How good are Derbys compared to Red Israelis?

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 01:24 PM

I'm thinking of buying the Derby 100 pack instead of Israeli Reds. What's your experience? my only experience are Walmart blades so I don't know much about these 2.

**gldnbear93** · 03-12-2010, 01:33 PM

I prefer the reds to the derby-I got a closer shave with the reds in a merkur 33c razor. Jut ordered 100 pack of the reds. I like them better that the astra platimun also.
You can try a sample pack from wescoast shaving to give several others a try too.

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 01:40 PM

that's the thing I don't want the sampler pack. I'd like to buy just a great amount of good blades.

**Balthier** · 03-12-2010, 01:41 PM

IMO the derbies are terrible compared to IP's. It takes 2 passes with a derby what I can do with one pass IP, but I guess YMMV. I don't see how anybody likes these blades unless I got a bad batch full of duds

**Go West Young Man** · 03-12-2010, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Omnichron

that's the thing I don't want the sampler pack. I'd like to buy just a great amount of good blades.

You've been around here long enough to know better than that

**Greybeard** · 03-12-2010, 01:43 PM

Derbys are sharper than Red Packs, but they're really a YMMV blade. Some people love them, but they're the only blade I've ever used that gives me serious irritation every time. There have been recent reports that the quality is inconsistent on the Derbys. The Red Packs are smooth, but I don't find them quite sharp enough. The Astra SP is my favorite cheaper blade.

- Peter

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Go West Young Man

You've been around here long enough to know better than that

sorry I'm AD!

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 01:45 PM

Red Israelis are sold out over at WCS

**shamus** · 03-12-2010, 01:53 PM

They are also sold by some other supporting members of this board. Check out Sam at NTguys and also DarkAngel. They both could also fix you up with some blades.

**Greybeard** · 03-12-2010, 01:58 PM

http://stores.ebay.com/Darks-Blade-Supply

- Peter

**talibeard** · 03-12-2010, 02:01 PM

A huge YMMV thing here. And there is no such a thing as simply buying 'good' blades and be happy with them, though you might be lucky.

As for the blades; IP's are smooth but not too sharp and Derby's are smooth and less sharp.....if those two were my only options it would be IP but I am very glad there is much more to choose from.

I am sorry to advise you the sampler pack you don't want...

**shamus** · 03-12-2010, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Omnichron

I'm thinking of buying the Derby 100 pack instead of Israeli Reds. What's your experience? my only experience are Walmart blades so I don't know much about these 2.

ASR has 3, that I know of, double edge blades on the market. WalMart Personna, Red Pack Israeli Personna and the Crystal blades. My favorites out of the 3 are the IP's and the Crystals. The WalMart Personna blades, which I think are made in Tenn.) are my least favorite. However, if your in a pinch for some blades, these WalMart blades are as good as it gets in the USA, for double edge blades right off the shelf in a brick and mortar establishment.

Vertical Derby's you can keep....I did not like them one bit and I'm glad to be rid of the sample packs. Horizontal Derby's I have never tried thought many people like these blades. I hope to never put another Derby blade to my face.

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 03:20 PM

ok. I signed up for an email alert over at WCS for when the Red IPs come in.

**Rev. Nathan** · 03-12-2010, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Omnichron

that's the thing I don't want the sampler pack. I'd like to buy just a great amount of good blades.

No way. Not a good way to start. I was assured Red IP's would be my favorite, then they day before I pulled the trigger, I shaved with Dorcos, and found those to be my favorite. About to order those, then fell in love with Feathers.

The beauty of a sampler pack, is it's not one blade of each. It's 5 or 10. It's at least a month of shaving with each brand, and a lot of time to figure out which is your favorite. Then, after you've tried a huge spectrum of blades, you'll know your favorite.

So now did I go and order a bunch of Feathers? Going back and trying them again, Dorcos are my favorite. And I don't use them all the time: there's things I like about just about all the blades I have, so I go back and try all of them again time after time.

I promise you a bigger value for your money is the experience and knowledge of a shitton of different blades, then on whim buying blades you may end up hating.

**funkyb** · 03-12-2010, 03:43 PM

Must agree with some of the other comments; if you're not sure you like them, ordering a 100 pack may not be a good idea. What's the harm in getting a few single packs just to try them out? Don't need to get a full sampler, I'm sure there's plenty of people around here that would BST you a box or two for a very reasonable price.

Some people love them, but Derby's didn't work for me at all.

**profsaffel** · 03-12-2010, 03:49 PM

I won a 100 packs of Derby's in the Smiles contests a few months ago. I was not impressed at first because they are so different than my day-in-day-out blade (RPP). However, I've found I get great shaves from them too, once I found what razors they are best suited for. Unfortunately, I too think this is YMMV thing and I can't tell you to go with them or be against them. Sorry.

**Omnichron** · 03-12-2010, 04:09 PM

ok. you guys convinced me. I'm going to get this sampler pack :
http://westcoastshaving.com/index.ph...products_id=16

it includes almost all of the most popular blades. thank you guys!

**mahfrot** · 03-12-2010, 04:27 PM

Good call. I was going to +1 all of the sample pack votes. I've found that I like having a variety of blades to try over time, but when I change up something else in my routine I always use a blade which produces repeatedly similar results. For me, Derbys are my go-to blade because I usually get consistent results that aren't too aggressive. Thus, if I'm trying out a new shave cream, I want to use a blade which I already know to perform well. But again - different strokes for different folks!

**Walt Whitman** · 03-12-2010, 05:06 PM

I use RP Personnas and Derby Extras exclusively. I bought big with these two since a little money went a long way and both had vocal adherents. I have used both the horizontal and vertical printed Derbies.

To me...

The vertical Derbies are sharper than the horizontal Derbies. There has been much talk regarding the vertical Derbies being much less smooth than the horizontal Derbies. I think that is true, however, since I bought a couple hundred Derbies (vertical) (my horizontals had run out), I wouldn't just give up on them. I cork each blade before initial use and find the smoothness comparable to the horizontal Derbies and, surprisingly, I get 2 more shaves than I could with the old horizontal Derbies (5, instead of 3). The Derbies, both horiz. and vert. are sharper than the RP Personnas, the verticals moreso.

For sheer ease of shaving, RP Personnas are the cat's meow. They aren't as sharp as the Derbies, but sharp enough to give a very smooth shave (no corking necessary) and a very close shave. I get 3 shaves from each RP Personna and, given their inexpensive price, they are a great value.

Now...

While I suggest you get a sampler pack from your favorite wet shaving vendor and form your own opinion, I am truly satisfied with both these blades. Corking a blade takes no more than 15 seconds per blade, though there are some that complain that a blade should be ready to go straight from the box. And while I don't disagree with that premise on the whole, throwing out the vertical Derbies with the bathwater is done in error. I think the new Derbies, properly corked, are a huge improvement over the old horizontal Derbies. They just are of a different character now, more sharp, less smooth. Perhaps the Derby people need to add a better finishing/smoothing step in the process but I'm sure that would add to the cost.

So, for me...

Vertical Derbies properly corked trump RP Personnas in sharpness and number of shaves, and come relatively close in smoothness.

RP Personnas are inexpensive, ready-to-go out of the box but not as sharp or long-lasting as the Derbies.

Of course, YMMV.