(This post was last modified: 01-14-2019, 07:23 PM by bgremill.)
First experience with a Treet Blade. My initial draw to these blades was the fact that they are carbon steel without a bunch of added trickery. I read somewhere that these in particular were exceptionally sharp yet still smooth. Being a bit a knife sharpening hobbyist this made perfect sense so I ordered a bundle. These are the ones I ordered:
First three shaves have been impressive. My face was really tender and sore from a couple weeks shaving with blades that I consider the roughest I’ve tried.
First pass, first shave, I could immediately tell that these where Sharp. I could not feel the blade going through the hair at all. Same exact result with the next two passes.
Shaves 2&3 were carbon copies of the first shave. I have noticed no degradation of the blade yet.
I think it is important to note that my shaves have been really close and my face has felt progressively better each day.
Razors used so far have been a Fatboy on 5, a New Short Comb, and a Redtip. I’ll use more razors and give more details later.
Update: 1/14/2019
This review is based on my experience with these blades. My pre shave routine, my skin, my beard, my technique, my hardware and soft goods, my lather preferences, etc. Please understand that your experience could and probably will be different than mine.
Definitions:
Sharpness - I deduce the sharpness of a blade in three ways. How easily the blade glides through my whiskers using my typical technique. How much hair is removed per pass, and whether a buffing technique is needed. Lastly, face feel at the 24hr mark post shave.
Smoothness - Simply how comfortable a blade feels while applying my typical technique.
Findings:
I have found these blades to be some of the sharpest I’ve tried. The glide over my whiskers has been incredible. The hair removed per pass is similar to Feathers for me and puts those two blades in a class by themselves. I know that’s hard to believe; but, for me, that has been my experience. I consistently need one pass less than usual and very little to no buffing when going through my standard procedure. Post shave results have been eye opening. I’ve had to wait 36 hrs to shave on numerous occasions due to the closeness of the shaves. Feathers are the only blades that I’ve had this experience in the past.
The smoothness of the blades has been stelar. I had almost given up on the idea that blades could be ultra sharp and still comfortable for me. Apparently, the machines in Pakistan are set to my specifications! I have not had irritation from these blades, at all. I’ve had a couple weepers before getting them dialed in due to excessive and unnecessary pressure.
Negatives:
They seem to dull suddenly. I have not tried to push the durability boundaries on these yet so I don’t know if they go through a temporary period to settle in; but, I’ve found that mid shave during the 3rd or 4th shave they just die. I’ll see if they will recover again as I continue to use them. So far, I just pitched the blade post shave and moved on.
Additional random thoughts:
These are the first blades I’ve used that give the best shave on the 1st shave and maintain that until they die. I really like that. Every other blade has an initial characteristic, a sweet spot, then a degradation period until one decides they are no longer useful. I find these blades to skip the first two stages. They work beautifully until they don’t.
I live in New Orleans so I was worried about these being carbon blades. So far, my concerns and fears have been unnecessary. I have not noticed these blades rusting prematurely or behaving differently from any other. Perhaps oxidation is the cause of the blades suddenly dying; but, it’s not visible by the human eye if it is the cause.
Lastly, they seem to work in every razor in my rotation. I get flawless results with my mildest razor right through the aggression spectrum. I usually need to lower the setting on my adjustable razors to accommodate really sharp and aggressive blades. These do not require that adjustment which is a minor but notable benefit that I enjoy.
This is my first attempt at reviewing anything so feedback would be welcomed and appreciated. I’ve learned a lot from others. It would be nice to feel as though I’m contributing something helpful in return.
First three shaves have been impressive. My face was really tender and sore from a couple weeks shaving with blades that I consider the roughest I’ve tried.
First pass, first shave, I could immediately tell that these where Sharp. I could not feel the blade going through the hair at all. Same exact result with the next two passes.
Shaves 2&3 were carbon copies of the first shave. I have noticed no degradation of the blade yet.
I think it is important to note that my shaves have been really close and my face has felt progressively better each day.
Razors used so far have been a Fatboy on 5, a New Short Comb, and a Redtip. I’ll use more razors and give more details later.
Update: 1/14/2019
This review is based on my experience with these blades. My pre shave routine, my skin, my beard, my technique, my hardware and soft goods, my lather preferences, etc. Please understand that your experience could and probably will be different than mine.
Definitions:
Sharpness - I deduce the sharpness of a blade in three ways. How easily the blade glides through my whiskers using my typical technique. How much hair is removed per pass, and whether a buffing technique is needed. Lastly, face feel at the 24hr mark post shave.
Smoothness - Simply how comfortable a blade feels while applying my typical technique.
Findings:
I have found these blades to be some of the sharpest I’ve tried. The glide over my whiskers has been incredible. The hair removed per pass is similar to Feathers for me and puts those two blades in a class by themselves. I know that’s hard to believe; but, for me, that has been my experience. I consistently need one pass less than usual and very little to no buffing when going through my standard procedure. Post shave results have been eye opening. I’ve had to wait 36 hrs to shave on numerous occasions due to the closeness of the shaves. Feathers are the only blades that I’ve had this experience in the past.
The smoothness of the blades has been stelar. I had almost given up on the idea that blades could be ultra sharp and still comfortable for me. Apparently, the machines in Pakistan are set to my specifications! I have not had irritation from these blades, at all. I’ve had a couple weepers before getting them dialed in due to excessive and unnecessary pressure.
Negatives:
They seem to dull suddenly. I have not tried to push the durability boundaries on these yet so I don’t know if they go through a temporary period to settle in; but, I’ve found that mid shave during the 3rd or 4th shave they just die. I’ll see if they will recover again as I continue to use them. So far, I just pitched the blade post shave and moved on.
Additional random thoughts:
These are the first blades I’ve used that give the best shave on the 1st shave and maintain that until they die. I really like that. Every other blade has an initial characteristic, a sweet spot, then a degradation period until one decides they are no longer useful. I find these blades to skip the first two stages. They work beautifully until they don’t.
I live in New Orleans so I was worried about these being carbon blades. So far, my concerns and fears have been unnecessary. I have not noticed these blades rusting prematurely or behaving differently from any other. Perhaps oxidation is the cause of the blades suddenly dying; but, it’s not visible by the human eye if it is the cause.
Lastly, they seem to work in every razor in my rotation. I get flawless results with my mildest razor right through the aggression spectrum. I usually need to lower the setting on my adjustable razors to accommodate really sharp and aggressive blades. These do not require that adjustment which is a minor but notable benefit that I enjoy.
This is my first attempt at reviewing anything so feedback would be welcomed and appreciated. I’ve learned a lot from others. It would be nice to feel as though I’m contributing something helpful in return.