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Bogeyman

Bogeyman

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The best treatise I've read on modern blades:

gilletteadjustable.com

Razor Blade Evolution - Gillette Adjustable Razors

Gillette Razor Blades in the Adjustable Era UPDATE Research on why razor blades dull from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aug 6, 2020. Patents have been applied for which will allow for the manufacture of blades which provide more homogeneity by compressing the steel at the blade edge...
gilletteadjustable.com gilletteadjustable.com
 
Proper prep! With all the talk about blades, it's good to see that stated strongly.

I liked this "all the talk about needing super sharp blades is fiction - a PTFE coating is superior to extra sharpness as sharp pointy edges wear down quicker" which fits well with my understanding of "sharp enough". What I call an honest, no-frills stainless blade that is "sharp enough" and "smooth enough" meets the standard for a good shave. If that blade has a super-glide, then it elevates above that standard as a great shave, while an empirically sharper blade simply feels "harsh".

It's all in the coating. Once the coating has diminished the blade is rendered ineffective and that feeling of tugginess that is often ascribed to the blade dulling is actually the diminished coating.
 
pjgh said:
So, given there's a scientifically proven process ... and presumably every manufacturer does this, or they'd have no market (sharp/smooth) why is there such a difference in blade feel?
Click to expand...

There really isn't IMO when using top shelf blades, good prep and the same soap/cream. The issue usually is people bouncing around using different crap every day IMO. When is the last time you've used the same razor & soap for a week? The exception of course being the "cult" of MWF users who are mental anyway. :whistle: :giggle:

P.S. Did you notice in the article his insinuation, although actually unstated, that Gillette probably doesn't make all those "different" blades? :sneaky:
 
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Bogeyman said:
The issue usually is people bouncing around using different crap every day IMO. When is the last time you've used the same razor & soap for a week?
Click to expand...
Actually @Bogeyman , that's partly why stopped posting SOTDs - I'm now SOTWing and trying to keep same setup for the working week. And you're correct - my face is thanking me for it!

And stay away from those MWF crazies - they're a baaaahd influence ;)
 
pjgh said:
So, given there's a scientifically proven process ... and presumably every manufacturer does this, or they'd have no market (sharp/smooth) why is there such a difference in blade feel?
Click to expand...
I mean between blades ...

I can use a Treet Platinum today, tomorrow, next week, next year and I'll know what I'm in for ... regardless of soap, brush and razor combo. Likewise, I last used a PolSilver maybe 5 years ago and considered it harsh, if not horrific; tried again within the last couple of months to find the same face feel.

Do we not also find a VERY broad generalisation that folks who say the don't like one set of blades tend to like another set. Or rather, someone might say "if you like x then you'll like y"? Yes, there are ones and twos that don't quite fit that rule.
 
pjgh said:
...Do we not also find a VERY broad generalisation that folks who say the don't like one set of blades tend to like another set. Or rather, someone might say "if you like x then you'll like y"? Yes, there are ones and twos that don't quite fit that rule.
Click to expand...

Yes & no. Clear?
 
The problem with this treatise is that damn gif at the beginning which is so mesmerising as to quadruple the time it takes to read!

"The noble metals however flake off carrying away the PTFE coating and therefore need to be alloyed with denser metals. The winner, as far as Gillette was concerned when all factors were considered was Platinum-chromium alloys applied to stainless steel - not Iridium, Tungsten or Titanium which can be or was seen marketed by other companies - and not carbon steel either."

I wonder if there's a Iist or chart of such blades, including non-Gillette, for the perusal of newbs like me. It seems that the name of a blade doesn't always give away this infirmation.
 
It would be interesting to read the actual research papers rather than just patent applications.
I tried looking them up on Google Scholar, but got no relevant hits.

Does anyone know whether they're actually available anywhere?
 
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