Blade Sharpness Research Project

[helicopter]

Aesthetically, these blades are so beautiful that it would be a shame if they rusted like the more common razor blades.
I just want to be ironic.

If they stay on the market for a while, I will probably get them. I am in no hurry to order them as I have a lot of junk private label blades in queue already. I wonder if they actually look like what is pictured on the website. I will definitely buy a blade because it looks cool, even if I do expect poor performance. I just won't plan on using it to shave regularly, if at all.

There was a time that I espoused not paying for appearance, and I would always buy the cheapest color of clothing when the prices differed, on principal. I had a small revelation about this when shopping for running shoes on Amazon. I knew I had preferences, because I always picked the best colors for my wardrobe when prices were the same. However, I ran into some shoes I needed, and my preferred color was ~1% more expensive. I bought the preferred color, admitted it has value, and haven't looked back.

After taking a bunch of marketing classes, organizational behavior classes, and such, I realize that graphic design and aesthetics guides all of us in purchases. If you always choose a plain, understated, or traditional design over a flashy one, that doesn't change the fact that you are hugely guided by the design. In a thread about graphic design for shaving soaps How many Soaps did you buy because Artwork like 85% of comments said they didn't buy soaps for graphic design. A lot of these comments would list the alternative soaps they chose because they liked a specific type of understated or traditional design.

I call BS and would encourage reflection on anyone saying they don't care about designs. You can hate the tribal design on these blades, hate new polished titanuim razors, and strongly prefer a nicely patinad Tech or Injector with some plain Jane Astras or Chicks, with your Arko in an Old Spice mug, but you are still just as guided by your own aesthetic preferences as many of the people who admit it to themselves. Ironically, some people who claim not to care the most loudly can be among the most biased and most likely to change their behavior to be consistent with what they are shouting.

My Arkansas stone, my Camaro, all of my clothes and shoes, every single one of my straight razors, most of my safety razors, most of my soaps and splashes, many, many blades, I bought, at least partially, because of how they look. I value good and incredible performance, but I definitely don't want to be surrounded with ugliness. If you want people to reveal their consistency bias in the most hilarious way possible, ask them why they don't drive something like a 2014 Prius. They will start spewing the absurd merits of their 'more practical' choice to indulge in something projecting a different image.

 

[helicopter]

Ok, I'll be the first to admit I like the pattern on the blades. I wouldn't buy the blades because of the pattern, but if they performed well, and all other things were equal, it would be a draw for me.

I'm pretty minimalist-functional when it comes to blade packaging design preferences but I do think blade and tuck design is a little weird and off-track sometimes . If you're not going to put useful information on the blades, or keep it simple, might as well go all-out abstract modern art.

I bought Cloud Bruce Lee with low expectations for performance, and it was one of the best-performing individual DE blades I have tested, so at this point, 291 tests done, it is almost worth checking.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Sorry if I was unclear. I didn't mean a summary in each blade test. Thinking along the lines of a Top 10 or Top 20 or something of the like. A summary report without exhaustive data -- intended for the non-engineers.

Just look at everything from the first quarter or so of the sharper end of the graph and you're pretty much in business...

Sharpness is the easiest thing to measure, but doesn't tell the full story.

Another useful thing to look for is consistency in the sharpness over several passes. Some blades do not degrade as quickly as other blades do during use. This gives a "flatter" shape to the bar chart for each blade, instead of a chart that looks like a mountain slope.

For example, the Personna Comfort Coated are one of the sharpest blades, but they stay sharp over their useful lifetime. A less sharp blade such as Lord Big Ben stays relatively consistent, also. Many Dorco blades have this consistency. There are quite a few others.

Notice that Feather blades, though they start very sharp, degrade quickly. If you only use a blade a few times, or have a light beard, it may not matter too much. That initial sharpness may be enough to win you over.

Comfort is also important to user satisfaction, but there isn't an objective scale to measure comfort. You will discover it when trying different blades, though.

 

[AceyMan]

Sharpness is the easiest thing to measure, but doesn't tell the full story.

Of course.

I was trying, in two minutes, while drinking ale & watching sports, to find the easiest heuristic for someone who is unable to do critical analysis.

It's called "quick & dirty."

If you want me to go full science nerd on you, give me a day or so and I would blow your mind.

 

[LRod]

I bought Cloud Bruce Lee with low expectations for performance, and it was one of the best-performing individual DE blades I have tested, so at this point, 291 tests done, it is almost worth checking.

