I think the Astras are a great buy and were a 100 blade purchase for me. But on my face, they are a bit rougher than the GSBs or the Lab Blues. Nonetheless a good bargain. I'm too new at this to declare a favorite yet and will reassess my best few after six to eight months of shaving.
Blade review
- Thread starter EvanS
- Start date
Was with you until this one. I've only used a few GSB, but I've used almost 10 Astra Platinum thus far in a couple of different razors and they simply aren't as nice for me. I can get a decent shave, but they aren't as comfortable for me.
- Thread starter
- #23
How would you rank them?
GBS, Astra, 7 OC SS. Still never tried Bluebirds.
- Thread starter
- #25
Gbs are the silver blues?
Yep, Silver Blues. Apparently hitting keys too quickly. Meant GSB.
Still plenty of Russian blades to try, but you should also branch out into Indian, Egyptian and German blades. So many to choose from. I fee like I've tried so many, but have barely scratched the surface of what's out there.
Still plenty of Russian blades to try, but you should also branch out into Indian, Egyptian and German blades. So many to choose from. I fee like I've tried so many, but have barely scratched the surface of what's out there.
- Thread starter
- #27
So, I finished the Astras. Overall, I have no real complaints about this blade. A good performer with nothing really bad about it. I did break my Lord L6 and switched to a merkur 37c slant. Completely different razor and I wish I still had some of the earlier blades to throw in this beast.
- Thread starter
- #28
Shark Super Chrome
Had my first shave with these and I have to say, im not that impressed. 2 pass with and against, and at first, I thought this was a mild blade that might do well with a across the grain pass thrown in. Very quickly I realized I did not respond well to this blade at all. Dragged alot, feel irritated, and shave is decent but nothing to write home to about. Ill try again tomorrow, but if its a repeat of today, they are getting tossed.
Had my first shave with these and I have to say, im not that impressed. 2 pass with and against, and at first, I thought this was a mild blade that might do well with a across the grain pass thrown in. Very quickly I realized I did not respond well to this blade at all. Dragged alot, feel irritated, and shave is decent but nothing to write home to about. Ill try again tomorrow, but if its a repeat of today, they are getting tossed.
I hope you don't mine me adding to this thread.....
Rapira Platinum Lux
I have been trying some new blades as well....recently the Vokshod was just not for me, although I will finish out the pack but won't order a 100 for sure....Astra SP's and Feathers are my go to blades....I had to really work on my technique to come to love the Feathers....when I first tried them I hated them...went back to them later and now I really enjoy them.
On to the Rapira....after my experience with the Vokshod's which really wasn't horrible, just a bit rough IMO...I was hesitant to try the Rapira....but to my happy face these blades were excellent performers....sharp and smooth, no irritation...exactly what I look for in a blade....at $17 per 100 or so I think I just may order some!
Rapira Platinum Lux
I have been trying some new blades as well....recently the Vokshod was just not for me, although I will finish out the pack but won't order a 100 for sure....Astra SP's and Feathers are my go to blades....I had to really work on my technique to come to love the Feathers....when I first tried them I hated them...went back to them later and now I really enjoy them.
On to the Rapira....after my experience with the Vokshod's which really wasn't horrible, just a bit rough IMO...I was hesitant to try the Rapira....but to my happy face these blades were excellent performers....sharp and smooth, no irritation...exactly what I look for in a blade....at $17 per 100 or so I think I just may order some!
- Thread starter
- #30
By all means, I welcome the suggestions.
After the sharks, I only have derbys and feathers left in my sample pack. I almost dont want to try the derbys after I've heard they tend to be everyone's least favorite bland, and well the feathers I saved for last so I would keep my face afterwards.
But, ill def try anything anybody suggests as being good.
After the sharks, I only have derbys and feathers left in my sample pack. I almost dont want to try the derbys after I've heard they tend to be everyone's least favorite bland, and well the feathers I saved for last so I would keep my face afterwards.
But, ill def try anything anybody suggests as being good.
Don't rule out the Derby without giving it a shot. For me, Derby showed the most variance between razors of any blade I've tried. My first go with it was kinda bloody. Switched to a different razor, it completely changed into a pretty smooth blade and gave a darn good shave.
