Derby Premium

MarkB said:
OK, tried the Derby Premiums this morning,

Razor: EJ89L
Soap: @phoenixandbeau Albion
Pre: Bloom

Packaging is the same as the Derby Extra's with the exception of the plastic case is a cool looking black. Single wrapped in wax paper. Needless to say that the loading of the blade isn't a problem. :confused:

First pass WTG: It's a smooth blade and I'd say slightly above average on sharpness. No dramas or nicks
Second pass XTG: Another smooth pass, a little clean up around the goatee area and neck but we're done!

Overall:
A great blade! Certainly an improvement on the Derby Extras, and I actually like the Extras. The blade is very smooth, no tugging at all, on the smoothness level it's rate it above Astra SP, maybe of the Nacet's too.

For the price tag I really don't think you could go wrong with this blade. I'm looking forward to using it in the R41, I think it would stand out in that razor! I think it'll be heading to the top part (maybe not top 1) of most peoples blades list, it's certainly in my top 5... Just under the Voskhod?
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That's an excellent "first impressions" review, for which thanks. Perhaps I haven't bought 100 pups after all.
 
I usually use straight razors but for the last couple of months I have been using safety razors mainly Gillette flair tip and slim twist and very occasionally slim adjustable. This morning I used Derby Premium with the Flair tip on three days growth and I have to add this; I got coarse, hard, dense, thick growth around the mouth(goatie) area with the hair getting less dense and patchier and softer on cheeks and lower neck.
I used Valobra cologne scented hard soap in the tub which was recent purchase and I must say it is a good soap as well but bit pricy. Turkish boar brush loaded and face lathered(no pre-shave used). The lather was very thick, creamy, slick and cushony.
I had a 3 pass shave(my usual routine) 1.WTG 2.ATG 3.XTG and I had a perfect, wonderful shave. Rinsed the soap off with warm then cold water and finally Pitralon Classic.
Conclusion: Three days growth with a nice, thick, creamy and slick lather and using a new blade; I can say that I always get a perfect shave. Did Derby Premium played an important role in this shave? I think yes and it performed more like an Astra, Gillette silver blue, Gillette rubie plus and Gillette platinium and green 7 o'clock. I can say that this Derby definitely deserves this 'Premium' label and it is certainly better then normal Derby.
 
Drew71 said:
Interesting. I hate derby blades with a passion but these may be worth a couple of quid to try. Definitely sounds like an improvement over the extras.
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I am not an experienced DE user, however I can safely say that there is a considerably good difference between Derby Premium and Extra.
I think Derby Extra is good for Trade or single use, but Premium is a better blade.
 
MarkB said:
OK, tried the Derby Premiums this morning,

Razor: EJ89L
Soap: @phoenixandbeau Albion
Pre: Bloom

Packaging is the same as the Derby Extra's with the exception of the plastic case is a cool looking black. Single wrapped in wax paper. Needless to say that the loading of the blade isn't a problem. :confused:

First pass WTG: It's a smooth blade and I'd say slightly above average on sharpness. No dramas or nicks
Second pass XTG: Another smooth pass, a little clean up around the goatee area and neck but we're done!

Overall:
A great blade! Certainly an improvement on the Derby Extras, and I actually like the Extras. The blade is very smooth, no tugging at all, on the smoothness level I'd rate it above Astra SP, maybe of the Nacet's too.

For the price tag I really don't think you could go wrong with this blade. I'm looking forward to using it in the R41, I think it would stand out in that razor! I think it'll be heading to the top part (maybe not top 1) of most peoples blades list, it's certainly in my top 5... Just under the Voskhod?
Click to expand...
I will have to try these blades now after reading such a good review , you enabeler you! :)
 
Day 2 Derby test

Razor: EJ89L
Soap: Derby cream
Pre: Hot water

This was a bit of a first. Although I like Derby Extra's I can't use them more than once and I wanted to put this to the test. Especially after this same blade took off 2 days growth yesterday.

The shave was as smooth and comfortable as yesterday. I did get a couple of nicks but that was down more to a lack of concentration at 6am on a Monday morning. Really impressed with this, I don't normally make any blade last more than 3 shaves so tomorrow will be a test.
 
MarkB said:
Day 2 Derby test

Razor: EJ89L
Soap: Derby cream
Pre: Hot water

This was a bit of a first. Although I like Derby Extra's I can't use them more than once and I wanted to put this to the test. Especially after this same blade took off 2 days growth yesterday.

