SuperMax fans - is it my razor that's wrong?

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354
I have used a few SuperMax blades, and have yet to find one that agrees with me. There have been better and worse amongst them, and none have been truly unusable, but none (not even Blue Diamonds) have been anything other than bottom-tier for me. They all seem prickly to my face.

It seems to be universally agreed that blades are the most YMMV part of the hobby, but also that different blades suit different razors, so maybe it's that that's the problem - I always use a Wilkinson Sword (plastic) Classic razor for initial blade evaluation. Would I have more luck using a Tech/DE89/something exotic?

I'm hoping I can find a solution soon, not least because I have another batch inbound (including the Ninja blades @pjgh seems so taken by). Can you help?
 
I have used a few SuperMax blades, and have yet to find one that agrees with me. There have been better and worse amongst them, and none have been truly unusable, but none (not even Blue Diamonds) have been anything other than bottom-tier for me. They all seem prickly to my face.

It seems to be universally agreed that blades are the most YMMV part of the hobby, but also that different blades suit different razors, so maybe it's that that's the problem - I always use a Wilkinson Sword (plastic) Classic razor for initial blade evaluation. Would I have more luck using a Tech/DE89/something exotic?

I'm hoping I can find a solution soon, not least because I have another batch inbound (including the Ninja blades @pjgh seems so taken by). Can you help?
Try in another razor but remember not all blades work for all people, good luck.


Paul.
 
I have used a few SuperMax blades, and have yet to find one that agrees with me. There have been better and worse amongst them, and none have been truly unusable, but none (not even Blue Diamonds) have been anything other than bottom-tier for me. They all seem prickly to my face.

It seems to be universally agreed that blades are the most YMMV part of the hobby, but also that different blades suit different razors, so maybe it's that that's the problem - I always use a Wilkinson Sword (plastic) Classic razor for initial blade evaluation. Would I have more luck using a Tech/DE89/something exotic?

I'm hoping I can find a solution soon, not least because I have another batch inbound (including the Ninja blades @pjgh seems so taken by). Can you help?

I've used a few Supermax Blades and my experiences are often close to yours with a few of those I have used, and even the best performing one I own Blue Diamond Platinum seems to work in one Gillette Tech (and not the others) and is ok in a few Yaqi heads.

However, I'm coming to appreciate that if a blade doesn't work well in one's razor of choice, it can be best to move those blades on.
 
However, I'm coming to appreciate that if a blade doesn't work well in one's razor of choice, it can be best to move those blades on.

I've taken to giving any blade a "second chance" with one other razor before discarding. Shark and Bolzano failed on both, so in the PIF pile, but if I'd not taken this approach then Gillette Yellows and a couple of others would have gone down the same route, rather than becoming regulars. I'm sure once I dial in to one style of razor I'll have less inclination to give borderline blades a reprieve.
 
Supermax blades are just ok nothing special just like sharks to me, blades definitely perform different in different razors but tbh you are better off buying a sample pack of blades to find the one that is right for you alone and the razor your using.
Treat it as prince charming trying to find the right foot for the glass slipper to get the perfect marriage.
 
I think it depends which ...

I tend to find coated blades give me an irritable shave - that's platinum; definitely, chromium, often; titanium, also. Some SuperMax are simple, straight-up stainless, like the Vidyut/SuperMax in the burgundy packaging or the V(idyut)/SuperMax in the blue packaging. Those two, to me, have given very good shaves with both a face feel and regrowth as good as any stainless blades, all without the initial fierceness of some (Gillette, largely) stainless blades.

What I have also found is that there is a tremendous variation across the range, a range which is phenomenally confusing given there are ranges that span across brand names and across epochs. What I do know is that the new-style blades, the ones in the zappy packing with buzzword slogans like "Feel the power of Titanium" and "Now with new sputtered technology" are a significant step up from the older blades, or at least the blades that I believe are older. There are Super Platinum coated blades in those lines that I can tolerate well, where their older counterparts I cannot.

There are a couple of real gems! The Rise Stainless and the (discontinued) SuperMax Super Platinum, to me, are truly excellent. The rest, I could take or leave, but would be happy for the occasional shave with any of them ... with the exception of the old SuperMax Bue Diamond Titanium and the current market SuperMax Blue Diamond Platinum, neither of which I like at all (now).

I probably still have another two or three weeks of SuperMax blades to run through, and even then have not caught all of them ...

At that point, I will try to make sense of all that I've tried and write-up what I think. It'll be more about how I think they fit together - which epoch I think they belong to, which markets and which I think are the same as each other. While I will give my marks out of 10 and point to which I think are the better ones, it is a YMMV thing.

