What makes a good blade?

DamianJ

DamianJ

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643
Hi,

I'm relatively new to DE shaving so excuse the silly question.

I'm currently working my way though a sample pack and have my opinions on the blades I've tried so far.

What would people look for from a good blade?

Blades like Derby seem to pull and tug and feel quite mild/blunt but give a irritation free shave with a smooth finish. Where blades like Astras cut the growth very easily and produce a good shave, but I always find they leave me with a bit of irritation.

Would people go for an irritation free shave over a blade that cuts easily? or is it down to technique?

Would be interested to hear others opinions,
Thanks
 
not many Derby fans here Damian
Merkurs are pretty poor as well

your technique will improve but that won't make up for a bad blade
stick with the Astras for now 'til you get better at it

nice avatar btw
 
Thanks... wish I could play like him though!

I noticed about the Derby not having many fans... I like that it gives a smooth shave.. but don't like the tugging... it feels like it is ready to change from the start.
 
I actually really like Derby's. They are really comfortable and forgiving and get better after the 1st shave after the blade "settles".
You're right, there are sharper blades out there. But at what cost to your skin for a BBS shave?
One person at work has been DE shaving for years (and learning to use a cut-throat) swears by Derby and buys them in bulk. I got my Derby's from him in a blade swap (Shark/Astra) but he said he prefers his Derby's.
In the US, Amazon.com has a 200 pack for $15 (less than 10 pounds). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AGG3MZ8
 
Ideally you'll want to find something that is both sharp and smooth. Also some blades will work well with some razors but not others. I like a sharp blade like a feather in a tech but prefer something milder in a slant.
 
I've not found that Derby tug at all, they cut well, I like them and they tend to suffer from a "groupthink" reputation here. By all means drop them, but I'd urge you to try them again in 6 months, or a year, and bad prep / technique will be out of the picture and you can try them with a fresh approach and fresh mind. Your tuggy problem is more likely down to poorer beard prep than it is down to blades.

What I look for in a good blade is simply that it cuts effortlessly. I find that most do after good beard prep, (and yes, some are slightly better than others), but probably well over half the easily available ones do the job for me.
 
Won't be giving up on the Derby blades... results in a nice smooth shave.

I'll try make sure I improve my prep first. Current prep is a hot face wash.
 
DamianJ said:
Hi,

I'm relatively new to DE shaving so excuse the silly question.

I'm currently working my way though a sample pack and have my opinions on the blades I've tried so far.

What would people look for from a good blade?

Blades like Derby seem to pull and tug and feel quite mild/blunt but give a irritation free shave with a smooth finish. Where blades like Astras cut the growth very easily and produce a good shave, but I always find they leave me with a bit of irritation.

Would people go for an irritation free shave over a blade that cuts easily? or is it down to technique?

Would be interested to hear others opinions,
Thanks
Click to expand...

i'm relatively new to de shaving too, I like feathers for e nice clean smooth cut, but you wont get many shaves from them, Derby's are medium I would say and a bit more forgiving if you are in a rush.....Astra are ideal in terms of longevity, sharpness and value for money....I bought 100 for just under a tenner.....the feathers cost me £20 for a hundred and the extra expense wasn't warranted so for me its 'Astra' in terms of price, availability, sharpness, longevity and forgiveness
 
I'm also pretty new but hated the Derby's - they felt like they where physically pulling the whiskers out rather than cutting in my case. I've found the astra SP's to be good but still nicking myself occasionally with them though no doubt this will lessen as my technique improves. Tried standard rapiras as well over the past coupke of days and although the shave isn't as close as the astras there wasn't the nicking and I was irritation free but they only lasted until the second shave vs 3 or 4 from the astra's-

Everybodys face and skin is different so its a matter of finding out what suits you. At least you can do this with a de rather than being stuck with a one size fits all cartridge
 
I tend to look for the right balance between sharpness and smoothness. I don't want a blade so sharp it cuts me to bits, but I don't want one not sharp enough that will tug and pull rather than cutting cleanly.

I'd rather have a comfortable, pretty close shave, than a BBS with the risk of irritation. I find blades like the Supermax Blue Diamond, Lord Super Chrome, Rapira Swedish Supersteel and Sputniks to be very smooth. Of course, others will disagree, but keep on searching until you find what's right for you.

I don't get on with Astra SP's personally I must say.
 
I agree with Smallbeard. Through trial and error I discovered the right razor/blade combination for me and don't experiment any more. Technique is fine now too. So just happily plodding along with very little change. And it's red personna for me.
 
I tried Derby's and found they were tuggy and blunt feeling but also left me with irritation. I have retried them several times every few months but they are still the same.

Astra SP are sharp, but leave the same amount of irritation.

Rapira Swedish Supersteel, Sputnik and Personna lab blues are all both sharp and irritation free. I use them in all types of razor from a tech to a slant and they work equally well in all of them.

Also the lab blues give me 4 shaves easily whereas most only last 3.
 
I use Derbys all the time now and have done for at least 2yrs. Started off with Supamax which were lousy I might just as well have used a chisel from the shed, I think if I had carried on using them I would probably have bled to death. Didnt think very much of Astras, found them quite tuggy even after a couple of shaves. Have tried 7'o clocks and Sharks, again not really impressed. I really beleive there is no best blade as such to suit everyone, everybodys skin is different and only trial and error will find whats best for you. Before you do go paying out on different blades though it may be worth looking at your Pre shave ritual.
 
For me, a failed shave is one resulting in lots of irritation no matter how smooth my skin might be. If the Derbys, which I get along with as well, are giving you good results, perhaps those are going to be your mainstay - though we all like to tinker to see what else can work.

Regarding your hot-water prep, you might like to try changing to a cold-water shave for a while: I switched a few months back and the results were terrific and really cut down on any irritation I was getting.
 
It seems as though people strive for a smooth shave with no irritation... certainly something I get with a few of the blades I've tried so far; Derby, Wilkinson Sword and Supermax Stainless.

My technique is improving so it will be interesting to see how things change... will be trying a Gillette Green tonight
 
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