I haven't tried the Shark Chrome blades yet. I have used the Shark Stainless variety, and I hope the Chromes are better. You should give the Lord Platinum a shot. Made by the same company as the Sharks, the Lord Platinum tested best of their blades for me so far. Definitely not the best blade for me overall, but one of the best in the price range ($12/100).
Looking forward to see what you think of Feathers. Even after several months of trying blades, my couple of sample packs of Feathers are still sitting untouched.
I haven't tried the Shark Chrome blades yet. I have used the Shark Stainless variety, and I hope the Chromes are better. You should give the Lord Platinum a shot. Made by the same company as the Sharks, the Lord Platinum tested best of their blades for me so far. Definitely not the best blade for me overall, but one of the best in the price range ($12/100).
Looking forward to see what you think of Feathers. Even after several months of trying blades, my couple of sample packs of Feathers are still sitting untouched.
- Thread starter
- #32
LOL, its amazing the lure and danger that so many people think the feathers possess. My logic is you can still slice your throat open with the dullest of dull blades, thus I am always quite careful. Its funny how that goes. For me, shaving is the most zen part of my day even though I am constantly watching that I dont cut myself.
With respect to the derbys, I now have two very different razors that I can put them in. I hvae a merkur 37c slant and a '54 SS TTO.
Which by the way came with a pack of vintage thin gillette blades which I may or may not try.
With respect to the derbys, I now have two very different razors that I can put them in. I hvae a merkur 37c slant and a '54 SS TTO.
Which by the way came with a pack of vintage thin gillette blades which I may or may not try.
Quite the opposite for me. Voskhod is my go-to blade. I was excited to try the RPL, but was quite disappointed in its performance. I gave it two shots, same as I give any blade. The first shave was rough and yielded irritation. The second shave was smoother but did not provide a close shave. I have one more RPL and will probably pop it in eventually, but it certainly isn't knocking Voskhod off its pedestal for me.
I wouldn't call it a fear of Feathers that kept me away. The more blades I tried the more I appreciated the smoothness of a blade as its most important characteristic in my shave. I also get great shaves out of Wilkinsons, Merkurs and Dorco, so I think I'm an outlier when it comes to my compatibility with blades.
As for the vintage Thins, what color packaging? It seems some of the newer ones are liked in white/red packs, but older red/black packs are not so favored.
For me;
Feather - but very pricey, relatively pricey compared to other DE blades anyway
Astra - They have become my go to blade
Derby - Now we are hitting middle of the road for me
Shark
Bluebird - IT IS "ok" IMHO
7 OC - Hated it! I know, I've heard such good things about them.
Have not tried Polsilver but I've heard great things about them too.
Feather - but very pricey, relatively pricey compared to other DE blades anyway
Astra - They have become my go to blade
Derby - Now we are hitting middle of the road for me
Shark
Bluebird - IT IS "ok" IMHO
7 OC - Hated it! I know, I've heard such good things about them.
Have not tried Polsilver but I've heard great things about them too.
After all, as Shakespeare so eloquently noted - brevity is the soul of wit.
Truly YMMV subject, these are my go to, I get 7 great shaves out of one
- Thread starter
- #38
^^ I get that everyone has different experiences, but there was nothing remotely good about this blade for me. I couldn't even say, well it dragged but I got a BBS, it was smooth but left a small amount of stubble. these blades both dragged, and left hair for me. I tried them in my 37c slant and a new '54 SS that I just acquired. I felt that these are fairly opposite types of razors so they would give me an idea if the blade was more conducive to a certain type of razor. Bad for both, and this is the first and only blade that I junked after 2 shaves.
It's been awhile so I went with a Feather today in my NEW lc....great shave
- Thread starter
- #40
I was not excited to try these. I had a pack of these and a pack of feathers left in my sampler and I wanted to save what many say are the best for last. Thus, I broke out a pack of Derbys. I decided to throw it in my SS well because I only used it once and I tend to use the newer items in my den more.
Im not sure if its because I shaved with Sharks for the past two days, if im getting used to shaving with a SS or if I just respond well to the Derbys, but I got a pretty nice shave from them. Since the SS is milder I added a chin to cheek pass before I went atg. BBS shave with a few patches of what I think would be considered a DFS. Mild irritation around jaw and upper lip area, but I did some blade buffering and Im not sure that Im that good at it. After 1 shave, im not sure that this will be the worst of the pack as I first suspected.
