Agreed. I sent a note to the mods enquiring about the feasibility of some on-line self-service reporting. Let's see what they say. One chart will not meet everyone's needs.
Blade Sharpness Research Project
- Thread starter helicopter
- Start date
Worst case, folks can grab the spreadsheet I've a link to in my signature block and slice the data as they see fit.
- Thread starter
- #663
The proposed chart has the same rank order as all of my charts, which is good for consistency, of course, at the expense of offering another take on it.
I think the rank with 0, P3, P6 offers a good balance. It is also fairly consistent with the old refinedshave chart rank order. Polymer coatings can break quickly, so even one and done shavers might be interested in P3. Sometimes P6 can give a clue about how the steel might be behaving earlier in the test, too. For example, if some medium or large chips form early on, you may feel them before they drag the average enough to outweigh coating wear and edge exposure.
And of course, the data is there for anyone who wants to look at it or use it in another way. I have published all of the the data as CC0 public domain property before using it here.
Another thing I like about the proposed chart is the labels with consistent production country and date. My labels are manual, and my iterative process (and not going back to clean them up) makes them inconsistent.
It is nice just to pull them out of the structured data with the information we know we ant right now. Of course, @BigAlVista anticipated that the structured data would yield superior information.
I think the rank with 0, P3, P6 offers a good balance. It is also fairly consistent with the old refinedshave chart rank order. Polymer coatings can break quickly, so even one and done shavers might be interested in P3. Sometimes P6 can give a clue about how the steel might be behaving earlier in the test, too. For example, if some medium or large chips form early on, you may feel them before they drag the average enough to outweigh coating wear and edge exposure.
And of course, the data is there for anyone who wants to look at it or use it in another way. I have published all of the the data as CC0 public domain property before using it here.
Another thing I like about the proposed chart is the labels with consistent production country and date. My labels are manual, and my iterative process (and not going back to clean them up) makes them inconsistent.
It is nice just to pull them out of the structured data with the information we know we ant right now. Of course, @BigAlVista anticipated that the structured data would yield superior information.
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- Thread starter
- #664
My other new Griffith Shaving Goods Dovo 6/8, a Bismarck. I measured it today before stropping and shaving, to see how the edge was. It had a lower average sharpness than the Flowing, but it had a higher median sharpness. It felt reasonably similar shaving with it. I am sure it was honed using the same process.
These are so beautiful. I think that is a big part of the appeal.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
These are so beautiful. I think that is a big part of the appeal.
| Date | 27-Sep-2027 |
| Blade | Dovo |
| Wear on Edge | 0 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New |
| Measurements | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 29 |
| Median F (g) | 61 |
| Mean F (g) | 71 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 74 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 86 |
Blade Sharpness Test Index
- Thread starter
- #665
This is a Ladas Super Stainless blade from Moscow's Mostochlegmash. It was generously provided for testing by @WVShaver This blade is very sharp, and beautifully ground from good steel. Durability if fairly typical, and the consistency is unimpressive. Still, it is a very nice blade for a few shaves it you like something that is very sharp. I am fond of the original Russian brands from this company. Voskhod is one of my favorite blades, and I really like this one too. Italian Barber has them for $13/100, which is a good price considering the sharpness. Everything tested so far that was sharper was also more expensive.
It has a nice even grind and light polymer coating.
The edge is in good shape after testing.
It is very sharp, fairly durable, but not very consistent. The sharpness curve is not similar to the Voskhod blade from the same facility.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
It has a nice even grind and light polymer coating.
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Light |
| Coating Evenness | Even |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 1032 |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 0.556 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.004 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Typical |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.100 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.209 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.003 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.054 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Polish |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
The edge is in good shape after testing.
It is very sharp, fairly durable, but not very consistent. The sharpness curve is not similar to the Voskhod blade from the same facility.
| Date | 27-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Mostochlegmash | Ladas | Super Stainless | Russia | 1-Jan-2022 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 7 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Median F (g) | 45.5 | 40 | 45.5 | 53.5 | 52.5 |
| Mean F (g) Top | 40 | 38 | 46 | 48 | 51 |
| Mean F (g) Bottom | 49 | 43 | 46 | 56 | 54 |
| Mean F (g) | 44 | 41 | 46 | 52 | 53 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Top | 49 | 46 | 56 | 59 | 63 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom | 60 | 53 | 56 | 68 | 66 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 56 | 48 | 56 | 65 | 64 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 54 | 50 | 56 | 63 | 64 |
Blade Sharpness Test Index
- Thread starter
- #666
This is the Rapira Super Stainless blade, another blade from Moscow's Mostochlegmash that was generously provided for testing by @WVShaver
The coating transition is unusually overt. The grind looks like it was done with good abrasives, like the Ladas.
