A cut above the rest (Blade help needed)

Hi, my name is Kawika503 and I'm an addict. I'm constantly hanging out in TSD (even more so than B&B...shhh ) and I can't stop thinking about my next shave AND the next product I NEED to justify purchasing. *sigh* Oh well, on to my question.

So I'm now a couple shaves in - heeding advice from a veteran Den brother about not changing gear for a whole month to find my style/technique, which I'm fine with. However, I have a gut feeling that the Lord Platinum blade that I'm currently using, may not be the right blade for me. I want to break up with her, but I have nothing to fall back on. I also feel like, with my first shave being rough and my second shave progressively better - but still rough, that maybe, just maybe, if I change my blade earlier on (by the end of the week) that I could relish a better, more comfortable shave in general. Yeah, I may be new to WSing, however, I'm not new to shaving. I can tell when something is not working, did a similar trial and error with catridge razors years ago.

I've read through a ton of online material at TSD, B&B, Shaving101, TSN to reviews on Amazon and Wal-Mart regarding choosing the "best" blade, for me. Still though, I am at a loss. What I'm reading across the board is that the sharpest blade doesn't always mean the closest shave - point taken. Also, a person’s skin type and beard/hair type is a huge factor at finding the right blade. With that being said, I know that no one except myself, can make that decision, but I need a jumping off point. It may not be "PC" of me to say, but I am of Asian/Pacific Islander decent with a rather coarse (not so much thick) beard type. I divulge this information about myself because maybe someone reading this post, with the same (or similar) heritage/beard type has found a blade that works for them. I plan on ordering a sampler pack tonight, probably through Amazon because I'm a Prime member (free 2day shipping...woot!). Hopefully I can get a list together (with your help) and find a sampler that includes most if not all of them for me to try.

What works for you? What kind of beard type do you have?

 

When I first started my favorite blades were Astra SP, Feather, and Wilkinson Swords(German). All three brands I greatly despise now!

My favorite blades now are Big Ben(Blue), Voskhod, and Shark Chrome.

My beard is not really thick but individual hair are quite thick themselves.

Don't just write off anyone blade while trying blades. Find a blade that works for you and use that blade for awhile. Revisit blades you might have thought you did not like after three months or so. You will be very surprised how things change when your techniques get better.

YMMV is always a problem when picking a good blade.


(Your user name kind of gives away your heritage, My friend.)

 

Doesn't matter what my favorite is, or anybody else's.
What you need is a blade sample pack. Only YOUR face can tell you what works.

As I am in bit of a rush right now, could I get a fellow Den member to help out and post some links to said blade samples? Thanks!

 

Thanks WWarrior. I will definitely take your advice. I believe we may have similar beard types - like you, my beard hair is coarse, but I don't have a thick beard in general. I'm going to look into the blades you listed. I'll also save a Lord Platinum for later in my WS life. Cheers!

@ Swarden43 - Thanks for calling in backup.

The search continues...I'll post whatever sampler I decide on, but still welcome suggestions.

 

Astras are a very popular blade, and for me they were the first one that felt good to shave with. They feel "smooth" rather than "harsh." I've moved on to a new favorite now, but I'd suggest that whatever sampler pack you decide on, make sure it has Astras.

 

Perfect! That's what I was looking for - blades that produce good experiences. Thanks for your time ins0ma.

Anyone else have any recommendations?

 

I tried Astra, Merkur, Israeli Personna, Gillette 7 o' clock Blue, and Wilkinson Sword. I hated all those blades.

The only blades I have been able to use were Personna Lab/Med Preps and Blue Bird.

 

My favorite DE blades are the Personna Med Preps, this blade is consistently good in all my razors.
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My second favorite are the Feather Brand. These occasionally give me a harsh shave in some of my aggressive razors, but always work great for me in "mild" razors.
My third favorite are the Astra SPs which were on sale for $8.00 per hundred a few months ago. As InsOma stated above, the Astra SPs are smooth, but I only get about three good shaves per blade.

 

As has been said, you will have to discover what works best for you. With that said, there are a few blades that are pretty well liked by most folks and that have relatively few detractors. Personna Lab, Astra SP, Personna Platinum, Lord Platinum, and PolSilver Super Iridium blades are all fairly universally liked.

I personally favor SuperMax Titanium blades in my DE razors and Wilkinson Sword or Croma Diamant blades in my disposable blade straight razors.

 

Blue Bird, that's another one I think I'll try in my sampler. Thanks Ryan, 'ppreciate it!

 

First off, thank you to everyone who sent a recommendation my way. If anyone else wants to chime in - go for it, as I'm sure the quest for the right blade could be a lengthy process. So again, thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to the thread.

Without getting too crazy, I'm pulling the trigger on this sampler for my first go. I'll try to find another sampler with Personna Lab blades in it next time around.

Now pardon me, I have some shopping to do Thanks guys!

 

Just some suggestions so that you don't have to pay as much for your next sampler:

http://www.razorbladesandmore.com/catalog/blade-sampler-packs

http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/blsapa.html

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Sample-Packs_c_1.html

eBay usually has some good deals on DE sample packs too.

 

As youve heard from these knowledgable members the best blade is one youll have to discover for yourself.....what i will tell you is that i wouldnt buy too much in to waiting to try new blades...i didnt wait long at all... You already seem to have q 'feel' for the blade and it seems to be lacking so try a new blade and see if you get a better shave. As your technique improves revisit the blade and youll have a btter idea of what the problem was, you or the blade

 

hmmm.... who ya gonna believe?

 

I'm with everyone who says to get a sampler pack. BTW, you can also get them at our TSD store. (Click "Support TSD" at the top of the page.) Also, I found it helpful to keep notes about what I liked & disliked about each blade (e.g. irritation or lack of it, longevity, etc.)

 

I have something like 1100 Astra SPs stockpiled against the Shavepocalypse. So, clearly, Ryan is wrong.

 

I'm not a "Den Master" by any stretch of the imagination; however, I was in a similar position very recently. I've only been DE shaving for around 3 weeks now, and to this point had been using the Shark and Derby blades that came with my Parker and EJ razors, respectively. Everything about my shave was going well (for being a newbie). However, I always had issues with tugging and pulling when trying to shave across or against the grain. So I decided to do what any good shaver would do...I bought more blades!

I decided to order the Astra Superior Platinum blades. They had been receiving consistently excellent reviews everywhere I looked. Also, many people said that when they switched to the Astra SP's, the tugging and pulling issues went away. I figured, "Why not? Blades are cheap." Well, I used my first Astra yesterday, and all I can say is "Wow!" This is the DE shaving experience I had been reading about for weeks, but hadn't experienced myself. These blades cut through the hair like buttah. It doesn't matter what direction I'm shaving, they just work well. If you're looking for something new to try, give these a shot. They're a sharper blade; albeit not as sharp as Feathers. They are also very smooth. And in my first shave, I found them to be rather forgiving, for a sharper blade. Good luck in your search for "The Perfect Shave!"

 

I ended up NOT pulling the trigger on the sampler I posted, I wanted to wait one more day to see if anyone suggested/recommended any more blades. Thanks Jaberwock!

 

Hey rweb82 - how's the armpits today Thanks for you review of the Astra SP's, I've been seeing pretty consistent good-great reviews about that blade. My chosen Sampler will inclue those as well as Blue Birds. The hunt continues, but this time, better informed.

 

I didn't want to be rude, but I'm glad that you did not buy that sampler. It was way overpriced, even if it did have a good selection of blades.