I got them in a sampler pack and from a store nearby (Holland).
Google found me a barbershop supply outlet in Italy that shipped 500 to me....
Google found me a barbershop supply outlet in Italy that shipped 500 to me....
Astra SP are great blades but I prefer Feathers most of all! Some might not believe me but I have a feather that is starting to become uncomfortable and I only have 18 shaves on that blade.. Astras are my second blade of choice then Derbys!
Cheers,
I use them both ... the Almighty Feather in my Sledgehammer Slant, and the Astra-SP in my HD.
Astra is the sharpest blade I've found beside the Feather ... it does a great job in any of the half-dozen razors I've tried it with.
On a casual scale of sharpness from 1 to 5, here is how I would rate them:
5-Feather
4-Astra SP
3-Crystal / IP / Personna Red / generic drugstore blades.
2-Derby
1-Merkur <--- crappy shave, not worth considering.
(Anybody care to make additions / changes / comments about my blade-rating system?)
BTW, that $11/hundred for Astra sounds good, I'll be needing more soon. How much is shipping?
Hey Slaglerock,
As you are in Japan, have you tried KAI blades? Where would they rank?
Very off topic: Are they easy to get in Japan? (will visit Tokyo this summer).
When you've found a store that has them, please let me know.