a perfect blade

[kennethj]

Is there a perfect blade out there ? I have been DE wetshaving for about 10 years now, and i have yet to find a blade I really like. I have been thru several
blade samplers and no luck. I am going thru a sampler now and I get one good shave and throw them out. I tried the Gillette 7 O'Clock green pack. They were
good on the first shave, but too dull on the second, so again one shave and threw them out. I tried Feathers for a good while and while they were good and sharp, they lacked in smoothness. Harsh on the second shave. Any suggestions on what to try next ? I am thinking of ordering some Gillette 7 O'Clock yellow pack blades, and some Crystals. I am looking for something sharp and smooth, ah, aren't we all ? BTW, my razor is a Murker HD. I have only tried one other razor, the Merkur Progress and found it too harsh so I sold it.

[brothers]

Kenneth, we all seem to go through this process, don't we. I was fortunate to find mine. Personna "for hospital use" nicknamed the Personna "prep" blade. These are made in USA, for whatever it s worth. I have a standing offer to send a few to anyone who wants to try them out. Postage is on me, just send me a PM with your mailing address. This goes for anyone else reading this. Maybe you'll find them to your liking.

[kennethj]

Thank you. Will do.

[Squire]

Go ahead and try the 7 o'clock yellows Kenneth, can't hurt, at worst you'll only get one shave outta them.

[ShadowsDad]

I like sharp and smooth and if a blade didn't give me at least 7 (or was it 8?) shaves it wouldn't make my list.

I find the Iridiums to be good, and the Supermax Super Platinum, I agree with the 7:00 yellows and the Med Preps as well. Those 4 blades are my staple blades.

[CMur12]

Hi Kenneth -

I agree with Gary about the Personna Med Prep ("For Hospital Use") blades. They are sharp and smooth.
The Crystals are smooth, but they may not be as sharp as others you have tried. They are probably not what you are looking for.

Interesting that you found the Merkur Progress harsh. I use mild razors and the HD would be too aggressive for me. I have a "Mergress" that I use at the lowest setting and it gives me the best combination of gentleness to the skin and an effective shave. I have bought a lot of razors and it is the best I have found. (Right now, it has a Med Prep blade in it.)

- Murray

[jww]

My "perfect blade" has moved between a number of brands over the years ..... I was a dedicated Derby Extras fan until I started noticing their quality going downhill --- or at least they became hit-and-miss for me. Then it was Feathers -- which I still like quite a lot --- and then I moved to Super Iridiums and Gillette Silver Blues--- both of which I find to be excellent. I don't mind Lord blades either, and the Tesco house brand have actually been quite good as well to me.

The point I am making is pretty much an echo of Squire's comment above -- try them out, the worst you'll find out is that a blade isn't for you.

[Jbbmad2]

I feel your pain. So I'll +1 to Wendell's comment as I have found what seemed like the "one" only to come back a few shaves later to be disappointed in it's performance. But must also say I took Gary up on his offer and found the Personna's might be my everyday blade (in case I forgot to tell you, thanks Gary). 10 years sounds like a long time, but things change in the world and it could be one you've tried and discarded could possibly work better now. On the other hand, blades are reasonably inexpensive so if all you get is 1 shave, then find the one you like best and buy in bulk. At least you'll be happy with every shave you get and can and enjoy the process.

[z]

I've always been a fan of the Crystal Super + Platinum / Israeli Persona blades. I've been through a few hundred of them so far and they've regularly given me good shaves. Smooth and reliable.

Feathers are sharp, but for some reason it's tough for me to get a close shave out of them. They are better after a few shaves, but for the price I'd expect more. Not for me, though I know that they have a lot of fans.

Merkur? Why bother. They are too pricey and just drag on my beard, making for a rough experience. Most people seem to also rate this a medium blade for what it costs.

US Persona in the metal blade guard pack seem to be fine. A step above Merkur but I don't feel that they perform as well as the Crystal Super + Platinum. I could use these as an every day blade though. I didn't think so at first, but adjusted the way that I shave and grew to appreciate them. I've seen these regularly sold as drugstore brands, but that seems to be changing quickly ever since Energizer bought ASR. It's like they are trying to take them off of the shelves. Even with the resurgence of the DE, it seems like in the past year all of the stores have stopped carrying the blades.

