Astra vs Derby

[Bucko]

Hey people, just wanted to pick some brains on which is the more preferred blade. I just finished my first shave with a brand new Derby and have to say that it took three lathers to get a decent shave. I had just used my Astra blade for the 4th time and found it to still be sharper than the Derby on the first shave! Also, any other blade suggestions would be welcome for a newb.

Thanks.

[gash]

The standard advice is to buy a blade sampler from some place like Bullgoose Shaving or West Coast Shaving. That said, I have had horrific shaves from Astra and Derby, both of which you're likely to find in a blade sampler. Of the two, more people prefer Astra, I believe.

I would recommend trying Feather, red Israeli Personna, and Shark Super Chrome.

[Eric V]

Get a blade sampler. They are available at many of our associated vendors. You will find a couple of blades that fit your present abilities and style better than others. Work through the rotation two times. As your skill improves, the blades will work better for you. Often it is prep that allows a blade to last for more shaves. A triple pass shave WTG, XTG, XTG, sounds about right for a good shave. Shaving is about beard reduction, so multiple passes are necessary, and usually have less irritation associated with them.

Have fun!

[mgiah]

Derby's weren't my favorite starting out. A razor change made all the difference - switched to a less aggressive razor. Though, I think a large part of that was getting my technique a little more refined. Only used the Astras a few times and liked them OK, but now Derby is in my regular rotation.

As you get further down the road, you might revisit some you didn't like and find they're better than initial impressions.

My regular rotation includes -
Derby
Feather
Gillette (yellow)
Dorco ST-301
Personna (red)

Obligitory YMMV, etc.

[shakin_jake]

Hi!, I've shaved with both but have more expereience using Derby DE Blades. I've probably used 4 Derby blades since I started wet shaving in Feb of this year. I like using Derby blades so my beard and skin type, I do well using Derby and I can easily get a half dozen good shaves out of one blade, doing 3 + passes and touch ups each shave

I used an Astra for the first time just this past week. I find the edge and overall shave comprable to using Derby. Now the Razors I have used the Astra with has been a Super Speed, a Red Tip SS and a Gillette Slim (Adjustable). I wanted to try this blade out in several razors so i could get a good feel for the blade

The razors I've used a Derby in are the same plus a Merkur #38 and two different Kronas. I have an early Krona and one built at the end of their run. The Derby shaves me well in all of these razors

In regards to my beard, I have a light beard and shave daily so the blades never have much of a beard to shave. I use a variety of shave soaps and creams and usually build lather in a scuttle. I also have and use 4 different straight razors...I've been shaving mostly with the straights the past 5 weeks and am still in a learning mode with the straight razor. I still like shaving with DE razors and blades. For me, DE shaving is a luxury and I prefer shaving with mild razors, which reminds me, I just came into possesion of a 1963 Gillette Ball End Tech and used it for the first time last night, with a new unused Derby Blade. The Tech is my kind of a razor as I can use it making multiple passes w/o it beating up my skin, paired with a Derby blade

Anyways, for me and my use, I find these two blades (Derby/Astra) have more in common in regards to performance and I haven't found much in the way of differences between the two. They're two fairly similar blades


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

[Ozgun]

I dont use those. But astra is much better than derby imo.

[dalew]

Hey people, just wanted to pick some brains on which is the more preferred blade. I just finished my first shave with a brand new Derby and have to say that it took three lathers to get a decent shave. I had just used my Astra blade for the 4th time and found it to still be sharper than the Derby on the first shave! Also, any other blade suggestions would be welcome for a newb.

Thanks.


Astras are a very good blade. The derby is not as sharp me as the Astra.
I have a very heavy beard.

[mesu]

astra SP better than derby imho

[franstjohn]

Get a blade sampler. They are available at many of our associated vendors. You will find a couple of blades that fit your present abilities and style better than others. Work through the rotation two times. As your skill improves, the blades will work better for you. Often it is prep that allows a blade to last for more shaves. A triple pass shave WTG, XTG, XTG, sounds about right for a good shave. Shaving is about beard reduction, so multiple passes are necessary, and usually have less irritation associated with them.

Have fun!
+1. Blades work differently with different razors and different lathers and more experience. I suggest you concentrate on technique and reduce the variables for awhile but keep cycling through a sampler pack until you find your best combination.

[nortac]

Derbys did not work well for me early on in my DE learning curve but AstraSPs worked well enough for me to buy them in bulk. I will eventually revisit the few Derbys I have left over, but I'm skeptical that they will work for me at all!

[Bestarrkin]

Astra SP is far better than Derby. I like Astra SS too.

[InHotWater]

I use the Astra super platinum in my Edwin Jagger DE89 with great results, they are not too costly either.:001_smile

[global_dev]

Derby's worked for me as a comfortable blade, although astras felt much smoother..

an astra in my gillette New was wonderful...

