I have thousands of the "old" PPI Astra SPs and just bought a box of the new ones on Amazon. The new ones are every bit as good.
Astra SP, Still a Good Blade?
- Thread starter THall
- Start date
My number 1 blade (Astra SP).
I don't buy anything else.
I don't buy anything else.
Very smooth but I prefer Yellows.
It’s a nice blade, but I prefer in order the Platinum, Rubie, Pol-silver, Perma-sharp, Silver-blue, Yellow, Black,
Green, and Nacet ahead of the Astra.
Green, and Nacet ahead of the Astra.
I've only used 1 bade but I'll avoid em if I can.
A feather or Nacet anyday or even a BIC lol.
A feather or Nacet anyday or even a BIC lol.
Since Feather, Nacet, and BIC Chrome Platinum are among the sharpest blades available, I suspect you have a tough beard, as do I. However, for me, Feather's are a little too harsh on my sensitive skin on the first shave.
Hi RayClem,
I don't have a beard... Sob!
I have cat whiskers growth! Somewhat sparse, multi directional and thick enough that if it let it grow I'll resemble a catus.
If only I could leave even a few days of growth and look ok but, nooo...!
If I don't shave daily I'll look like a toilet brush... Wanna cry.
So far a BIC is ultra sharp yet smoother than the feather, I'll say a Nacet is a great blade too.
The one observation I'd share about Astra SP's is that while they are a very nice blade, for some reason they seem to have a higher percentages of "duds." Or that is my experience. One wonders if they are produced with older or less reliable machinery, or a less rigorous QA/QC process, and this helps to make them very affordable. When they are good, they are very good.
I recently received an order of 50 SP’s from Stirling and they work well. I haven’t gotten a bad batch of SP’s yet (or GSB’s for that matter.)
I just tried my first astra sp today. I use rapira stainless, platinum and derby most of the time. After 1 shave i like the sp and have the astra stainless on order but they seem harder to get in the 100 packs. Personna just areived so i get to compare soon to hopefully find a favourite
Well, just because your beard growth is not full, it does not mean that what you have is not coarse. Your "toilet brush" description seems to indicate that.
For me BIC Chrome Platinums and Nacets are a couple of my favorite blades. I have sensitive skin and find Feather blades to be too rough except in very mild razors with little blade exposure.
Hi RayClem,
I only just discovered BICs but they are really good sharp blades. Touch wood, but I hope I don't experience the qc issue that some have with them.
I just wasn't expecting Astras to tug so much or be this rough on my face.
I first got Astras after seeing this... Truly YMMV lol!
I realised that I require blades sharper than the low 40s and that's a good thing cos it'll prevent me from buying unnecessary blades lol.
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I really like the Refined Shaving web site for all the scientific effort the guy expended in putting it together. I suspect that only one blade per brand was tested, so if a brand has QC issues, the results may not be representative. I also realize that the test involved shaving both the face and the head for only two shaves before discarding the blade. However, like you, my subjective experience tends to mirror the Refined Shaving data as opposed to the chart shown.
In the chart in your photo, I believe BIC chrome platinums are rated far too low. Although Feather's are sharper on the first shave, BICs are wonderfully sharp and smooth, at least that has been my experience. Also, I would rate Astra SP far lower. They do not fall into the same category as Derby Extra, but they are not nearly as sharp in my experience as some of the others in the mid category. Also, while I would rate the German made Wilkinson Sword blades up where the chart as the Gillette Wilkinson Swords made in India, the ones I have tried rate much lower on the sharpness scale. However, that could well be a QC issue.
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Same here, Astras are won't even factor in as sharp. In fact only one razor so far seems to be able to give me a decent shave with an astra... An English Flat Bottom.
Where as a BIC is one of the sharpest blade there is.
I just tried a new astra sp in my futur and really liked it. Felt smooth, even against the grain for me. Enjoyable
Astra SP work just fine for many people. It is only those with very coarse, tough beards that have an issue with them.
Makes sense. I have fine facial hair
IMHO, Astra SP and Feather provide the same sharpness, but the Feather feels sharper. Gillette Blue are nice. I like a Feather in the PAA Alpha Ecliptic and open comb slants. Of course, I'm a straight razor manly man and not a weak knees DE only shaver.....LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll add... Coarse facial hair. I don't have a beard but I have the kind of hair that can make even a NSC buzz lol.
