I am just not that observant on blades. I really can't tell any meaningful difference in them. I prefer Gillette Silver Blues and Astra SP's, but I just load up and shave away without noticing differences in shaves from #1 to #x.
Blades WITHOUT that "Rougher 1st Shave"
- Thread starter Vintage Modern
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Gents, I have reason to doubt both of these points. Regarding the "first shave" effect, Gillette patent US5985459 discussed it and claimed to demonstrate that it is due to excess PTFE coating. This makes sense because the PTFE coating goes on last, above any other coatings. We have also seen some SEM images of Feather blades showing this excess coating material.
Regarding coatings or lack thereof, all DE blades intended for shaving seem to be coated. Labels that merely says "stainless" appear to be market segmentation: they want you to buy the more expensive label. I base this on three points. First, history: stainless blades were available as early as 1929 but were never more than a bit-player until the early 1960s, when they gained PTFE coatings and became an overnight success. Second, I have shaved with 1950s stainless blades, which appear to be uncoated under a scope. Those blades cut hair, but they feel terrible, worse than carbon steel, and I blame the lack of PTFE coating. Finally I have looked at Personna plain old "stainless" blades under a scope, before and after corking. Corking appears to disturb a visible band of dark material, which I take to be PTFE coating. I conclude that corking can remove some of the excess PTFE coating described by Gillette patent US5985459 as the source of the "first shave" effect.
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The two blades that I have tried that don't have that first shave roughness (or have occasional minimal roughness for a the first couple of strokes) are Perma-Sharp Super and Polsilver SI. They are the blades that I use almost all the time. I use Gillette Platinum from time to time (most often in a Schick Krona) - used one yesterday for a first shave and it definitely showed some roughness.
Gents, I have reason to doubt both of these points. Regarding the "first shave" effect, Gillette patent US5985459 discussed it and claimed to demonstrate that it is due to excess PTFE coating. This makes sense because the PTFE coating goes on last, above any other coatings. We have also seen some SEM images of Feather blades showing this excess coating material.
Regarding coatings or lack thereof, all DE blades intended for shaving seem to be coated. Labels that merely says "stainless" appear to be market segmentation: they want you to buy the more expensive label. I base this on three points. First, history: stainless blades were available as early as 1929 but were never more than a bit-player until the early 1960s, when they gained PTFE coatings and became an overnight success. Second, I have shaved with 1950s stainless blades, which appear to be uncoated under a scope. Those blades cut hair, but they feel terrible, worse than carbon steel, and I blame the lack of PTFE coating. Finally I have looked at Personna plain old "stainless" blades under a scope, before and after corking. Corking appears to disturb a visible band of dark material, which I take to be PTFE coating. I conclude that corking can remove some of the excess PTFE coating described by Gillette patent US5985459 as the source of the "first shave" effect.
Great! You don't happen to know which blades get the solvent wash after the PTFE coating, do you?
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I am not sure any do: that Gillette patent US5985459 makes interesting reading but I have never seen it on a blade pack or cartridge. I think it is still in force, and should expire late next year, so I would expect to see it if it were being used. However the treatment sounds fairly exotic and may have been shelved as too dangerous or expensive.
But the Personna hospital blades (medical, meds) are supposed to go through an extra cleaning process. Maybe that helps?
Gillette 7 O'clock Yellow blades seem very smooth, from the start, and long lasting.
Someone brought up Nacets in another thread. I cannot recall if they were already brought up here (and haven't bothered to look backwards), but they seem quite smooth right out of the gate.
Very cool
+1. Almost every single Personna I've tried gives me a smoother 2nd shave than the first...but the third starts pulling.
This!
I found using a piece of soft styrofoam to be very effective specifically with Derby blades. Apparebtly Derby's have multiple layers of element coatings which create the first rough shave due to presence of burrs.
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- #31
...finished my week with Lord Platinum Class. (2 blades, 3 shaves each, 6 shaves total.)
I found it to be pretty good. No "roughness" in the shave, but the shaves were not quite as close as with the Derby. This was particularly noticeable on the shave I did with two days growth. A fine blade that I may one day revisit with a more aggressive razor.
This week I'm going to return to the Derby, and try corking them. Then I'll probably test another of the brands I have laying around, just to see.
I found it to be pretty good. No "roughness" in the shave, but the shaves were not quite as close as with the Derby. This was particularly noticeable on the shave I did with two days growth. A fine blade that I may one day revisit with a more aggressive razor.
This week I'm going to return to the Derby, and try corking them. Then I'll probably test another of the brands I have laying around, just to see.
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Perma Sharp Supers smooth throughout.
Gillette Indian Blacks and Gillette Silver Blue are two blades that are super smooth from the first stroke of the razor!!
I fine the Black to be the most consistent and good, but the best I've used when it comes to the Rough Effect has been the Dorcos, especially the 300s that come in the cardboard box. They are really mild, but think it took two weeks of use for each blade to wear out its welcome.
I posted a new thread in the main DE area that probably should have been posted here. Anyways I took some pics of the edge of a couple blades, one that was rough first day (PolSilver) and one that was smooth (SilverBlue). I also wondered why some blades are rough first day so I used contrast lighting to show more depth. Very revealing.
Gillette Silver Blues and 7 O'Clock Yellows. Ooops, almost forgot, Gillette Swedes-if you can locate any.
marty
marty
I agree with the recommendation of any of the Treet Carbons. Great shaves from the start. You only get two of them per blade, but they are both fantastic.
