Alright I've only ever used Derby's before, and today I decided to test out a Shark Super Chrome. It seemed like it may have been slightly sharper than the Derby Extra blades I had been using, but it wasn't a night and day difference to me. Would others who have tried both these blades say they are similar? Or do I lack in my discernment between blade types?
How to tell a difference between various brands of blades
- Thread starter Cornellius
- Start date
It's really a personal feel thing, everybody has different takes. Some folks really like Derby's where others despise them. I never had good luck with Sharks, but that shouldn't stop you from using and enjoying them. I've had really good luck with Personna Blue, Wilkinson German, Gillette Silver Blue, Nacet's and Feathers (in addition to the aforementioned Derby's). I've also enjoyed the Dorco 301 and have read a thread that said there was no difference between the Dorco 301's and the 300's (tell that to my face).
OP, I think you hit the nail on the head. Like any product, some blades are better than others. Much is made of that here. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that if a shaver used blades on which all markings had been removed, he could not identify the blade as to brand. I clearly include myself in this crowd.
Just my 2 cents and YMMV.
Just my 2 cents and YMMV.
I read about people having preferences and hating some and loving others and kind of assumed it was all just ridiculous and unfounded. However, I tried a Derby for the first time (only two months into DE) and noticed that the blade was very dull in comparison to others in my sampler pack. So much so that I shaved again that day before going out, which is something I would have never imagined myself doing. So yes, certainly ymmv.
If you want the subjective view (in my opinion brand x is better than brand y) this forum is full of people and opinions on what blades are good and which ones to avoid. Since these are opinions, its hard to argue with any of the conclusions.
If you want objective data (actual measurements) then that can be found here as well. There are a couple of threads where members of the forum took out microscopes and examined and photographed the shaving edges of many popular blades. In response to that initial set of work, one member then went and did work with an Scanning Electron Microscope and the same work with an even wider selection of blades at even higher magnifications. I thought the work was outstanding. It showed you the actual, physical differences between brands of blades. What surprised me was the wide variety of ways these manufacturers shape their shaving edges. I assumed they would be all the same. Not so.
So, depending on what you find most valuable (subjective opinions or objective pictures) both can be found here. Search for "microscope" and you should be able to find the work of the guys who did the photographing. I could give you my two cents worth on the differences between the blades I have tried and I'm not sure my opinions would be altogether helpful. I am in the same boat as you. I am still looking for the differences between blades.
It's seldom a night-and-day difference. It's usually a subtle difference in sharpness, smoothness, and/or durability. Add price and availability to the mix, and you can see why no two people have identical views on blades.
Some blades you will try will be radically different from one another and other blades will be nearly indistinguishable from another. The reviews and impressions of others are really only a guideline sorta like how each person tastes different things in the same wine. In the end you really have to try the blade or razor yourself a few times and decide if you like it. Keep in mind also sometimes you'll try a product now and hate it then try it again later and love it, or vice versa.
I do not find a night-and-day difference between any blades, personally.
They all seem to require the same, or nearly the same, number of passes and buffings to reach BBS. Any performance advantage of my favorites, which include Perma-Sharp and PolSilver SI, is slight at best. I rotate back to Derbys, Shark, Merkur, and many others with no disappointments.
I figure the various factories around the world have similar ISO certifications, and the technology of DE is tried, true, and already as improved as it is going to get. Therefore it is not surprising, IMHO, that some people perceive a sameness among them.
They all seem to require the same, or nearly the same, number of passes and buffings to reach BBS. Any performance advantage of my favorites, which include Perma-Sharp and PolSilver SI, is slight at best. I rotate back to Derbys, Shark, Merkur, and many others with no disappointments.
I figure the various factories around the world have similar ISO certifications, and the technology of DE is tried, true, and already as improved as it is going to get. Therefore it is not surprising, IMHO, that some people perceive a sameness among them.
There are lots of variables i.e. The blades themselves, the razor in which you are using the blades, the technique of the shaver, prep, soap etc...
That being said, I recently tried a highly rated blade by the members and, I could really could feel a difference in sharpness and smoothness over what was my regular "go to" blade.
Guess for everyone the proof is in the pudding.
