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What is the effect of a sharper blade?

For those of you that use a very sharp blade like a Feather for example, what is the primary benefit you see from it? Is it the fact that it works well with coarser whiskers? Does it make your razor more "efficient", i.e. same result with less passes/less touchup? Or does it make for a longer lasting BBS/DFS?

I'm wondering because it seems as though whenever I use a blade that's supposed to be smoother/more forgiving, I find that, even if at the end of the shave I have a BBS, stubble appears a bit sooner than if I use a sharper blade. My sample size is a bit limited, so I'm not sure if that's typical or if it's more of a coincidence.
 
Used correctly it can have a greater capacity for cutting hair with less tugging. However, results will vary with beard type as well as what preparation, products, razor and technique are used. Some find that sharper isn't always better because they offer less "smoothness" and shorter blade longevity.

This subject came up a couple of weeks back in another thread in which I mentioned that some of my best shaves have actually come via three passes with a Derby blade. Just yesterday, I got a DFS with Blue Israeli on it's sixth shave.
 
For me, the sharper the blade, the closer the shave each pass. But also it gives the most stinging with the alum bar. In terms of my five o'clock shadow, it shows up as usual no matter what blade. Only one blade has given me a near BBS, each time I used them and that was the Shark yellow package. I found I had a smoother face after an hour or two, by using them. But ten to twelve hours later, I still had the shadow. I'm still going through a blade sampler, and have yet to find the perfect balance between comfort and closeness. There are a few blades I could live with, but I'm holding out for better.
 
Used correctly it can have a greater capacity for cutting hair with less tugging. However, results will vary with beard type as well as what preparation, products, razor and technique are used. Some find that sharper isn't always better because they offer less "smoothness" and shorter blade longevity.

This subject came up a couple of weeks back in another thread in which I mentioned that some of my best shaves have actually come via three passes with a Derby blade. Just yesterday, I got a DFS with Blue Israeli on it's sixth shave.

+1 for less pulling. I am prone to ingrowns but the shaper the blade the the fewer ingrowns I get.
 
The theoretically sharpest blade attainable would plunge through the top layers of skin. The blade needs be mild enough and so beveled that it rides over the skin, yet be sharp enough to cut the hair. If the blade is below theoretical maximum, but the greatest sharpness that it rarely cuts through the skin, it is likely going to be the smoothest shave, but at the expense of the quality of the BBS. (heresy, in these here parts, I know) Tuning sharpness down, you get additional safety plus second passes (and overlapped strokes on first passes for those who do that) will cut lower on the hair shaft, as the shaft is pulled up slightly.

Skin varies more with prep than hair. (also heresy). So overprepping can leave the skin softer and more vulnerable and allow blades to over exfoliate. That stinging slight redness after a shave is the consequence. You DO NOT have to suffer through this gents. Skin varies. Hair varies. Only you can tune your sharpness. The one non-negotiable we all agree upon is smooth blades being better. That is where the very sharpest blades can also let us down, because the edge of the very sharpest blades can easily become rough, even within a single shave.
 
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I started with Feather blades, but found Personna Med Preps to be similar in sharpness and more smooth. Feathers are rather harsh.
 
I find feathers harsh as well. When I use them they are better on the second shave but tend to wear out sooner than many others. Bolzano Astra and Personna are other good "sharp" options. I'm not sure I detect "sharp" vs. "dull" on my face as much as I do the difference between "smooth" and "rough".
 
+1 for less pulling. I am prone to ingrowns but the shaper the blade the the fewer ingrowns I get.

Seconded (thirded?) re tugging. I've got mildly sensitive skin, and thick, black whiskers. I've used Feathers, which are commonly regarded as the sharpest thing going around since Michael Cane in The Ipcress File, for years now.

Paradoxically, I think sharpness and mildness are related. At least for me, a sharper blade means fewer passes, less tugging and less friction. It's trite, but when I worked in hospitality, I was always told that "a sharp knife is a safe knife". I think this applies with blades as well- a sharp blade gives you less temptation to push the limits (and your luck). On the other hand, if you do mess up, you (and everyone on the tram to work) will know all about it.
 
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