Your thoughts on Wilkinson Sword Classic double edge blades please

I bought these blades that are made in Germany from Bed Bath & Beyond. There are five blades individually wrapped in a white paper inside of a black container. I noticed their German provenance, so hopefully they are not made in the same factory that manufacture the Merkur blades. Is there more that one "quality" of blade offered by Wilkinson? How do they compare with other blades such as Merkur? Thanks in advance.

I've been buying the Made in Germany Wilkinsons from Walmart. I like them fine and get 4 good shaves from them. Smooth and locally available.

Remember that there are members who find the Merkur blades to be one of the best. The only thing you can do is to try many different blades, keep a written record of how each performs for you, and find your own best blade(s). Just because a few members rave about a certain blade doesn't mean that same blade is going to be a good one for you, you have to try them for yourself. Blade choice is a perfect example of YMMV.

...different strokes/different folks...

I have used the Wilkinson Sword Classics for the last year or so. They are perfectly acceptable blades and good for about four or five shaves. I prefer Astra SP and Red IPs and Crystals. Right now I am using current productions US made Personnas and find that they are just fine also.

They're an ok blade, but rather unremarkable IMO.

-- John Gehman

I still perfer Sharks or Astra's but the Wilkinsons have worked well for me.

shipr said:

I still perfer Sharks or Astra's but the Wilkinsons have worked well for me.

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My thoughts exactly! I will add that I do prefer the wilkinson to the personna reds, tho.

I think that they are a pretty good blade!

I like that I can pick some up on the way home from work and get out for about $2. They're not the best blade I've ever used, but they work well enough when I'm too broke to order the good stuff.

The best thing about them is that you don't have to order 100 of them and wait weeks for them to arrive. Stop in, grab a pack.

I have not found a (brand name) blade that I would call bad/poor/inferior.

I do have certain blades I prefer over others but that preference changes depending on what blade is in my razor on a given day, what soap/cream I have chosen to use, and how I feel

This week I am psyched about the SuperMax Titanium carton I cracked open. Who knows how I will feel next week when I use a different blade or if I will even use a different brand of blade or not.

The fact that I can get them local, for less that $2 plays HUGE into me being a Wilkinson Sword advocate...but for me they shave great. I can get about 5 decent shaves from one blade. I use the same blade for 7 days...but those last 2 days are usually interesting shaves...

I like the Wilkinson's. I get them at Sprawl-Mart, 10 for $1.79. 4 or 5 good shaves, although the first, WTG pass on a new one I can feel my face doing the final hone on the blade. It's not a big deal and goes away by the time I finish that first pass. In fact I have settled, basically, on the Wilkinson's and Feathers and PIF'd the rest of my sampler pack. And the Wilkinson's are so cheap to buy.

BroJohn said:

They're an ok blade, but rather unremarkable IMO.

-- John Gehman

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What makes a blade "remarkable" to you? I see this and the "nothing to write home about" comment from various people regarding various blades. What makes anyone want to write home about a razor blade? Honestly, on my face, with my beard, they all seem about the same. Today, I shaved with a new South Korean blade that comes from Family Dollar Store. Have no idea who makes them and my prep was pretty poor but it still gave me a nice close shave with no irritation (I do admit to taking it easy and touching up with a Norelco on a couple of patches on my neck). It wasn't as good as the Wilkinsons I've been using or Derbys but it was also poor prep (a few splashes of water and rather quick lathering with some Speick that I milled into a mug and sits too low for the brush to reach). So a poor job all around on my part but it was still a decent, close shave.

I find the Wilkies to be a bit too "tuggy" for me. It could have been the particular blade/razor combo I used at the time though. I might have to revisit these soon. My wife is using the packs I bought in the Wilke Classic plastic razor that was my first DE. I only used twice before I found a Gillette and a Hoffritz in an antique store. The Wilkies did not seem very good in those razors so I panned them....fast forward to now and I am much stronger in the force and should retry these in my DE 89's and my 1904...would be much easier than ordering online since my wife works for Satan, I mean Walmart. When you go there, just make sure you stay away from electronics....that's where the evil is!!!!!!! Just ask Stan and Kyle....

I've used the Wilkies in my EJ89l and Fat Boy with good results. I like to buy from local stores where I can so I use Bigelow or RSC cream, Wilkie blades, drug store aftershaves (prefer Clubman Original) and Nivea aftershave balm (actually the CVS brand).

I really like them. They are consistent, available and give me a great shave.

Glasstream15 said:

I like the Wilkinson's. I get them at Sprawl-Mart, 10 for $1.79. 4 or 5 good shaves, although the first, WTG pass on a new one I can feel my face doing the final hone on the blade. It's not a big deal and goes away by the time I finish that first pass. In fact I have settled, basically, on the Wilkinson's and Feathers and PIF'd the rest of my sampler pack. And the Wilkinson's are so cheap to buy.

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I bought a pack from Wally World last night; much better deal @ 10 for $1.79 than Bed Bath & Beyond. Thank you.

I just scooped up another five 10-packs from Walmart today. 17.6 cents for a blade that works great for me for at least 4 shaves is a deal.

WILKINSON SWORD (Made in Germany - Solingen)

Terrible blades! I used one for the first time today! I loaded a new Wilkie in my EJ89L and don't ask me why, but I had a hunch it was not going to be good! I was dead right! I had to abort half way through the shave as the tugging was too much. It scrope under my chin and caused multiple weepers. I am Very disappointed with them. I finished off the shave with an ASTRA SP that had already given me 3 great shaves without a problem! No more Wilkies for me! Terrible blades from a great name!
I have tried a dozen different blades and this is the worst blade I have tried since I started DE shaving last December apart from the infamous ZAZA! That's another story! The Wilkies are the complete opposite of the fantastic Astra SP which are my favourites. I would give up DE shaving if Wilkies were the only blades in the world, buy a straight razor and force myself to master it!