To answer the question, "Yes, you really need a sharp blade, as sharp as possible." Find the blade that works for you and then stick with it, unless you are like me, one who loves a whole bundle of different blades just because I like the whole idea of having so much colourful variety.
Do I really need a sharp blade?
- Thread starter drlvegas
- Start date
Any good blade will be very sharp... Some sharp blades are more comfortable to use in one razor or another, and might be a disaster in other razors... I think people mistake a bloody blade for a sharp blade. I think that's a simplistic...
There are many features to the cutting edge of a blade that are subject the whims or want of the designer, yet not directly related to sharpness. For example, the Derby blade works pretty well in most of my razors, while the Astra SP works very well in all of my razors, and stunningly well in my Stahly. To me, the Derby and Astra blades share characteristics that make them work well in my favorite razors, while the Astra SP is also a sharper, hence smoother blade in comparison.
The Feather blade, on the other hand, is considered by many to be the sharpest blade, but is often lamented as a bloody blade.. Once again, I think sharpness is not the gremlin with Feather blades. It's other choices in blade geometry that make it so varied in user reviews... I mentioned that the Derby and Astra blades share features that allow both to work well, and blood free in all of my favorite razors, while the Sharper edge of the Astra delivers a noticeably smoother, and more comfortable shave all around, and a spectacular shave in my Stahly razor.. Similar designs, and the sharper one wins. No blood on either side...
The Feather, however is very sharp, and feels pretty smooth in action, but it requires constant attention in most of my razors, and nearly always leaves at least a few weepers behind. I could never use a Feather if I were in a hurry in most of my razor handles, and even when I take my time, they don't outshave Astras enough to deal with the cuts... Ouch..
But as others have stated, finding the right handle for a blade can make all the difference in the world.... I own a small stash of Feathers (everyone needs to own a few Feathers in their collection), but they didn't show their true nature until I tried a feather in my Stahly razor... Wow! To this day, a Feather blade in my Stahly razor is the closest, most comfortable, and blood free shave I ever had... Even in a hurry, using a quick face wash with hotel bar soap... It's a two pass with touch up BBS shave match made in heaven. Unfortunately, the Astra SP blades cost one fourth the price of a Feather blade, and deliver a very fine shave in all of my razors.. So.. I save my Feathers for special occasions, self pity situations, and other events where it feels good to spend a lot more for a bit more value... Meanwhile, I always look for Feather bargains, as I now understand that it's not just a blade that we are searching for.... It's the right blade, in the right razor... I like that, as it keeps me on the lookout for something new at all times.
Dont restrict your gaze toward the most adored new production razors either. I love all of my razors, and break my budget buying more whenever possible, but my old Stahly Live Blade is the absolute wizard of shaving tech for me to this day... To be fair though, it prefers sharper blades. The Derby is OK and blood free in the Stahly, but no better than it is in my Merkur 38C HD razor. Either buy blades to fit your razor and face, or buy razors to fit your blades and face.. Or maybe a blend of the two.... Keep in mind that there were probably as many razors as blades manufactured, and many of them were very different from the next... It's not just a world of slant bar vs safety bar. It's much more than that!
There are many features to the cutting edge of a blade that are subject the whims or want of the designer, yet not directly related to sharpness. For example, the Derby blade works pretty well in most of my razors, while the Astra SP works very well in all of my razors, and stunningly well in my Stahly. To me, the Derby and Astra blades share characteristics that make them work well in my favorite razors, while the Astra SP is also a sharper, hence smoother blade in comparison.
The Feather blade, on the other hand, is considered by many to be the sharpest blade, but is often lamented as a bloody blade.. Once again, I think sharpness is not the gremlin with Feather blades. It's other choices in blade geometry that make it so varied in user reviews... I mentioned that the Derby and Astra blades share features that allow both to work well, and blood free in all of my favorite razors, while the Sharper edge of the Astra delivers a noticeably smoother, and more comfortable shave all around, and a spectacular shave in my Stahly razor.. Similar designs, and the sharper one wins. No blood on either side...
The Feather, however is very sharp, and feels pretty smooth in action, but it requires constant attention in most of my razors, and nearly always leaves at least a few weepers behind. I could never use a Feather if I were in a hurry in most of my razor handles, and even when I take my time, they don't outshave Astras enough to deal with the cuts... Ouch..
But as others have stated, finding the right handle for a blade can make all the difference in the world.... I own a small stash of Feathers (everyone needs to own a few Feathers in their collection), but they didn't show their true nature until I tried a feather in my Stahly razor... Wow! To this day, a Feather blade in my Stahly razor is the closest, most comfortable, and blood free shave I ever had... Even in a hurry, using a quick face wash with hotel bar soap... It's a two pass with touch up BBS shave match made in heaven. Unfortunately, the Astra SP blades cost one fourth the price of a Feather blade, and deliver a very fine shave in all of my razors.. So.. I save my Feathers for special occasions, self pity situations, and other events where it feels good to spend a lot more for a bit more value... Meanwhile, I always look for Feather bargains, as I now understand that it's not just a blade that we are searching for.... It's the right blade, in the right razor... I like that, as it keeps me on the lookout for something new at all times.
Dont restrict your gaze toward the most adored new production razors either. I love all of my razors, and break my budget buying more whenever possible, but my old Stahly Live Blade is the absolute wizard of shaving tech for me to this day... To be fair though, it prefers sharper blades. The Derby is OK and blood free in the Stahly, but no better than it is in my Merkur 38C HD razor. Either buy blades to fit your razor and face, or buy razors to fit your blades and face.. Or maybe a blend of the two.... Keep in mind that there were probably as many razors as blades manufactured, and many of them were very different from the next... It's not just a world of slant bar vs safety bar. It's much more than that!
Sharp, yes...sharpest, no.
+2 on this. The sharper the blade, the more careful you will be, but also the more likely the blade will be to remove the hair and REDUCE the number of additional irritating passes you need.
I love my Nacet blades, they're smooth and super-forgiving, but they just don't hack away enough hair, so I end up doing MORE passes and making things worse.
Switch to a Personna or a Feather or a Polsilver, and the world becomes a much better place.
In addition to F&H's experiential wisdom, I'd also add my own observation that some creams/soaps probably stand up better to some blades. I can get a shocking shave with these sharp blades, but if I pair them with a different cream, the result is transformed. Don't let that additional complexity put you off - it means you get to experiment more and try different combinations and products. Enjoy the journey rather than focussing on the destination.