I'm waiting for a Chuck Norris blade. They never dull!!

 

[NorthernSoul]

Of course.

I was trying, in two minutes, while drinking ale & watching sports, to find the easiest heuristic for someone who is unable to do critical analysis.

It's called "quick & dirty."

If you want me to go full science nerd on you, give me a day or so and I would blow your mind.

My comment was not a criticism of what you said, so don't take it that way. It's really more of an elaboration on what you said.

I don't think @slackskin really wants full science nerd mode right now!

 

[ButterfaceX]

I'm waiting for a Chuck Norris blade. They never dull!!

Good one, branching off that how about Mike Tyson - Knock Out blades...
But with a warning:

 

[pjgh]

 

[creamgravy]

^ Yes, bring back the Knockout! I used mine today testing a thick carbon tiger thanks to helicopter (kinda dull)

Blade packs came with a collectable boxer card (from 50 famous fighters)

 

[helicopter]

This is the Rimei Stainless Steel Platinum 2300 blade, which is made for the Chinese market and marked with an address in Foshan, Guangdong, China. It is hard to say, but it looks like a Carlife blade to me, although Kinghood and Ying Jili are the manufacturers I know of in Foshan City. Like a lot of Carlife blades, it mentions the US on the package. The Apache I tested was 102 microns, and could possibly be made with American 0.004" steel. This blade is made from 100 micron steel, fairly sharp, with excellent balance and durability and reasonably good consistency. It has a persistent coating so sharpness peaks after the second paper cut test.

This doesn't have a flap tuck like Apache, but the rest of the tuck die is pretty similar.

It is a World class grind; even stria, even transitions, everything looks clean. In the second photo, we see that after the test, the failure mode of the steel was some small chipping. The grind is more like Carlife and Kinghood than Ying Jili.

It is either a platinum or advanced ceramic driven metallic coating, and in this regard, does not resemble the Carlife Apache blade I tested previously. Performance is closest to the Xirui Rhinoceros. It is not very common in the US, and though there are some possibilities mentioned, it is hard to say who makes it. Rimei might even produce their own blades. Maybe one of you can tell me.

It is a blade of good quality, though not one many Western enthusiasts are using, perhaps because the street price of around $15/100 isn't competitive with similar blades like Rhinoceros XR.

Date	16-Jan-2025			Blade Thickness, mm	0.100
Blade	Rimei	Rimei	SS Platinum 2300	China	1-Jan-2024
Wear on Edge	0	3	6	9	12
Edges Measured	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top
Measurement Medium	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21
Dulling Substrate	New	Paper	Paper	Paper	Paper
Measurements	20	20	20	20	20
Adj. Std. Dev.	7	8	6	8	9
Median F (g)	52	46	43	47	51
Mean F (g) Top	50	45	46	46	53
Mean F (g) Bottom	55	51	41	48	50
Mean F (g)	52	48	44	47	51
BESS Adj. Factor	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39
Avg. Adj. F (g) Top	69	62	64	64	74
Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom	77	71	57	67	69
Median Adj. F (g)	72	64	60	65	71
Mean Adj. F (g)	73	66	61	66	71

Blade Sharpness Test Index

 

[helicopter]

This is the Rembrandt Super Stainless blade. It is a mid-century blade that was produced in Apeldoorn Holland by Amefa in the Apeldoornsche Messenfabriek facility.

It was generously provided by @Space_Cadet and shipped to me by @Grundi as part of their current special event:

Participation PIF - Rembrandt's Shaving Masterpiece

It is made from standard 100 micron steel, with a traditional mild two-stage grind. It held up well through the first paper cut test before failing rapidly. It should provide a few nice shaves if you don't mind an uncoated blade with a very mild grind. I am looking forward to trying it, and I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect.

It comes in embossed foil wrappers like chewing gum, which is something that some premium European blade makers did in the mid-20th century. There is some rust where the stamped logos are, but I didn't see rust under the microscope.

It is a simple and thick grind. They used fine abrasives for the primary bevel and polished the edge. In the second photo, we can see the destruction of the edge from the test, with lots of large chipping.

