The Best Blades??
Rick, after that long, maybe it would be easier for us to make suggestions if you'd go first and list all the platinum coated blades you've already tried and found not to your liking That way we could skip those and shoot for just the ones you've not tried? What do you think?
Seriously though, whether they're platinum coated or not, I have no idea, but I'm having great luck with my favorite the Personna Prep "for hospital use". They just seem to work for me and my particular razors. Other guys will be happy to list their favorites too, I'm sure!
Seriously though, whether they're platinum coated or not, I have no idea, but I'm having great luck with my favorite the Personna Prep "for hospital use". They just seem to work for me and my particular razors. Other guys will be happy to list their favorites too, I'm sure!
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
- Straight Arrow
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- never2close
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Well, really all anyone can do is to tell you what we like, and that's pretty useless, it's like saying try a blade sampler.
Other than the carbon blades which I haven't tried there has been no blade mentioned so far that didn't make the cut for me, and I DON'T grade on a curve.
Now if you don't like sharp and smooth the blades that have been mentioned will be the pits for you.
Just a few more for the list: Bluebird, Vidyut Supermax, and Treet classic (carbon steel)
Other than the carbon blades which I haven't tried there has been no blade mentioned so far that didn't make the cut for me, and I DON'T grade on a curve.
Now if you don't like sharp and smooth the blades that have been mentioned will be the pits for you.
Just a few more for the list: Bluebird, Vidyut Supermax, and Treet classic (carbon steel)
Brian
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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Whoops! Missed that.
OP, disregard the Treet Classics.
Geez, I hope the 'net police don't nab me!
OP, disregard the Treet Classics.
Geez, I hope the 'net police don't nab me!
Brian
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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the best blade
thanks guys i guess i'll keep looking any more suggestions would be welcome......rick
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- KAV
- Posts: 2607
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- Location: California, just above L.A. between the Reagan Library and Barbra Streisand's beach house
To rate a 'stainless' blade you must understand what they are. ANY steel can and will rust. Stainless has a lot of crome that make it more
resistant.
Modern stainless began with the 440 alloy family. These were 'stainless' and were, and are infamous for being difficult to work, sharpen and resharpen. Many chefs still use carbon for ease of resharpening. Stainless
is a good choice for salt water use and long period storage such as survival kits. Razor blades that don't rust make sense for retailers. maintaining stocks. Modern stainless alloys have came a long way. However, it is still a tough
( literally) medium to sharpen. One of the solutions is a molecular bonding of super smooth Platinum to produce a HONED or perfectly planed surface overlaying the grind marks.
I suspect lesser platinum blades suffer from poor coatings or rapid wear.
I found the SWEDISH Rapiras superior to the platinum Rapiras.
I suspect swedish may refer to a very good stainless alloy the european knife industry favours.
Another consumer myth is that XYZ steel is always used. Manufacturers submit requirements to steel mills and the product merely has to met those parameters. One run of xyz may have subtle differneces in alloy and treatment from xyz # 2 and both different from the industry xyz steel formulae as given.
This may account for people believing xyz has been 'reformulated' or production source changed when a known product suddenly 'goes south.'
People demanding precision in many activities know this. IE a competitive shooter will buy virgin brass from ONE production LOT to gain consistent
case performance ( after many loading operations that would overwhelm casual shooters.)
The bottom line? If you find your EXCALIBER buy lots of EXCALIBER bulk packs.
resistant.
Modern stainless began with the 440 alloy family. These were 'stainless' and were, and are infamous for being difficult to work, sharpen and resharpen. Many chefs still use carbon for ease of resharpening. Stainless
is a good choice for salt water use and long period storage such as survival kits. Razor blades that don't rust make sense for retailers. maintaining stocks. Modern stainless alloys have came a long way. However, it is still a tough
( literally) medium to sharpen. One of the solutions is a molecular bonding of super smooth Platinum to produce a HONED or perfectly planed surface overlaying the grind marks.
