Thread: Scale of different Blade sharpness

I guess I should start with a little background info. I have been shaving with a straight for the last 6 yrs, over that time I would like to think I have been successful at finding and restoring quite a few SR's. This whole time I felt like I was missing something as everyone always says to get a DE first then move over to straights. So one day as I was scrounging through my local antique store looking for straights, I stopped and gave a few of the DE's that I had so carelessly over-passed so many times. Found a Gillette that looked to be in good condition, it was one of those fancy adjustable ones. 20 bucks, and went to shoppers drug-mart. They wanted 15 bucks for a pack of Wilkinson swords. needless to say I bought them, since I didn't want to wait the time to order some. Well that first shave was good, had that adjustable slim turned right to 9. Not a bad shave, no irritation, and a few minutes quicker than the straight. I was sold, so ordered a blade sampler, came with some Dorko, Precision, Derby, Astra SP, Astra SS, and Feathers. Also bought some Gillette Silver Blues, since I had read good things about them. Now my question is has there been a list compiled of different DE blades and their sharpness? I know Feathers are supposed to be the sharpest, but where do all the other DE blades I read about fall, I know It will come down to personal preference, and which Razor is used. But there should be a rough consensus out there on where they all fall.

I have not been into DE razors that long, but I got a sampler & found them all to be great shavers, I use a simple Vintage Gillette. I have tried the Feather brand & yes, so far they have the # 1 spot.

But I think that they all shave great because I use the same preshave routine that I use for my straights. I also clean & wipe the DE blade after every use, then re-install it, Yes, that might sound crazy to the DE Vets, but it's fun to me.

I picked up a Gillette Fatboy DE for when I am in a hurry shaving. I was blessed enough to have a member here to send me a sampler pack of various blades. I've played with it here and there for over 6-months and it serves it's purpose for a quick shave...but the shave is not near as smooth as a straight. I don't think we can really put the DE blades on a sharpness scale as they are all super sharp. I have come to prefer the Astra in the green label and the Feather's. I think that it's more of a smoothness issue with the blades as they are all very sharp. I get 2-3 shaves per blade, but that's because I don't use them much...the SR simply gives me the best smooth shave I have ever known. Experiment is the only advice I can offer...you will find what you perfer.

There are many blades out there. I know feather and Gillette 7 o clock and Iridiums are sharp. Derby not so much. Wilkenson and Mercur and Dorko not so much either. Of course that's my experience.

Sharpness is only one criterion. It is an important one to me as my beard is very tough. But there are other properties like longevity, smoothness, uniformity that are also important. The problem is that a given blade can be perceived differently in different razors. I know people who keep blades of various degrees of sharpness around to go into different razors. One might not want a Feather in R41. Finding out what works for you and the razor(s) you use is pretty much an exercise in trial and error. I +1 the idea of the sample pack. Try as many differnet blades as you can. It's part of the fun of DE shaving (that and owning lots of different razors).

well I have been keeping to just one razor. A Gillette FB and I left it on 7 all the time. And after starting with The wilkonson blades since they were readily available, I did buy a sample pack. after using all the different blades I have I would rate them in this order. Dorko Precision Wilkonson Gillette Silver Blues Derby Astra SP, Astra SS Feathers Now It is funny, I didnt really find one blade that was terrible, they all worked. The feathers were the closest shave to a Straight, and I didn't have any problem with them. Is my scale of DE blades skewed because I have been using a straight for the last half dozen yr's. I find the DE very easy and simple, it is easy since I am in a work camp a lot, I do not have to bring a strop. And it is a little quicker. I almost never do anything more than 2 passes with a straight, and same with a DE. I just want to See a List compiled of blades. I hear about all these blades, and I would like to know roughly where a blade might fall, like a Personna, Gillette 7oclock, or a shark? Is there such a list? I know that Blade preference falls down to the end user, and YMMV comes hugely into play, and skin type, beard thickness ect.

I always wondered why people say de blades are sharper? I tried the Hht on almost every de blades I've had and never get it to cut hair as cleanly as a straight, and sometimes it doesn't even cut it . So does that actually mean a straight is sharper than a de blade? Sorry if its of topic

I've tried the HHT (sorry fellas!) on a Feather blade in my Feather SS after the 30th shave, and it was doing quite well. For me, it sets the standard of sharpness for DE blades as well as straights. If one is trying the HHT and can't get it to work on the Feather DE blade, then something is awry in the application of the test.

Did u try it outside of the razor? Like having the blade between your fingers and having it catch? I can't get it to work as easily sorry, but my straight usually cut without making a noise or make a ringing sound, as for any de I've tried, it will eventually catch but not as easily as my straight...

Also just purchased a cobra classic and an going to try the Hht on the feather professional blades. Just out of curiosity lol