When it comes to safety razor blades, it’s hard to choose because there is so much to choose from. There are obviously the most famous brands Derby, Shark, Feather, Dovo, Astra and so on, but also less well-known blades Perma-Sharp, Bolzano, Rapira, Ladas…. in short, a beautiful jungle!
At the risk of disappointing more than one, there is no ready-made answer to the question: which safety razor blades to choose? First of all because it is a feeling and it is eminently subjective.
There are nevertheless broad lines that emerge for each blade. The best thing is to test the maximum number of references until you find the razor blades that best suit you. As such, the packs bringing together different brands can be interesting to start testing the ground.
Choose a blade based on your beard and skin
Choosing a razor is up to you. It can depend:
the nature of his beard: the harder the hair and the thicker the beard, the more interesting it will be to move towards a blade with a large cutting edge.
of sensitive your skin. If your skin is fragile and very sensitive to irritation, it is more likely to put aside blades known for their sharpness (ex: Feather, Voskhod to a lesser extent)
of the coating used by the manufacturer. Teflon coating, platinum finish …
Note that the choice of a blade does not compensate for a good preparation for shaving. A coat (especially if it is thick) must be properly softened to optimize its cut. Much of the irritation can be avoided by properly preparing your skin and beard.
Other criteria are also taken into account. In particular the safety razor used. Closed comb razors will tend to expose the blade more. Another example The Merkur Futur with a setting of 4 or 5 will expose the blade in a pronounced way.
My personal tests and returns
Shark razor blades
These are the very first blades I tested and still use today. They are relatively soft and will be suitable for sensitive skin. I would not necessarily recommend them for thick hairs because they slightly lack sharpness for my taste. Small flat, they blunt fairly quickly (I do not use them more than 2 times for my part). For beginners, the Shark blade is a good option
Shark markets a half-blade version, more practical for recharging his shavette.
Feather razor blades
Table of Contents
Surely the sharpest on the market. On this criterion, the Japanese Feather blade is one of the best. They are made of stainless steel coated with a platinum finish which gives them all their cutting edge. To start it is not necessarily the best choice. It is better to wait for a more advanced mastery of your tools before testing this blade.
Whatever your level, the use of a Feather blade requires an impeccable preparation of the skin and hair at the risk of irritating and / or cutting. Fragile skin refrain! Instead, orient yourself towards softer blades such as the Derby Platinium or the Shark.
Dorco Titan razor blades
No irritation or redness with this blade for my part. And yet she doesn’t balk even when faced with a thick beard. Not necessarily the most popular and yet I find that they have an excellent quality / price ratio in view of the result.
For beginners or confirmed, the Dorco Titan blades are also designed in stainless steel with platinum finish. Good quality Korean manufacturing.
Astra Platinium razor blades
Astra Platinium (a brand of the Gillette group) offers an interesting combination between a soft shave and a fairly sharp edge. However, for denser beards, it can show a little resistance and pull the hair. It is a Russian manufacture made of steel with a platinum coating.