I'm currently using VDH blades and I'm in search of a similar replacement since I get about 2 shaves out of a blade and I don't really feel like paying $4 for 5 blades. Any ideas? Thanks
In need of advice on Blades
- Thread starter Gott543
- Start date
Hard to say. Gillette Silver Blues work well for me and I get 4-5 shaves each. Price per hundred is about $25, so that's a quarter per blade. At 4 shaves per blade, that's 6.25 cents per shave.
Astra SP's are cheaper.
Astra SP's are cheaper.
My understanding is that VDH just rebrands some sort of blade made in Germany. If you like them, well, you like them, but probably any other blades would be a step up. German blades are, generally speaking, not particularly well regarded and rather expensive to boot. We talk a lot about blades and their minute comparisons, but really, 98% of the blades out there work well enough. Recommend you go to the auction site and buy yourself a small sampler.
- Thread starter
- #4
Any idea of a blade equivalent in sharpness?
Sorry, can't help you there. Maybe someone else can. I can't really tell much difference from one blade to another and have never tried VDH, although I have tried some of the blades VDH is reported to simply rebrand. Pretty much any blades work for me. The only ones which don't are Flying Eagles and some of the odd Chinese brands I've never heard of before or since. I will say it's hard to go wrong with anything from Personna, anything from Russia, or anything from Supermax.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks for the input. I have a blade sampler, so I guess it's about time to give it a go
I have never used a VDH blade. A lot of people seem to think they are just rebranded Timor blades or Chroma Diamant blades. The Chroma's are about $18 for 200 on Amazon. The Timor are $30-40 per 100 on the bay and Amazon.
I would suspect they are Timor blades since that's the only teflon coated, ice tempered blade I could find made in Solingen, Germany besides the VDH blades. Just a guess though and trying the sampler sounds
like a great idea.
http://www.shaving.ie/products/200-timor-solingen-de-blades.html
like a great idea.
http://www.shaving.ie/products/200-timor-solingen-de-blades.html
- Thread starter
- #10
From what I read the general consensus is that a Timor is considered a sharp blade. So therefore I'm assuming I should probably start with what's considered sharp? (Of course my mileage will vary)
I am really new to DE shaving and I don't want to give you any bad advice. You have the sampler though, might as well try them out and see if you end up liking anything better. Using a sampler pack is a very common bit of advice I have run across.
Although in the interest of full disclosure, I did just order a 100 pack of Personna Medical Prep blades which seem to be popular on here, and known to be very sharp. I like that they're made in the US, and if it doesn't work well in my razor, I'll get a new razor I do like them in. It isn't the most practical way to go about things, but I just couldn't find a sampler pack with those blades and my sampler pack I did order went MIA.
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FWIW, my own take is that you are overthinking this. Virtually any decent modern blade is more than sharp enough. Some brands last longer than others, sure. This is more about the technique, the prep, the lather, and the razor itself. The blades themselves are a very minor part of this. People say that Feathers, Voskhods, and Personna medical preps are sharper than other brands....maybe...my experience is that ALL of them are sharp enough to be worthy of care and respect.
- Thread starter
- #13
You're probably right. Only be way to find out
You really need to look into "Try A Blade" It lets you assemble your own sampler pack from dozens of different blades for anything from $0.20-$0.60. I just ordered 3 of the top 10 and called it good. Shipping was $2.
I can't imagine that VDH's blades are something super amazing, given the razor appears to be a re branded Weishi. I would guess they are of the supermarket Personna quality. Lot's of options out there, try them all and go back to VDH if you like, but have fun trying them all first.
Disclaimer: No financial interest, I just wanted to be able to pick my own blades, not buy someone else's sampler.
I can't imagine that VDH's blades are something super amazing, given the razor appears to be a re branded Weishi. I would guess they are of the supermarket Personna quality. Lot's of options out there, try them all and go back to VDH if you like, but have fun trying them all first.
Disclaimer: No financial interest, I just wanted to be able to pick my own blades, not buy someone else's sampler.
Someone who can afford it should send Gott 40 blades or so.
That's a PIF.
That's a PIF.
I have been a feather man from day one but this morning I tried some new stuff which was delivered yesterday. L'Occitane Cade soap, Plisson Brush, and a fresh Nacet blade and got a baby soft shave with no nicks or rash. In fact it's probably one of the best shaves ever.
Try a Nachet.
Try a Nachet.
I've tried 6 blades, and the Personna Med Preps are the sharp and smooth. I have YET to try the Feathers, but since I went from 3-4 to 6-7 shaves (3 passes), I'm good for now.
To the original poster, use the sampler... because when you do find a blade you like, bulk purchases will greatly reduce the price of your favorite blade. You pay 3X when you purchase a 5 pack.
+1 to the sampler. And then more samples. My razor came with Astra, Treet, Rapira, and I was sent a pack of Durablades from a forum member. I'm just about out, so last night I ordered a couple samplers on Amazon, came to around $18, for 80 blades, spanning 9 different types (there's Astra, Shark, Gillette, Durablde, Derby, Dorco, and a few others). I'm relatively new to this, maybe 4 months at it, but part of the fun is trying new blades. Eventually, probably after this sampler, I'll settle on one (Astra SP is the front runner right now) and buy 100 for $10.
I'm a fan of the Personna Med Preps and Labs. Sharp and smooth for me.
Been using all locally purchased blades including some Dorco ST300s (Vietnam), Kroger brand (unbranded Personna?, maybe red?), and some Derby Extra that I haven't used yet. Yesterday got my first mail order blade and tried one today. They are Polsilver Super Iridium and very smooth compared to Dorco and Kroger. Shave was perhaps only marginally better in terms of closeness but noticeably smoother then the Dorco or Kroger blades. This is only my first try so can't say any more yet.
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