Blade recommendation please help

Hey fellas. I am in need of some advice. I just started de shaving about 4 months ago. I have a ej de89 and am using derby blades. I am able to achieve a good shave without irritation. However if i let my facial hair grow more than one day I experience tugging. My friend gave me a 5 pack of Astras which I tried once and was left with a very red bumpy neck. I am looking for some advice on blades that are perhaps sharper than derby yet still very smooth. Any advice would be appreciated.

Blades truly are a personal experience and the only way to find out is to try different ones. Go to an on-line store, like BullGoose, and order a sample pack of blades. This will give you several different blades to try.

Blades such as Personna Medical Preps, Super Iridiums, and Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinums (in the Dark Blue box) are generally well thought of. However, some of those may no longer be in production and even they have folks who don't care for them.

Ultimately, you will find what works for you through trial and error. Good luck in your quest.

Thanks Freddie. I do intend to go for a sampler like that. I am just trying to avoid another red neck, but I guess that is just part of the process. I will try to include some of your suggestions in my sampler.

Thanks Freddie. I do intend to go for a sampler like that. I am just trying to avoid another red neck, but I guess that is just part of the process. I will try to include some of your suggestions in my sampler.

Maybe Derbys make you use bad technique?!
I am a Derby victim myself. Took me ages to relearn with better blades.

I am now up to Astra greens but still have problems with Personna Labs and I can't use Feathers. Since a few weeks actually I still had problems with Astras. Now I love them after I got rid of bad "Derby technique".

These Derbys are so smooth and forgiving but sadly also really dull, that - coming from cartridges - you press down with your safety razor quite hard and do some other wild stuff without noticing and knowing it. You can even shave with total crap lather or go over spots several times without relathering. If you do all that while switching from Derbys to Personna, Astra or such alike, you get irritation and razor burn from hell like never before. At least that is my experience. So, it is not always the blade per se what gives you problems.

Thanks Freddie. I do intend to go for a sampler like that. I am just trying to avoid another red neck, but I guess that is just part of the process. I will try to include some of your suggestions in my sampler.

Maybe Derbys make you use bad technique?!
I am a Derby victim myself. Took me ages to relearn with better blades.

I am now up to Astra greens but still have problems with Personna Labs and I can't use Feathers. Since a few weeks actually I still had problems with Astras. Now I love them after I got rid of bad "Derby technique".

These Derbys are so smooth and forgiving but sadly also really dull, that - coming from cartridges - you press down with your safety razor quite hard and do some other wild stuff without noticing and knowing it. You can even shave with total crap lather or go over spots several times without relathering. If you do all that while switching from Derbys to Personna, Astra or such alike, you get irritation and razor burn from hell like never before. At least that is my experience. So, it is not always the blade per se what gives you problems.



thanks for the advice tea time. That very well may have been the case when I used the Astra a month ago and certainly could still be. I have been afraid to revisit the Astra but I believe I now will just to see. I feel as though my technique has improved but I am aware that it is a process and takes quite some time to master. If ever. Would you suggest that I shave with the remaining 4 Astra blades I have to see if I can use technique to cut down on the irritation?

thanks for the advice tea time. That very well may have been the case when I used the Astra a month ago and certainly could still be. I have been afraid to revisit the Astra but I believe I now will just to see. I feel as though my technique has improved but I am aware that it is a process and takes quite some time to master. If ever. Would you suggest that I shave with the remaining 4 Astra blades I have to see if I can use technique to cut down on the irritation?

I would indeed recommend going away from Derbys. Well, if you want to, of course. If you get at least DFSs with Derbys I would think about staying with them.

Maybe try another blade first, maybe a red Personna, just to see if you also get irritation. If not, be happy and stay with the rPs for a while relearning and refining your technique (and your lather and other shaving procedure like shaving before and after the shower and so on). IMHO bladewise it is better to work your way up than try to learn better techniques with a Feather (I guess that would be the hard way, but the hard way also has it's merits ).

Blades might be the most subjective aspect of wet shaving.  What one guy loves and works well for him another guy hates!  I agree as it's been suggested, get a blade sample pack or even two, and try 10 different blades, there is bound to be a few you really like and conversely, some you hate.  I'm a head and face shaver and the blades my face loves, my head hates; so, I shave daily with two razors and two blades.... Go figure!!

I second the blade sampler suggestion. You might not want to spend the $ but I'm going to suggest a large sampler so that you can find what types of blades you gravitate to. I doubt that it will be long until you figure out exactly what sort of blade you like.

Personally prefer the sharp and smooth blades. Some but not all of them are, in no particular order : Personna Med Preps, Any Supermax, most Gillettes made in St.Petersburg but particularly the 7:00 Yellows, Any Iridium,. There are more that I can't think of at the moment. But the key is for you to find what works for you.

When you do the sampler be sure to keep detailed notes. When I evaluated mine I rated them 1-10 in many catagories and allowed space for text. one particular blade I remember distinctly writing, "I'd rather shave with an axe head.", just to remind myself of truly how horrible the experience was.

After you finish evaluating the blades in your sampler, and you won't use all the blades in testing, One or two per pack is plenty, keep the sampler. Your techniques will change and there is the possibility that a bad blade wasn't bad at all but it was technique that made it bad. IMO, your goal should be perfect technique to include excellent lather. Lather in particular gets better over time and that's a really good thing.

If you have more questions we're here and we enjoy helping.

I second the blade sampler suggestion. You might not want to spend the $ but I'm going to suggest a large sampler so that you can find what types of blades you gravitate to. I doubt that it will be long until you figure out exactly what sort of blade you like.

Personally  prefer the sharp and smooth blades. Some but not all of them  are, in no particular order : Personna Med Preps, Any Supermax, most Gillettes made in St.Petersburg but particularly the 7:00 Yellows, Any Iridium,. There are more that I can't think of at the moment. But the key is for you to find what works for you.

When you do the sampler be sure to keep detailed notes. When I evaluated mine I rated them 1-10 in many catagories and allowed space for text. one particular blade I remember distinctly writing, "I'd rather shave with an axe head.", just to remind myself of truly how horrible the experience was.

After you finish evaluating the blades in your sampler, and you won't use all the blades in testing, One or two per pack is plenty, keep the sampler. Your techniques will change and there is the possibility that a bad blade wasn't bad at all but it was technique that made it bad. IMO, your goal should be perfect technique to include excellent lather. Lather in particular gets better over time and that's a really good thing.

If you have more questions we're here and we enjoy helping.

Shadows. Thank you so much for the ingenious suggestion. I was hesitant due to the price but I like your idea of research and honing in your skill as well as blade preference, both of which may change over time. Thanks again.

I think the Astra SP blades are hard to beat in terms of working for most people. that said though, a sampler pack is a great idea as well. since blades are a huge YMMV subject, it'll be your best indicator as to what does and doesn't work for you.