Blade sample pack reviews

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Demidog, Oct 22, 2016.

  1. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    I have just bought 100 of the Voshkods. It is the teflon that gives them the smoothness. I actually find they bite a little more on second and third use as the teflon wears off before they dull. Of course those who don't like the teflon can just strop it off on denim. I think they are terrific though. The blade to go to if I want a smooth, confortable no hassle shave.
     
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  2. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the heads up. I've been tossing blades after 2 shaves, sometimes 1 even if I can make them last longer just because I'm eager to try new blades and also because I have no real reason to keep using a blade if the performance doesn't surpass anything else that I've tried. However, I'll push the Voskhod for a few shaves since I'm seriously considering making it my new main blade.

    I did a little research on coatings and I've seen it mentioned elsewhere that virtually every single blade uses a PTFE coating, including those marketed simply as pure stainless steel blades. Only the carbon steel blades seem to lack this coating, while platinum coated blades still have a PTFE coating underneath the platinum.

    This means that the "Teflon coated" print might just be redundant, although no one seems to be able to say for sure. The fact remains that the Voskhod still felt very comfortable despite not being as sharp as the Feather or the SharpEdge. I also noticed that the irritation from platinum blades usually kicks in a few hours after shaving with them. It has been several hours since I shaved with the Voskhod and my face feels a little raw as expected, but just about as close to perfectly comfortable as I can get after a DE shave. Even if the Teflon coating truly is unique to the blade, it doesn't seem like my face takes any issue with it.
     
  3. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    I think DD that you need to weigh up a balance of efficiency i.e sharpness and comfort or feel. It's all very well having a really sharp blade but if it is prone to nicking and leaves your face feeling like you have taken a sander to it then no thanks (feathers were a prime example of this). The Voshkods seem to hit the mark for me as said. Whether it is the teflon or just the fact they are a bloody good blade I don't know. I have been using fairly mild razors though (Edwin Jagger and Gilette Tech 4). I have a parker 24C on the way but I am going to try a Voshkod in a shavette (Sanguine Scissor Co Wood)I have been loaned in a passaround and see what it is like as an open blade (using very light pressure of course)
     
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  4. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Your post reminds me that the razor itself is also a big factor. It could just be that the blade is perfect for the razor that I was using. I noticed that it sat much more symmetrically in the razor than other blades, and the same applied to the SharpEdge from what I remember. As for the sandpaper feeling, I absolutely got that from the Vijays but not from the Feather. The Feather blade is still the holy grail in my books but the Voskhod can really hold its own at the price, plus the lack of glue on the blade.

    My top 3 picks were all comfortable. The Feather and SharpEdge were unique in that I could barely feel them against my face. That was a huge wow factor. The Voskhod was unique in that I could definitely feel it, but it was just so nice and smooth, totally unlike all the other blades that I've used. There are still some big names to come up however - Personna and German Wilkinsons, plus I'd like to try Rapira and maybe a few other blades that other members have generously offered to trade if I PM them about it.

    Let me know what you think of the Voskhod in the shavette when you get around to trying it.
     
  5. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    Will do: what razor are you using?
     
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  6. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Charcoal Goods head with an iKon Bulldog handle. Similar to the EJ89 but slightly more aggressive according to the man behind Charcoal Goods himself.
     
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  7. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Blade: Personna blue

    A very solid blade that is also on par with the Astra SP. In fact, I'd say that these are blades are the western counterpart to the Astras. There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about this blade, but there really isn't anything bad to say about it either. The only issue is that smoother blades are available around the same price point, such as the Voskhod. However, I do find it really appealing that these blades are made in the US while still remaining one of the most inexpensive blades around.

    I have a little irritation in my most problematic area, but this isn't out of the ordinary. If I were to recommend a good starter blade to a friend or family member starting out with a DE razor, it would probably be this one. Previously, I would've recommended the Astra SP but I think that platinum coated blades are best reserved for sample packs since it seems like some people might be sensitive to the coating. I realize now that I should've come up with a better rating system since it's tough to compare sharpness when the differences can be so minute, but I guess I'd just give this a 7/10, same as the Astra.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Christopher Powell

    Christopher Powell Well-Known Member



    I really like PLB. They are sharp enough, smooth and very consistent !!!
     
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  9. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Based on today's shave, you can't go wrong with a pack of these blades. They are a very no-nonsense blade for someone who just wants a good shave with no fuss. I'll probably be trying the Personna reds next so I look forward to seeing how they compare.
     
  10. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    Interesting: the only Personnas I have tried are the Persona Platinum Super Chrome which, though unbranded as to origin of manufacture, are said to come from Israel. They are a decent blade.

    Incidentally the Voshkod performed fine in a shavette :)
     
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  11. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Blade: Personna red

    I changed razors even though this is the last piece of equipment that I should be changing when testing new blades, but I was eager to try my new razor and life is too short to wait. Luckily I bought two of each blade so I will be able to go back and test everything all over again using the new razor once I finish up with the remaining untested blades.

