I find the German Wilkinson Sword blades to be inconsistent. I have tried 5 blades and each one was in a different tier that ranged from outstanding to a complete dud.
Wilkinson Sword blades made in Germany: what do you think?
- Thread starter lak611
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- #22
I'm not about to endure the first shave and hope it gets better, especially since there are many other blades that shave good the first time using them.
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- #23
I have Bics so I'll see how those are for me.
A perfect example of YMMV. Bic and German Wilkies are at the very top of the heap for me, vying for #1.
I am using the UK Wilkinson blades in the comparison PIF. GREAT BLADES for me, definitely the pick of the litter!!
I tried the German Wilkies a while ago and found them solid ‘mid-tier’ blades. (And that’s high praise!) I cannot comment on the Indian Wilkies.
I tried the German Wilkies a while ago and found them solid ‘mid-tier’ blades. (And that’s high praise!) I cannot comment on the Indian Wilkies.
The few I've used have seemed above average. They used to be available at a local grocery store, so I'd grab a tuck occasionally, but they are no longer in the store.
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- #27
I used a Bic Chrome Platinum today, and it was the exact opposite of the German Wilkie. Three pass, BBS, no sting from the alum block at all.
Maybe I got bad German Wilkies, but I'm not going to take another chance with them when there are so many other blades that work for me including Bic.
I would have to agree with this. My first German Wilkies were bought locally and were older tucks that had been sitting on the shelves. They were my favorite blades for awhile until I ran out and bought new ones.
I kept buying 100 count boxes from multiple places hoping for a good batch but none compared to my first ones. I’d love to find 100 count box of vintage German made ones from 10 years ago.
The new ones are OK. I still find them very smooth but their sharpness isn’t up to my standards. The older ones were probably the smoothest blade I ever felt while also having good sharpness and longevity. I could get a couple more shaves from them over the Astras from what I remember.
I usually only get 3-4 shaves from most blades before that start noticeably declining so I toss them. I can get 5-6 shaves out of some blades but rarely do that anymore since they’re cheap and I have plenty. I’m astonished how some people get 20-100 shaves per blade without severe tugging/irritation.
German Wilkinson Sword blades are among the best I know
I too used an underwhelming tuck of German Wilkinsons within the last year. No idea on dates (the latest batch could have also been older), but I'm definitely talking about a perceived German vs. German difference; none of it super old stock.
Many of you have used far higher numbers of them, but I think of them as a premium all arounder - sharp, smooth, long-lasting, a little stiffer/thicker than most, with less chattering. They feel moderately tuggy for the first few swipes (a full pass or less) before smoothing out and are the only blade that becomes significantly better for me like that. It's always marginal improvement or downright wishful thinking with others.
However, a recently-ordered single tuck of German Wilkinsons started off middle-sharp and only offered average durability. One was a little on the rough side and perhaps there was more general variation blade to blade - not absolutely terrible, but definitely not the Wonder Blades I was expecting. A change could certainly explain the recent lack of love expressed for them, which seems to extend beyond the usual variety of opinions.
It is a fairly distinct blade that still looks the same without having multiple batches in-hand. The finish, "bendy-feel," and microscopic appearance is the same as far as I can tell. Was there a steel or angle change? Placebo? Counterfeit? If so, they did a heck of a job and tricked a reputable vendor.
Hopefully this isn't misguided bad-mouthing due to Group Think. I disappeared down a Treet rabbit hole but plan to try German Wilkinsons again someday.
Many of you have used far higher numbers of them, but I think of them as a premium all arounder - sharp, smooth, long-lasting, a little stiffer/thicker than most, with less chattering. They feel moderately tuggy for the first few swipes (a full pass or less) before smoothing out and are the only blade that becomes significantly better for me like that. It's always marginal improvement or downright wishful thinking with others.
However, a recently-ordered single tuck of German Wilkinsons started off middle-sharp and only offered average durability. One was a little on the rough side and perhaps there was more general variation blade to blade - not absolutely terrible, but definitely not the Wonder Blades I was expecting. A change could certainly explain the recent lack of love expressed for them, which seems to extend beyond the usual variety of opinions.
It is a fairly distinct blade that still looks the same without having multiple batches in-hand. The finish, "bendy-feel," and microscopic appearance is the same as far as I can tell. Was there a steel or angle change? Placebo? Counterfeit? If so, they did a heck of a job and tricked a reputable vendor.
Hopefully this isn't misguided bad-mouthing due to Group Think. I disappeared down a Treet rabbit hole but plan to try German Wilkinsons again someday.
I've never had an issue with German Wilkies.
I also bought them over 2 years ago...
I also bought them over 2 years ago...
I think they were changed somehow in the past 2-3 years. All of the older tucks I got locally were amazing blades and I want to say were 5-7 years old? Reasonably sharp, buttery smooth, and long lasting.
Going from memory I believe the newer ones were still very smooth blades but the sharpness really decreased. It wasn’t just your batch. I ordered from multiple locations over a period of time trying to find a good batch like the old ones but none came close to the old ones for me.
I still have them in the stockpile of blades in case I ever want to try them again and maybe in a really aggressive razor it might be a good choice. I do remember in my red tip the new German Wilkies were downright awful. Something about that combination was just bad. The Red Tip likes sharp blades, and so do I. With a Nacet, or Rubie the razor really comes to life.
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