DE Pack Review

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Zykris, Aug 5, 2017.

  1. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    I am starting this thread to document my finds with the DE Pack that was generously PIFed to me by @stingrayrock. So my first blade that I picked was the Voshkod Teflon coated. It's probably going to be the only self picked blade before I go into a blind bag grab type deal. My first shave with this blade I did both a face and a head shave using a 24mm WD boar brush, Mitchell's Woolf Fat (first time user, love it!), RazoRock German 37 Slant and Stirling Unscented Glacial. My first impression of the blade are:

    1. It's not the sharpest blade I've used but it was still effective at slicing.
    2. It is really smooth! I think I had one nick the whole shave but it was mild. Really, really comfortable blade.

    I'm going to see how far this blade will go but I kind of like the first impression on the blade. Could be a possible purchase for days where I don't want as much sharpness as I do smoothness.
     
  2. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    I just got a tuck, along with others from try-a-blade. I love em. I used it in my Krona. Very close and smooth shave on my noggin. The closest I've ever gotten with that razor, and no as burn , nick's , or weepers whatsoever. It's crazy really, as I believe blades are the greatest variable in wet shaving.
     
    RaZorBurn123 and Zykris like this.
  3. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    The Cartel will love this!
     
  4. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Second full shave with the Voshkod blade. Did a full face and head shave with the same gear as above but instead I used my 24mm synthetic brush to whip the Fat into a monster of a lather. The face shave went great for three passes and a little touch up pass. When I got to my head shave, I noticed a mild tugging sensation. By the time I had my three pass plus touch up on my head, the blade was toasted. So I got in total two face shaves, two head shaves. Not bad but I've gotten better longevity on other blades. But it was comfortable for the first face and head shave. Would I buy this blade? Eh....don't think so as of right now. Onto the next random blade in the pack. Stay tuned!
     
  5. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    I have a sort of different perspective. If you consider each pass "a shave"(which it is IMHO) you really got 6.5 "shaves"(I figure the touch up a half pass). Just my .02.
     
  6. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    I do a single pass on my noggin and shape my beard. These should last a while. Even if I get 4-5 shaves a blade, that isn't bad, since I usually shave every other day. Besides I've also got PLBs , and those are cheap also. I can't complain at how cheap these are. For the price they're great. But if a more expensive blade last longer it pretty much evens out. I'm just getting more frugal, it's a mix of getting older and my brother in law rubbing off on me. Which isn't a bad thing, the kid is good with his money. I just got 300. So at four shaves, every other day, these will last me just over 6.5 years.
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2017
  7. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Great points gentleman.
     
    RaZorBurn123 likes this.
  8. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I'll get four real nice shaves from them. The fifth, hit or miss, depending on the razor.
     
  9. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Shave day! On a random blade pull, I got the Astra SP. Same set up but I did switch my brush to the Omega 20106. The Fat loaded just fine with the brush. 3 pass plus clean up on both my face and my head. Now that blade was both sharp and smooth! I did get a little too close on my face and my head as told by the sting of my alum block. But this blade I really, really like more so than the Voskhod blade. Stay tuned for round two in a few days on the Astra.
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s likes this.
  10. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Did just a face shave with the Astra Sp in a Ming Shih adjustable. 3 passes on setting 4 and used MWF with my HM WD brush. Comfortable and still retains it sharp qualities. Going for round three tomorrow on a three day growth on the head.
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s likes this.
  11. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    The Astra SP blade is still going strong on a full 3 pass head shave and a one pass face shave. I'm impressed by it's performance and longevity. I am definitely considering purchasing a 100 pack after I'm done with all the blades on this sample. Items used in today's shave: RazoRock Germant Slant 37, MWF, WD 24 MM black/whitr synthetic brush, Gentleman Jon's Alum Block, Stirling Glacial Unscented AB.
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s likes this.
  12. sdguero

    sdguero Well-Known Member

    One of those things I really like about TSD is learning new things. I had never heard of the Ming Shi adjustable razor until reading this, or any Ming Shi razor for that matter. Very cool. I thank you for enlightening me.
     
  13. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Always something new to learn. The Ming Shi is just a clone of the Merkur Futur adjustable. Glad you got something new out of my post. :)
     
  14. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Update: Forgot to log my same 3 pass head face shave yesterday. The blade is still going strong. Even did a quick two pass face shave today and I'm just starting to notice, barely, that the quality of the blade is degrading. But it's still quite acceptable. Great blade!
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s likes this.
  15. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Another shave in today. Even though I used the kamisori that @Vlasta generously gave to me, review here http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/free-stuff-japanese-haul.56593/page-2#post-1300713, I still went again to test out that lovely Astra SP blade. Two passes on the face and a full three passes on the head. That blade is still trucking along. I'm not sure when the heck it's gonna give up but so far it's still trudging along, unwilling to submit to dullness or tugging.
     
  16. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    After 6 shaves, the Astra SP finally gave in and became unusable. This one definitely hit the top of the list for my thus far. So on a random pull, I got the Gillete 7'Oclock SP. Used the same set up German 37 Slant, MWF, WD W/B Synthetic Brush, Stirling Unscented Glacial AG, Alum Block. I found the Gillette 7'Oclock to be very smooth but not as sharp as the Astra SP. But really, really comfortable.
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s likes this.
  17. Engblom

    Engblom Well-Known Member

    As you like Astra, I suspect you might like Sputnik too. Both comes from the same factory, but the Teflon coating makes at least the first shave more smooth in my opinion. I usually throw a blade after a maximum of two shaves (no blades stay sharp for me longer than that), so I do not know which last longer for you and how the edge gets affected by having the Teflon worn away.
     
    Zykris likes this.
  18. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    I believe there is a Sputnik in my DE pack. I'll definitely try that next on my own accord to see the difference once the Gillette blade is done.
     
  19. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Been a little crazy but I managed to get just a face shave clean up style done on Sunday and today I went with a full three pass head/face shave using the same equipment like always. It's still feeling really smooth and doing it's job. I'd put the Gillette 7'Clock SP just right below the Astra SP IMHO. But I'll give it a full review once it kicks the bucket.
     
  20. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Three pass head shave today with the 7'clock. RazoRock German 37 Slant, WD 24mm Black/White synthetic brush, Chiseled Face Sherlock Soap, Stirling Glacial Unscented ASB.

    Went without a hitch, barely any irritation. It's still championing on in the battle against spikey hairs.
     
    Ijustmissedthe50s and BigMark83 like this.

Share This Page