The failure mode is typical chipping.
This blade had a bad bottom that developed dead spots during the test, so I tested a second one to see if it was better. This is the original blade:
The second one also developed dead spots. Here is the data with the measurements from the bottom edge of the second blade:
I thought overall performance of the first one was slightly better, so I decided to keep it for the chart. It is sharper than the other two Rapiras tested, and the wear curve is similar to the Swedish Steel version. I suspect this is made to the same specification as the Swedish Supersteel version, but possibly it is made from some Russian steel of equal or better quality. This one is slightly less expensive at $13/100 versus $15/100, so this is the one to get between the two. While the grinds look nice, these aren't consistent for very long or very durable. From this facility, I would go for the Ladas or Voskhod, personally.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
The coating transition is unusually overt. The grind looks like it was done with good abrasives, like the Ladas.
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Moderate |
| Coating Evenness | Uneven |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 929 |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 0.529 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.003 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Typical |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.100 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.117 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.002 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.014 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Polish |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
The failure mode is typical chipping.
This blade had a bad bottom that developed dead spots during the test, so I tested a second one to see if it was better. This is the original blade:
| Date | 27-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Mostochlegmash | Rapira | Super Stainless | Russia | 1-Jan-2022 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 4 | 13 | 14 | 22 | 34 |
| Median F (g) | 47.5 | 48 | 51 | 59.5 | 62.5 |
| Mean F (g) Top | 46 | 47 | 48 | 54 | 58 |
| Mean F (g) Bottom | 49 | 54 | 62 | 80 | 101 |
| Mean F (g) | 47 | 50 | 55 | 67 | 79 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Top | 56 | 57 | 59 | 66 | 70 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom | 59 | 66 | 75 | 98 | 123 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 58 | 59 | 62 | 73 | 76 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 57 | 61 | 67 | 82 | 97 |
The second one also developed dead spots. Here is the data with the measurements from the bottom edge of the second blade:
| Date | 27-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Mostochlegmash | Rapira | Super Stainless | Russia | 1-Jan-2022 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 6 | 13 | 31 | 23 | 33 |
| Median F (g) | 48.5 | 48 | 52.5 | 54.5 | 60.5 |
| Mean F (g) Top | 46 | 47 | 48 | 54 | 58 |
| Mean F (g) Bottom | 53 | 56 | 81 | 73 | 94 |
| Mean F (g) | 49 | 51 | 65 | 63 | 76 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Top | 56 | 57 | 59 | 66 | 70 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom | 64 | 68 | 98 | 89 | 114 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 59 | 59 | 64 | 67 | 74 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 60 | 63 | 79 | 77 | 92 |
I thought overall performance of the first one was slightly better, so I decided to keep it for the chart. It is sharper than the other two Rapiras tested, and the wear curve is similar to the Swedish Steel version. I suspect this is made to the same specification as the Swedish Supersteel version, but possibly it is made from some Russian steel of equal or better quality. This one is slightly less expensive at $13/100 versus $15/100, so this is the one to get between the two. While the grinds look nice, these aren't consistent for very long or very durable. From this facility, I would go for the Ladas or Voskhod, personally.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
- Thread starter
- #667
This is the Rapira Chrome Super Stainless blade, another blade from Moscow's Mostochlegmash that was generously provided for testing by @WVShaver
There is some large chipping along the edge after the test.
Performance is quite similar to the non-chrome Rapira Super Stainless, and you can tell from the microscopic inspection that the coatings are different. That probably explains the lower durability of this Chrome SS later in the test. Sometimes a chrome blade will feel smoother. There is probably a good way to sort that out by looking at outliers and variances in the data, but I haven't put effort into it yet. In any case, there might be a reason to give this one a shot if you can find it. I certainly prefer the chrome version of Lord's Shark blade to the other two.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Moderate |
| Coating Evenness | Even |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 909 |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 0.350 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.004 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Typical |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.100 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.163 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.003 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Uneven |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.071 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Polish |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
There is some large chipping along the edge after the test.
