I'm sure this has been done before but I can't find and threads when I searched for it. Razors I have tried the blades on: Gillette Fatboy, Red Tip, Aristocrat. Also the Merkur 34c. Here is how I would rate the blades I have tried in order from best to worst. My rating is for closest shave and how many shaves. 1. Bic 2. Dorco ST-300 3. 7 A.M. 4. Sharp 5. Derby 6. Super + Platinum 7. Lord The Bic is the only one that I get 6 shaves out of. The rest I get 4 shaves except for the Lord's which I get 2 but would prefer none.
First, I don't think number of shaves is a big deal. Rather closeness, smoothness, ease of use, and $/shave. You obviously get the closeness. A smooth blade means it does not irritate your face when used properly. Ease of use to me is how difficult it is to mainain the proper blade angle with a certain blade, or how "forgiving" the blade acts. $/shave is my economic rating, so if I get 6 shaves from a $1.00 blade, and 3 shaves from a $0.10 blade, the 3 shave blade is more economic. For your comparison, here are my top blades: 1) Astra Superior 2) 7 O'Clock Sharpedge (yellow) - excellent but high $/shave compared to Astra 3) Dorco 301 - slightly lower on closeness 4) Crystal - slightly lower on closeness and very razor specific performance From your list, I've not tried a Bic (I have some and plan to try them within the next couple weeks), or Lord (I have ONE I will try eventually). It looks like you lean toward mild blades, which makes sense given you have 3 agressive razors and an adjustable. I have a Flare Tip Superspeed (no color), Knack, and Fatboy (which is new to me). I like my superspeed best and tend to like agressive blades for the somewhat mild razor. I like slightly less agressive blades in the Knack. I'm still experimenting with the Fatboy.
Great source of comprehensive reviews (IMO): http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29705 Cheers. J
Thank you for saving me a search, J. That's exactly what I was gonna refer the poster to. Rainman, that's excellent info Squire so nicely put together, but keep in mind those are GUIDELINES. Hehe, a good place to figure out what blade to try next, but nothing's written in stone when it comes to that part of shaving. You probably know that the sharpest blade will often not be the best for you, and the same's true for the mildest. There's lots of blades somewhere in the middle, and you just can't start with a feather and expect it to be perfect cause it's so damn sharp. Hehe, sharper doesn't necessarily translate into smooth and comfortable. It's trial and error when finding the blades that fit you best. A feather blade isn't where most members finally end up as a daily blade, although they can be great for a change of pace. Still, some experienced members never do enjoy em, even with excellent technique to help. There's coated or non blades to try, there's different grinds to the blades......that sorta stuff. Hehe, it's a fairly deep rabbit hole. Luckily though, by now you must have a good reference point as to what a good blades feels like. That helps a lot. Good luck on your shaving journey, Martin
