Since I've started DE shaving a month ago, I've amassed quite a few different brands to try. I bought two sampler packs, ordered or traded for about 10 different tucks, and have bought 4 more brands in quantities of 100+ each. The list is at the end of this post. What I'm wondering is, is there any to sort them out in any sort of order or should just grab whatever brand strikes me, try it for a week or two, then move to the next random brand? Or, should I try to come up with some sort of logical reason for putting them in a certain order? perhaps from least aggressive to most aggressive? One consideration is that I have (or will soon have) at least 100+ each in Voskhod, Rapira, Ladas & Personna Labs. I bought all but the Voskhod without prior experience, based purely on the reputation and price, and knowing I could PIF or trade them if I decided they didnt' work for me. I had intended on using the Astra SP's as my baseline blade but after my recent case of RBAD, I'll probably use the Voskhod as my baseline. By baseline, I mean after trying each of the varieties for a week or two, I'll go back to the Voskhod for a week or two so the next variety I try is always compared to the Voskhod, not whatever happened to be last. I'd appreciate any input you might have on an approach to take with the different types of blades. The selection I have to choose from is: 7 am Plus Hi Platinum Astra Super Platinum Derby Extra Super Stainless Dorco Family Dollar Brand (ST-301?) Dorco ST-301 New Platinum Feather Hi-Stainless Gillette 7 O'clock SharpEdge Yellow Gillette 7 O'Clock Stainless Green Gillette Goal Stainless Gillette Silver Blue Ladas Super Stainless Lord Platinum Class Personna Israeli Blue Double Edge Personna Lab Personna Med Prep Personna Platinum (Red) Personna Barber Polsilver Super Stainless Rapira Swedish Supersteel Supermax Super Platinum Treet Double Edge Blade Voskhod Wilkinson Swords
+1 both great suggestions. Gillette Yellows are also a great choice. I actually find the Dorco ST-301 to be a smooth blade (but this one is definitely a YMMV, some ppl hate 'em). You might try the Personna Labs also, as some ppl claim they are nearly identical to the Med Preps. I've only tried the Med Preps, so I can't compare 'em to the Labs myself.
Thanks for the input. What I'm really looking for, though, is not particular blade recommendations, but advice on how to decide which order in which I should try the blades. Perhaps I'm making this more difficult than it is because maybe it doesn't really matter. So far I've tried the AstraSP, Voskhod, and Personna Labs. My intent was to stick with one blade for a month before venturing to other brands, but I had try the Voskhods before ordering 400 in the group buy, and I had to try the P-Labs before buying a second batch of 100. So far I'm disappointed in the Astras, but I'm pretty sure the fault was mine, not the blades, and will be going back to those tonight for a 2 week run. The Voskhods & Labs were fantastic, particularly the Labs. But again, I'm new so I'm not giving any of these blades a final judgement until I feel I'm getting reasonably consistent shaves from one blade.
+1. From what I understand, the Labs are identical to the Med. Preps. except the MP are required go thru an extra sterilization step since they are likely to come into contact with patients. Still, there are those who believe that there is a diff. I don't own the Labs either so I can't say.
Yep, I think I'm making this too hard. I finally found several threads on a few forums and the executive summary is it just doesn't matter. Some of the best answers were to do it alphabetically, dump them out in a pile and go from left to right, or start with Feathers and sell the rest. I think I'll start with my 5 packs, then move to my 10 packs, and in between each brand, go a week or so with Voskhods. Or Labs....I'm not sure.
A few days ago I asked for a suggestion just as you have here, and the best response was to throw them all in a paper bag, shake it up and pull one out and try it. After trying to rationalize a system as you are, my head felt like it was going to explode, so I'm taking said advice and just picking them at random I'm planning to keep a journal offline as well as participating in the SoS threads as much as possible so I have a record of my thoughts on each particular brand & blade. Good luck!
When I first started wet shaving, what I did was what you're doing right now. Read folks' opinions and see what the larger general concensus is regarding favorable ratings and go from there. Worked well for me. I have 4 blades I like and I'm staying put. Blades are one of those things that you could be experimenting with for decades. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes you'd like to settle on something.
Often I over analyze things. I'm an engineer an have to fit the world into my logical, methodical brain and sometimes it just doesn't work that way. I just came up with a great way to decide which blades to use next. I'll let my 10 year old son pick them out. And HoosierTrooper, I have my spreadsheet all ready to go!
The only change I'd make to your plan is to make the baseline blade whatever blade you've liked the best so far. As an example, assuming you use your list above as the order. You first try the7 am Plus Hi Platinum You next try the Astra Super Platinum, at this point your favorite is the Astra SP You next try the Derby Extra Super Stainless, but still like the Astra better Now, you use the Astra again Next you try the Dorco Family Dollar Brand (NOT a ST-301), the first shave is so bad you throw out the blade and go back to the Astra for your next blade. Not wanting another Dorco, you try the Gillette 7 O'clock SharpEdge Yellow and like it even better than the Astra Feeling brave, you now try the Dorco ST-301 New Platinum, while better than the other Dorco, the 7 O'Clock SE is still your favorite Now you use another 7 O'Clock SE before trying the next blade. Now you try the Feather Hi-Stainless, which you find about average for the blades you've tried, so ... You go back to the 7 O'Clock SE before trying the next blade. This continues on until you've tried all the blades and selected your personal favorite. All blade opinions are made up in the example, so don't take anything from them.
Yep to all that. Hopefully I'll keep liking blades I have a lot of. If there's a tie between two blades, I'll make note of it and continue with the blade of which I have the most stock.
Oh, and just know that the Murphy's Law of Shaving is that as soon as you pick your favorite blade it'll get discontinued! Just kidding...sort of.
