My Top 10 Razor Blades: Sharpest to Mildest
How’s it going? These are my ten favorite double-edge safety razor blades. I decided to order them sharpest to mildest, which honestly made this harder than I expected. There are another ten runners-up I could have put on this list. After 10-plus years and more blades than I can count, I’ve enjoyed almost all of them. We’ll get into that. This is also a giveaway video, so stick around.
1. Feather
Feathers are the sharpest blade I regularly reach for. I use them a lot, especially in medium to mild razors. If you want efficiency without the razor doing all the work, Feathers get you there.
2. Bic Platinum
Here’s something I’ve noticed with Bic Platinums: they don’t come out of the box as sharp as a Kai. But after two or three shaves, they start climbing. By shave five or six, they’re close to Feather territory. I’d put them right on par with a Kai at that point. That kind of progression is unusual. Worth knowing before you judge them after the first shave.
3. Kai
Right out of the box, Kai is the sharpest of the three at the top of this list. If you follow my content, you know I lean on Kai and Feather blades a lot. Kai gives you that Japanese sharpness immediately.
4. Platinum Strangelet by Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements
This one was hard to place. The whole list was hard. But number four goes to one of my regulars: the Platinum Strangelet from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements.
I was talking with Douglas the other day, and when he set out to create this blade, he wanted something that took the smoothness of a Russian blade combined with the efficiency and sharpness of a Japanese blade. I have never found a bad razor for the Strangelet. Not one. And at $17 for a hundred, it’s a bargain.
Fair warning: this blade gets a split reaction. Some guys love it, some can’t get along with it. I land firmly in the love camp. But that’s actually what my whole blade philosophy is about, and we’ll get to that in a minute.
5. Gillette Platinum
I’ve been using Gillette Platinums since nearly day one of my wet shaving journey. A blade I come back to again and again. Consistent. Reliable. Number five.
6. Bolzano
One of my absolute favorites. I reach for it a lot. The Bolzano has earned a permanent spot in rotation.
7. Sputnik
Sputnik blades are so smooth. Like the Strangelet, I have yet to find a bad razor for a Sputnik. They pair well across the board.
8. Tiger Superior Platinum
I like the Tiger Platinum too, but I reach for the Tiger Superior Platinum more. Pick these up on Amazon and you can usually get 100 for under $10. Hard to argue with that.
9. Treat Platinum
So smooth. I use several blades from the Treat lineup, but the Treat Platinum is the one I come back to most.
10. Lord Extra
Last on the list, still a solid blade. Lord Extras carry a PTFE coating, which contributes to their smooth, forgiving feel on the face.
The blade philosophy
After 10-plus years and a whole lot of blades, here’s what I believe: there are no bad blades. It’s like a pair of shoes. You can have the most comfortable, expensive shoes in the world, but if they don’t fit your feet, you’re going to be miserable. Razor blades work the same way.
When I get a new razor, I try whatever blade it comes with first. Then I work through different blades in that razor over time. And when a new blade comes out, like the Filosos recently or the new AccuForge, I try to find the razor it pairs with. Every blade has a razor it works well in. I really believe that.
If you own a lot of razors the way I do, make a game of it. Pair blades to handles. Dig out something you haven’t touched in a year and try a new blade in it.
For new wet shavers: don’t start with a Feather. If you already bought a pack of Feathers, had a rough experience, and put them in a drawer, that’s fine. Set them aside for a year. Pull one out every so often and try it in a new razor. You might find that a Feather works great in something you pick up later. I still use Derby Extras occasionally. They’re not my favorite blade. But I get a good shave from them. I have never found a blade I couldn’t use, and when one gives me trouble, I make a game of finding the right handle for it.
It doesn’t matter which blade you love. Take it, wear it, wear it proudly. Take care, and I’ll see you in the next one.
It’s the little big things!