Derby is about where US Persona is. Pretty mild and gets a few good shaves, but not a constant performer.

Every face is different, as is every razor and style of shaving. It's worth trying several to see what works out best for you.

[mikey]

Hello z,

You should specifically look for the "Platinum Chrome Comfort Coated" variety of metal-pack US Personnas. They are top notch and equivalent to the Crystal Super+ Platinum "blue Israeli Personnas". Check your local dollar store. I found some store-branded 10-packs of the "PtCr-CC" blades there. Normally, they only sell the plain uncoated "Stainless Steel" variety of plastic-pack US Personnas.

Thanks,
Mike

...US Persona in the metal blade guard pack seem to be fine. A step above Merkur but I don't feel that they perform as well as the Crystal Super + Platinum. I could use these as an every day blade though. I didn't think so at first, but adjusted the way that I shave and grew to appreciate them. I've seen these regularly sold as drugstore brands, but that seems to be changing quickly ever since Energizer bought ASR. It's like they are trying to take them off of the shelves. Even with the resurgence of the DE, it seems like in the past year all of the stores have stopped carrying the blades...

[Brutus]

My experience mirrors Wendell's somewhat.
Used Derby and Feathers for a long time; alternating for months between the two, but then moved away from Derbys eventually.

Can't say anything bad about Feathers, but found that at a quarter of the price Astra Super Platinums give me excellent results. Hence Astras have taken the place of Derbys and at present I mainly use now Astras, even though I have a large stash of Feathers left.


B.

[z]

Hello z,

You should specifically look for the "Platinum Chrome Comfort Coated" variety of metal-pack US Personnas. They are top notch and equivalent to the Crystal Super+ Platinum "blue Israeli Personnas". Check your local dollar store. I found some store-branded 10-packs of the "PtCr-CC" blades there. Normally, they only sell the plain uncoated "Stainless Steel" variety of plastic-pack US Personnas.

Thanks,
Mike

...US Persona in the metal blade guard pack seem to be fine. A step above Merkur but I don't feel that they perform as well as the Crystal Super + Platinum. I could use these as an every day blade though. I didn't think so at first, but adjusted the way that I shave and grew to appreciate them. I've seen these regularly sold as drugstore brands, but that seems to be changing quickly ever since Energizer bought ASR. It's like they are trying to take them off of the shelves. Even with the resurgence of the DE, it seems like in the past year all of the stores have stopped carrying the blades...

I've used those many times before, and I do like them. There are different things that I like about both. I'd say that the US metal pack gets a little closer, but the Crystal Super Plus Platinum is smoother. Both seem to work well.

[L. Martino]

Is there a perfect blade out there ? I have been DE wetshaving for about 10 years now, and i have yet to find a blade I really like. I have been thru several
blade samplers and no luck.
Any suggestions on what to try next ? BTW, my razor is a Murker HD. I have only tried one other razor, the Merkur Progress and found it too harsh so I sold it.

Hi there,

Man, that is one messed up situation after ten years of DE shaving. Let me suggest a few things, and I will figure your prep and lather is fine but who knows.

You need to find a blade quick like and there's a few such as the 7 o Clock yellow SharpEdge that most people really enjoy, myself included. Those and the Super Iridium are likely to be as good a currently made blade as you will find. You should notice a difference right away......IF the blade is what's been wrong. You know, it might be the two razors causing the problem or at least contributing. So you even found the Progress too aggressive even set on a low number?

You might wanna try one of those EJ DE89 variations and see how that feels. I can tell you that trying other razors will most likely help in some way through trial and error. We all pay our dues finding the right razor/blade combo.

Yep, you gotta test drive more stuff. Try a Tech and a Gillette adjustable of some kind. Also, some vintage blades can be excellent.

Martin

[brothers]

. . . you gotta test drive more stuff. . . Martin

Someone recently observed that moderation taken to excess might not be helplful in some instances. I agree with Martin, try more razors and blades, and that'll be the most effective way for you to find out for yourself what works and what doesn't. Good luck!