Which blades are the sharpest?

[BigJ]

Or it could be they don’t know any better because they don’t have a frame of reference. All they have ever tried is the canned gel/foam that’s in the supermarket. They think shaving is the drudge that they experienced, and they are satisfied not knowing something better exists. They don’t get the whole shaving brush/soap thing because they’ve never experienced it. They assume it’s just like the can. The same goes with cartridge razors as well.

Now for folks like myself that shaved with a DE razor as a young man, it’s different. We get side tracked into the cartridge world for one reason or another, and get lost. That’s the group I don’t understand, and I’m one of them. I don’t remember why I went to the dark side. I do know that as I got older, I became increasingly unhappy with the cartridge razors and the cost of blade refills. One day I suddenly awoke and realized the DE world was still out there, but it had become somewhat hidden.

+1! My ‘shaving history’ is very similar! I started with a hand-me-down Slim in the 60s. I moved to carts because of advertising. I tired of constant cart ‘innovations’ that cost more for a shave that was no better.

So I tried straights for awhile before moving full circle back to DE!
Eventually, I will save $$!! But I am enjoying my shaves a lot!!

 

[Mouser]

One of the major reasons why I think my whiskers are not soft is that I can hardly get a good 3 pass shave when I use a blade more than 3 (rarely 4) times and I know a lot of people who also go for a 3 pass shaves and go far and beyond 3-5-8 shaves with a blade and have zero problems. I have yet to find a vintage or modern blade that can give me a smooth and close 3 pass shave after the 4th use. The other thing is that from all the types of blades that i've tried, I tend to like which most people consider a bit sharper compared to other blades and the other way around applies as well - can't get good or consistant shaves with blades which the majority of the shavers tend to agree that they are not very sharp. When I started shaving with DE razors around 5 years ago I had no idea that DE blades can be so different or which brands are good or bad. I bought a sample pack with around 20 different blades and after two or three months I pretty much knew which blades brands to go after and which to stay away from.

Well, as I've said before, my beard was judged to be average by a barber who gave me a couple of straight shaves. For the last few years I've only used vintage blades. When I was still using modern ones I'd get 3 to 5 three pass shaves from my favorites. So we've had same experience there, but vintage blades besides closer and more comfortable, give me 12 to 30 depending on which ones. But blades are the most ymmv part of wet shaving, I believe.

 

[Medivh]

Well, as I've said before, my beard was judged to be average by a barber who gave me a couple of straight shaves. For the last few years I've only used vintage blades. When I was still using modern ones I'd get 3 to 5 three pass shaves from my favorites. So we've had same experience there, but vintage blades besides closer and more comfortable, give me 12 to 30 depending on which ones. But blades are the most ymmv part of wet shaving, I believe.

I'm no beard expert, but there tons of things that i've noticed ever since I started shaving that are making me thing that my beard isn't average. Things like - I started shaving when I was around 13 years old and most of my friends didn't even had any beard at that point. I was shaving with Match 3 and even back then I noticed when I asked my friends how many shaves they get from a cartridge they said 2-3 months while the best I could was a month back then and now probably 2 weeks at best.

Also, my face is literally covered in beard and the longest I haven't shaved is around 2 weeks + maybe a few days and I looked like Santa and even if i get a super close BBS and my skin is super clean and smooth, I can see black dots all over my face and especially under my nose and most people don't have that problem once they achieve a BBS.

Other thing is that for me a good prep is very important. If I don't get a shower and spend around 10 minutes rinsing my face with hot water then the shave probably won't be very comfortable. Could I be wrong? Absolutely, but my observations from watching wetshaving youtubers, talking to friends and family, reading about shaving etc so far are proving otherwise.

 

[Mouser]

I'm no beard expert, but there tons of things that i've noticed ever since I started shaving that are making me thing that my beard isn't average. Things like - I started shaving when I was around 13 years old and most of my friends didn't even had any beard at that point. I was shaving with Match 3 and even back then I noticed when I asked my friends how many shaves they get from a cartridge they said 2-3 months while the best I could was a month back then and now probably 2 weeks at best.

