Blind testing

OK folks, the first blind test - Feather vs 7 O'Clock Yellow - is finished. Check out the result.

I'm going to have a day off shaving, then around a week of using other gear, before I start test #2.

But which two blades are going to go head-to-head next?

I don't want to use the same blade in two consecutive tests, so Feather and Yellow are not eligible for test #2.

Looking through my blades, that leaves the following candidates...

Astra SP
Crystal
Personna Red
Personna Med Prep
BIC
Shark Super Chrome
Shark Super Stainless
Treet Platinum
Supermax
Dorco ST300
Dorco ST301
Derby
Timor
Bolzano Superinox
Wilkinson Sword

If there are any pairs there that you'd like to see pitted against each other, please let me know.

Astra SP v. Personna Red

Suggestions so far (including those from the Test #1 thread)...

Astra SP vs Personna Red (x2)
Shark SS vs Shark SC
BIC vs Timor or Bolzano
Timor vs Bolzano
Astra SP vs BIC
Astra SP vs Derby (x2)
Astra SP vs Treet Platinum
Personna Red vs Personna Med

Suggestions I can't do at the moment as I don't have the blades, but they might be possible in the future...

Iridium Super vs. Gillette Yellow, Perma-sharp Super or Polsilver (I only have Yellow out of those)
Personna Med vs Personna Lab (No Lab, only Med)

I want to suggest
Astra SP vs. BIC
Astra Sp vs. Derby

They are in the same price range and I can't decide for myself which one of the three I like more. Also, I think BIC is the same as Blue Bird for me.

Astra SP vs. Treet Platinum!!!
This is one of my favorites threads!!!

Personna Red vs Personna Med

As an aside, I love Timor blades. Not many people have tried them, but the handful of comments I've read have been positive. Still, would probably be best to stick to blades people know better for now.

Id like to see astra vs derby. Mainly because most people would say they are very different blades, so will be interesting to see if it is easy to tell them apart.

Thanks for the suggestions and kind comments folks - I've updated the list above.

There are definitely quite a few I'd like to do there - such a shame I only have one beard to work on

Edit: As another thought, for future tests I'm thinking I could stop a bit earlier if it became clear early on that there really is a big difference between the two blades - if one is really sharp and the other is really blunt, there wouldn't be much point testing to destruction.

One weakness of the test, I think, is that I'm using razors that not many people have, simply because it's the only model I have two of - the Merkur Bakelite.

I think it's an excellent razor, but something like an EJ DE89 would probably be more relevant to more people (and I don't want to spend the next 6 months shaving only with one model anyway). I do actually have something like a DE89 - a DE86, which is the same head with a black polyester handle, though I only have one.

But I've just rectified that problem by ordering a DE87, the same with an ivory polyester handle

So, the next test will be using EJ razors.

Oscroft said:

Thanks for the suggestions and kind comments folks - I've updated the list above.

There are definitely quite a few I'd like to do there - such a shame I only have one beard to work on

Edit: As another thought, for future tests I'm thinking I could stop a bit earlier if it became clear early on that there really is a big difference between the two blades - if one is really sharp and the other is really blunt, there wouldn't be much point testing to destruction.

Click to expand...

+1

OK folks, I've decided on Astra SP vs Derby for the next test - both are popular blades, Derby tends to polarise opinions, and this is a combination that two people have asked for.

I also have my EJ DE87 now, so I'll use that and my DE86 - they're the versions of the very popular DE89 with the white and black handles respectively (I'll post a photo as soon as daylight returns here).

I'll start a new thread for the test and will post a link here.

The test will commence as soon as I have enough whiskers, which I think will be Wednesday (I had a very close Fatboy shave this afternoon, which almost certainly rules out tomorrow)

Interesting choice, the Derby vs. Astra SP - as these are both the only two blades I wouldn't even consider trying on my skin agian. (Yes, I know a lot of people like these blades, and I'm not saying they aren't good for those people, they have just never worked in ANY razor that *I* have tried... for me there is nothing worse that I've tried - and I've tried a lot of blades.)

Sounds great mate. I hope the Astra's win!

Well, I managed to mess up my first attempt at Test #2...

Razors loaded, and I started, but my first pass on one side was pretty rough - the blade just felt nowhere near sharp enough. So I just had to open them up and see what was going on, and I found a Merkur blade in there! (Derby in the other one).

I can only think that last time I used a Merkur, I must have rewrapped it (which I used to do with old blades before I made myself a blade bank out of a tin can), and it's ended up getting put back in an Astra box at some stage - what a doofus!

Anyway, I finished off with the Derby (which was much better than my previous memories told me), and I'll start the test again with two brand new blades on Friday.

Alan,

FYI, I notice while centering my blade, that the Astra logo peeks out beyond the cap of my Gillette OC heads. Unless you don't look at your razor when you shave, you may want to check your razors, to address this before you start the "blind" test...

acutao said:

Alan,

FYI, I notice while centering my blade, that the Astra logo peeks out beyond the cap of my Gillette OC heads. Unless you don't look at your razor when you shave, you may want to check your razors, to address this before you start the "blind" test...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip - I've got a part-used Astra blade in my "in use" box, so I'll check with that before I do the test.

OK, finally got test #2 under way. My two EJ razors (DE86 and DE87, identical other than for different coloured handles) are loaded with a Derby blade and an Astra SP blade - but I don't know which is which (I'll post pics of the two here as soon as I have the time).

The test thread is here.

Here's a photo of the two EJ razors I'm currently using, and will probably stick to for future tests...

View attachment 201566

The second test is now finished, and the two tests can be found at...

Blind test #1 - Feather vs 7 O'clock Yellow
Blind test #2 - Astra SP vs Derby

I'll have a week off using other gear, then I'll be back for test #3. There are plenty of suggestions earlier in this thread, but please feel free to make any requests. As I still have a good few untried blades, next time I'd like to test two blades not already covered by either test - but old ones can be retested against others in future tests. I'm tempted to try a Shark against something next, as I have some Sharks but I've never used them, and a lot of people seem to like them.

Hi,

I second (or third) the RP Personnas against the Astra SPs. Also, consider doing the test twice before the reveal, switching the blade and razor in between. There could be differences in razors (even though they are the same model and averything).

great thread!