Performance is quite similar to the non-chrome Rapira Super Stainless, and you can tell from the microscopic inspection that the coatings are different. That probably explains the lower durability of this Chrome SS later in the test. Sometimes a chrome blade will feel smoother. There is probably a good way to sort that out by looking at outliers and variances in the data, but I haven't put effort into it yet. In any case, there might be a reason to give this one a shot if you can find it. I certainly prefer the chrome version of Lord's Shark blade to the other two.
| Date | 27-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Mostochlegmash | Rapira | Chrome Super | Russia | 1-Jan-2022 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top | Bottom / Top |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 3 | 7 | 13 | 29 | 29 |
| Median F (g) | 46.5 | 51 | 55 | 70.5 | 69.5 |
| Mean F (g) Top | 48 | 53 | 59 | 78 | 71 |
| Mean F (g) Bottom | 46 | 49 | 59 | 80 | 91 |
| Mean F (g) | 47 | 51 | 59 | 79 | 81 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Top | 59 | 64 | 72 | 95 | 87 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom | 56 | 60 | 72 | 97 | 111 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 57 | 62 | 67 | 86 | 85 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 58 | 62 | 72 | 96 | 99 |
Blade Sharpness Test Index
Attachments
Good to see some testing for the Mostochlegmash blades. I did not realize the Ladas performed as nice as this.
- Thread starter
- #669
Just looking at the bar chart, I suspect it is a platinum coated version of Voskhod. I am surprised too. I love Voskhod, am alright with Rapira, but never paid much attention to Ladas.
Good to see you covering this blade family.
I have been having great shaves with the Ladas, having picked up 400 for an excellent £5.99 for a hundred.
I am glad to see the Rapira Super Stainless getting a good test result also, having picked up 200 for £8.99 in total. All sadly out of stock now with my UK supplier. Not tried them yet but I have good expectations.
I agree with your assessment of the Mostochlegmash blades. I find them more 'authentic' as Russian blade examples than the much more recent Gillette Russian production post '90, although most of them are world-class in their own right.
Keep up the great work!
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Same here. Remembering the Lada cars we had in Canada in the 80’s made me stay away from them altogether.
And here I was mocking folks who stopped buying Corona beer during the pandemic
- Thread starter
- #672
I think I like this Ladas more now because I have some more information about it. It gives a little bit of feedback and cuts every type of hair on my face without much force. It doesn't dive into the skin, and the alcohol splash didn't burn after a quick and easy smooth shave.
Same here. Remembering the Lada cars we had in Canada in the 80’s made me stay away from them altogether.
And here I was mocking folks who stopped buying Corona beer during the pandemic
Lada cars, I vaguely remember. Weren't those like an old Fiat design made in the Soviet Bloc somewhere? What could possibly go wrong...
- Thread starter
- #674
This is the Kai Captain Blade, which is an Artist Club type blade from the Japanese company. My Kai DE blades were labeled with the famous blade production location, Seki City, Japan, but this one says it is from Tokyo. Mine has a sticker on it for European markets.
Testing showed that it is very sharp but lacks the exceptional durability of the other AC blades tested. In fact, durability was somewhat poor compared even to most double edged blades. That is something that will be a concern to some, and not to others. The failure mode of the steel is denting, which is sometimes associated with a smoother and more comfortable edge compared to steel with the typical failure mode of chipping. It is the only blade tested so far that is very sharp, durable enough for a few shaves, and has a failure mode of denting. It probably just isn't possible to get that combination of characteristics in a blade as thin as a double edged blade. I imagine they chose a softer steel to improve comfort and keep customers coming back to buy more blades. A lot of people could easily get a year or more out of a 20-blade dispenser of Feather AC blades, and they probably wanted people coming back to buy their product more often than that.
There is a date code on the dispenser, which I like to see.
It has an exceptionally even grind, indicating the use of expensive high quality abrasives that are most likely synthetic.
It has a standard height and thickness.
The failure mode is large denting. It is totally shot after the test. I tried two of them to make sure it wasn't a fluke or a dud. This is how they are. It should be fine for a few shaves, and then you will know its done.
The J-curve is quite extreme, especially for such a sharp blade.
It is even more pronounced when compared to the other AC blades, which have all been exceptionally durable.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
Testing showed that it is very sharp but lacks the exceptional durability of the other AC blades tested. In fact, durability was somewhat poor compared even to most double edged blades. That is something that will be a concern to some, and not to others. The failure mode of the steel is denting, which is sometimes associated with a smoother and more comfortable edge compared to steel with the typical failure mode of chipping. It is the only blade tested so far that is very sharp, durable enough for a few shaves, and has a failure mode of denting. It probably just isn't possible to get that combination of characteristics in a blade as thin as a double edged blade. I imagine they chose a softer steel to improve comfort and keep customers coming back to buy more blades. A lot of people could easily get a year or more out of a 20-blade dispenser of Feather AC blades, and they probably wanted people coming back to buy their product more often than that.
