blades are all the same, aren't they?

[bjh618]

erm...

I like to think that I'm pretty savvy to marketers, branding and all that...

but I buy sharks because of the shark on the pack :

 

[mattbikes1]

I can assure you that not all blades are the same. At least the three different brands that I have tried so far. Lol!

 

[Alec79]

I only use two blades which are available locally. A German made Wilkinson Sword and a supermarket own brand. They both give an excellent shave and do exactly what I expect a razor blade to do. I do like to support local businesses where I can and see no reason to try anything else apart from a small cost saving by buying in bulk from ebay or whatever. But I do believe the Wilks seem a little sharper than the Generic ones.

 

[fingas]

Astras and Derbys were both too dull for my beard, even on the first use.

The Israeli Personnas, on the other hand, are great and give me 2-3 good shaves.

I plan to try the Sharks and Feathers sometime in the future...

Almost exactly my experience I won't be using derbys or Astras again, I love the red personnas and I just shaved with my first feather this morning and while it seems plenty sharp and gets a close shave it irritated me more than the red pack personnas.

 

[SubmarinerLV]

Yesterday I managed a blind test on a feather blade, I picked up my trusty HD assuming there was a Tesco IP in there and set to, nothing...nothing...ATG $%^&&***** WHAT WAS THAT . I Knew immediately what was wrong I just can't go ATG with feathers as they are much sharper than IP's and my technique is not good enough. Today same razor different blade and the result is totally bloodless . So yes feathers and IP's are noticeably different that said there are a number of other blades that are noisomely similar.

Regard Grant

 

[vincent]

Thanks to John Parker here, I have discovered the Squire reviews and his magnifications of the edges of different blades. That is convincing evidence that the grinding process is different for many blades, even within the same factory. The pictures do not show coating, of course, nor the quality of the steel. I don't think I agree with his ratings however, that is necessarily more subjective.
I wish someone would take the time to compare the magnified edges of Derby vertical to the older horizontal ones and to Bluebirds. We might learn something.

 

[Chuck Norris]

That "other forum" with the microscopic pix is here. I do find that WHERE the blades are made often indicates similarities (i.e. blades with the Russian glue dots like 7 o'clock yellows and Super Iridiums). I'll take a blind test any day of the week...I'm Chuck Norris...my beard is TOUGH....my beard is the reason why Waldo is hiding in the first place...

 

[OldSaw]

That "other forum" with the microscopic pix is here. I do find that WHERE the blades are made often indicates similarities (i.e. blades with the Russian glue dots like 7 o'clock yellows and Super Iridiums). I'll take a blind test any day of the week...I'm Chuck Norris...my beard is TOUGH....my beard is the reason why Waldo is hiding in the first place...

Waldo is hiding in your beard? Sounds like you are overdue for a shave or in Chuck Norris' case, a blade destroying.

 

[kingfisher]

Are blades the same?


NO! Emphatically NO. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

Not even close.

 

[Uncle Erik]

This reminds me of a debate that one often sees on audio forums: that all cables sound the same.

I'm glad this argument doesn't come up here. If it did it would go something like this: All blades are the same. If you notice a difference, you're just imagining it. You're thinking you feel a difference on your face because you paid more for your blades and want to think that they perform better.

I'm glad people trust their razor burn to tell them that blades perform very differently from make to make.

Having said that, it is possible that some blades get relabled under other names.

K.T.

In my experience, cables can sound significantly different.

Unless you don't know what the cable is before you hear it. No one has ever passed a blind test. Further, no appreciable difference between cables has ever been measured.

I'm fairly certain a powerful microscope would reveal a real, physical difference between blades.

Further, no one marks up a DE blade several thousand percent and pretends that it is something it isn't.

Anyway, I find zero difference between cables (backed up by my trusty Tektronix O-scope), but blades are considerably different. There is a real - not pretend - difference between materials and grinds.