Date	16-Jan-2025			Blade Thickness, mm	0.100
Blade	Amefa	Rembrandt	Super Stainless	Netherlands	1-Jan-1958
Wear on Edge	0	3	6	9	12
Edges Measured	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top
Measurement Medium	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21
Dulling Substrate	New	Paper	Paper	Paper	Paper
Measurements	20	20	20	20	20
Adj. Std. Dev.	29	29	27	19	18
Median F (g)	54	57	72	108	110
Mean F (g) Top	51	49	68	94	94
Mean F (g) Bottom	74	78	88	106	107
Mean F (g)	63	64	78	100	100
BESS Adj. Factor	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39
Avg. Adj. F (g) Top	71	68	94	130	131
Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom	103	109	123	148	148
Median Adj. F (g)	75	79	100	150	153
Mean Adj. F (g)	87	89	108	139	139

It is very mild, and durability is not exceptional, but it should hold up for a few shaves.

Blade Sharpness Test Index

 

[geneaut]

This is the Rembrandt Super Stainless blade. It is a mid-century blade that was produced in Apeldoorn Holland by Amefa in the Apeldoornsche Messenfabriek facility.

It was generously provided by @Space_Cadet and shipped to me by @Grundi as part of their current special event:

Participation PIF - Rembrandt's Shaving Masterpiece

It is made from standard 100 micron steel, with a traditional mild two-stage grind. It held up well through the first paper cut test before failing rapidly. It should provide a few nice shaves if you don't mind an uncoated blade with a very mild grind. I am looking forward to trying it, and I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect.

It comes in embossed foil wrappers like chewing gum, which is something that some premium European blade makers did in the mid-20th century. There is some rust where the stamped logos are, but I didn't see rust under the microscope.

View attachment 1978644 View attachment 1978645

It is a simple and thick grind. They used fine abrasives for the primary bevel and polished the edge. In the second photo, we can see the destruction of the edge from the test, with lots of large chipping.

View attachment 1978646 View attachment 1978647

Date	16-Jan-2025			Blade Thickness, mm	0.100
Blade	Amefa	Rembrandt	Super Stainless	Netherlands	1-Jan-1958
Wear on Edge	0	3	6	9	12
Edges Measured	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top
Measurement Medium	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21
Dulling Substrate	New	Paper	Paper	Paper	Paper
Measurements	20	20	20	20	20
Adj. Std. Dev.	29	29	27	19	18
Median F (g)	54	57	72	108	110
Mean F (g) Top	51	49	68	94	94
Mean F (g) Bottom	74	78	88	106	107
Mean F (g)	63	64	78	100	100
BESS Adj. Factor	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39
Avg. Adj. F (g) Top	71	68	94	130	131
Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom	103	109	123	148	148
Median Adj. F (g)	75	79	100	150	153
Mean Adj. F (g)	87	89	108	139	139

It is very mild, and durability is not exceptional, but it should hold up for a few shaves.

Blade Sharpness Test Index

Thanks for the data. I've just completed shave 3 on mine, and is exceptional in it's mildness. For my whiskers, which I admit are not hard to shave, it is an exceptionally comfortable shaver.

 

[Phoenixkh]

View attachment 1978385

^ Yes, bring back the Knockout! I used mine today testing a thick carbon tiger thanks to helicopter (kinda dull)

View attachment 1978382
Blade packs came with a collectable boxer card (from 50 famous fighters)

I have a Knockout Razor.... For me, it's the most aggressive razor I own, I think.... it's even more aggressive than the R41, which ticked all the wrong boxes for me. I've only used the Knockout once...... If that is what "blade feel" is, I'm not a fan.

That said, there sure are a number of people here who love the Knockout and the R41. The upper mild to lower medium efficiency razors seem to work the best for me... I could step down the blade to a Wizamet, perhaps... That might make it better for me.

 

[helicopter]

This is the Dorco Super Sharp blue blade, which is made by Dorco in their Vietnam factory. It is made from thin 90 micron steel, mild in sharpness, with subpar balance, but good durability and consistency. I think it is made to the same specification as all of the current Vietnamese Dorco blades.

The grind is fairly typical for a mild blade. Performance of the steel is good, with a failure mode of some small chipping.

I am a little surprised we have only done eight of these, but you get the idea. This one sits between the Titan and ST300 I measured.

The smart money is on the one with a package and price you like. Dorco process control isn't the best; you can see that with the balance of this one. Sometimes they perform really well. They are so inexpensive it can make sense just to buy them and then pray for a good batch. Street price is under $40/1000. If you are lucky, you will be set with good blades for a long time. Personally, I would rather pay more for something more consistent.

