What's new

How many times should I try a blade?

I am about to receive the following sampler pack from Razor & Brush:
  • Feather Hi-Stainless (10)
  • Astra Superior Platinum (5)
  • Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (5)
  • Wilkinson Sword Classic (5)
  • Silver Star Super Stainless (5)
  • Crystal Platinum Chrome (Israeli Personnas) (10)
  • DORCO Platinum Chrome (10)
  • TREET Platinum Chrome (5)
  • DuraSharp Classic Stainless (10)
  • Sharp Stainless (5)
  • 7AM Platinum Hi Stainless (5)
  • Tiger Superior Stainless (5)
  • Dura Sharp Carbon (10)
The advice is to start at the bottom and work up. Now I've only tried 7AM before and this was only once - I wasn't hugely impressed and felt the blade could be sharper - no nicks or cuts. How many shaves should I try with each of the above blades before moving to the next?

I'm new to DE but not new to wet shaving - I have been shaving both face and head with cartridge razors for over 10 years and can shave my head with my eyes closed (I usually do in the shower).
 
There will be some blades you will know on the first shave that they are not right for you. There are going to be some that you are going to need several days of shaves with and maybe a couple blades worth of shaves to determine if you like them (which could mean using the same brand of blade for one or two weeks). Then, of course, you may also have the experience of finding the right blade (trust me, you'll know) and then consider putting the rest up on B/S/T. One shave with a blade isn't enough to know. I think you need to work it through its "lifecycle"
 
The advice is to start at the bottom and work up.

I'd say this is very reasonable advice.

Try one blade from each pack (in the order listed, bottom to top), shave three times consecutively with the same blade, then repeat the entire series again with a fresh blade from each pack. This should cement your opinions in fairly short order, while allowing for a variance between individual blades in a pack, and the gradual improvement of your technique.

You may find a blade that doesn't feel so great on the first shave becomes quite excellent in subsequent shaves. You may also find blades that initially feel great, but don't agree with your skin over multiple consecutive days.

I'd also recommend if you come across a particularly mild blade, keep a few extras handy if at all possible. If you cut yourself up with a new blade, put it aside, use your "safe" blades for a couple days to heal. Then return to the old blade and give it another chance before moving along in the series.

After your adventure is complete, take the leftover blades from the unfavourable packs and pass them along to someone else, so they can run the series too. :smile:

Best of luck!
 
I don't subscribe to the common credo, "you must use it for X number of shaves before you can be sure."

Bollocks!

I can usually tell in one swipe if a blade is a ***.


There are too many decent blades out there to suffer bad shaves while saying, "Am I sure I don't like this yet?"
 
Bollocks!

I can usually tell in one swipe if a blade is a ***.


There are too many decent blades out there to suffer bad shaves while saying, "Am I sure I don't like this yet?"

I wholeheartedly agree - but would add the caveat, if I do like it, try at least one more to make sure it wasn't a fluke. The first blades I tried were extremely variable between the 5 in the pack.
 
I wholeheartedly agree - but would add the caveat, if I do like it, try at least one more to make sure it wasn't a fluke. The first blades I tried were extremely variable between the 5 in the pack.

I agree with you too.

I thought Treet Platinums were awesome for about 4 days until I tried the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th blades.:mad::mad::mad:
 
If a blade is terrible right out of the envelope try "corking" it. Here's a pretty good corking discussion on B&B

I recommend corking as well. The last 2 Astra Platinums, I did the Handstrop but the shave was the worst ever.. Sunday I corked another Astra since I have over 90 of them and over 90 of my Derbys, the Astra was what I was used to! I usually cork but Handstropping worked as well but I will just cork now!
 
Part of evaluating blades is having the experience to back up your impressions. As your technique improves you may find that a blade you thought of as junk is actually quite good. That's happened to a lot of gents around here.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll definitely give them all a go and more than once. I like the idea of going through the list once then again from the bottom once my experience in DE shaving gets better.

Keep your prep the same, and keep a blade journal with that many different types.
This is a damn fine suggestion. I guess it'll take me a while to get through all of these since I have to wait for my hair to grow between shaves :tongue_sm
I'll definitely write down my experiences as my brain won't be able to remember it all.
 
I'd say this is very reasonable advice.

Try one blade from each pack (in the order listed, bottom to top), shave three times consecutively with the same blade, then repeat the entire series again with a fresh blade from each pack. This should cement your opinions in fairly short order, while allowing for a variance between individual blades in a pack, and the gradual improvement of your technique.

+1. What he said. Some blades suck on the first shave (cough :: Derby :: cough) but get broken in after the first shave.

You may find a blade that doesn't feel so great on the first shave becomes quite excellent in subsequent shaves. You may also find blades that initially feel great, but don't agree with your skin over multiple consecutive days.

You may also realize that some blades work well with some razors and horrible with others. Dorco + Merkur Progress = Sweetness. Dorco + Gillette Red Tip = slow torture. Gillette 7 o'clock + Merkur Progress = Nothing special. Gillette 7 o'clock + Gillette Red Tip = Sweetness.

I'd also recommend if you come across a particularly mild blade, keep a few extras handy if at all possible. If you cut yourself up with a new blade, put it aside, use your "safe" blades for a couple days to heal. Then return to the old blade and give it another chance before moving along in the series.

After your adventure is complete, take the leftover blades from the unfavorable packs and pass them along to someone else, so they can run the series too. :smile:

Again +1

Best of luck![/QUOTE]
 
Top Bottom