Astra SP - I'm Sorry

[joglander]

I'm a huge Astra SP fan. I have a couple hundred in reserve. The other day, I ran across a blade sampler I have with Personna Reds, Rapira, and (I think) Voshkods, and I wonder if I'll ever get around to using those blades. Really, when I started using Astras, the quality of my shaves improved dramatically.

You are missing something if don't try those Vokshods. In my opinion they are a better blade than Astras. I rank them just behind Iridium and Med Preps. I agree that the Astras are a terrific blade, but I think you will love the Vokshods.

[pipskicks]

You are missing something if don't try those Vokshods. In my opinion they are a better blade than Astras. I rank them just behind Iridium and Med Preps. I agree that the Astras are a terrific blade, but I think you will love the Vokshods.

Maybe just YMMV, I thought the Rapiras (same manufacturer I believe) was better. The Voskhods may have been smoother, but I thought the Astras were a better combination since they're sharper for me. But my neck is real picky.

[jwilock]

I like Astras and Voskhods about equally well, and just a wee bit behind my handful of favorites. Given that I got 100 Astras and 100 Voskhods and paid less than $10 for each of them, including delivery, I consider them my absolute best value blades.

[pipskicks]

I like Astras and Voskhods about equally well, and just a wee bit behind my handful of favorites. Given that I got 100 Astras and 100 Voskhods and paid less than $10 for each of them, including delivery, I consider them my absolute best value blades.

Ah, the only deal for Voskhods I see are the $12 + shipping at the Shave Den.

I got Yellow 7 o'clocks for like $20/100 and even at the high price it is just such a nice blade that I would have to rate it highly. My favorite blade is probably about the same price, the Perma-Sharp Supers was the best blade I ever tried. I think it's usually $23-28 shipped or so.

[glazer1972]

Just ordered 100 Astra SP from Amazon Prime. Hopefully I will like them. I do love Feathers though.

[fisca]

astra do leave my face a little dry and rough though..but they fly through hair like its not even there.

[Radium]

I`ve used Astra SS blades for over 20 years starting when it was made in Czechoslavkia and recently around 5-6 years for Astra SP and I find them both perform about the same but I find the SP version (green) hold their edge longer about twice as long over Astra SS. I think these blades are great and I would consider them like all radial tires of razor blades and they just work great in just about every razor. Astras are great blades and I am so happy to get them locally without doing any mail ordering and at mail order prices to boot.

[AirForceMX]

SAME exact story for me bro! Astra SP was my very first DE blade and boy howdy did it mess me up! Two years later, and a LOT of blade sampling I finally came back to it, and now I order 100 of the suckers once a month to stock up!

[Chester]

Two years later, and a LOT of blade sampling I finally came back to it, and now I order 100 of the suckers once a month to stock up!

Jiminy Christmas! How is it that you use than many? 100 blades should be good for a year.
(Don't get me wrong, I've got a royal barge-load of blades myself, but 100 blades per month is either real dedication to a blade or you've got a beard made of baling wire!)
-- Chet

[AirForceMX]

Jiminy Christmas! How is it that you use than many? 100 blades should be good for a year.
(Don't get me wrong, I've got a royal barge-load of blades myself, but 100 blades per month is either real dedication to a blade or you've got a beard made of baling wire!)
-- Chet

HAHA! I'm only gonna do it for a few months...I had to exagerate ya know! I'm afraid they will discontinue them like they did with the Super Iridiums! Not that they are from the same company, but you never know!

[JimK]

I love Astra SP blades... The more I try other premium blades, and other blades with different wrappers from the St Petersburg plant, the more I realize just how awesome the dirt cheap Astra SP brand really is.. Gillette must be working to own the Astra SP target markets really hard to be making such a fine blade available at a ridiculously cheap price... I just hope they keep it up long enough for me to expand my stock from several hundred to several thousand. Even when I try a blade that seems like it is better, I lose the thought as soon as I pop an Astra SP into my rotation again. Even better, the Astras work very well in all of my razors, while the fine Feathers only deliver blood free magic in one razor. The same razor that the 4 to 1 cheaper Astras also deliver my ultimate shave in... Astra SP rocks, and at 9 cents a blade delivered to my door, I want to send Christmas cards to the plant in Russia as a thank you...

[nemo]

I love Astra SP blades... The more I try other premium blades, and other blades with different wrappers from the St Petersburg plant, the more I realize just how awesome the dirt cheap Astra SP brand really is.. Gillette must be working to own the Astra SP target markets really hard to be making such a fine blade available at a ridiculously cheap price... I just hope they keep it up long enough for me to expand my stock from several hundred to several thousand. Even when I try a blade that seems like it is better, I lose the thought as soon as I pop an Astra SP into my rotation again. Even better, the Astras work very well in all of my razors, while the fine Feathers only deliver blood free magic in one razor. The same razor that the 4 to 1 cheaper Astras also deliver my ultimate shave in... Astra SP rocks, and at 9 cents a blade delivered to my door, I want to send Christmas cards to the plant in Russia as a thank you...

My feelings exactly. Quite a bargain in these times.

[Leo8701]

I am ready to start another 100. I rarely use a different brand and I have whittled down my supply of other blades. I know most of us mix it up, but don't we sample blades to find the ones that work best?

[Jtokle]

Astra SP was my first 100-blade purchase. I like the blade itself, but the wax spots infuriated me to no end. I couldn't wash them off without smearing it all over the blade, and it would always leave residue in my shiny new EJ89.

I've switched to Personna Labs as my main blade now.

[Searlands]

Still making my mind up on the Astra SP's.

I'm finding they are not quite sharp enough. Currently using Gillette 7 O'clock Yellows (got some Greens) and Feathers.

[kosby]

I had the worst shaves ever with an Astra, had some left over so what the heck, tried another and wow, got a really nice shave. Almost ordered some more then when I changed to a fresh blade, it was right back to what I had remembered about them, rough. So i tossed that blade, tried another and same rough result.

[shavethegray]

In my opinion Astra SP have to be the value leader. I have yet to find anything else that does as good a job and costs less. For me they work as well as Personna labs and cost about 25% less.

[BearHeart]

Astra sp was in my original blade sample pack. It did not get along well with my newbie technique. For more I am putting it in my try after some time has past pile.

[Arved]

Depends both on the person AND THE RAZOR

I couldn't agree more. Feathers were good in my Merkur Progress. In my Gillette Super Adjustable (GSA), I had more knicks and cuts than I ever had in my life (including using a Shavette). Could be technique. Could be I'm not used to my GSA yet. The only other blade I've tried in my GSA was a Wilkinson, which behaved exactly like it did in the Merkur Progress, so the performance difference between the two razors using a Feather was surprisingly shocking.

I'd have to say the Feather is extremely sensitive to differences in razors.

[Teddyboy]

I think it is interesting that we revisit various products and items when we sense that our technique has improved and get a different result. It's beginning to look like shaving is just like life,... but smoother, of course.