Your approach on blade rotations?

[albsat]

Hi fellas,

I would like some input on how you found your preferred blade type.

I have been blessed with some blades from different manufactures and bought some locally also. It is more of a sample from several brands.

All my blades expect during the first 2 months when I started shaving with a DE, can be pushed by me at 10 shaves each. I tried an Astra SP and today I got 15 shaves out of it. My personal record.

So far I have created this opinion. Gillette Platinium is a blade that doesn't disappoint you for 5-6 shaves. Shark Stainless blades do not work well for me in a DE razor , but it is very nice one (and any other harsh blade in fact) in my shavette. Astra SP lasts a lot. 15 shaves was beyond my expectation too.

I have tried only Gillette Platinum twice in raw. My desire is big to try a new blade. Some say here in forum to use one blade again and again.

I have about 3 - 4 other brands that I haven't tried. Childish question. Should I rotate or restart again with Astra SP?

My desire is to try new things looking to find my one or two preferred DE blade brand and then buy a 100 pack sample (good for 2-4 years).

Glad to receive some feedback on how long did you try till you found your preferred blade brand.

 

[Tokyospike]

Hi. See link in my signature. I picked 5 blade brands that seemed popular and shaved with 3 blades in a row with each of them. But I also picked 16 more brands and just tried 1 blade each for them (otherwise it would have taken forever).

After that, I went back and used 1 blade each of the original 5, plus 1 blade each of the best of the 16, and then I felt like I’d found the best blade for me.

 

[Storch4]

I keep buying and trying. It's the quest that makes it fun. I drop in to Pasteur and buy this one and that one and try in my main three razors. I have blades I like and yet I keep buying. I have found some great blades from reviews here and then testing for myself. It's what makes my mornings after thanking G-d for waking up.

 

[BigJ]

I have tried a ton of blades over the years and have many options in my drawer (not sure how many).

My general approach is to classify blades into three groups:
Top-tier: top 10% or so that constitute my everyday rotation.
Middle-tier: middle 70-80% that are OK from time to time.
Lower-tier: lowest 10-20% that are only worth using on a bet!

This approach minimizes my need for much thinking first thing in the AM.

 

[cyberdog]

In some razors, there's virtually no difference in blades for me, with the exception of just a select few. For my Rockwell (R6) and so far my Karve, I just grab a blade and load it, with little hesitation or consideration. A Feather or an Astra SP feel no difference in the Rockwell, but I haven't tried a Feather in the Karve, yet. On the Rockwell, the KAI blade seems to add a tiny bit of blade, otherwise it just tends to last longer, although I've done 15 shaves with an Astra SP in it, so YMMV. The MingShi/QShave razors are also very blade friend, and I've loaded anything in them.

Other razors are a bit more blade picky and I just use the smoother blade with that razor. My Slim Adjustable seems to be smoother with a KAI blade, and since I have KAIs, that's what I've been using. About the only truly sensitive razors I have are my Schone and Gillette NEW models, which tend to favor Pol-Silvers, where a Feather just feels really harsh, or that Pearl head I have, which only a KAI is smooth, and an Astra or Wilkinson Sword are passable.

Other than those couple, I'll use a Wilkinson, Astra SP, Feather, Personna Blue/Red, Nacet, or whatever pot-luck tuck I have in the bag (Couple GSBs, Gillette Green, MingShi, and a few others). - Basically, whatever I pull out, I'll load up, if it isn't one of the few pickier razors. My two go-to razors are the Rockwell & Karve, so just about anything seems to work and feel similar.

 

[homh]

If you like the Gillette Platinum and Astras, try a Gillette Silver Blue. Same factory. Or maybe the Nacet or Polsilver Super Iridium. The GSB's are a favorite here in particular.

 

[albsat]

My dilema was to try an Astra again or go to another brand. I decided to rotate and try a new blade.

Thanks to all.

