Dear Blade snobs, I get it now....

So...I’ve read off and on related to blade configs and Razors with little to no interest. There were some obvious ones like the Rocnel Elite and feathers (in many cases because a razor manufacturer favours a blade over another resulting in a less than stellar fit for any other blade in the razor), but other than that does it really matter?

After all this time, I finally concede that yes in some cases it does.

I have a beautiful Timeless Ti (well not really compared to the other wonderful offering from Timeless, but beautiful to me) Open comb .95. I had the SS version and was cool towards the razor because the weight on my face resulted in a close shave with weepers. The Ti being roughly 2/5 the weight should be better. It was, but only marginally. So before I put it up for sale on the board, I thought I would use one of my long shot blades that I always gravitate to, but rarely admit it in the open; the Rapira Platinum Lux. Not my most expensive and it really should not have made a difference, but it did. I get the same close trouble free shave from the Ti open comb that I get from my other stable worthy razors.

I previously bought razor blades because of their various levels of sharpness rather than their fit with a razor. Now I’m thinking a little more broadly. I would hate to think I sold some good razors because I didn’t rotate different blades....

Anywho..I get it now, there is such a thing as a good blade for a razor, rather than just razor blades that served me well in the majority of razors I used.

Other thoughts?

To me, there is no snobbery about blades.  If it works and I’m happy with it then it’s a winner.  I certainly would have no problem showing off any product, be it blade, soap/cream, razor, brush, aftershave, or eau de toilette.  I don’t care if it’s from a big name brand or an artisan.

I do find that some blades work better for me in particular razors while others seem to be more universal.  Also, even blades that are highly thought of are not necessarily loved by all.  Feather DE blades are a classic example of that and I am in the ‘no great love’ camp when it comes to them.  Do I have favorites?  Yes.  Those favorites are usually based on smoothness and longevity and not always how it works in a particular razor.  Part of the reason for that is I don’t keep notes and tend to forget how a certain blade works with a certain razor.  I really should start doing that (but probably won’t ).

Thanks for that Freddy!

Like you I have my go to Blades, and would pop them into whatever razor I was using. I never took stock of what brand went into what razor. I now find myself leaning the other way of maybe taking more time to link a blade with a particular razor. I know a tonne of people do it and will give it a try. So far it seemed to work with one. Polsilver, Feather, Gillette Plat, the odd Personna red and the Rap. Lux. Are my choice of poison.

Its great when we learn something new isn't it? Each razor will have certain blades that seem to work better - not usually a single blade but what I'd call families of blades - the super sharp blades like Feather and Kai for example, seem to work very well for me in my more aggressive razors like the Rockwell on the higher plates, the ATT DOC, the Wolfman WR-1 while some of the milder blades work really well in the less aggressive EJ DE-89 and similar razors. I've also found the Rapira Platinum Lux blades to be pretty decent blades - the rest of the Rapira blades not so much.

With so many blades out there and the number of razors I have, I could spend years trying different combinations but mostly I just go with the tried and true because the goal is a close comfortable shave isn't it? Life is too short for bad shaves.

Rapira platinum Lux is a great blade. I got a perfect shave with a Muhle R-41 and a Rapira Platinum Lux on the third shave.

I have always found that different blades perform different in the same razor. It is just a matter of trying them out.

It often has something to do with the bend of the blade in a particular razor thereby affecting the angle of the hone as it mates to your face. The best example is a three piece DE razor as compared to a TTO DE razor. Before I dismiss a new & untried blade I try it in both a Gillette Tech and then a Schick Krona as an example of this. At one time I owned a modern Merkur Bakelite that forced a radical bend on a DE blade that really shook things up. It was a fantastic shaver and I loved the feel of the rounded Bakelite safety bars, but it was at least for me just a frog hair too aggressive for a daily shave around the mouth & chin.

That's the wonderful thing about turning this into a hobby, you experiment, I have a friend that swears by Bolzano blades like a lot of people do, I have yet to find a razor they work for me in, I felt the same way about Feather's until I found the right razors they work for me with. There is nothing snobby about finding a good combination and being satisfied with your shave.

...I have a friend that swears by Bolzano blades like a lot of people do, I have yet to find a razor they work for me in,...

That's because they are a crappy German blade.

In fact, for me Rapira platinum lux works better and last longer than what seems to be everyone's favorite cheap blade: Astra SP.