    My face is really tender right now and while the Personna red is far from the worst blade that I've used, I still think that it was pretty bad. It was skipping around a lot even in the easy areas and I was in a lot of pain before I even finished my first pass. I ended up with one of the worst cases of razor burn that I've ever had and I'm going to be feeling it for the next few days. I don't think I'm going to be able to shave tomorrow so I'm going to have a very scruffy Thanksgiving.

    I don't even feel like the blade was significantly less sharp than the other 7/10 blades that I've used. It was just really rough and I supposed it didn't help that my face was still in pretty bad shape from the last shave with the Personna blue. The first shave with the Personna blue was okay but the second was pretty bad, and given how bad the Personna red was for me, neither blade is likely to be my pick for my next 100 pack.

    [​IMG]

    I'd like to note that these blades are typically referred to as "Isaraeli reds," but it clearly says "Made in USA" on my blade. Again, it's tough to rate sharpness when the differences are usually so minute, but considering how rough this blade was, I'll say 6.5/10.
     
  12. Christopher Powell

    Christopher Powell Well-Known Member

    What razor did you use with this blade?
     
  13. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    It sounds like you have pretty sensitive skin. I would recommend something efficient yet smooth. I was pointed to Parker 24C/Maggard V2 open comb and bought the former. I have other DE razors but I use the Parker 99% of the time. I found the Personna Platinums ok but not that long lasting. For smoothness and comfort though you can't beat the Voshkods. Polsilver Super Iridium and Astra Platinums are pretty spot on too. It is a shame Gilette have stopped making the Pols.
     
  14. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Gillette Slim on a 7 for two passes. I'm enjoying the razor and my only complaint is that it's a lot lighter than my previous razor. The sweet spot is also smaller on the lower settings as expected, so I have to work on my techinique.
    I haven't used any Parker razors but I was pretty interested in the upcoming Parker adjustable until I got this Slim. If I manage to sell most of my current gear, I might be able to experiment with other razors in the future although the Slim should be flawless with proper technique. I will hit up the 30 day focus after I finish testing these blades in order to master my tools. As for the blades, I agree that the Voskhods are simply the most comfortable thus far. I have only heard great things about the Polsilver blades but I have been deliberately avoiding them since production ceased - I don't want to get attached to a blade that won't be available in the future. I still have a long way to go though because once I sell my current gear, I want to try all of the other blades that I overlooked in my first sample pack like Nacet, Rapira, Ladas, and so forth.
     
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  15. LOOT

    LOOT Well-Known Member

    Interested to see a review on the Shark. I've read lots of good about them. I have a similar set of samples. I finally tried the Shark. Worst blade ever for me. It pulled and tugged. I got about 10% through the shave, not even a whole cheek before I bailed on it. I could tell that thing was going g to chew my face up

    I popped in a Gillette Platinum Plus and finished up, no problems.

    I think I Shaved 2 times with a Shark that day... My first and last. Could just be a bad blade, I suppose.
     
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  16. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Blade: Shark stainless

    Based on other reviews that I've read, I didn't have high expectations of this blade and I approached the shave with caution. While it didn't feel as rough as the Personna red, it was one of the least sharp blades that I've used to date. I simply could not cut through my mustache or chin area and I had to keep carefully hacking away as the blade was tugging or just getting stuck in these areas. I didn't even bother trying to go for a close shave and now it looks like I didn't really shave at all.

    This was a ridiculously long shave because I was trying really hard to avoid Personna red part 2, and it actually ended up mostly paying off. I won't even bother pushing this blade for another round. I'll rate the sharpness at a 5/10 although that might be a bit generous.

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    I somehow missed your post until after I posted my Shark review. I concur wholeheartedly with your assessment. The Vijay still might be the worst blade ever for me, but this comes in a close second. I couldn't imagine a Shark being able to effectively cut through peach fuzz.

    I don't blame you for swapping out the blade mid shave. If I go out this evening, I'm going to have to shave again and it will most definitely be with another blade. I still have to review the Shark chromes but I don't expect them to be any better. Maybe they're called Sharks because as you stated, they will "chew your face up."
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2016
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  18. dangermouse

    dangermouse Well-Known Member

    This is a great thread, which I've just discovered and I'm reading through. If you have the time I prefer the longer reviews. I thought I'd reply about the 7 o' clock super stainless; I had a weeks shave with one of these blades and thought it was absolutely terrific on the second shave forward. The first shave was okay, but it really came into it's own after that. I wonder if the same blade would shave differently in a different razor. Keep it up. This is very enjoyable.
     
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  19. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    Thanks a lot for the feedback. I can definitely offer up some more details about the blades but I've been trying to keep it short because I thought that it would be easier to digest.

    I sort of regret the way that I've worked my way through the sample pack. I should have pushed the blades for as many shaves as possible and I should have also had a better criteria for rating. I will be going through all of the blades again after the preliminary reviews and I will be giving them a more thorough look, which will include seeing how many shaves that I can get out of them.
     
  20. Christopher Powell

    Christopher Powell Well-Known Member

    I can listen to and read blade reviews all day long. Blades are my favorite part of this hobby !!!
     
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