Does anyone have experience with these blades? I found them at(http://www.barberdepots.com/shaving/). Dave
Definitely on my favorites list. As he says, sharp and smooth. That, however, is our experience. Your experience may be quite different. You just have to hope and try. (Whence the sampler packs.)
It is one of my favorites as well. Of Gio's newer blades I have had good experience with the Polsilver and Zorrik. The Wilkinson Economie is worth trying as well.
comparable to? are they most comparable to: Derby Crystal Sweedish Gillete Dorco Feather Merkur none of the above?
FOR ME (and I emphasize that), they're like the Feather, only smoother and without the tendency to nick. But again: YMMV. That's why we have the sampler packs and why I recommend trying samples before buying 100 of any blade. The best blades for me, all of which are for me both smooth and sharp, provide very smooth shaves, and have no tendency to nick, are: Astra Superior Platinum Zorrik Treat Blue Special (carbon steel) Wilkinson family (any of them) Polsilver Sputnik (especially after the first shave on a blade) That is MY EXPERIENCE. It may not be yours. For comparison: Derby: not sharp enough (for me, in my shaves): pulled and tugged Feathers (and Tiger): very sharp, but prone to nick without explanation Crystal: same as Derby Dorco: way dull That is MY EXPERIENCE. And note that some guys have found, for example, that FOR THEM the Treet Blue Special seems dull and pulls and tugs. So you really have to try them for yourself. That's the only way to tell. I will say that I thought I had found my "best blade" in the Feather (and had bought a 100 of them) before I was pushed to explore further. I was astonished at how much better (and cheaper) some of the blades I found were (for me). I've now given away (at last) all the Feathers.
For me Feathers will do if I have nothing else. They work great in a gillette tech. My favorite blades are Derbys and a drug store brand blade that I believe is a personna blade. I use Dorkos with no discomfort pulling or scraping. I use them as a first pass to extend the life of my best blades. Its not that I am cheap, but I don't like to spend money unnessesarily. As everone has mentioned, all faces and beards are different.
I'm gonna do that 165 blade ultra mega mega super sampler sometime in the next couple of months. http://www.razorandbrush.com/Sampler.html I think the Dorcos suck. I've only a little experience with this and they stuck out as the worst of the ones in my drawer. Now I know what dull feels like. Feathers=blood loss. no two ways about it for me.
For me, I just discovered that the Gillette 7 O'Clock (*not* the brand "7AM") blades make Feathers feel like a butterknife. These babies are *sharp* — I couldn't handle them, I admit. Had to put those aside. It wasn't that they were unpredictable (like the Feathers, for me), just *damn* sharp. In fact, once I put them aside, I noticed that the full name was Gillette 7 O'Clock ExtraSharp. No kidding! But some guys love them. You really have to try blades for yourself, no question about it.
They are fine blades. I prefer Derby, Dorco or Feather though. Astra blades remind me of Merkur Blades, a reliable but not very flexible or sharp. Regards, Alfred
I got a terrific shave with one this morning. They seem a little sharper than the Derby but not much smoother if that makes any sense. This is the second time I've tried them, the first time I didn't think they were any better than a Derby and the blade gave out after 3 shaves. We'll see how it goes this time but I do think its a blade worth trying.
I hate derbys. I dont like 7AMs. I dont like Sharps. I dont like merkurs. I dont like feathers.... I could go on. Astras in my SS are my favorite and closest shaving combination yet. I absolutely love them. I get a bbs shave without going against the grain. They are unbelieveably sharp but smoothe and dont tug at all. I also like the treet dura-sharps, sputniks, and wilkinson classics, all in different razors. They each have their respective razor that they work well in.
Well I guess it's my turn to be odd man out and personify YMMV in a big way--Astras just don't do it for me. And I'm referring to both Keramiks and Superiors. That being said I've had some folk tell me they just love the ones I've sent in orders so you never can tell until you try it. OT perhaps but my go to blades lately have been the Gillette Swedes and the Trigs. The latter being a surprisingly smooth blade. Surprising because it is from Pakistan aka land of the uber-cheap SERs that cannot and will not take an edge!
