Preferences regarding "types" of blades across brands?
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Sure. I generally like "Platinum" razor blades. What the difference is between the various types of coatings or their blends, I do not know. I do know I value comfort and smoothness foremost as qualities. Comparison between brands and lines is difficult because the exact proportion of each coating is unknown and you can't rely on marketing, such as exists, to tell you. The Gillette Silver Blue, the smoothest blade I have used, isn't even listed on the English gillette.com web site.
I have not noticed any pattern with the coatings and rarely pay attention to it. However, I do not like all blades equally. But I have no explanation. Something that is rarely discussed, probably because it's invisible to the naked eye, is the grind angle. I suspect this might be a factor.
No.
I don't think you can reliably select what you prefer based on the marketing info, usually it is just words without much real world meaning.
For instance, you often hear people on this forum talk about "uncoated" blades. That's not accurate, AFAIK all stainless steel blades have at least a PTFE coating to make them smoother. Chrome is a component of most stainless steel alloys, etc. so what does that even mean when called out on the package?
For instance, you often hear people on this forum talk about "uncoated" blades. That's not accurate, AFAIK all stainless steel blades have at least a PTFE coating to make them smoother. Chrome is a component of most stainless steel alloys, etc. so what does that even mean when called out on the package?
The only preference I have is to actually try each blade!
As far as I can tell, there are no standards for blade labeling.
As far as I can tell, there are no standards for blade labeling.
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That's my philosophy when it comes down to it really. There's no substitute for trying a blade, nothing.
I was more curious if anything.
Maybe underlying my curiosity is wondering if there's anything systematic behind these labels of "platinum" or "ptfe" or "chrome" coating? Just seems like an odd thing to me to use as a marketing distinction if there's not *something* behind it.
It's a markeint gimmick, to catch your attention and think they are better than the next blade.
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- #9
I've started to wonder about that as well. The more I've read about blade design and production the more I suspect things like type of edge geometry might be explaining a lot.
Sometimes I feel like someone needs to take a bunch of microscopic images of all the blades we can find and feed it to an AI, and have it classify them, and then merge it with some dataset of people's blade ratings to come up with personalized blade predictions. Such a thing is probably doable in theory but economically infeasible.
Yes. Platinum blades work the best for me. Stainless without the coating can get itchy.
And based on the mass spectroscopy readings, a lot of "Platinum" blades have no platinum in them.
I am sure in some cases there's some truth to the naming, but certainly not all.
Curious if Astras do ?
I get skin irritation after using Astra SS (blues) but not Astra SP (greens). I also had similar experience with Personnas - great shave but irritation comes a couple hours later. I figured that the platinums are coated with something - perhaps not platinum - thar makes a difference in my case.
I feel like it's all marketing. Like a gold or platinum credit card.
I liken blade packaging to cigarette packaging - there's not really that vast a difference in the product, but packaging can influence the masses to try them (subconciously or conciously) because of the box alone. I tried Gillette Minora Platinum only because I liked the flashy colors. It was a fine shave but now I have bulk Personna/AccuTecs and could care less because they work best me
I imagine performance, after the novelty wears off and experience sets in, will eventually steer the buyer more than packaging and marketing.
I imagine performance, after the novelty wears off and experience sets in, will eventually steer the buyer more than packaging and marketing.
All the platinum blades I've tried so far have caused irritation and weepers. All my favorites so far are labeled as stainless. Case in point: Astra SP: irritation and weepers. Astra SS: gentle and smooth; one of my favorites.
I haven't really noticed to be honest.
All blades are coated with something, so I just go with the blades that are comfortable with an efficient edge.
I assume that Nacets and Perma Sharps are 'stainless' blades, but I find them extremely smooth.
I loved the israeli Personnas. They claimed to be 'platinum chrome'. No idea, but I find them buttery smooth with a terrifying longivity.
The Wizamet Super Iridiums obviously are coated with some mud from planet Super Iridium, about 9 light years away. I suppose shipping all that super iridium on big starships drives up the price. I pay £2.90 for a tuck of 10.
Lovely blades though.
Feathers have Hi-Stainless sprinkled on them. Hi-Stainless is the Japanese name for a small island in the Marshall group. It might be the sand from Hi-Stainless island. The Japanese invaded Hi-Stainless island in 1941 which started the Pacific war to get the magic Hi-Stainless sand. Never felt the urge to try them to be honest.
Some blades are made of diamonds. Super-Max Diamond Edge even has an amusing little note on the tucks warning users not to try to sell them on the Amsterdam diamond exchange as they are not actually diamonds.
The magnificent Derby Extras are coated with Turkish sheep dung, baked in authentic Anatolian clay ovens by maidens in native dress which may give them a certain charm. They are excellent for beginner shavers, as it seperates the wheat from the chaff and a little suffering purges the the new shaver soul.
Extra is actually Turkish for sheep dung. Not a lot of people know that.
Did someone say marketing BS @brucered ?
Ho hum.
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Humour alert!
@lasta me old blade biting mucker, glad you could make it!
I obviously forget the Gillette Silver Blue.
Neither silver nor blue, but distinguished by being the only blade on the market which is coated in kevlar.
This makes for a remarkably economical blade for the wet shaver, as it takes on average 4 months before the coating wears off and you can actually get to the edge.
It's a magnificent performer when you get there though I say.
@lasta me old blade biting mucker, glad you could make it!
I obviously forget the Gillette Silver Blue.
Neither silver nor blue, but distinguished by being the only blade on the market which is coated in kevlar.
This makes for a remarkably economical blade for the wet shaver, as it takes on average 4 months before the coating wears off and you can actually get to the edge.
It's a magnificent performer when you get there though I say.
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lasta
Blade Biter
Hi Simon,Humour alert!
@lasta me old blade biting mucker, glad you could make it!
I obviously forget the Gillette Silver Blue.
Neither silver nor blue, but distinguished by being the only blade on the market which is coated in kevlar.
This makes for a remarkably economical blade for the wet shaver, as it takes on average 4 months before the coating wears off and you can actually get to the edge.
It's excellent when you get there though I say.
I believe the shaving ritual is more than 1+2=3!
In my mind, GSBs do contain silver. I have also plated most of my razors in silver. Cleanest metal in the world, hypoallergenic what have you.
I really appreciate your humor!
What can you tell me your thoughts on lesser-known and used blades such as the Japanese Kai and the almost unknown Asian Sharps whose origins of the different treatments are not even understood?
Many of these Asian blades say Swiss quality, I don't understand what that means.
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Like @BigJ, I'm not aware of any standards for blade labeling. And I find most blade differences to be minor. That said however, I do seem to get better results from SS blades than Chrome, with Platinum in between. Still, the three types overlap so much that there really is no major difference. And that's even before you get to the YMMV effect.
You have to try each one yourself.
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