Origin of blades an important factor?
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:55 pm
I'm beginning to think that there are several factors which shape the DE blade industry as we know it. My personal favorite thing about DE razors is the fact that here we have an example of a universal standard in a truly international way that dominated the first 3/4 of the 20th century. We all crave standards in this world of designed non-compatibility. And in the DE razor blade the world had it.
I know of no other product that was used as widely and was standard across the board. Nowadays every corporation goes out of their way to make their product incompatible with others to insure lock in, if they can get away with it.
Anyhow let me come to the point. I was thinking about the origin of various blades currently made and thought about some of the factors that might influence blade qualities that are desirable and perhaps hypothesise about the importance of this.
The well known blades are:
1. Feather - Japanese made - known for its sharpness though this is thought of as both good and bad depending on your outlook. The Japanese love engineering superlative products and tend to keep the best products confined to their domestic market. Feather is I believe really one of these products. Made in essence as the best in the world product that wealthy Japanese men can depend on for DE shaves. The sharpness is said by some to not be durable. In a sense the Japanese beard is generally sparse and thin and the Feather is probably the finest blade made for this type.
2. Dorco - Korean made. Like the car industry, the Koreans are always on the tails of the Japanese. An also ran, mediocre blade in most people's opinions. The Korean 'beard' is much like the Japanese one.
3. Merkur - German made - have a legacy from their Solingen golden age of blade manufacture. Merkur is typically German. Again engineered like all German products to a reasonably high standard. The blades are probably made only because of the Merkur razor business. A Merkur blade for your Merkur razor is how the thinking goes. Blades are not bad, but not good either.
4. Gillette - various countries - various qualities. The one time king of blades but now with vested interests in non DE razor blades cannot be considered as anything but in the market because it has to be in a sense.
5. Derby - Turkish made - the interesting one. A country in which cartridge razors are still the exception rather than the rule. A country whose men typically have heavy beards. People's opinion is generally positive on these in terms of their sharpness and durability.
My hypothesis is that most 'thin' bearded men are quite satisfied with the cartridge razors and probably never flirt with the DE razor. My impression is that many gents who have taken up (or never left) the DE razor are those who have been unable to get good shaves from the cartridge systems that excel in cutting thin beards. They have heavy beards and are looking for superlative shaves.
I see men on the street who appear to have excellent shaves and can see that they are thinly bearded. It's quite rare to see a thick bearded gent who has a very smooth shave nowadays and when you do, and you are looking for it, it says something about that man that's subtle to those who aren't aware of it; and yet very loud to one who is aware of the difficulty of achieving that close shave.
I have noticed people, older men, in the past week who have lowered their gaze from my eyes to my cleanly shaven cheeks and I can see a certain look in their eyes that tells me that they are impressed in a way. Seeing the stubble or patches of odd beard here and there on their lip line I can only think they're tired of shaving nowadays. But they know a good shave when they see one.
I think that the Derby is interesting in that it is marketed to a country of heavily bearded men and one would think that it might be tailored towards that style of beard. Perhaps that's why it's hit a chord with DE aficionados here. I can't wait to try my new Derby blades when they arrive.
I know of no other product that was used as widely and was standard across the board. Nowadays every corporation goes out of their way to make their product incompatible with others to insure lock in, if they can get away with it.
Anyhow let me come to the point. I was thinking about the origin of various blades currently made and thought about some of the factors that might influence blade qualities that are desirable and perhaps hypothesise about the importance of this.
The well known blades are:
1. Feather - Japanese made - known for its sharpness though this is thought of as both good and bad depending on your outlook. The Japanese love engineering superlative products and tend to keep the best products confined to their domestic market. Feather is I believe really one of these products. Made in essence as the best in the world product that wealthy Japanese men can depend on for DE shaves. The sharpness is said by some to not be durable. In a sense the Japanese beard is generally sparse and thin and the Feather is probably the finest blade made for this type.
2. Dorco - Korean made. Like the car industry, the Koreans are always on the tails of the Japanese. An also ran, mediocre blade in most people's opinions. The Korean 'beard' is much like the Japanese one.
3. Merkur - German made - have a legacy from their Solingen golden age of blade manufacture. Merkur is typically German. Again engineered like all German products to a reasonably high standard. The blades are probably made only because of the Merkur razor business. A Merkur blade for your Merkur razor is how the thinking goes. Blades are not bad, but not good either.
4. Gillette - various countries - various qualities. The one time king of blades but now with vested interests in non DE razor blades cannot be considered as anything but in the market because it has to be in a sense.
5. Derby - Turkish made - the interesting one. A country in which cartridge razors are still the exception rather than the rule. A country whose men typically have heavy beards. People's opinion is generally positive on these in terms of their sharpness and durability.
My hypothesis is that most 'thin' bearded men are quite satisfied with the cartridge razors and probably never flirt with the DE razor. My impression is that many gents who have taken up (or never left) the DE razor are those who have been unable to get good shaves from the cartridge systems that excel in cutting thin beards. They have heavy beards and are looking for superlative shaves.
I see men on the street who appear to have excellent shaves and can see that they are thinly bearded. It's quite rare to see a thick bearded gent who has a very smooth shave nowadays and when you do, and you are looking for it, it says something about that man that's subtle to those who aren't aware of it; and yet very loud to one who is aware of the difficulty of achieving that close shave.
I have noticed people, older men, in the past week who have lowered their gaze from my eyes to my cleanly shaven cheeks and I can see a certain look in their eyes that tells me that they are impressed in a way. Seeing the stubble or patches of odd beard here and there on their lip line I can only think they're tired of shaving nowadays. But they know a good shave when they see one.
I think that the Derby is interesting in that it is marketed to a country of heavily bearded men and one would think that it might be tailored towards that style of beard. Perhaps that's why it's hit a chord with DE aficionados here. I can't wait to try my new Derby blades when they arrive.