Personna just not for me

Mike Smart

Mike Smart

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6 months ago my de journey started & the first blade i used was the personna, i read all the hype & reviews and decided to get just about every blade i could get my hands on. cut a long story short i cut my face to bits on every shave that week but obviously i put it down to technique.
6 months later i have tried blade number two & same thing, weepers galore.
on my third pass atg i can actually hear & feel it struggling if that makes sence.
i'll use it again in a day or so to see how i get on with a second shave but think i'm concluding they are not for me unfortunately.
 
I've tried Meds & Labs in everything from the Gillette New, Tech, later Tech, really late Tech, PAL, Personna, Souplex, R89, R41, 37C ... I find then rough from the off, maybe one passable shave and then just raw, despite being empirically sharp still.

This review of the Lab is quite telling: https://www.refinedshave.com/personna-comfort-coated-lab-blue-razor-blade-review/

Sharpness of 48 from new is pretty damn rough! Straight to 37 after the first shave is about right - it really brightens up when run over the skin. The second shave is probably the best, benefitting from a good face stropping through the first (rough) shave. Despite continual sharpness being quite sharp (under 40, according to this test), they just don't feel good.

Other folks love 'em and that what's great about this ... there's blades for us all.

While I'm usually a single edge shaver (yes, with Personna manufactured GEM brand), when it comes to DE, I'm a Treet fellow - DuraSharps for that satisfying feeling, Platinum for a run of consistent shaves and 7 Day (just trying my first blade now) for a stunningly smooth shave!
 
I find the USA made Lab Blue to be a good blade, but I'm not a fan of the Israeli ones I've tried, the Tomy might be one of the worst blades I've used though. Blades are an incredibly YMMV thing and IMO it's best to find ones which suits you irrespective of good or bad reviews.

pjgh said:
While I'm usually a single edge shaver (yes, with Personna manufactured GEM brand), when it comes to DE, I'm a Treet fellow - DuraSharps for that satisfying feeling, Platinum for a run of consistent shaves and 7 Day (just trying my first blade now) for a stunningly smooth shave!
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I think Treet blades are underappreciated, I'd rather use one a yellow Durasharp than some other ones of a greater reputation. IMO some subcontinent blades are up there with the best.
 
I have never really been cut by any modern stainless coated DE blade whereas it was not my fault, either by inadvertent pressure, faulty technique or years ago when I tried razors too "aggressive" for my face. If you are being cut to ribbons it ain't the blade.
 
I've never gotten on with the Personna Platinum Chrome blades either. Russ has kindly given me some of the German made version to try. It will be interesting to see if these are any better.
 
Personna Lab Blues and Med Prep are my favourite blades with my AS-D2 which just goes to show how blade preference is very personal. I also find Polsilver Super Iridium blades to work well.
 
Well, we now know who we can send our unwanted Personna blades to @NeilJ ... curious you mention PolSilver as a good 'un being a Personna liker; I really don't like them either - 3 star for me, which is down there with Derby and Merkur!

You mention the AS-D2, as did @Mike Smart, which is interesting. I might have suggested there is a specific/type of razor, say a mild one which might make these blades sing. I think I got the best out of them in the Star/Treet/Personna razor, which is a "mild" razor but more importantly has a very slight blade presentation which translates as a mild shave. No blade chatter. I think the AS-D2 is similar.
 
I am rather uncomplicated when it comes to razors and blades, just keep on mowing, no cuts, no weepers, no irritation, it is a shave, no more, no less...
 
I like the Lab Blues , Med Preps (Personally to me they are the same as the Lab Blue) , I never liked the Israels but I do like the new German one.

The Blade I can never get along with is the Permasharp , I have tried lots of times but I find whatever it is I am doing with them I nick myself, have often thought maybe it needs a different angle that I don't get right.
 
I used to like personna reds. A few years ago, something happened as they just weren't the same and were giving me bad shaves. I'd recently found an old box with the blades still in the red wrappers, I'm going to try those again. I moved on and I'm still looking for a worthy replacement.
 
RussellR5555 said:
I like the Lab Blues , Med Preps (Personally to me they are the same as the Lab Blue) , I never liked the Israels but I do like the new German one.

The Blade I can never get along with is the Permasharp , I have tried lots of times but I find whatever it is I am doing with them I nick myself, have often thought maybe it needs a different angle that I don't get right.
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I find the Permasharp to be incredibly sharp and like with other blades I like (eg 7 Black) I find it takes a few shaves to get to it's best and for those shaves I pair the blade with the mildest heads I own, eg Souplex Bakelite before using it in a Tech.

But, if that's too much bother then it's not worth the trouble especially when there are is almost an infinity of blades out there!
 
donnie_arko said:
I find the Permasharp to be incredibly sharp and like with other blades I like (eg 7 Black) I find it takes a few shaves to get to it's best and for those shaves I pair the blade with the mildest heads I own, eg Souplex Bakelite before using it in a Tech.

But, if that's too much bother then it's not worth the trouble especially when there are is almost an infinity of blades out there!
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@Boycie83 sent me some 7 O'clock Blacks and I love those. That might be it maybe I am trying to use them in too aggressive a razor.
 
RussellR5555 said:
@Boycie83 sent me some 7 O'clock Blacks and I love those. That might be it maybe I am trying to use them in too aggressive a razor.
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The 7 Black's probably my favourite blade, but crikey it's one I have to pay attention to! A little negligence and there'll be a blood bath! I might be alone but I find a few Indian Gillettes to be up there with the best (Gillette Wilk Sword, 7 Black and Winner Platinum).
 
pjgh said:
ell, we now know who we can send our unwanted Personna blades to @NeilJ ... curious you mention PolSilver as a good 'un being a Personna liker; I really don't like them either - 3 star for me, which is down there with Derby and Merkur!
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By all means send me your Personna blades, ha. I tried about 25 different blades in the AS-D2 and it was a close call between the Lab Blues/Med Prep and Polsilver SI, I was getting about 9 two pass shaves out of the Personna's so that swung it their way for me. Having said that I've not picked up my DE for over a month as I'm loving my Feather Artist Club SS too much.
 
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