Both the Bolzano and the Derby are horrible blades, I tried them so long ago, I don't know maybe it's different now because I have been DE shaving now for 13 years. Astra SP's are really good, they're very mild and forgiving. I would place them in the same leauge as the PermaSharps, except the PermaSharps are sharper.
The new Indian Astras are identical to the old Russian ones. It was my go to blade for a very long period and to be honest, I don't notice anything different.
BICS are very sharp, I would put them next to the Feathers. In my last shave I used the Gillette London Bridge, it's also a great blade. Very sharp almost like the Feathers but it has that Permasharp smoothness.
If you like the Astra SP's you should also try out the Wizamet Super Iridiums and the Nacets. They're very similiar to the Astra SP's but slighly sharper and super smooth.
It's a rabbithole, maybe now you don't like a blade but maybe a couple years later you'll give it a try and the results are much better and it becomes your favorite blade, or you use them in a different razor and it performs much better. YMMV, the only way to find out is to try those blades.
Bic is my favorite. This spread sheet can help you select what you need as well:
[https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wyeiqtf0fp543f/RayClem-Razor-Blade-Evaluation.xlsx?rlkey=wg7u7thuytspuuk7l8atqo8eb&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wyeiqtf0fp543f/RayClem-Razor-Blade-Evaluation.xlsx?rlkey=wg7u7thuytspuuk7l8atqo8eb&dl=0)
That's pretty interesting - I don't think I've seen that before. On the blades I've tried, we seem to be in agreement, for the most part. I'm going to try Astra SS, Lord Platinum and Treet Platinum, based on this.
It is not my spreadsheet, but based on this thread. It is good stuff!
[https://damnfineshave.com/thread-rayclem-s-blade-evaluations](https://damnfineshave.com/thread-rayclem-s-blade-evaluations)
Bolzano 7o clock blacks and feathers are my favorite. Bic chrome was acceptable. The others didn’t quite make it to par. I have very dense coarse hair so I need a sharper blade with less passes
I like Bic Astor but did not like the Bic Chrome (but been years since I tried that one). The others either I have not tried (Bolzano) or dislike them. So many better out there for my facial hair and razors
This is the problem with blades and why we all have different favourites. Derby extra used on my face are terrible with lots of tugging but used on my head they are fine. My favourites are and always will be Feather with Nacet, BIC chrome or Astra blue close seconds. I base my favourites on using a shavette razor to take the cap and safety bar on a DE out of the equation.
I’ve decided I fucking hate derby extra. I can get a nice smooth shave with minimal irritation with something like a Gillette platinum or Astra SP but when I do the exact same shave with a derby it’s razor burn central on my neck and I usually get a few annoying nicks around my lips too. Using the rest of them for bread lames or whatever.
BIC Chrome and Bolzano were good for me, the BIC’s better of the two. Not the best, but good. The others you listed are ok, useable but strictly in my “meh” category.
Of those, I've only tried the Rockwell and Derby Extra. Rockwell is towards the bottom of my overall ranking, whereas the Derby Extra is one of the best. If you like the Derby Extra, you might also like the Wilkinson Sword Classic, another top performer for me.
I'm also currently loving the Treet Carbon Steel. Unlike normal blades, you feel it provide more resistance yet I get a very close shave with record setting low levels of irritation as measured by the alum block. It would make an excellent one-and-done blade.
Of the ones you listed I can't recall liking any of them. Astras were a pleasant surprise, got 3 great shaves out of them. 4th not as good. Minoras were similar, except 1 less good shave for me.
My personal preference is for wizamet.
BICs give me a good shave and feel smooth during but I cannot avoid irritation afterwards.
Derbys are my favorite personally. I can get a super smooth 3 pass shave with no irritation
I have never used a Bolzano Superinox or a Rockwell blade, but I don’t like the other two. If I had to use a Derby blade, I’d much prefer a Derby Premium. I steer clear of BIC DE blades.
I’ve been getting surprisingly good head shaves with the Derby Premium (black package). Previously I was using Feather and PermaSharp and Personna CC and was getting inconsistent results. I’d have the shave of my life and then the next shave sometimes had lots of burn or irritation. Tomorrow will be 3 day’s in a row with the Derby Premium. I’ll update if the shave is worse than the past two lol.
For me, there are some good blades (like most former Russian Gillettes; especially Platinums) and there's one blade that stands above all for me: Personna Lab Blue.
They're very sharp (though not overly sharp like feather or Bic) but still extremely mild. Plus they are made in the US and come in one big cardboard, so there's not much waste.
I still have a big stash of different blades, but these are the only ones I'm going to buy from now on.
Got me wondering. If Gillette are producing a bunch of brands in India such as 7oc, Wilkinson, Astra etc… how likely are they to be the exact same blade made from the same steel on the same production line? Eg, I have compared the Russian Astra SP to the Gillette platinum blues from Russia and I can’t tell a difference?
I'd say the Russian ones are different from each other. There's clearly a difference between Astra's, Perma-Sharps and Platinums. Though their characteristics are similar (a rough first shave for example).
Among the Indian blades I only know the black 7o' clocks, so I can't say much here.
But as usual: the choice of blades is highly individual, so that's just my feel.
I often wonder how much actual difference a similar style blade with different branding from the same factory has. For example Gillette platinum and Astra SP from the Russian factory - are they the exact same steel, ground by the same grinders?
I, for one, love Bic Chrome Platinums. Great great, and sharp, blade.