 

[zed117]

Started on Astras and different 7oclocks a few years back. Thought it was good enough and forgot all about trying more blades. A few months ago I tried Nacet and GSB and am blown away by the difference.

I still have hundreds of the Astra Sp and Ss, as well as a bunch of 7oclcoks yellows. I tend to reach for my Nacets 8 times out of 10 though.

 

[kluber]

Hi. See link in my signature. I picked 5 blade brands that seemed popular and shaved with 3 blades in a row with each of them. But I also picked 16 more brands and just tried 1 blade each for them (otherwise it would have taken forever).

After that, I went back and used 1 blade each of the original 5, plus 1 blade each of the best of the 16, and then I felt like I’d found the best blade for me.

I like both these ideas. I’d suggest that you go with what sounds fun/interesting to you.

Revisiting blades can be a good idea too but sounds like you already have a good feel for Astra SPs. I tended to try popular blades for a week/month of shaves depending and then formed my own opinion on them. I’ve personally settled on feathers, Gillette yellows, and polsilver SIs although I have many others I am working through.

 

[Mick]

My approach?

When I get bored with the blades I have unwrapped I'll reach into the blade drawer and grab something different.

That new choice will be added to the blades I have unwrapped..

 

[Tokyospike]

I'll reach into the blade drawer . . .

You are a monster, Mick. Your method would drive me nuts. But I get it. Whatever works for you, man.

 

[Mick]

You are a monster, Mick. Your method would drive me nuts. But I get it. Whatever works for you, man.

Everything works for me.

Different razor, blade, brush, soap/cream, AS, every day. For me they're all fantastic.

 

[Tokyospike]

Envious!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

No rotations here, but I do have a load of test blades lined up which should see me through most of this year. After that, I'll just work through them in an adhoc fashion, restocking my favourites as I go. No set routine or pattern, just keep shaving till it can't do it's job properly anymore, then ditch it and grab another. No need to complicate matters with rotations and schedules, just replace it when it's spent.

 

[Capisco Capisce]

I wish you luck, buddy. Two years in, and I still haven't figured it out!

But in general I like Feather for sharp, GSB for smooth, Astra for cheap, and KAI because I'm not sure - but sometimes need the change of pace!

 

[Slats6NYR]

I just look at what brand I last used, then look at what have, and pick something I either haven't used in awhile or one of my favorites.

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

 

[StillShaving]

I never found a preferred blade type. Started out with a sampler pack and liked some blades better than others. But soon enough bought a 100 blade pack so that became my preferred blade even though I only considered it a good blade and not necessarily the best since there were too many blades/razors/soap combinations to compare against each other. I bought other bulk blade packs to have more variety but came to the conclusion they all worked well enough.

 

[Dovo1695]

I've found that the razor blades from the Gillette St Peterburg PPI factory range from superb to sublime. There are about 20 to choose from, and if you like the Astra SP, you're bound to find something you enjoy even more. For the last two years, the Perma-Sharp Super has been my favorite, but recently the Gillette Minora has been giving it a run for it's money. If you hit the search bar for "PPI blades" you'll find a wealth of options!

 

[seattleshaver]

For my first blade, Astra SP, I just bought 100 since most people seemed to like them and they are inexpensive. They worked well. I used that box up and bought another 100 box. At that point however I decided to try quite a few common brands. I bought a sample pack and bought a few singles for a few that I wanted that weren't in sample packs.

The bottom line for me was that most were about the same, one or two were dull/mild and one was too sharp for me (Feathers) and one stood out a little from the others, Gillette Silver Blue, so I bought 100 of those and called it a day.

I no longer look for other blades. When I want to experiment I shave with a straight (about once a week).

I have to say that most of the difference and interest in trying different blades is that some paper wrappers are more attractive/interesting than others. If you took all of the blades and wrapped them with white paper, trying a different blade everyday wouldn't be particularly interesting as long as you eliminate the dullest and sharpest blade from this test.

 

[pwill112]

Go to tryablade.com. Sort by popularity. Pick up 5 of each that catch your eye