What is the most effective blade you've used?

garethm

garethm

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2012
Location
Melbourne, Australia
List the 3 blades at the top of your list based on how effective they are for you. #1 is the most effective.

Here's mine:
1. Astra SP
2. Personna Red
3. Wilkinson Sword

YMMV!
 
I find that the difference between DE blades becomes less with the more blades I use. So in the interest of the time honoured P&C tradition of derailing a thread I'll grade mine on looks.

1. Kai - have only used one once and I like the complete absence of markings on the blade, the no-nonsense single wrapping, no daft little numbers in the corners and of course no pesky glue spots.

2. Super Iridium - for the exact opposite reasons; double wrapping, markings everywhere, numbers in the corners and pesky glue spots. Sort of makes you feel special when you plonk one of them in a razor.

3. Sharks - Nice picture of a shark on the wrapping. I like sharks. They scare the crap out of everybody.

4. PTFE coated GEM SE blade. The one to rule them all. After half a dozen uses as a shaving blade you can still scrape windows with it or use it to fashion a lethal weapon to ward off the cannibals on that desert island you're marroned on. Or scalp the knot on one of them Semoque brushes. Very multi-useful bit of equipment.
 
Pjotr said:
I find that the difference between DE blades becomes less with the more blades I use. So in the interest of the time honoured P&C tradition of derailing a thread I'll grade mine on looks.

.
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And in turn I will underail it.

GEM SE - number one sharp and serious never to be used after a heavy night or under poor lighting conditions.

Indian Wilkinsons (Have to say that just bought 100 of them)

No third didvidend - I tend use blades a packet at a time so can never really remeber what the previous lot were like - Currently on Gillette 7 o'clock blues _ OK they are
 
1) Derby - Cheap, lasts, probably still #1 for minimising neck irritation for me. Works well in every razor I have.

2) Perma-Sharp Super - Sharper than the Derby but shares the balance of the postives with greater number of shaves on offer. Works awesome in my 34C. Not great in milder razors.

3) Feather - Very good blade but $$ for something that last 3 shaves at best.
 
Define effective.
Talking one use only, as in stubble removal? Or are you trying to work out cost/longevity/smoothness etc. If not "the most effective blade" might not be someones most used and preferred blade.
 
pablo_h said:
Define effective.
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"adequate to accomplish a purpose; produce the intended or expected result"

I was specifically not trying to put the definition in a box so that we got a variety of answers. A cheaper blade and mediocre shave may be more effective for some than an expensive bladed BBS effort. YMMV.
My thinking was just to get our members top three so we can each compare with what we personally have and haven't tried.
 
For DE, I use Personna reds, astras and super plat+ israelis.
No particular order, depends on the razor, some work better than others.
I've tried about 20 different blade brands, some better and/or more expensive.

The three chosen are because they do the job, are cheap and readily available, so bought 100 of each.
Still have packs of 5 or 10 of many other blade brands I bought in sample packs or in small quantities or traded on forums etc. I just leave in the cupboard mainly these days, I'm not bothered to start a blade I've forgotten about or work out the best razor and angle to use with it again.
But the 100 each of red packs, astras and israeilis is pretty much a life time supply for me as I use SE a lot.
 
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My 'reference blade' is the Astra SP. It is the one I use to test a new razor.

I also regularly use Sharks - a great cheapie, Personna Labs - a great all round blade and, depending upon the razor, a Feather - good in some razors and not others.
 
Good question Gareth. I'm hoping to see a pattern where several blades come up frequently to help with sorting the wheat from the chaff, and short circuit a lot of the testing of crap blades.

Then Mark goes and suggests Sharks which I thought were disliked by most.

I guess that proves how subjective blade choice can be after you have dismissed the truly horrible blades like the fakes i have been reading about here.

So many different variables.
 
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eggbert said:
Good question Gareth. I'm hoping to see a pattern where several blades come up frequently to help with sorting the wheat from the chaff, and short circuit a lot of the testing of crap blades.

Then Mark goes and suggests Sharks which I thought were disliked by most.
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Sorry!

I'm a BIG believer in some blades working better in some razors than others. So I use the Astra as a reference blade as I said but some times they will be lousy. I then whack in a Feather and often they are fantastic!

Not much help but if you get the 3 - 4 mentioned regularly in the posts above you will not go wrong
 
Mark1966 said:
Sorry!
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Haha, please don't be.

It goes to prove the edit I added to my reply that there are so many different variables, including the idiot (in my case) at the end of the sharp thing.

Different razors, hair thickness, face types, , skin oiliness, soap/creams/ hell for all I know even humidity or stress levels could have an effect on what works best for someone on any particular day, and testing which blades work for us are lessons I (will be) and maybe Gareth is still trying to work out.
 
Blades seem to be the most YMMV aspect of shaving although some, like Merkurs, are commonly despised and there are not too many fans of Derbys
 
This may surprise some people... but my top 3 are blades I do not have any real quantity of.... and that makes a Monsta sad.

  1. Spoilers - yes they do live up to the hype. If you can find some, or have a few in a dispenser from a boxed vintage Gillette razor, then give one a try. Blows me away how good they are in either a Fatboy/Slim which is what they truly were designed for.
  2. (Equal) Schick Platinum Plus / Gillette Platnium Plus - The Schicks are still available but expensive, the Gillettes are very hard to find. They are half a notch down from the Spoilers, and are some of the best blades you can get since Spoilers in any sort of quantity (50 blades or more) are rarer than the fowl's incisors.
  3. White Platinums - Possibly the best modern blade I have ever used. Sharper than 7OC Blacks and approaching Feathers as far as I am concerned, while being very smooth and comfortable to use. Almost magically good performance in every razor I have tried them with, and especially good in open combs when the Dark Platinums are not. Spiritual successor to the Swedes.

I will also give 3 honourable mentions to:
  • Feathers - If you got the balls to run these in an aggressive adjustable or slant, then these are the best we have for mowing down the whiskers.
  • PermaSharp Supers - 20c/blade, best bang for your buck out there if you ask me in terms of sharpness, smoothness, lack of irritation, and general performance.
  • Vietnamese Gillette SuperThins: Cheap, good performance in a wide range of razors.
 
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