blade type poll

[gil3591]

a few days ago a thread was talking about blade preferences and a fourm member suggested that there might be two classes of shavers. one type likes sharp blades and the other likes not-so-sharp. to me, sharp means smooth but to others maybe not-so-sharp means smooth. so i thought i would start a poll going about this. not really questioning whether you think your blade is the sharp type or not but rather do you think you prefer sharp blades or not-so-sharp

[marsos52]

this is going to be interesting!!

i will add my comments later, after i see where this goes..

marc

[function]

I don't mean to threadjack, but what blades are ragerded as "sharp" and which and "not so sharp?"

I imagine Feathers are regarded as Sharp, but which others?

Or should I just see Squire's reviews and move on my merry way?

[KAV]

Sharpness can be subjective to the point of ludicrousy. If you've visited knife forums, some people employ very fine paste abrasives down to micron size and test edges on cigarette papers. And suprise! a few worked such fine edges the paper caused these microthin blades to fold over and fail to cut.
Anyone who knows crosscut saws understands there are Tuttle,Champion and Lancetooth american patterns and a wicked australian competition pattern. There are also older simple diamond toothed patterns from the past. They all cut different; soft,hard and frozen woods by design. But with skill and elbow grease all will cut reasonably well to get the job done.
I think our beards are like those trees. Some of us are gnarly old oaks with knots and others 2 y/o Douglas firs at the Christmas tree farm.

[Straight Arrow]

I didn't vote because I think it depends on the razor being used. For instance, I like sharp blades in a Tech, Superspeed, or an adjustable and not-so-sharp blades in a NEW or a Tuckaway.

[Squire]

function, blades can be ranked by sharpness but there is also smoothness and longevity to be considered.I suggest you start with a Feather (which everybody agrees is sharp) for half a shave them replace it with a middle good blade (which I rank as 6.5 or so) for the second half of the shave. Using the same razor that should answer some of your questions.

[Ecosse]

I like most blades that are rated at 6.75 (based on Squires rating system) although not fond of the Swedish Gillette's.

[Squire]

Gil it's not just preferences, there is a mechanical element involved. Blades are very consistent but razors vary by ten thousandths of an inch during the manufacturing process. It does make a difference with a given blade. I suggest a guy find a razor that balances in his hand and then find a blade that matches the razor in the right combination of sharpness and smoothness.

[bernards66]

I agree, which is why I didn't vote....it's not as simple as the poll suggests. While generally I like blades that most consider quite 'sharp'; the old Swedish Gillettes and various vintage blades, I don't like Feathers. But I am okay with the Israeli made Personnas....and I don't even switch razors around much. It's a matter of that proper balance, for each individual, that Squire mentioned above.
Regards,
Gordon

[KAV]

An apochryphal legend has Richard Couer de Lion meeting Saladine.
The english king pulls out his two handed broadsword and chops a anvil in half.
Saladine tosses a silk garment in the air, turns his damascene scimitar up and lets the wieght of the silk cut itself in half floating down.
An earlier british king FOUND his sword in a sword.
Answers to razor blades lack such romance. It's called a sampler pack.

[D.Irving79]

MY sharp:

DE - swedes

SE - pellas

[CMur12]

MY sharp:

DE - swedes

SE - pellas

Dave, which Pellas - the carbon, the stainless, or the coated stainless?

- Murray

[Thalay Sagar]

Good to hear from from you, Dave..

[drumana]

I use only Derby blades these days, which I consider to be not so sharp. And that is compared to Feather blades, which I used for quite a while and consider to be quite sharp.

[JarmoP]

I am not a fan of Feather blades. Too sharp and unkind to my skin under my jaw.

Mostly I use Red pack Personnas and Derby blades, but I have many others too, from sample pack and razor purchases and local ones I have found over time.

I did put my vote on not so sharp. I first started on Gillette Platinums "swedes" and I still have 2 unopened packages I bought when I heard they were were discontinued +3 in an opened one I think. As nice as they are compared to Feathers, still some more irritation under my jaw ATG than I like compared to my daily blades.

And I did not like Derby blades at all when I first tried them compared to my "swedes". I did found a lots of tugging more but later I found non irritationless shaves too. So go figure. I seem to be on the minority and that is no surprise either, heh.

[Kyle76]

I use Derbys and Swedes. Obviously, neither is as sharp as Feathers, but they give me as smooth shaves with more comfort than Feathers.

[CMur12]

I use Treet Dura Sharp "Classics," Iridium Supers, Gillette "Swedes," and some vintage Wilks, which I consider to be on the sharper side.

I also consider my NOS US Schick Injector and Treet Super SE carbon steel blades to be very sharp.

- Murray

[GA Russell]

I like sharp blades to go with my mild Weishi.

[m3m0ryleak]

I discovered the essence of "sharp" when I first put an Iridium Super to my cheek and it took me to the gates of shaving nirvana, 48 hour stubble literally jumped off my jowl in fear.