I suspect lesser platinum blades suffer from poor coatings or rapid wear.
I found the SWEDISH Rapiras superior to the platinum Rapiras.
I suspect swedish may refer to a very good stainless alloy the european knife industry favours.
Another consumer myth is that XYZ steel is always used. Manufacturers submit requirements to steel mills and the product merely has to met those parameters. One run of xyz may have subtle differneces in alloy and treatment from xyz # 2 and both different from the industry xyz steel formulae as given.
This may account for people believing xyz has been 'reformulated' or production source changed when a known product suddenly 'goes south.'
People demanding precision in many activities know this. IE a competitive shooter will buy virgin brass from ONE production LOT to gain consistent
case performance ( after many loading operations that would overwhelm casual shooters.)
The bottom line? If you find your EXCALIBER buy lots of EXCALIBER bulk packs.
OK, Chris, following your advice I ALMOST bought a case of these!KAV wrote:. . . If you find your EXCALIBER buy lots of EXCALIBER bulk packs.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
- LookingGlass
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Any answer you receive is purely and absolutely subjective based on the user's perspective. I can say Personna Reds are the best of the best - that no others compare but, that is from my experience. You have to find what works best for you. BTW - a Personna Red in my Fatboy is shaving heaven; however, others may disagree. My desire is that you can find a combination that works for you. Feathers, Gillette Yellows and Blues, Astra Super Platinums, Personna Reds and Blues, German Wilkenson Swords, and Indian Gillettes are in my stable of blades and all provide great, close, comfortable shaves.
Take care,
Ed
Take care,
Ed
i think i should keep looking
Actually is all that i can do is keep trying different blades,,,,,some of the blades that you guys wrote about i have tried, at least most........maybe i should use a different razor???? right now i use a 1930's Gillette New. it does give a quite good shave
- Raze R. Blade
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When someone says a blade works well or poorly, what he really means is the razor + blade combination. A given blade can perform very differently depending on the razor in which it is used.
You said that you can't find the perfect blade after trying quite a few, but also said that the New gives a quite good shave. Maybe the problem is looking for the perfect blade as opposed to very good blades? Shaves that are quite good are nothing to sneeze at.
If you are looking for blade recommendations, these work well for me.
- Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum (black label)
- Lord Extra
- Personna Double Edge Platinum Chrome (black and red packaging, dispenser marked “Platinum Chrome Blades”)
- CVS store brand blades. I think the are the same as the Personnas
- Rainbow Super Stainless
- Timor
The above might work well for you, although they might not. As others have said, "good" or "bad" blades is a subjective thing.
If you are considering a different razor, I recommend the Edwin Jagger DE89 series. They are capable of giving very good shaves and are of superb quality.
You said that you can't find the perfect blade after trying quite a few, but also said that the New gives a quite good shave. Maybe the problem is looking for the perfect blade as opposed to very good blades? Shaves that are quite good are nothing to sneeze at.
If you are looking for blade recommendations, these work well for me.
- Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum (black label)
- Lord Extra
- Personna Double Edge Platinum Chrome (black and red packaging, dispenser marked “Platinum Chrome Blades”)
- CVS store brand blades. I think the are the same as the Personnas
- Rainbow Super Stainless
- Timor
The above might work well for you, although they might not. As others have said, "good" or "bad" blades is a subjective thing.
If you are considering a different razor, I recommend the Edwin Jagger DE89 series. They are capable of giving very good shaves and are of superb quality.
+1brothers wrote:Rick, after that long, maybe it would be easier for us to make suggestions if you'd go first and list all the platinum coated blades you've already tried and found not to your liking That way we could skip those and shoot for just the ones you've not tried? What do you think?
Seriously though, whether they're platinum coated or not, I have no idea, but I'm having great luck with my favorite the Personna Prep "for hospital use". They just seem to work for me and my particular razors. Other guys will be happy to list their favorites too, I'm sure!