[rockviper]

Astra SPs are my main blade, but I also make sure I have a few packs of Derby's on hand at all times as well. Being able to provide protential converts (I'm in the process of converting friend #4) with at least 2 different blade types to try in various SS's is a good thing.

[Xman74]

Astras versus Derbies is an unfair comparison. Like comparing Coca Cola to RC Cola - they both do the job, but one is vastly inferior to the other.

I remember a Turkish member of B&B commenting recently that Derbies are considered a bit of a joke in his home market and are used only by those looking for *really* cheap blades.

[Sledgehammer39]

As already mentioned I would suggest getting a blade sampler pack to reallyfind what blades will work on your skin/face. Between the Astra and Derby my vote goes to the Astra.

[Bucko]

Thanks for the posts, I will definitely get a sampler pack, but I think for now I'm going to park the Derbys. The Astra just felt so much smoother and my main concern was that I might be inclined to use more pressure with the Derbys. BTW my DE is a Merkur 38C.

Thanks again, feel free to keep posting as I will check for other opinions.

[aufanatic]

Love astra SP's in my EJ, in my merkur HD not so much

[Dalejr]

I have used both and prefer the Astra's...

[ESTEBE VERDE]

Blade Sampler! :thumbup:

[shakin_jake]

Thanks for the posts, I will definitely get a sampler pack, but I think for now I'm going to park the Derbys. The Astra just felt so much smoother and my main concern was that I might be inclined to use more pressure with the Derbys. BTW my DE is a Merkur 38C.

Thanks again, feel free to keep posting as I will check for other opinions.



~~~Merkur #38 was/is my first and only new DE razor...every DE Razor since then I've acquired has been vintage, like this Gillette ball end tech a buddy gifted to me late last week.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5615123653_f823603f52_b.jpg
I've shaved twice with the tech, both times used the same Derby blade...fun little razor to shave with

Anyways, I like the Merkur quite a bit and haven't found a blade used with it I didn't like

As someone mentioned, you might want to try a Feather DE blade. FWIW, when I bought the Merkur I had a pkg of Feathers and Derbys shipped with it. Because I was a n00b with the Merkur after first getting it and using the Feather, the Feather felt so sharp, kind of turned me off from using Feathers, but I've since revisted Feathers and I can *handle* them now=:-)...i still prefer a milder blade when DE shaving. Different strokes....


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

[bmacqueens]

Astras versus Derbies is an unfair comparison. Like comparing Coca Cola to RC Cola - they both do the job, but one is vastly inferior to the other.

I remember a Turkish member of B&B commenting recently that Derbies are considered a bit of a joke in his home market and are used only by those looking for *really* cheap blades.

Greaaaaaaaat. That's what I chose for my starter batch - you know, use the same thing day after day so that there's no variables messing with your technique. I'm doing fairly well with them, so I suspect I'll much enjoy the sampler rotation that I'm about to buy, including anything but more Derby.

On the plus side, while I'm not always happy with the result, right now I don't know any better. Also, I'm not too worried about tossing a blade after the 2nd use. They were cheap enough and I've already encountered good blades and not-so-good blades. Now I think I can recognize the difference.

[Ozgun]

I remember a Turkish member of B&B commenting recently that Derbies are considered a bit of a joke in his home market and are used only by those looking for *really* cheap blades.


Yep, that member is possibly me. Apart from some lovers of it, they are only used in some barbershops I think. Even most barbers I speak with dont like it and prefer sharks or permasharps.

It seems to me that derbys are working very nicely for a very limited people. But for the most they are rough, dull, unfortable blades.


But astra's are no superb too. They are just a tad better. For my though beard astras were not sharp enough, not durable enough and not satisfactory enough.

We have some kind of rapira super stainless blades here, not in pink and blue box(sh.t), a little bit different. Here you are:

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/275734465/shaving_blade.jpg

These are unreal. So smooth and confortable. Very much similar to crystals but a tad better in all terms. The only bad thing about them is they are prone to rust easily. I buy one package with ten blades in it just for 0,66cents. :)

The seller of these is a very sweet old grandpa (75 years old) who wetshaved for all his life, sells lots of different brands of blades including both astras, derbys, bics, sharks, permasharps, wilkinsons etc and he says these rapiras are his favorites too. :thumbup1:

[Bucko]

BTW I just looked at my pack of Astra's and realized that they were the SP and not the SS. Is there a huge difference between the two?

[igloo]

For what it is worth I like them both but the Astra Platinum wins hands down in my book .

[noahpictures]

I've tried at least a dozen brands of blades and here are my rankings:

1. Personna (Red Pack)
2. Astra SP
3. Bic CP

By the way I have a tough beard.