Also, my face is literally covered in beard and the longest I haven't shaved is around 2 weeks + maybe a few days and I looked like Santa and even if i get a super close BBS and my skin is super clean and smooth, I can see black dots all over my face and especially under my nose and most people don't have that problem once they achieve a BBS.

Other thing is that for me a good prep is very important. If I don't get a shower and spend around 10 minutes rinsing my face with hot water then the shave probably won't be very comfortable. Could I be wrong? Absolutely, but my observations from watching wetshaving youtubers, talking to friends and family, reading about shaving etc so far are proving otherwise.

Ok. I stopped reading at " started shaving at 13". I'm convinced, your beard ain't average.

 

[Mouser]

+1! My ‘shaving history’ is very similar! I started with a hand-me-down Slim in the 60s. I moved to carts because of advertising. I tired of constant cart ‘innovations’ that cost more for a shave that was no better.

So I tried straights for awhile before moving full circle back to DE!
Eventually, I will save $$!! But I am enjoying my shaves a lot!!

Just curious Big J, why did you give up straights?

 

[BigJ]

Ah! I gave up straights because it was too much muss and fuss.

Plus, DE shaves were just as good for me!!

 

[RayClem]

I'm no beard expert, but there tons of things that i've noticed ever since I started shaving that are making me thing that my beard isn't average. Things like - I started shaving when I was around 13 years old and most of my friends didn't even had any beard at that point. I was shaving with Match 3 and even back then I noticed when I asked my friends how many shaves they get from a cartridge they said 2-3 months while the best I could was a month back then and now probably 2 weeks at best.

Also, my face is literally covered in beard and the longest I haven't shaved is around 2 weeks + maybe a few days and I looked like Santa and even if i get a super close BBS and my skin is super clean and smooth, I can see black dots all over my face and especially under my nose and most people don't have that problem once they achieve a BBS.

Other thing is that for me a good prep is very important. If I don't get a shower and spend around 10 minutes rinsing my face with hot water then the shave probably won't be very comfortable. Could I be wrong? Absolutely, but my observations from watching wetshaving youtubers, talking to friends and family, reading about shaving etc so far are proving otherwise.

Yep. Back when I was in college, the guys in the dorm decided that they were going to refrain from shaving during final exams. I had more of a beard after three days than most of them had in three weeks.

Early during the COVID crisis, I decided I would shave off my moustache. Once it was gone, I decided that I really liked it and started to grow it back. I had a full mustache in two weeks and within three weeks it was so bushy I had to start trimming it. My beard is like that as well. The longest I ever go between shaves is two days and that is longer than I like. In about 3 weeks, I could have a decent beard.

 

[Mouser]

Yep. Back when I was in college, the guys in the dorm decided that they were going to refrain from shaving during final exams. I had more of a beard after three days than most of them had in three weeks.

Early during the COVID crisis, I decided I would shave off my moustache. Once it was gone, I decided that I really liked it and started to grow it back. I had a full mustache in two weeks and within three weeks it was so bushy I had to start trimming it. My beard is like that as well. The longest I ever go between shaves is two days and that is longer than I like. In about 3 weeks, I could have a decent beard.

Same here. Although my beard is average it grows fast. Back in the early 80s beards were popular, it took me around three weeks. Later in life when work involved seeing clients in a suit and tie i kept a disposable razor and travel size can of shave foam in the car to use before any after work functions.

 

[Xonic]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread to ad my opinion as someone with a stupidly tough Iranian beard. I use a Rex Konsul exclusively as it's the only razor that lets me get a BBS. I use it on setting 6.5 always so the max it will go and I use that as a daily driver. For me, the best blade I've found is the Astra SP. It's smooth and sharp and leaves me with no irritation. even on max setting I have to buff my face many times, especially around the chin and the neck going ATG. Often i simply shave with a very fine layer of executive shaving oil which is basically liquid soap, but this is the best shave I've ever managed to get. Those Astra sps let me clean up with just water at the end if I need to. I've tried many if not all of the other blades listed and they just result in me getting a patchy shave or having to buff the same areas again and again. For some reason I can't explain, using a feather in the Konsul leaves me with a less close shave and sor irritated skin. So yup, YMMV strikes again