Astra Superior - one edge sharp, the other not so much???

[BourbonCrew]

I came across a few Astra Superior blades I had acquired through a sample pack the other day and thought I would give them another go, but this time in my Slant Bar. I went through my usual pre-shave routine, lathered up and took the first stroke. It was magical. Sliced through my hair like it was butter. It was much better than anything I experienced with Astra Superiors and my HD.

I rinsed and turned the razor to use the other edge and YIKES! There was tugging and dragging and general unpleasantness.

So I tried the first side again and it was still excellent. I ended up finishing with just that first edge and got a superb BBS shave with no irritation (beyond my one bad-edged stroke). The next day I shaved with the same blade, tested both edges of the blade again, and got the same results. One edge was sharp as anything I've ever tried and the other was pretty crappy.

So, obviously some sort of quality control issue is key here, but I'm curious if this has happened to anyone else with Astra's or any brand?

I'm also curious what other people think of Astra Superiors in general. Are they usually pretty sharp and smooth? Or is that sharp edge an anomaly?

[TheBigL]

Hello.

I have used some astras with superb results. While I haven't used too many different brands of blades, I seem to notice (in at least two of my three piece razors anyway) that there is some amount of play in where the blade sits and it can be shifted side to side before it is tightened all the way down. I don't know if it's the blades or the razors, but if it's shifted the wrong way, it will tear me up.

[Prince]

I've also noticed this with a few Astra's. I get such great shaves with them I don't mind overlooking the occasional bad blade.

[tom myers]

I've had no experience with the blade you're talking about, but I have used a slant bar razor. Are you sure that the problem is the blade itself and not the way the blade is mounted in the razor?

There is a tendency for slant bar razors to sometimes tighten down with the blade not really centered in the razor. Look down on the razor from the top; you may be able to see more blade showing on one side than the other. If this seems to be the case, loosen the handle to where the blade is somewhat free and, holding the blade by the ends, adjust as needed to make sure it is centered and then re-tighten the handle down.

This may happen more often with some razor/blade combinations than others. Many slant users have experienced this situation and now always check the alignment of the blade when puting in a new one.

Regards,
Tom

[TheBigL]

Thanks Tom, that's what I was trying to say

[BourbonCrew]

I checked the alignment of the blade and even reloaded the blade to make sure it was correct. I've experienced an unaligned blade in a slant bar before, but this was different.

I plan on using another Astra Superior soon to see what happens. If I can repeat the "good" results enough, it's worth it to throw out a few bad blades.