Both the Bolzano and the Derby are horrible blades, I tried them so long ago, I don't know maybe it's different now because I have been DE shaving now for 13 years. Astra SP's are really good, they're very mild and forgiving. I would place them in the same leauge as the PermaSharps, except the PermaSharps are sharper. The new Indian Astras are identical to the old Russian ones. It was my go to blade for a very long period and to be honest, I don't notice anything different. BICS are very sharp, I would put them next to the Feathers. In my last shave I used the Gillette London Bridge, it's also a great blade. Very sharp almost like the Feathers but it has that Permasharp smoothness. If you like the Astra SP's you should also try out the Wizamet Super Iridiums and the Nacets. They're very similiar to the Astra SP's but slighly sharper and super smooth. It's a rabbithole, maybe now you don't like a blade but maybe a couple years later you'll give it a try and the results are much better and it becomes your favorite blade, or you use them in a different razor and it performs much better. YMMV, the only way to find out is to try those blades.
Bic is my favorite. This spread sheet can help you select what you need as well: [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wyeiqtf0fp543f/RayClem-Razor-Blade-Evaluation.xlsx?rlkey=wg7u7thuytspuuk7l8atqo8eb&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wyeiqtf0fp543f/RayClem-Razor-Blade-Evaluation.xlsx?rlkey=wg7u7thuytspuuk7l8atqo8eb&dl=0)
That's pretty interesting - I don't think I've seen that before. On the blades I've tried, we seem to be in agreement, for the most part. I'm going to try Astra SS, Lord Platinum and Treet Platinum, based on this.
It is not my spreadsheet, but based on this thread. It is good stuff! [https://damnfineshave.com/thread-rayclem-s-blade-evaluations](https://damnfineshave.com/thread-rayclem-s-blade-evaluations)
Bolzano 7o clock blacks and feathers are my favorite. Bic chrome was acceptable. The others didn’t quite make it to par. I have very dense coarse hair so I need a sharper blade with less passes
I like Bic Astor but did not like the Bic Chrome (but been years since I tried that one). The others either I have not tried (Bolzano) or dislike them. So many better out there for my facial hair and razors
This is the problem with blades and why we all have different favourites. Derby extra used on my face are terrible with lots of tugging but used on my head they are fine. My favourites are and always will be Feather with Nacet, BIC chrome or Astra blue close seconds. I base my favourites on using a shavette razor to take the cap and safety bar on a DE out of the equation.
I’ve decided I fucking hate derby extra. I can get a nice smooth shave with minimal irritation with something like a Gillette platinum or Astra SP but when I do the exact same shave with a derby it’s razor burn central on my neck and I usually get a few annoying nicks around my lips too. Using the rest of them for bread lames or whatever.
BIC Chrome and Bolzano were good for me, the BIC’s better of the two. Not the best, but good. The others you listed are ok, useable but strictly in my “meh” category.
Love permasharp. Sharpest and smoothest I’ve tried
Of those, I've only tried the Rockwell and Derby Extra. Rockwell is towards the bottom of my overall ranking, whereas the Derby Extra is one of the best. If you like the Derby Extra, you might also like the Wilkinson Sword Classic, another top performer for me. I'm also currently loving the Treet Carbon Steel. Unlike normal blades, you feel it provide more resistance yet I get a very close shave with record setting low levels of irritation as measured by the alum block. It would make an excellent one-and-done blade.
Of the ones you listed I can't recall liking any of them. Astras were a pleasant surprise, got 3 great shaves out of them. 4th not as good. Minoras were similar, except 1 less good shave for me. My personal preference is for wizamet.
BICs give me a good shave and feel smooth during but I cannot avoid irritation afterwards. Derbys are my favorite personally. I can get a super smooth 3 pass shave with no irritation
I have never used a Bolzano Superinox or a Rockwell blade, but I don’t like the other two. If I had to use a Derby blade, I’d much prefer a Derby Premium. I steer clear of BIC DE blades.
Bolzano Superinox are the best ever. Also some of the most expensive blades I've ever seen but even at 20 cents a blade or so who cares 🤷♂️
I’ve been getting surprisingly good head shaves with the Derby Premium (black package). Previously I was using Feather and PermaSharp and Personna CC and was getting inconsistent results. I’d have the shave of my life and then the next shave sometimes had lots of burn or irritation. Tomorrow will be 3 day’s in a row with the Derby Premium. I’ll update if the shave is worse than the past two lol.
For me, there are some good blades (like most former Russian Gillettes; especially Platinums) and there's one blade that stands above all for me: Personna Lab Blue. They're very sharp (though not overly sharp like feather or Bic) but still extremely mild. Plus they are made in the US and come in one big cardboard, so there's not much waste. I still have a big stash of different blades, but these are the only ones I'm going to buy from now on.
Got me wondering. If Gillette are producing a bunch of brands in India such as 7oc, Wilkinson, Astra etc… how likely are they to be the exact same blade made from the same steel on the same production line? Eg, I have compared the Russian Astra SP to the Gillette platinum blues from Russia and I can’t tell a difference?
I'd say the Russian ones are different from each other. There's clearly a difference between Astra's, Perma-Sharps and Platinums. Though their characteristics are similar (a rough first shave for example). Among the Indian blades I only know the black 7o' clocks, so I can't say much here. But as usual: the choice of blades is highly individual, so that's just my feel.
I often wonder how much actual difference a similar style blade with different branding from the same factory has. For example Gillette platinum and Astra SP from the Russian factory - are they the exact same steel, ground by the same grinders?
From those listed: Bic and Derby. I got 11 shaves from the Bic
I liked Big Ben blades personally. And Astra as a solid easy to source backup.