Are blades really that different?

To my face there isn't much difference in most blades. There are bad blades, that are just rough (I have Derby in that category). There are ultra sharp/smooth blades (Feather/personna). And then there is everything else. I don't notice much difference in most of those inbetween blades.

For me Personna is my standard blade that I compare all others by. Most are on par with them, very few are any better, to me. YMMV.

all blades are sharp hence the razor part. Different steel different angle different razor do make a difference . I tried a supermax and purchased 200 because they worked for me they are coming from
England should arrive friday

still waiting for my first 100 feather order. everything posted seems right to me. a friend just joined shave club and says I am nuts. he gets one month out of a cartridge and would never use a de or soap and cream. different strokes for different folks. oh I told him he could extend the life if he strops them on denim. he wasn't impressed

The differences are very small and, with few exceptions, negligible.
Far better to focus on getting a decent razor and - most important of all - good prep and technique.

My experience is that different brands of blades can feel very different from each other as well as performing differently in differing razors. I don't claim to be able to ID a specific blade in a blind test, but I do find that my opinions of certain blades don't change over time and often their basic attributes are apparent in most razors, just in lesser or greater degree.

There are definitely blades I get better and or more comfortable results from and ones I can't get good results from, but that seems to be the case with many of us and is quite different for each shaver.

If you really don't notice a difference (and you're getting good shaves), then count yourself fortunate and stock up on the easiest to find $10 per 100 count blades and shave on!

You can certainly notice a difference in sharpness. As far as smoothness, I find it's more of a judgement on whether the blade shaves without irritation. As soon as the blade gets too old or the coating wears off, you'll notice it is no longer smooth/comfortable. Therefore, I equate smoothness to how close it feels to being a fresh blade. For instance, dorco's and merkurs both feel like a 3 or 4 shave GSB from the get go. Therefore, they are less comfortable.

Basically, you compare sharpness and then you compare how comfortable they are on that first shave. There is a noticeable difference, but I will echo others in saying that I can't tell the difference between a Gillette green, yellow, or black. If the test was blind I wouldn't even be able to tell a difference between those three and a GSB. I do believe I could tell if a razor was loaded with a feather. They really do have a distinct face feel.

Jinx18 said:

I have shaved with a derby one day and a feather the next and didn't notice a huge difference. Are blades really that different? I have tried a bunch and they all seem similar to me. Thanks.

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As stated earlier in this thread it's not just a matter of the blades but of one's beard and even skin as well. If you don't notice the difference then enjoy the fact that you can use whatever blades are cheapest. I find a drastic difference between Derbies and Feathers. Derbies tug a lot more for me. Feathers easily and effortlessly slice through my beard with no irritation.

Your experience, technique and skill also play a part. If you're fairly new to shaving with DE you may want to reassess the blades you've tried once you've improved.

When I returned to wet shaving in may, I tried Astra SP and found them causing razor burn. But I recently tried them again and they are great. So for me, technique makes a blade seem different. I am finding I like a sharp razor, so I like Feather, Astra SP, Personna red, Derby extra, and Market Basket (probably a rebranded Dorco). The Market Basket blades come in a 10 pack for $1.50 at my local supermarket.

My razors are a late 40's super speed and a 1954 super speed.

I can tell a difference between blades if they are not similar. As an example, something similar might be a Gillette Black and a yellow. I tried a Zorrick super platinum one morning...got through the left side of my face then chucked it. I replaced it with a Personna Med Prep. and notice a huge difference.

Call me insensitive but I can't tell much difference between blades. I think shave prep has more of an effect on shave quality than the brand of blade.

The blades are different. I think for some beards it may not matter, but I can feel the difference from a feather and any other blade pretty immediately. One tugs on whiskers, one doesn't. I don't think I could the vast majority of blades apart though. I don't understand the appeal of iridiums.

They're different.

Zeppelin, when you say Iridiums, do you mean Polsilver SIs? If so, the appeal is that they're the best blades on the planet.

kingfisher said:

...If so, the appeal is that they're the best blades on the planet.

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Not IMO.

I find most are similar. However, a couple are amazing, and a couple were terrible! I think it really depends on technique to a large extent, and I think some blades can be "learned".

If I compare, say, a basic Personna to a GSB - the difference is obvious. The Personna will last me about one shave, and it'll be a rough one; the GSB starts off smooth and sharp, and stays that way for a while.

From here, the differences may be more subtle, and may not even be apparent until after multiple shaves. Frankly, I can tell a Personna from a GSB pretty easily, but I'm not as confident comparing, say, a GSB and Polsilver. I really, really liked one B&B comparison http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/417469-The-great-blade-comparison-YMMV - and it's pretty conclusive.

It does depend on your technique and your razor. When starting out with an EJ razor my technique was bad and I couldn't really tell the difference between a lot of blades. Most worked fairly well and didn't really stand out. After switching to an ATT razor I can certainly tell the differences. I'm not sure I could tell the difference between a PolSilver and a Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow with this razor in one shave blind test but I can certainly tell the difference between an average blade and an above average one.

At this point I can get a great shave with just about any blade but the really sharp ones seem to have an easier time in clearing the last bit of stubble in the more difficult to get spots.

So much wisdom has been shared

Different analysis have shown That indeed pricier blades have better coatings and uniform edges.

Personally, I do feel the differences, and have decanted towards GSB, which lives to its hype for me, polsilvers, which I enjoy yet don't find that awesome, Astras and 7 OC yellows when I feel more aggressive. I also put Rapiras in this category.

I find blades different and rate them in the following categories:

15% of blades-Great blades-really close shave, sharp, smooth, irritation free, long lasting, pleasure to use
75% of blades-Good blades-get the job done
10% of blades-Bad blades-not a close shave, lots of irritation, not worth using

deoxy4 said:

I find blades different and rate them in the following categories:

15% of blades-Great blades-really close shave, sharp, smooth, irritation free, long lasting, pleasure to use
75% of blades-Good blades-get the job done
10% of blades-Bad blades-not a close shave, lots of irritation, not worth using

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Pretty accurate summary IMO.

I feel there are real differences. Dorco 300, for instance, are completely unusable for me. Feathers I find to be uncomfortably sharp. Derby are good but a tad 'scratchy'. Treet Carbon are very very smooth and comfortable.

It's simply a case of trial and error to see what works best for you.