There is a date code on the dispenser, which I like to see.
It has an exceptionally even grind, indicating the use of expensive high quality abrasives that are most likely synthetic.
It has a standard height and thickness.
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Moderate |
| Coating Evenness | Even |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 18% |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 1.175 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.005 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Even |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.256 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.346 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.002 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.056 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Typical |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
| Height, mm | 8.061 |
The failure mode is large denting. It is totally shot after the test. I tried two of them to make sure it wasn't a fluke or a dud. This is how they are. It should be fine for a few shaves, and then you will know its done.
The J-curve is quite extreme, especially for such a sharp blade.
It is even more pronounced when compared to the other AC blades, which have all been exceptionally durable.
| Date | 29-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Kai | Captain Blade | Artist Club | Japan | 19-Apr-2023 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 6 | 8 | 27 | 45 | 51 |
| Median F (g) | 47 | 42 | 42 | 72 | 121 |
| Mean F (g) | 47 | 41 | 54 | 77 | 87 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 57 | 51 | 51 | 88 | 148 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 57 | 50 | 65 | 93 | 107 |
Blade Sharpness Test Index
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- Thread starter
- #675
This is the Kai Captain Titan Mild Pink Artist Club type blade from the same producer in Japan. It has a titanium coating. Like the other Kai AC blade, the Captain, this one has a soft steel with a failure mode of denting. However, the denting was not nearly as severe on this one, making it more durable and consistent.
The thickness and primary grind are the same. The secondary and tertiary grinds are taller. This one has a sharp line of metallic coating on the tertiary bevel.
It is only 88 microns shorter than the other one. It might be the same blank stamp, just with a different grind.
The label doesn't mention it, but the other one also has the platinum coating. The difference in durability might be due to the difference in grind, or perhaps the other one had a bad heat treatment. This one failed by denting, too, just less severely, and @Dimitri observed poor durability in his Kai AC blades compared to the others he tried, so I suspect it is the grind rather than a difference in hardness.
This one is not as durable as Schick and Feather, but it is a lot better than the other Kai.
I can certainly see why this blade has a following, and I am looking forward to trying it out at some point.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
The thickness and primary grind are the same. The secondary and tertiary grinds are taller. This one has a sharp line of metallic coating on the tertiary bevel.
It is only 88 microns shorter than the other one. It might be the same blank stamp, just with a different grind.
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Moderate |
| Coating Evenness | Even |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 3% |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 1.175 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.003 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Even |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.255 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.412 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.003 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Typical |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.101 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Typical |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
| Height, mm | 7.973 |
The label doesn't mention it, but the other one also has the platinum coating. The difference in durability might be due to the difference in grind, or perhaps the other one had a bad heat treatment. This one failed by denting, too, just less severely, and @Dimitri observed poor durability in his Kai AC blades compared to the others he tried, so I suspect it is the grind rather than a difference in hardness.
This one is not as durable as Schick and Feather, but it is a lot better than the other Kai.
| Date | 29-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Kai | Captain Titan | Mild Pink AC | Japan | 23-Apr-2024 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 6 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 36 |
| Median F (g) | 51 | 42 | 40 | 43 | 45 |
| Mean F (g) | 50 | 41 | 42 | 52 | 56 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 62 | 51 | 49 | 52 | 55 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 61 | 51 | 51 | 63 | 68 |
I can certainly see why this blade has a following, and I am looking forward to trying it out at some point.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
I remember that ... but the tailor was after the thumbs of kids who had the terrible habit of sucking their thumbs. I also remember the Goops. That one was about table manners. Great stuff.I just casually assumed that was the tailor taken directly from German children’s books that will cut their fingers off if they misbehave.
(I thought he was holding scissors for some reason, maybe because that’s something they make)
- Thread starter
- #677
This is the Lea Traditional blade, which was packaged with a razor by the Spanish company for South American markets. I ordered it because the one in the stock photo looked like the black plastic Wilkinson Sword razors, and I thought we might get an interesting Schick / Wilkinson Classic with it. Turns out the razor is not a metal TTO and the blades are Vietnamese Dorco Prime Platinums. They performed really well in the test, but there was a variance in sharpness from one edge to the other.
