Derby blades = bad rap?

I was browsing around random shave forums, blogs, videos, etc. Lots of people are talking about how poor of quality the Derby blade is. I have no issues with them, I know it's a YMMV thing. But, it's strange to me, I remember a year or two ago folks were all over the Derby blades. It seemed like the second place general consensus runner up to Feather.

What's up with the hate?

 

Granted, it was 6-7 years ago that I last tried 'em, but they tore up my neck.

 

Personal experience. I did not enjoy using them.

 

Personal experience: they were my go-to blade when they first came out, but then something changed and they became very inconsistent with the QC. Some blades would be great or fine, others were horrible.

 

I wonder if there was a manufacturer change?

 

Yup, they used to be consistently good and I used them often. Evidently, something happened at the factory and QC wasn't very good. Too many bad blades mixed in with a few good ones. I moved on to Astra SP and never looked back

 

I was going to start a month long thread documenting my experiences with the blades of disdain a while back. I ended up using a derby, a Zorrik, and a few others. I gave up on the thread because my (ahem) technique trumped any rumored or anecdotal negative opinions one may read on these forums. I couldn't really bash any of the blades as they all were adequate at minimum.

I remember the BIC being my least favorite from a couple of years ago. I can use one now with no problems. It's not as nice as a Feather or a Treet Black, but it's not a rake across the face either.

You'll not see me bashing any blade in the future because everyone has different perceptions of quality and performance.

 

Derby's and Astra's will both be banished when I'm made king of the world. They both tear me up.

 

A true statement of YMMV. I could never put Astras and Derbys in the same category like that.

 

That helps to dissolve the hairs that the blade misses.

It's actually quite beneficial if you body shave.

 

I dont mind derbys...i use em...but i find myself reaching most often for feather and astra sp green box.

 

Never used Derby's because of the bad rap. I started using a DE in 2014 and avoided them. I should give them a chance but I have been happy with my Astra SP.

 

Because someone recommended Derby to me, I bought it as the only blade brand when I begun learning to use DE. I never got a good shave ever from those. In the beginning I considered it to be because of my inexperience, but 6-7 months in I still got weepers almost every shave and the razor was jumping and skipping like crazy and I felt big pain in my cheeks.

As soon as I got better blade, the same moment I quit having weepers every day and my skin got better.

I have definitely been giving Derby a chance, but no, they are not for me.

 

Just shaved with a Derby with my newly acquired Fatboy Executive and with the steeper angle the razor requires I had a very smooth, enjoyable shave with near BBS results. However, my go to Lab Blues seem just as smooth with quite a bit more sharpness. The Super Max Super Stainless in the blue cardboard pack, on the other hand, were very tuggy in comparison and I didn't enjoy them.

 

Durnit, Every Razoring Bleeds You.

 

Years ago when I first started shaving Derby got a lot of love and was often recommended as a starting point for trying blades but that changed around the same time the packaging changed from horizontal to vertical printing.
I had a couple of packs (don't remember which version) and they didn't make a big enough impression for me to buy them again.

 

I did a thirty day rule with Derby and Williams. No issues. Not my fave blade, but I get good results anyhow.

 

I got a pack of Derby blades in the sample pack that I ordered when I began wet shaving again. I kept a log of my experiences with each blade, and Derby finished way down at the bottom of the list, far below the Gillette 7 0:clock Yellows and the Feather.

 

Yes I do agree that most W. shavers are predisposed to dislike Derby. I've tried them and find they are very razor specific and in a few cases very irritating - literally. Unfortunately for Derby there are just to many other blades out there that meet my criteria. Cheap, good and plentiful (Voskhod, Plat Lux, Astra) to name a few. But hey if they work for you. Great!