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- #41
I have used the very mild Shark Stainless Steel blades, but not Gillette Silver Blue - but I have used several other Gillettes (various 7 O'Clocks and stainless Steel - all were good).
Regards,
Renato
I Just Can't Handle Astra SPs
- Thread starter Renato1
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Regards,
Renato
- Thread starter
- #42
Interesting perspective, thanks.
I haven't been game to try Astra Sps in my Superspeed. I tend to get slightly more nicks using it with milder blades than I do with fixed head razors.
Regards,
Renato
I found that there is a difference in the double wrapped Astra SP's vs the single plain white wrapped blades. Don't know which is older stock but the double wrapped are harsh. I can say that becasue I went through at least 20 of them before giving up on them. Previously I had the single wrapped and they were great. I've again gotten the sigle wrapped and again they are good.
Absolutely love my Astra SP's. I've tried over a dozen different brands and always end up coming back to the Astras. I bought 200 the other month and I'll be set for a long, long time with that.
They work flawlessly in my Pre-War Gillette Tech.
They work flawlessly in my Pre-War Gillette Tech.
I like the Astra SP's, kind of my go to blade after a bad shave. I did open up a box of Rapira Platinum Lux for the first time last night (not expecting much)and while shaving it wasnt the best feeling blade but after i was done there was no irritation, nicks or razor burn and my face feels extra soft today... Ya just dont know about how a blade is gonna act on your face, used an EJ89 and some Cella...
So much negative, so I'm be the other party.
I love the Astra SP, they are my go-to... compared to the several other brands, I don't find anything else that cuts as cleanly as the Astras SP.
In most comparative threads, they are well regarded as a universal blade that does better than most other brands regardless of razors.
That said, after the few years I've been on this site, I've seen a very standard thing across many... and that's the razor and technique does a huge difference across people's experience.
Dorco blades, some love them, while for me, they are the only blades that went directly in the garbage after dragging a new one across my face, feeling like I was using a rusted cheese grater.
And just like
Same here... when I rotate with my other blades, going back to the Astra SP is like going back to an old friend that I've missed a lot. I'll be glad once I have none others left as I won't bother getting any of the other brands I've already tried ever again. I'll probably try a few other ones that people rant about (Feathers, Gillette red/blue, etc.), but overall, if I was to simply stock up for hte rest of my life, I'd go with the Astra SP at this point.
That said...
1) you might have gotten a bad batch.. never heard of one, but could be...
2) fakes?
3) your razors might just not work well with them
4) for me 3 shaves is getting close to the end cycle of a blade... the max comfortable shaves I usually get from a blade is about 4-5.
But since some state that 3 is the "break-in" for a blade, that has to be about skin and hair type.. as the more shaves, the duller a blade gets... and should be worse in principle, but I gather that this probably has technique written all over it.
I love the Astra SP, they are my go-to... compared to the several other brands, I don't find anything else that cuts as cleanly as the Astras SP.
In most comparative threads, they are well regarded as a universal blade that does better than most other brands regardless of razors.
That said, after the few years I've been on this site, I've seen a very standard thing across many... and that's the razor and technique does a huge difference across people's experience.
Dorco blades, some love them, while for me, they are the only blades that went directly in the garbage after dragging a new one across my face, feeling like I was using a rusted cheese grater.
And just like
Same here... when I rotate with my other blades, going back to the Astra SP is like going back to an old friend that I've missed a lot. I'll be glad once I have none others left as I won't bother getting any of the other brands I've already tried ever again. I'll probably try a few other ones that people rant about (Feathers, Gillette red/blue, etc.), but overall, if I was to simply stock up for hte rest of my life, I'd go with the Astra SP at this point.
That said...
1) you might have gotten a bad batch.. never heard of one, but could be...
2) fakes?
3) your razors might just not work well with them
4) for me 3 shaves is getting close to the end cycle of a blade... the max comfortable shaves I usually get from a blade is about 4-5.
But since some state that 3 is the "break-in" for a blade, that has to be about skin and hair type.. as the more shaves, the duller a blade gets... and should be worse in principle, but I gather that this probably has technique written all over it.
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- Thread starter
- #47
Now this is interesting. I have only used double wrap ones. I was unaware that single wrap ones existed.