The shave was as smooth and comfortable as yesterday. I did get a couple of nicks but that was down more to a lack of concentration at 6am on a Monday morning. Really impressed with this, I don't normally make any blade last more than 3 shaves so tomorrow will be a test.
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This is good to hear. I always chuck a blade after 3 uses (except today, where an Astra Blue has given two less than sparkling performances in a Blackbird - unusual, as it goes quite well in other razors), so I'm looking forward to trying the Premiums. Can't complain about price at £8 per 100.
If they're really good, I may have a weed-out in the blade drawer, and say "Adios" to various Indian blades that I don't like and which don't like me.
 
matteob said:
Are they a new Derby though? I heard rumours on another forum that it was just re-branding?
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Apparently they are made in Turkey, like the normal Derby blades. I think that ZAZA are the only other ones actually made in Turkey, as Perma-Sharps are, I believe, made in Russia. If the Premiums are indeed made in Turkey, then I can't quite see what blades they'd rebrand and still give that place of manufacture. I hope it's not ZAZA, as the packaging is great but the blades leave something to be desired.
 
MarkB said:
Day 2 Derby test

Razor: EJ89L
Soap: Derby cream
Pre: Hot water

This was a bit of a first. Although I like Derby Extra's I can't use them more than once and I wanted to put this to the test. Especially after this same blade took off 2 days growth yesterday.

The shave was as smooth and comfortable as yesterday. I did get a couple of nicks but that was down more to a lack of concentration at 6am on a Monday morning. Really impressed with this, I don't normally make any blade last more than 3 shaves so tomorrow will be a test.
Click to expand...
Still OK? My package turned up, so I'll be having a go with them soon.

Edit:
I'm impressed with the packaging and wrapping quality of these. The plastic dispensers are very solid, and, on unwrapping a blade, the glueing is minimal. There are the usual 4 spots of glue, but these don't weld to the wrapper too tightly. They're also quite flat, and can be rubbed off with a finger very easily. First try will be tomorrow, in an Ikon X3.
 
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I've tried the Premium out in a Shavecraft X3 with P&B Obsidian soap.

@MarkB 's experience is borne out by mine. It's a smooth blade, not especially sharp, but shaves well on two passes and a touch-up. Being a slant, the X3 is a pretty efficient razor, and it compensates for any lack of sharpness or real "bite" in this blade. I'd therefore say that the Premium will give a reasonable performance in "aggressive/efficient" razors, but I don't think I'd bother using it in a Pils, a Hone or one of the older Gillette Techs or TTOs.

With my extremely limited experience of Derby blades, and that not very impressive, this one is definitely an improvement.

Day 2 Update

I still think this is a pleasant blade to use. However, not being very sharp has led me to use rather more pressure, with some consequent irritation. Musing over this, I remembered that I have the Ikon/Shavecraft Tech head, which I found virtually unusable with any reasonably sharp blade, but this blade may well suit that aggressive razor.
 
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Day 3 of this blade in my X3, with Nanny's Signature Warm Spice and my new Zenith Synt.

I thought that I'd shaved closely yesterday, but this morning's stubble suggests otherwise. Still, 2 passes and some touching-up did the job today, although I feel the blade is noticeably more blunt. It certainly wouldn't do for yet another day, in my book.

My conclusions? That this is a improvement on the other Derby blade; that it's a smooth but not especially sharp blade which works fine in an aggressive razor as long as the temptation for more pressure is resisted. It wouldn't work for me in a mild(ish) razor.

Time to move on to another razor and blade combination, but I'll return to the Premium when I'll try it out in my face-skinning Shavecraft Tech. If it makes that razor usable, I'll be more than happy.
 
Overcome by curiosity, I tried the Premium in my Shavecraft 104 Tech, with a bamboo stainless Windrose handle, Nanny's and a Zenit Synt.

As I expected, the blade works well in this incredibly aggressive razor, and makes it almost usable. However, the Tech is still so vicious that the shave was good in the places where it normally is, but I was too "frit" to go over the usual awkward bits. I found that I was getting feedback on even smooth-feeling areas! This is, of course, all down to the razor, which I think will only ever give me a leisurely and worry-free shaving "experience" if I remove the blade edges on an Arkansas stone so it won't cut at all.

Overall conclusions:-
  • a better blade than the Derby Extra
  • nicely packaged and free from large glue spots
  • smooth, comfortable, but not especially sharp
  • will probably work well for me in a medium-to-high aggressive razor (excluding the Tech) or an adjustable on a higher setting
  • good value for the price
 
I recently bought a tuck just to see what all the hubbub was about. I tested one with Arko soap & the ol' reliable Krona razor and although it's a good blade, great it ain't. I would rate the Astra SP as sharper. That said, I still think that for the money the best combo of sharpness/smoothness is to be found in the Lord Platinum blade.
 
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