I keep reading about persona red blades, are these the same blade as is Israeli Personas, or the Crystals (which are the same as the Israeli Personas). If not where can I find them to try a few?
Different blade from the same company. You can buy them at www.razorandbrush.com and a few other places.
So where would these stack up against the 7 O'Clock blades (green or yellow), Derby's, Feathers's, etc...
The blades you opened up the thread about are not in the same league as blades such as Astra Superior Platinums (ASP's), 7'oclocks, Feathers, or GIllette Platinums (swedes). Do yourslef a favor, and do not waste your time and money on those Israeli blades.
Thanks Rolls, that is the hard part about sampling blades. Trying to figure out if you have already reached the pinacle.
Heh. And I'd say try the Israeli blades. I like them a whole lot and use them regularly- and I've tried Feather, Derby, etc... It's all Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) around here. What works for one doesn't work for another, so try blades until you don't feel like trying anymore.
Hi there, My normal blades are 7 0'clock Sharpedge, Iridium, and feathers. These perform the best for me in my usual razor of choice, and are a good bit different from reds and crystals. I recently revisited a crystal, after not using one for about 18 months now. I had a special reason for doing it, kind of as a last resort. I've been trying some very aggressive (to me) razors recently, and the sharp blades weren't helping my shave as I'd hoped they would. I figured I'd maybe try a much milder one to see if that made things better. Turns out it did, but maybe I won't go into a lot of the 'why' in this post....maybe just a little. Anyway, the crystal pulled a bit, which I hadn't felt in a long time. It took more effort.......no, I mean I could feel more resistance as the razor went over my face. It was strange, but my whiskers weren't going down without a fight with this blade....heh. That's what it was, although the benefits made up for that. Yeah, even though this wasn't as effortless as using a feather for example, the blade was more comfortable on my face. Heh, I know, it probably makes no sense. I'll also mention my face felt just a tad tight after using the sharper blades, and the IP totally got rid of that. Anyway, with the crystal I could feel the very forgiving nature right away, and I took advantage of that. Even in these aggressive open comb types I've been trying recently, I was able to relax and not worry about technique and paying close attention nearly as much. Yeah, there can be a big difference in blades...........you'll find out...heh. So, the crystal is a much more forgiving blade than those others I mentioned using, but it worked the best in this type razor. That's the blade I'll pop in when I reach for an open comb. I think the reds were very similar to a crystal, but can't remember for sure. Many members have beards that the crystal has no problem with, and you may be one of em. Those and the reds are two good choices as a good middle of the road starting point. Sharper certainly isn't always best, which may be tough to understand. Heh, this really is a goofy 'hobby'. Hope that helps in some way, Martin
Hello Navy, You should check my findings on Badgerandblade.com Check out the Israeli Personna Guide. There are about 4 to 5 different personna, but only 2 israelis. There is the blue and there is the red. Which one you like is up to you. Hope you find a good one you would like. Dark
Thanks Martinthe explanation does make sense. I have tried the Crystals and have had very poor results with them, the sharper blades seem to work much better for me. Thanks again to all.
I think that's a great summary. I've really become a believer in finding the right blade for yourself. [Disclaimer/Background: Until recently, I'd only had success with Crystals in my HD. I'd run through most--not all--of the sharper options, including Feathers, with only miserable results. Only Crystals would shave well--albeit with some tugging. Derbys were my special nemesis, and everyone and their dog seems to love Derbys. Then I got a SS. Crystals are awful for me in it, and I can do no wrong with Derbys. That's the moment I truly "got" why we keep saying YMMV and why sampler packs of blades are so important.]
Here is the link to all who are still confused: Personna Blade Confusion Solved! Please read all posts! Dark
Red pack personnas or isreali blades are my favorite without a doubt. 7 o'clocks are not for me. so the point is everyone has an opinion. not all can be right, like mine.
The Red Personnas are my favorite blade (though the Astra Superiors are breathing down its neck...and I haven't finished trying the 7 o'clocks yet, the black is right up there, too) I never had much luck with the Crystals or Derbys or Swedes, for that matter the variance of distance from person to person is too great to not try them... (yes, I said YMMV )
I've noticed I don't like or dislike most blades without regards to razor. The Crystal blades work great in my Knack, but I can't get a decent shave from them in my Superspeed or Fatboy. I find that I really need to evaluate a razor & blade combination and most blades will work decently in the right razor and not work well in every razor. Exceptions: Astra superior - can't find a razor these don't work in. Tiger, Wilkinson - Harsh in any razor Sharp - can't get a close shave in any razor
That is why I try to keep quite a few blades around, not only for trying in new razors but I also find myself re-evaluating them in the same razors about every 9 months or so. It is interesting that as technique develops the blade matters less and less up to a certain point. For example I have yet to get a decent shave from a Crystal blade or a Merkur.