RayClem's Blade Evaluations

Durablade 7 a.m. Plus Hi Platinum

Samah Razor Blades Industries Ltd. Is a razor blade manufacturer in Bangladesh. They were established in 1962, which is a few years before the first coated stainless steel blades were available. Thus, they know a few things about making razor blades.

Samah sell blades worldwide under the Durablade moniker with the brands being: Sharp, 7 a.m., ABEST, KOI, Champion, and Clifton.The blades are labeled as Swiss Quality or Swiss Steel. Swiss Quality is an indication that they have a technical collaboration with Swiss engineers. I believe they use Swiss stainless steel in their blades. The manufacturing facility also has ISO 9001:2000 certification, insuring consistent quality.

Marketing can be a little confusing as I have seen some blades labeled as Sharp 7 a.m and some as just Durablade 7 a.m. Also, some say Hi Platinum and others say Super Platinum. I have no idea if there is any difference in the blades. Obviously, the 7 a. m. name is similar to the Gillette 7 O’Clock branding.

I have used the 7 a.m. blades previously as part of a sampler pack. However, that was so long ago, I do not remember how the blade performed. The blade I am evaluating is from a newly purchased 100 blade pack. Thus, I am hoping they perform well. I also have some Durablade Sharp Hi Titanium blades which are among my favorites. They will be evaluated later in the series.

My Thursday morning shave started out with the Astra Superior Platinum blade I used for the last evaluation. The blade still exhibited mediocre performance with neither the sharpness, nor smoothness I desire. After a few strokes, I placed a new 7 a.m blade in the razor.

The quality of the shave improved dramatically with the 7 a.m blade. While the blade did not glide through my two-day beard growth on the 1st pass, there was very little resistance. Also the blade feel was very smooth. I began to anticipate a great shave. I had no fear of irritation when using buffing strokes and I was not concerned about nicks or weepers. When I completed my four-pass shave, I had a near BBS shave. When applying witch hazel, I had very minor feedback, but no irritation.

I rated Durablade a7 a.m Plus High Platinum as sharpness 4.5 and smoothness 4.5. I easily could use the Durablade 7 a.m Hi Platinum blades as a daily shaver with no regrets. Since the blades sell for $12 when purchased in a 100 blade bulk pack, they represent a great value. I don’t know why these blades do not receive far more publicity. They are definitely “sleepers”, at least here in the USA. The 7 a.m. blades join my list of favorite blades.

Next up: Gillette branded Wilkinson Sword blades made in India.

Just a reminder. All of the evaluations todate are summarized in an Excel spreadsheet. I will add results as each blade is evaluated. The spreadsheet can be found here:

Corrected link:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wy...qo8eb&dl=0


For those who have not viewed or downloaded the spreadsheet, some useful comments can be found in post #101 in this thread. This post can be found at the top of page #11.

Just a reminder. All of the evaluations todate are summarized in an Excel spreadsheet. I will add results as each blade is evaluated. The spreadsheet can be found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wy...qo8eb&dl=0

For those who have not viewed or downloaded the spreadsheet, some useful comments can be found in post #101 in this thread. This post can be found at the top of page #11.

Link isn't working for me. Not sure if I'm the only one. I get an invalid link.

Link isn't working for me. Not sure if I'm the only one. I get an invalid link.

Thanks for letting me know. I tried copying the link from the earlier post rather than from Dropbox. Unfortunately, the copy/paste did not include the entire link. I have corrected it in the post above and repeat it again here. I apologize for the inconvenience. This should work.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wy...qo8eb&dl=0

Link isn't working for me. Not sure if I'm the only one. I get an invalid link.

Thanks for letting me know. I tried copying the link from the earlier post rather than from Dropbox. Unfortunately, the copy/paste did not include the entire link. I have corrected it in the post above and repeat it again here. I apologize for the inconvenience. This should work.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/71ttt15wy...qo8eb&dl=0

Cool, glad I could help. I got it now. Thanks!