That being said, I recently tried a highly rated blade by the members and, I could really could feel a difference in sharpness and smoothness over what was my regular "go to" blade.
Guess for everyone the proof is in the pudding.
I agree that once you find a "go to" blade the hard part is resisting the siren song of alway trying different blades (and soaps) to the point that you are never happy or satisfied with what you really do like.
I quit chasing the "ideal" blade, soap, and razor to be happy with what I've found that works/performs a good shave 99.99% of the time. I really enjoy my shaves now..............
+1 ... its not just the blade itself. There are many other factors that determine if Blade X is going to be better for you than Blade Y.
I see that you joined B&B just this month ... so I'll assume you started wet-shaving at about the same time. There is a definite learning curve involved, and it takes a good long time to stabilize your technique and learn what to look for in various components of your kit.
When I got started, I would try anything and everything. It took about 3 months before my technique improved to the point where I could get consistent results. (Notice that I said "improved." After 7.5 years, its still not "Perfected.") Another year or two before I found my favorite blades. Another year after that before I found my favorite DE razors, and now certain brands of blades are tied to certain razors.
Don't try and rush things. Just keep shaving and making mental notes about what works best for you. And never forget that the phrase "YMMV" is rarely going to be more true than when we talk about blades.
Like many others said before, there are lots of good blades out there and it would be virtually impossible to distinguish them. There are so many variables that dictate our choices. But there may be reasons other than cost and performance why you would prefer some particular blades. You may have a special liking for a particular brand name or you may favor certain countries of origin. Me, I tend to prefer American brands or manufacture (Gillettes or Personnas) but that's just my personal preference and I would certainly try others too...
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I can tell differences between most blades, some are only subtly different, others are *very* different.
That doesn't change the fact that the razor and your technique play a large part in the perceived results.
As you get more razor time, you'll probably start to get more information back from your face and your results... at that point you may wind up liking or disliking a blade for reasons that were masked by too much pressure, inconsistent angle or any other component of your shave that hasn't quite settled in yet.
Once you have a good synergistic combination of hardware, soap and technique you'll have much more luck picking out where each aspect (positive or negative) of your shave is coming from and by gaining that knowledge, you can progress toward your own personal shaving goals.
That doesn't change the fact that the razor and your technique play a large part in the perceived results.
As you get more razor time, you'll probably start to get more information back from your face and your results... at that point you may wind up liking or disliking a blade for reasons that were masked by too much pressure, inconsistent angle or any other component of your shave that hasn't quite settled in yet.
Once you have a good synergistic combination of hardware, soap and technique you'll have much more luck picking out where each aspect (positive or negative) of your shave is coming from and by gaining that knowledge, you can progress toward your own personal shaving goals.
I've done DE for probably 5 years now and I'm not able to distinguish between most blades. Derby's are one of the few brands which I think I just might be able to pick out in a blind test...I find them remarkably smooth and forgiving, if not the sharpest and the best shavers. In comparison, almost everything else seems slightly sharper, yes.
I would agree from my perspective, but blades are one of the most polarizing subjects on this forum, YMMV totally applies here!
Some blades are definitely easy to tell apart (and if you don't believe this, try a Feather on half your face followed by a Derby or Merkur on the other half.) Which one is "better" is purely subjective.
The blades have pretty widely varying characteristics, too. In addition to the microscope tests someone mentioned above which showed a large difference in bevels, a forum member measured a few with calipers and the Feather he tried was only about 2/3 as thick as the other blades, for example.
So tl;dr, different :yes. better/worse: up to you.
The blades have pretty widely varying characteristics, too. In addition to the microscope tests someone mentioned above which showed a large difference in bevels, a forum member measured a few with calipers and the Feather he tried was only about 2/3 as thick as the other blades, for example.
So tl;dr, different :yes. better/worse: up to you.
I reckon that's some smart advice.
I find that I can usually only tell a difference 3 - 4 shaves in. Some blades last longer than others. But -- Top Care blades from my local grocery store are awful. They simply do not cut. No nicks or weepers but also multiple extra passes that still don't lead to a good shave. I'm fond of Voskhods, Nacets, and Silver Blues. Really good blades.
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