Nice purchase, by the way so that you don't feel gained up on by all the Personna people they didn't work for me either.
If that Gillette Slim is an Aristocrat you may have a better bargain than you thought. http://www.ebay.com/bhp/gillette-aristocrat
Congrats on the new razor. Persona Lab Blues are one of my favorite blades. However, the Persona Reds did not work for me at all.
My goto blade is the Personna Med Prep in either my ATT M1 or Merkur 1904/1906. I have found that "corking" a new (first use) blade can remove any burr's. Just run your blade thru a cork or "strop" the blade in your palm first. Maybe you got a bad one to begin with.
I have purchased the 100 box of Personas and have had an occasional bad one. If it is barbed wire bad I toss it and try another usually without a problem. For what it is worth, I find that these blades shave better on shave #2&3 and even 4. I wonder is any other den men have the same experience?
I have found that they smooth out a good bit from shave 1 to 2. I always toss them after 3 shaves so can comment for shaves beyond that point.
Waiting with baited breath to find out when Paulthebaker's face mends and he tries out the Lab Blues in his Slim/Aristocrat.
I went from the Personna Lab Blues to the Med Preps and am totally satisfied. Regarding those nicks. It is my experience that while there is that occasional bad blade, most of my nicks occur when I am applying too much pressure with the blade. Maintain your angle; let the razor do the work; don't shave over unprotected skin; make sure your first pass is WTG. Consider not yet always striving for a BBS shave. Technique, technique, technique. It'll get better and you'll soon take any razor with any blade and get a great shave. Good Luck.
Bravo, primo tenore! Well said. Like most things in life, before art can happen technique must be the foundation.
Been using the Personnas that came in the plastic dispenser you could buy at any drug or grocery store since the late 60's. Now I can't find 'em. Bought a box of 100 Personna Blues and they are pretty much the same (probably exactly the same). As always, I get 3 shaves on one blade. So, for under $ .14 per blade I'm good for quite a while.
Paulthebaker, how did the Personnas perform in the new Slim/Aristocrat? BTW, I just have to ask, is that a B-29 in your Avatar? Pretty cool pic.
Me too. After a sampler pack of glue coated blades I was recommended Persona Labs and am now half way through my first 100 pack. Best blades ever. Each blade lasts me week, with no shave usually on Saturday. New blade and shave on Sunday if going to church, or otherwise new blade on a wooly Monday.
Did not like the Personna's in my Aristocrat, even at a 2-3 it was rough. So I will put them away for a while. As for the picture, my dad was an officer with the 40th Bomb Group in Burma/China. They flew B-29's and later joined the 503rd on the island of Tinian.
Sorry the Personnas didn't work for you. I'd get a sample blade pack from one of the shaving companies online. Or, I think they may have a sampler pack here on the Shave Den Store as well. Good luck with your blade search. I'm sure you'll find one that works just for you. Also, pretty cool about your dad flying in the B-29. Too bad "Fifi" is the only 29 still flying. Awesome airplane.
I love Personnas and have been using them for several years. I will say that I have, on occasion, had a bad one or two in a box of 100. My advice is to toss the one that tore you up and try another one, perhaps from another part of the box. They are usually consistently good for me. Good luck!