I don't know which you've tried, but these are ones I'd happily recommend:

ACtC-3cFHnuOIex58kOc7dCmJKEr6pKNE4DzN4nmkCYt4Fw49MSouqpFdxuIYewdE11TbswqWxhjSXDRS4l9F-iIK9RfGJDKt8oe0gq0dVyjd-tcPtsO85a1xZbmXV4tX6dlwkkFUxIP4WjZ9GjQrNdqdg135Q=s600
9/10

ACtC-3dtH_vzVf5EPigce9BTNqiqfs9uL7HyxQqOVZ6SeQnfmHFglknvuAF8cALBBJ-mJHSEHAPJtjFNdxKgMAQArFEWY74ICoRagCyQrG7Tz30SqvZ68clYzgMoB6RV90deB5ulpZb4eUQN0SVLgj_LbJP1cw=w300
9/10

ACtC-3cc6vvZAfXEbbzljmErtenM1FZ6adLoOsw2Z1ftoDL7fY7Grk__lDXrw8FKIncCsmnQ9MWquWhUEeMmGLmZdfwaZlzjZsUJg8yyisWuF91D0St6nIN5_VVuCnqgxOy9W1wImxzlQvLkzzOkJK8ZNltHfQ=w600
8.5/10

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8/10

7/10 for me is a good, honest, workable shave.
8/10 is "good" but still not ones I'd want to re-buy.
9/10 we're up to "very good" and blades I would re-buy.
10/10 is my "go to" blades that work for me any time, anywhere, any razor ...

For points of reference from the Gillette brand:
9/10 Gillette Super Thin (Thai)
8.5/10 Gillette Platinum
8/10 Gillette 7 O'Clock PermaSharp (Indian)
8/10 Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (Yellow)
7/10 Gillette 7 O'Clock (Green)
7/10 Gillette London Bridge

... so, it rather depends what you've tried.

Oh, I should say I've been running these through the Muhle Rocca and the RazoRock German Slant, two razors which I'd say were not quite polar opposite but very different to each other.
 
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A lot of good points made, although I had expected someone to make a more emphatic defence!

@pjgh of the 'good' SuperMax blades you've listed I've only tried the last (Super Stainless), but it was a while ago now. - I'd rate all the Gillettes you listed higher except the Super Thins and the 7 O'Clock PermaSharps, because I haven't tried them yet. The only Gillette blade I'd put in the same tier as SuperMax is the made-in-India Gillette Wilkinson Sword (I liked the made-in-China ones).

Hopefully a change of razor will do the trick, or the Ninja blades will work a bit better.
 
Suffice to say, if you try to buy SuperMax from the UK you're likely to find the blue pack above or their counterpart in the burgundy pack. eBay is flooded with them. That said, either of those are (to my skin) perfectly good shaves and I rated the blade(s) to 8/10. The old Platinum of that line is also (still) reasonably easy to come by and that's a horrible shave! Otherwise, it'll be the current market SuperMax Blue Diamond Platinum. Those, or any number of discontinued blades that will continue to be crap.

Sadly, I think the better ones are (a) newer, in a market that's still flooded with old stock; (b) nowhere near as easy to come by.

Try a different razor. I think the point is, they're generally not seethingly sharp and so an aggressive razor might well lead you to draw a very touch light shave that delivers the goods without irritating.

Those Ninja blades, I am VERY certain will pan out to be the SuperMax Super Stainless in the green pack:

ACtC-3dJG55-LDFEGh0Faywu_LIXnUnigkzQqisJ9WeCpqeJRIlr5WCZBRHbU3vHXu4gSMY5P0K7i6p5hlg6iMRJORYLQkcRpQctjt1bNJ7EpAvqah64B5IpZi_uoiid5k1e8bsEbSC7ZCocGaHkYIR3Xy2Pcw=w300
 
Just an off the cuff opinion, but I often question my own intelligence for straying away from tried & true modern Gillette blades. I am 100% sure that nothing else currently made will top them with only the Personna Blue and the Bic DE blades perhaps equaling the aforementioned. But, I also understand the desire to wander off the "reservation" and explore different stuff. :whistle:
 
I'll bite! I know I don't ...

I generally don't like Gillette blades. That old Rhino blade was phenomenal and I am very much of the mind that it has been re-released as the Super Blue. Exception to prove the rule. That rule is generally that the fierceness ruins the first shave and the ever-present threat of getting bitten itself eats into the zen moment of shaving with a fresh blade. I've clicked with Treet and Lord which delivers the same results but with smoothness from the off.

Choice is good.
 
Just an off the cuff opinion, but I often question my own intelligence for straying away from tried & true modern Gillette blades. I am 100% sure that nothing else currently made will top them with only the Personna Blue and the Bic DE blades perhaps equaling the aforementioned. But, I also understand the desire to wander off the "reservation" and explore different stuff. :whistle:

IMO, Russian Gillettes are very consistent blades, not just for QC but consistency in working with various razors/growth and so on, for example there seem to be very few reports of people finding their razors do not work well with Astra SP's and Nacets; and I'd wager they are two of the most popular blades across all the shaving forums I frequent. Both those blades seem to be favoured by users of modern and vintage razors, and efficient and mild razors (and everything in between).

I do not think subcontinent blades including Gillettes are as consistent, but the 7 Black and Winner Platinum right now seem to be my two favourite blades, I find they produce really enjoyable shaves with my Old Type which seems to be a little more finicky for blades than my Fat Handle/Ball End Techs I use also frequently.
 
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