It is the only blank Dorco blade I have seen. I wonder if Lea specified blank blades and wrappers and got this instead. I didn't really capture it in this photo, but there are some small handling marks near the break area, two on one side and one on the other, that match the known Vietnamese Dorco Prime Platinum I tested previously, so we can safely assume this is the Vietnamese one. The wrapper also matches perfectly.
This one held up very well to testing despite being thin and quite sharp.
It is quite sharp, durable, and consistent.
They aren't very consistent from one blade to the next. This one performed well. Unfortunately, Dorco batches vary a lot, and there is a top-to-bottom edge variance.
The Dorco branded Prime Platinum of the same specification is much easier and much less expensive to obtain, so don't go seeking this Lea version unless it is what is available locally in South America or something like that. With Dorco blades, you don't know how the batch is going to be until you get it, but the prices are so low, and the nominal batches are so good, that it might be worth the gamble anyway. Personally, I would rather pay a little more for a blade where I have a reasonably good expectation about how it is going to be.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
It is the only blank Dorco blade I have seen. I wonder if Lea specified blank blades and wrappers and got this instead. I didn't really capture it in this photo, but there are some small handling marks near the break area, two on one side and one on the other, that match the known Vietnamese Dorco Prime Platinum I tested previously, so we can safely assume this is the Vietnamese one. The wrapper also matches perfectly.
| Coating and Grind | |
| Coating Thickness | Moderate |
| Coating Evenness | Even |
| Bevel Coating Coverage | 220 |
| Entire Bevel to Edge, mm | 0.458 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.005 |
| Primary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Typical |
| Primary Bevel Proximal Transition | Typical |
| Blade Thickness, mm | 0.090 |
| Secondary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.122 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Size | 0.002 |
| Secondary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Typical |
| Secondary Bevel Transition Line | Typical |
| Tertiary Bevel Transition to Edge, mm | 0.036 |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Size | Polish |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Consistency | Even |
| Tertiary Bevel Scratch Transition Line | Typical |
This one held up very well to testing despite being thin and quite sharp.
It is quite sharp, durable, and consistent.
They aren't very consistent from one blade to the next. This one performed well. Unfortunately, Dorco batches vary a lot, and there is a top-to-bottom edge variance.
| Date | 29-Sep-2024 | ||||
| Blade | Dorco | Prime Platinum | Lea Traditional | Vietnam | 12-14-2020 |
| Wear on Edge | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Edges Measured | Bottom / Bottom | Bottom / Bottom | Bottom / Bottom | Bottom / Bottom | Bottom / Bottom |
| Measurement Medium | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 | Stren 6 .22 |
| Dulling Substrate | New | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Measurements | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Adj. Std. Dev. | 11 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Median F (g) | 48.5 | 48 | 49.5 | 50 | 47.5 |
| Mean F (g) Top | 40 | 41 | 45 | 44 | 45 |
| Mean F (g) Bottom | 56 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 53 |
| Mean F (g) | 48 | 47 | 50 | 49 | 49 |
| BESS Adj. Factor | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.22 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Top | 49 | 50 | 54 | 53 | 55 |
| Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom | 68 | 65 | 66 | 66 | 64 |
| Median Adj. F (g) | 59 | 58 | 60 | 61 | 58 |
| Mean Adj. F (g) | 58 | 57 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
The Dorco branded Prime Platinum of the same specification is much easier and much less expensive to obtain, so don't go seeking this Lea version unless it is what is available locally in South America or something like that. With Dorco blades, you don't know how the batch is going to be until you get it, but the prices are so low, and the nominal batches are so good, that it might be worth the gamble anyway. Personally, I would rather pay a little more for a blade where I have a reasonably good expectation about how it is going to be.
Blade Sharpness Test Index
I was wondering if the Kai's were indeed a softer steel. I thought it might just be in my head, but now your tests confirmed it. I'm on my fourth shave with a Feather pro and it still feels like it has some life left. If I can get at least 8 shaves out of it, I will be satisfied.
Hi @helicopter I know it's hard to compare, but what do you think, about how many face shaves are equal to P3 and P6?
- Thread starter
- #680
For me, a sheet of paper is about 1 shave. I have a full beard that is medium on the cheeks and neck and heavy on the chin and lips. So p6 is like a week for me. Artificial wear is more even and consistent. Natural wear is concentrated in the middle of the blade. I measure the middle half of naturally worn blades to partially compensate for this.
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