplers contain the most worthwhile blades.

The first one should be good enough to start with. There isn't anything bad in there, all the brands are pretty easy to find, and there are blades from a range of companies.

Stick with the same brand of blade for the first few weeks. My suggestion is to make it the derbys. They're sharp enough, and pretty forgiving.
Hope it helps,
-- Chet

 

[cpeter47]

Or you could check out this thread:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...lade-Exchange-Redux-See-Post-2-for-Stock-List

or

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/268573-The-Never-Ending-PIF-PIF!

and you can easily get blade samples

 

[zeo_max]

The first one should be good enough to start with. There isn't anything bad in there, all the brands are pretty easy to find, and there are blades from a range of companies.

Stick with the same brand of blade for the first few weeks. My suggestion is to make it the derbys. They're sharp enough, and pretty forgiving.
Hope it helps,
-- Chet

My EJ came with Derbys, so I've already been using those for about 2 weeks (only on my second blade now, I last them for 5 shaves).

 

[gash]

BullGoose Shaving MVP blade sample pack. It's got what you need, not what you don't.

 

[redtide]

Save your money friend B&B has a blade exchange.

Here

 

[Mick]

None of the above. If I had to do it again, I'd a 100-pack of Astras for ~$10.
Learn to shave with them for a while until I get a solid technique and then start experimenting with different blades.

Ding.... ding..... ding..... we have a winner.

It is not the tool that needs improving, it is the technique that needs to be worked on.

When you can get a consistent BBS shave day after day for a month in a row, THEN you can go off and blade jump to your heart's content. Until you get to that point you will be constantly blaming your tools for your inability to give yourself a consistent shave.

I use a different blade and razor every day. I may go more than a month before I pick up the same blade and razor combination again. I get BBS shaves every day with every product I use. BUT.... I have been shaving for 45 years so sort of have it figured out.

 

[CB1]

I just put together a "custom sampler" at West Coast Shaving. It wasn't the most cost efficient due to shipping but I got all the ones I wanted to try except the Personna Med Preps (they don't have a 5 blade offering. I got them all for approx 20 bucks. As I said the downside was 10 dollars shipping but that was the premium I paid for my custom sampler. I got:

Lord Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades (5 Blades)
Lord Super Chrome Double Edge Razor Blades (5 Blades)
Lord Super Stainless Double Edge Razor Blades (5 Blades)
Personna "Lab Blue" Double Edge Blades, 5 blades
Red Personna Israeli Double Edge Razor Blades
Shark Super Stainless Double Edge Razor Blades, 5-pak
Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades, Dark Blue (5 Blades)
Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum Double Edge Blades, Black (5 Blades)
Red Personna Israeli Double Edge Razor Blades - UK Packaging
Gillette 7 O'clock SharpEdge Double Edge Razor Blades (5 Blades)



UPDATE:: WCS charged less for shipping and wrote me a note to let me know!! They are excellent!

 

[CB1]

To add to my above post I've been DE shaving for about seven weeks and thus far my favorites are the Feather and Astra SP but I want to try some new ones.