Gillette Wilkinson Sword - India

Wilkinson Sword is one of the oldest brands in shaving. The company was founded in England by William Nock in 1772, a few years before the Yanks started their rebellion against King George. Fifty years later in 1824, Henry Wilkinson assumed management if the company and began making swords. A name change was in order. In 1898, Wilkinson received a patent for the Pall Mall Roller Safety Shaver, one of the earliest safety razors. In 1962, they introduced the stainless steel razor blade, which took the shaving world by storm. Gillette followed with their own stainless steel blades soon thereafter.

The Wilkinson Sword brand can be confusing. Wilkinson Sword blades used to be manufactured in UK and elsewhere within the British Empire. They were also made in Solingen, Germany. They are no longer made in UK.

Edgewell Personal Care owns the Wilkinson Sword trademark in Europe and North America, along with the Personna and Schick brands worldwide. Edgewell makes Wilkinson Sword Classic blades in their factory in Solingen, Germany. I will evaluate these blades later in the series.

Gillette owns rights to the brand in other parts of the world. They manufacture blades labeled as Gillette Wilkinson Sword in India. I understand the blades can also be made in China. The blade I have were made in India and were purchased a few years ago.

I find a big difference in quality between the Edgewell Wilkinson Sword Classics made in Germany and the Gillette branded one made in India. I have not tried the ones made in China.

I started the shave with the Durablade 7 a.m. Plus Hi Platinum blade in the razor. Once again, it performed quite well.
When I put the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blade in the razor. I soon noticed an increase in blade resistance with my two-day beard growth. There was no tugging, but the resistance was quite noticeable. The Gillette “Wilkies” are mid-sharp, which is ideal for shavers who do not have tough beards. Unfortunately, I experienced some irritation from the shave, both due to blade feel during the shave and significant feedback when I applied witch hazel after the shave. I did some buffing strokes but was only able to achieve a DFS. The blades were not sharp enough to achieve near-BBS, which is my goal.

Thus, based on the results of this shave, the Gillette branded Wilkinson Sword blades from India rate 3.5 sharpness and 3.5 smoothness. Based on prior experience with these blades, they do not become significantly sharper or smoother during subsequent shaves. For those who value consistency, they are ideal. Since these blades can be purchased for $10 per 100 blades from Amazon, they represent a good value for those who do not need sharper blades. I find them to be a slight upgrade from Astra SP at a similar price.

Results have been added to the spreadsheet.

Since I have yet to evaluate some of the sharpest blades, I have decided to pick Feather Hi-Stainless as the next review. It has a legendary reputation as the sharpest blade out of the wrapper, but that comes with some potential disadvantages.

Feather Hi-Stainless – JATAI Japan

Since I have yet to review a DE razor blade that rated a 5 on sharpness, I decided that Feather Hi-stainless blades would be the next in the series. Feather blades have a reputation for being the very sharpest DE razor blades out of the wrapper. However, because the edge is so sharp, it is also rather brittle. This is somewhat of a conundrum. Those who have less-tough beards might not need the sharpness of Feather blades. Those who have tough beards and love super sharp blades might only get a few good shaves before the blade deteriorates. I have found that the best use of these blades is to use them in a mild razor for ATG and clean-up passes. In that situation, the Feather blades can last a long time.
For those who own a razor that they consider to be too inefficient, Feather blades can improve the efficiency of nearly any razor. Be careful not to use the blades in a razor that is too aggressive for your skill level as they can and will draw blood. While I was able to use them in my Karve C-plate, I would be reluctant to use them in my Muhle R41. They should be a wonderful match for my Timeless 0.68 Titanium.

Although Feather blades come in various packaging colors and configurations, it is my understanding that Feather only produces one blade. Also, while the blades are labeled Hi-stainless, I understand that the blades have a platinum coating. Many years ago, they sold separate stainless and platinum blades, but that is no longer the case.

I started the shave with a Gillette branded Wilkinson Sword (India) blade in the razor on its second use. As expected, it was barely sharp enough for my two-day beard.
After a few strokes with the Wilkie, I replaced it with the Feather. The initial strokes with the blade were somewhat disappointing. The blade was only mid-sharp. However, after a few strokes, the blade began to glide through my beard with minimal resistance like I anticipated. Feather lived up to its legendary reputation as a super sharp blade. However, because the edge is so thin, you have to be careful with the shave angle and pressure. The blade can cause nicks, weepers and irritation, it your technique is lacking or your razor is too aggressive. I did not lose any blood during the shave, but there were a few times I felt like I was about to nick myself. I had to pay close attention to my technique.

