Veteran B&B members will probably say: it makes no sense to come up with blade reviews without knowing the razor. And they’re right.





I used an ATT open comb razor with an R2 plate for these blade reviews - a moderately aggressive razor. But if you use a milder razor, like a Gillette NEW, you’ll end up different reviews. Keep that in mind when you read this list.





I've compiled a list of blade reviews from several threads. A few people have found the list useful, and I appended it with a few extra reviews. Of course, it’s best to try the blades yourself to confirm (or contradict) my results. The blades are listed roughly from best to worst.



And feel free to chime in with your reactions to these reviews - positive or negative.





I’ve used nearly the same prep for every review - as inspired by Kyle’s impeccable research..

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_pre-shave_prep



I use an ATT razor with an R2 (medium, open comb) plate. I clean and dry the razor and blade after every shave. Soak my face with hot water/lather for three minutes. Lather with one of three soaps: Honeybee soap, Proroso red, Sterling shaving soap, Cold Water Soapworks. There’s not much discernable difference in shaving results. On the first pass, I shave with the grain; on the second, I shave against or lateral to the grain of the beard. Then, I clean up stray whiskers.

EXCELLENT BLADES

VERY, VERY GOOD BLADES

RAPIRA PLATINUM LUX - The Lux is clearly the “class” in the Rapira line. Superior balance of sharpness and smoothness, this effortlessly cuts through beard. The best price is about $11.20 for 100 blades. It’s very similar to the GSB: sharpness is similar, lasts about as long. (And it's about half the price.)

This blade works best with razor that’s mild or moderate in aggression.. The blade easily has enough sharpness to go beyond a week. A very good value.

VERY GOOD BLADES

RAPIRA SUPER STAINLESS - Some may find this a kind shocker: the price is $11 for 100 blades, but the quality is as good as - or slightly better - than the widely beloved Astra. Rapira Stainless may be the low-price leader.

The blade is best during shaves 1 to 3, but will give decent shaves - albeit with some tugging - for three more shaves.

GOOD BLADES

costs only $11 for 100 blades, and its value is certainly a selling point, as is its unerring consistency. You still end up with at least one or two excellent shaves - until the blade starts to lose its edge (around the third shave). The Astra seems to work well with just about every razor, though I found the longevity somewhat lacking.

A relative bargain (about $11 for 100 blades, shipped) that compares favorably with an Astra. It’s best on shaves 1 to 3, though 5 is still decent. The blade loses its edge a little earlier than I’d have expected.

By around the fourth or fifth shave, the initial sharpness is gone, but you can still get satisfactory shaves with a little effort. It’s a good blade; but if the price is close to a Rapira Lux, I’ll pick the latter every time.

The price online is the same as other blades in the same factory - as low as $10 for 100 blades.

DECENT BLADES

THE REST

POOR BLADES