30 Blade Test - My Ranking For What It Is Worth

Well I have a 34c as well and have tried several of your samples. I really like the Voskhod and the Gillette SB. The rest of them? eh!

 

You have 2 Personna in the Crap category. Consensus in the Personna model disentanglement threads is that the one labelled "personna platinum" is in fact identical to the blades that were known as Red Personnas (and that seem to have been an off-label sell or something since Personna officially disclaimed all knowledge of them). And the other tuck simply labelled "10 double edge blades" is the same blades as the ones known as Israeli IP that used to be sold in bulk 100-blade cardboard boxes. Part of the problem (or fun) with Personna is that it seems to change packaging without notice and without even keeping track itself of which blades are what...

So if you ever do test a tuck of Red Personnas, I think you will find them very familiar - and probably hate them.

 

I think you are right. I just check some internet sites. I thought the "reds" had a different packaging - my mistake. The Platinums are in fact the "reds". I only tested one blade but it sure didn't perform for me. The other one I have been told are also known as "Crystals". Didn't like them either. Now the Personna Lab Blues - those work and are an excellent blade. I've order more of those. Oh well - that's why this hobby is so interesting and fun.

 

The Red Personnas used to come in a red-coloured 5-blade cardboard tuck labelled (in darker red lettering) ”Personna Platinum". Hence the nickname "Red Personnas ". But I think they only appeared in the red package in North America and elsewhere it was different. And then that packaging disappeared (or maybe the factory caught up with someone selling them out the back door or something) and Personna as a company claims to have no knowledge of ever having sold that product. But the blade wrapper and markings are identical to the ones now sold in blue tucks marked Personna Platinum.

Meanwhile the bulk cardboard 100-blade boxes known as Israeli IPs has disappeared from the market, but the blade wrappers and markings are identical to the ones appearing some places in the plain blue covered tucks like in your photo and elsewhere marketed as Crystal and also at least one other name I can't remember.

And then the Personna factory in Israel also produces a third style of blades that are marketed by numerous store chains under their store brand labels. Those blades are all identical to each other but have different characteristics (probably different coatings and maybe different grind angles) than either the Reds or the IPs.

Meanwhile the Personna Lab Blues and Med Preps are made in a completely different factory in Virginia, so it doesn't surprise me when somebody finds they vary widely from other Personna blades.

This all explains why would-be Personna users are sometimes found in straitjackets, frothing at the mouth and muttering to themselves.

BTW, I have a red box tuck of Red Personnas somewhere in my cupboard if you want to try them...

 

Wow! Why do they have to make it so hard? Thanks for the offer but I'm ready to get on with life. It is going to be hard - for me at least - to beat the five top blades in my ranking. I've placed bulk orders for those blade. Time to start obsessing about soaps.

 

I enjoyed your reviews and we both seem to gravitate to the Russian blades. I bought about 400 Polsilvers over the rumor they were going out of business, they have been shooting up the charts for the me over the last year to where they're easily top 5. Haven't tried the Nacets yet but otherwise I'm all the way on board with your right-hand column, albeit in a little different order. Except for Astras, for some reason they seem to tear my face up. Like many have said, blades are the most YMMV item in all of shaving.

 

Nice job Col. I've just started my NEW Focus with Feather Black. It is a much different animal in the NEW than the SA-109. Not impressed. But I will carry on 'til the end of the week to see where I wind up.

 

I enjoy these blade trials even though they never match my ranking.

 

If we did soap trials - I'm sure we would all have our different favorite ones.

 

If we didn't, there would be only one brand of blades and one make of soap for sale, because all the others would have gone out of business for lack of customers...

 

Highly interesting but not surprising. Blades are so ultra YMMV!

Personally I get very good shaves from (random order):

Wilkinson (German), Treet Platinum, Gillette Silver Blue, Feather, Personna Lab Blue, and Merkur (primarily in Merkur razors).

 

I've got a couple hundred Polsilver blades coming. They are my favorite blade and why take the chance. As for the ranking of the "excellent" blades other than the top two - the rest all are pretty much interchangeable. I got really great shaves from them all. I'm ordering them all in bulk. My thinking (the US Army taught me this) - if 10 is sufficient than 100 is better. Always go with the overwhelming force option. If my taste change later I can always use them for trading material. The prices certainly will not be cheaper in the future for any of them.