As might be expected with a blade as sharp as Feather, I was able to get a near-BBS shave. However, when I applied witch hazel after the shave, I got significant feedback. The blade gets a initial rating of 4 on smoothness.

While the Feather blade receives an initial rating of 5 sharpness based on the first shave, it is one of the few blades that loses sharpness during the first shave. Most other blades either get sharper or stay the same throughout the first few shaves. Feather is not one of them. Thus, I need to complete a second shave with this blade before assigning a final rating. I will not update the spreadsheet until after I complete Wednesday’s shave.

Update- Feather Hi-Stainless- Japan

As indicated in the post immediately above, my first shave with the Feather blade was close, but not quite as comfortable as I would like. Thus, I wanted to wait until after a second shave before rating them.

On the second shave, the blade was not quite as sharp as on the first shave, but still plenty sharp enough to get the job done. I did not have an concerns about nicks or weepers during this shave. I still was able to achieve a near-BBS shave. When applying witch hazel, I still got some feedback, but less than from the previous day.

On the first shave, I rated the blade 5 sharpness and 4 smoothness. For the second shave, I rated the blade 4.5 sharpness and 4.5 smoothness. For the overall rating, I will average these two results to give 4.75 sharpness and 4.25 smoothness. That is an excellent result. Unfortunately, these blades cost $50 per 100 blades, one of the more expensive blades available. Thus, unless you have a need for the sharpness of Feather, they are not a great value. There are other blades that cost less that can provide similar results.

I only evaluated the blades for two shaves. The last time I tried using a Feather blade for more than two shaves, it became so harsh during the third shave that I had to replace the blade before I could complete the shave. I have heard similar reports from other shavers who have tough beards. Thus, if you have a tough beard and sensitive skin, you might want to avoid Feather blades as I have chosen to do.

The next blade to be evaluated is one of my favorites, the Dorco Prime Platinum STP301. While not quite as sharp as Feather, I find it to be both sharp and smooth and very affordable. In the past Dorco has received many negative reviews. Dorco is a Korean company that formerly made blades in Korea. However, a few years ago, they opened a state of the art factory in Vietnam. The Prime blades are the premier blade from that factory and are worth consideration.

Update- Feather Hi-Stainless- Japan

As indicated in the post immediately above, my first shave with the Feather blade was close, but not quite as comfortable as I would like. Thus, I wanted to wait until after a second shave before rating them.

On the second shave, the blade was not quite as sharp as on the first shave, but still plenty sharp enough to get the job done. I did not have an concerns about nicks or weepers during this shave. I still was able to achieve a near-BBS shave. When applying witch hazel, I still got some feedback, but less than from the previous day.

On the first shave, I rated the blade 5 sharpness and 4 smoothness. For the second shave, I rated the blade 4.5 sharpness and 4.5 smoothness. For the overall rating, I will average these two results to give 4.75 sharpness and 4.25 smoothness. That is an excellent result. Unfortunately, these blades cost $50 per 100 blades, one of the more expensive blades available. Thus, unless you have a need for the sharpness of Feather, they are not a great value. There are other blades that cost less that can provide similar results.

I only evaluated the blades for two shaves. The last time I tried using a Feather blade for more than two shaves, it became so harsh during the third shave that I had to replace the blade before I could complete the shave. I have heard similar reports from other shavers who have tough beards. Thus, if you have a tough beard and sensitive skin, you might want to avoid Feather blades as I have chosen to do.

The next blade to be evaluated is one of my favorites, the Dorco Prime Platinum STP301. While not quite as sharp as Feather, I find it to be both sharp and smooth and very affordable. In the past Dorco has received many negative reviews. Dorco is a Korean company that formerly made blades in Korea. However, a few years ago, they opened a state of the art factory in Vietnam. The Prime blades are the premier blade from that factory and are worth consideration.

I definitely agree. Feather may be one of, if not the sharpest, blades I have used. I can, however, get the same results I desire from many other, very less expensive blades.

metal_shavings 

If you do not mind naming names, which more affordable blades have you found that can give overall results similar to Feather, even if they are not quite as sharp?