Can it be that there are really two different types of Astra SPs in those different wrappings?
Regards,
Renato
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- Thread starter
- #48
I took about 20 shaves, but I have finally broken in my Astra SP blade - though I still wouldn't say I like it a lot, at least I'm not getting nicks everywhere.
Regards,
Renato
I have experienced something similar. I have been working my way thru a 5 pack of SPs in each of my 4 razors to try to figure out good combos. My RazoRock Mission and my Maggard MR9 really perform great with the SP, my EJ DE89 and Parker 99R not as well. But no matter which razor it's been in, the first shave is always the worst... multiple nicks and irritation. Shaves 2-4 mellow out very nicely (3rd use seems to be optimum) to the point where I am going to try to stretch the blade out farther. I just had shave #3 using the Mission this morning after a 4 day shaving layoff (I was sick) and it was one of my best shaves ever (albeit I am still very much a noobie at this). I saw a stead decline in the quality of my shaves when I started out with Rapira Stainless blades... early shaves were best and they got steadily worse as the blade dulled. I'm glad to see that I wasn't the only one having similar results.
I shaved with them for a little over a week to give them a fair shake, and wanted to like them more than I did. My neck had more irritation at the end of the test than the beginning, so back to an old stand by I went...
Could I have adjusted my technique to make them work for me? Perhaps, but with so many other choices out there, better just to move on, I think.
Could I have adjusted my technique to make them work for me? Perhaps, but with so many other choices out there, better just to move on, I think.
Double post. Oops.
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Well, the way you feel about cartridge razors, I feel about Astra SP blades.
I don't care what others think about them; they give me a rough and unpleasant shave. They may be cheap, but if a Red Personna gives me five good shaves, and an Astra hardly one, I know which one is the more expensive blade for me.
As always, YMMV.
I find Astra's are a tad rough for the first shave and a tad dull by the 4th. I think the next one I use , I'll give a quick palm strop and see if i can knock some of the irregularities down before that first shave. Just a couple of swipes to each edge.
I like Feathers but need to watch my backhand technique that I don't add pressure.
I have some Personna blue labs '25% sharper' 2nd generation blades on the way, be interesting to see they go with my Razors.
I like Feathers but need to watch my backhand technique that I don't add pressure.
I have some Personna blue labs '25% sharper' 2nd generation blades on the way, be interesting to see they go with my Razors.
I love Astra blades smooth shaving in all the razors I've used them in including toggles, superspeeds, slims EJ98DBL, Merkur 42c, Techs, even my 1910 single ring. Having said all that if and when I get nicked etc. It is always due to operator error. When the blade gets dull, loses its edge as it were, I just don't get as good of a shave as before, then I put in a new one. I've been using some Gillette Platinum blades that I don't like too well but wanted to use the five that I have because it seems a waste to toss them. Again the shave is OK but I don't get cut, nicked or get burned unless I'm not doing it right. Dont blame the blade work on your style. IMHO. I also use Derbys and have some SE razors that use GEM blades and one that will only use Feather blades. They work well also.
I just finished 13 with a double wrapped one. I will stretch it longer.
I did get 100 Single wrapped one's in the mail, a week ago. I haven't tried them yet.
I did get 100 Single wrapped one's in the mail, a week ago. I haven't tried them yet.
Hello men, I didn't like the Astra SP blades when I first started back into DE shaving two and a half years ago, however, after revisiting them recently I have decided they are not so bad. In my case it was a matter of poor technique. Now after a little more experience, I get pretty good results from the Astra's. It's the same with most any blade I try now. But there are a lot of blades I haven't tried yet. The point being, there's no substitute for experience. No offense intended.
I actually just clicked on this thread to say the same thing Alan, however you said it much more eloquently then I!
I put mine on the backburner for a few months, minor irritation. Been using them again the past few weeks and they are a lot better now.
My favorite blades so far are Red personnas, Astras, Derbys, and Gillette 7oclock blacks.
I ordered some yellow 7oclocks and feathers to see what all the hubabaloo is about.
The astras work great in milder razors for me, like the blue tip and. When I put them in a OC though, they feel a bit rough. YMMV
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