How do you test blades?

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65
I'm wondering how you guys go about testing blades.
I have a current favourite (perma sharp) which is my benchmark.
I have a few shaves with my favourite to familiarise myself with the standard. Then have a few shaves with the test blade, with my normal day to day lather then my treat lather to see if there's an improvement.
Then back to my favourite blade as a comparison.
How do you do it?


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My (loose) criteria to judge blade performance.

- efficiency: several days growth vs. daily shaving
- smoothness: first experience on the blade vs the follow-up shaves
- longevity

If I don't fuss about comparing, they all feel the same to me. I'm guessing it's all smaller nuances rather than night and day differences.
 
In this order:
Is it comfortable to use? Y/N.
Does it effectively remove stubble? Y/N.
Does it meet both of the previous for an acceptable number of shaves? Y/N.

If a blade meets all three of those it's a good one.

As @Count of Undolpho wisely mentioned, this is done using a known razor and soap. Razor is whichever I use most and testing soap is usually Palmolive as it's consistenly excellent.
 
As @Count of Undolpho wisely mentioned, this is done using a known razor and soap. Razor is whichever I use most and testing soap is usually Palmolive as it's consistenly excellent.

You silver tongued hussy you!
I would reiterate the use at least 5 blades to adequately judge performance. I've been caught out by how much a slight change in angle can alter a blades ability. It can be a microscopic change that you don't even realise you have made but it can still mean shaving with the third or fourth blade is far different from your first experience. I consider it to be one of the reasons some blades suit some razors for some users - their angles work together with the technique being used.
 
Today I'll try the Baili Platinum+ blades and see if they tear my face. Cloud (also Chinese made) were as good as the Astra SP and Gillette Silver Blue for me. Planning on buying 100 pack in the future.

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Got a nice shave with the Baili Platinum+. Blade is not too thin, same as the Astras. Chatter is not an issue in my 3 piece razors, but people with Merkur Vision and Muhle R41 might appreciate thicker and stiffer blades.

Shaved with no tugging or irritation, no allergy from the coating, just a smooth shave. Since all my fears are alleviated, I will use Baili blades in the more efficient Fatip razors. :)

 
Second shave on the Baili Platinum+ blade, now loaded in the Fatip Grande razor. As expected from a coated blade, it shaved better on the second go. Simply flawless performance. On par and even smoother than the Astra SP and Gillette Silver Blue I'm using in rotation.

I'll buy different Baili blades and test them and report back. ;)
 
Chuck them in a razor, and use, I then do a short write up on a spreadsheet, it covers overall what I feel and I grade the shave, it has shown that the combinations can vary drastically between razor and blade, still there have been a couple that have gone straight into the bin where multiple blades have gave extremely poor results.
 
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