Date	17-Jan-2025			Blade Thickness, mm	0.090
Blade	Dorco	Dorco	Super Sharp Blue	Vietnam	1-Dec-2021
Wear on Edge	0	3	6	9	12
Edges Measured	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top
Measurement Medium	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21
Dulling Substrate	New	Paper	Paper	Paper	Paper
Measurements	20	20	20	20	20
Adj. Std. Dev.	9	9	10	8	8
Median F (g)	50	50	48.5	47	50.5
Mean F (g) Top	47	45	42	44	47
Mean F (g) Bottom	55	51	53	52	52
Mean F (g)	51	48	47	48	49
BESS Adj. Factor	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39
Avg. Adj. F (g) Top	66	63	58	61	66
Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom	76	71	73	72	72
Median Adj. F (g)	70	70	67	65	70
Mean Adj. F (g)	71	67	66	67	69

Blade Sharpness Test Index

 

[Spang]

If you are trying to find a favorite, you should also try a few mild blades and see if they work better for you. Different beards require different levels of sharpness and additional sharpness may be more harmful than beneficial.

This. The data compiled here has allowed me to confirm that milder, i.e. objectively less sharp, blades do indeed "work" better for me. The sharpest blades on the list, while definitely providing a close shave, often feel somewhat harsh and irritating for me. For some of us, sharper is not always better. Thanks to @helicopter's outstanding body of work, I now know that blades that are on the milder side are my sweet spot. And I also now know why I like the blades I do. It's not just in my head, it's a measurable fact.

 

[helicopter]

This is the Derby Extra Super Stainless blue blade. It was made by Azmüsebat in their Tuzla Istanbul Tuykey factory. It is a thin 90 micron blade, mild in sharpness, with typical balance, durability, and consistency. I believe it is made to essentially the same specification as other Derby blades, and that this individual is a fairly good representation of the specification. The 'Premium" branded blades may have a thicker polymer coating.

It is probably older than most of the Derbys tested, due to the asymmetrical plastic wrap folds, but performance is consistent with blades made in the new factory. I doubt the mold codes in the tucks are going to be useful, but figured I would keep capturing the data.

It is a typical Derby grind. There are some errant stria, but nothing horrible. In the second photo, we see that the failure mode of the steel was denting, which is sometimes associated with a subjective feeling of smoothness.

Performance is almost identical to the Usta I tested. With that asymetrical wrapper and old looking paper, I was hoping for a pre-retooling blade that might tell us something about Zaza. While we don't have that, we do have some samples that appear to be converging at a nominal specification. The U-shaped curve isn't telling us about the coating; it is just showing the average of two poorly balanced edges.

This is not a blade I get excited about, due to batch variation and lack of balance, but if you like mild blades, it might be worth trying one of them after you have tried some of the more consistent and balanced mild blades from other manufacturers.

I believe this test marks the completion of the entire DE blade catalogs for The Razor Company and Razor Blades Club.

Date	17-Jan-2025			Blade Thickness, mm	0.091
Blade	Azmüsebat	Derby Extra	Super Stainless Blue	Turkey
Wear on Edge	0	3	6	9	12
Edges Measured	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top	Bottom / Top
Measurement Medium	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21	Stren 4 .21
Dulling Substrate	New	Paper	Paper	Paper	Paper
Measurements	20	20	20	20	20
Adj. Std. Dev.	15	8	8	21	26
Median F (g)	56	48	47.5	48	53.5
Mean F (g) Top	48	48	49	50	53
Mean F (g) Bottom	66	51	46	54	67
Mean F (g)	57	49	48	52	60
BESS Adj. Factor	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39	1.39
Avg. Adj. F (g) Top	67	66	68	69	74
Avg. Adj. F (g) Bottom	92	71	64	75	93
Median Adj. F (g)	78	67	66	67	74
Mean Adj. F (g)	80	69	66	72	83

Blade Sharpness Test Index

 

[Teutonblade]

Thank you for all your hard work and detailed info @helicopter!

 

[Flanders]

Just an FYI for those shopping for Derby blades: I was meaning to order some of the Diane blades, being the best looking to me, and I found them from a salon supply company. I couldn't find them anywhere else and ordered another item so the shipping didn't kill the deal, but they have 15% off right now. I paid just about $17/100, just under my limit. If anyone is interested, you can PM me so I don't get in trouble for promoting anything.

 

[purecro]

Wow, this is some thread, I have to say. Very interesting with some of the findings.

 

[purecro]

@helicopter or anyone really, I have been reading thru this thread and looking at your index. When I see the score composition, do I assume the higher number is the sharper blade? I just want to make sure as I go thru this thread (its alot) and from this past week I am quite worn out and tired so I want to make sure I am not missing anything here. Thanks.