Clobber – Member
Seems they are around…

Not sure until someone can confirm with the factory.

The last time I heard the St Petersburg factory is not producing them anymore was in the process of relocating to China … after that no news or confirmation. Fellow user of Iridium has also spotted many fake ones in the market as does Feathers.

I think i’ll give it a go and report on the quality of the feathers… If I get any… He does have a lot of positive comments on a public forum though so we’ll see…

Currently using these which are quite sharp

Not tried feathers or derby though

Anyone know why the blades have numbers on them? Always wondered….

Clobber – Member
I think i’ll give it a go and report on the quality of the feathers… If I get any… He does have a lot of positive comments on a public forum though so we’ll see…

I am just rather surprised at that price for Polsilver Iridium. My friend told me she bought the last stock from a shop in her hometown for me. According to the shop owner she bought the last stock from them. At one point when Super Iridium was not available many switched to Polsilver because they were Super Iridium packaged as Polsilver for Polish market. After that Polsilver became harded to find … nowadays all new stocks are treated with suspicious i.e. Super Irdium/Polsilver.

As for Feathers I was also told by the seller to watch out for fake ones. The Feathers (black packaging) I got are good.

I think I may have the piss taken for asking this question but here goes! I currently use an electric shaver as the Gillette Mach 3 etcive blades I’ve tried last about 3 shaves and are then useless as my stubble is quite coarse so it was costing a fortune.

Would any of the blades discussed above be any better? My skin tends to get quite red and sore when I wet shave for a few days, any tips or is it down to the blades I’ve been using?

Anyone know why the blades have numbers on them?

probably so you know which side and which way up you’ve used the blade if you are intending to rotate and flip it for extra life.

bash – good prep to soften the beard is a must. I shave only in the shower, and only after 5 minutes of soaking first. I also spend a minute building the lather on my face too to help soften the beard. I have very tough stubble and it needs a good soak. Others may recommend some additive or pre shave gunk, but Ive never tried them.

That alone will probably help even if you are using a disposable razor. But the move to DE is well worth taking.

Stoner – Member

Anyone know why the blades have numbers on them?

probably so you know which side and which way up you’ve used the blade if you are intending to rotate and flip it for extra life.

Apparently the numbers help with quality control if there are any problems with the output from the blade making machines.

Personna were the nicest for me after trying quite a few, decent shave and zero cuts. Figured that out after I’d took delivery of 100 feathers…. ordered gillete 7s but none in stock so they sent more expensive feathers instead. Nice shave but they are super (maybe even a bit too) sharp!

Well thanks to you lot I’ve bought a Edwin Jagger R89 razor, a selection of blades and some Taylor of Old Bond street cream 🙂

After two shaves the results so far are great, some irritation but no where near as much as I used to get from cartridge razors.

Can anyone recommend an ok brush, don’t want to spend more than £20-25 ish.

Cheers

I started on derbys then brought a astras, sharks, and a few others, they were all good , I stayed away from feathers cos I thought they might be too sharp, eventually tried them and have never brought anything else since,

They are justifiably the best, don’t be afraid they won’t feel any different apart from effortlessly superior and give a perfect shave.

CaptainMainwaring – Member
saladdodger – Member
Gillette 7 o’clock sharp for me with a Mhule R89 razor, I found with the feathers it was a bit harsh.
But lets be honest with shaving what suits one person does not necessarily suit another

Exactly the same set up for me. May be my technique but found the 7 o’clock sharp and feathers to be about the same sharpness but the feathers didn’t stay sharp for as many shaves

But on the same score I also have a Mhule R41 and it is a evil razor and I cut myself to bits with it even with the 7o’clock blades

Taylors shop cream is my favourite.

But note that its not the same stuff as whats used in the other pots with smells etc. The plain cream is superior IMO.

Astra’s (pictured above) are my favourite, with a Merkur Futur on setting 2 or 3 its nice and close but nicks are rare, and no burn.

Feathers don’t ‘feel’ sharper, but I find they are just that little bit too close so usually end up with a couple of tiny cuts. I used the remainder of them from a variety pack, when I got some more Astra’s they were definitely an improvement for me.

My skin tends to get quite red and sore when I wet shave for a few days, any tips or is it down to the blades I’ve been using?

Used to get terrible acne and burn for years using Mach3’s, the DE razor literally fixed it within a week or two.

I’m about to take the plunge in to the world of DE shaving. Used to shave with a vintage cut-throat many years ago, but swapped to cartridge razors for practicality. (Ever tried to get a cut-throat through airport security?)

Anyway, found this site Connaught Shaving. They seem to have a good range of brands.

Decisions now between a Merkur 23C or 30C.

Those astras seem odd to me, almost like they are slightly undersized.

Went for the Merkur 23c. It arrived today so I’m about to give it a go. Hopefully I won’t cut my head off.

bigblackshed – Member

Went for the Merkur 23c. It arrived today so I’m about to give it a go. Hopefully I won’t cut my head off.

How did you get on?

The Merkur 23c has the same head as my Merkur 34C and that gives me a pretty damn good shave.

Ho hum – Member
bigblackshed – Member
Went for the Merkur 23c. It arrived today so I’m about to give it a go. Hopefully I won’t cut my head off.

How did you get on?

The Merkur 23c has the same head as my Merkur 34C and that gives me a pretty damn good shave.

I reckon he’s cut his lips off 😀

I was quaking in my slippers.

Actually, all is fine. Really close shave, not a single nick, no razor burn. All good. I did take it really slow and steady. Bluebeards pre-shave oil and Trumpers coconut shaving soap. I used the Merkur supplied blade with no problems. With a bit of practice I should get it a bit closer, although my face looks cleaner shaved than with the cartridges I have been using. Easier to shape round the comedy goatee as well.

Some have said the Merkur blades aren’t very good. Wondering if another blade will give even better results?

I now feel like a real man again.

To those Muhle R89 users that don’t get on with Feather blades I was the same.

Don’t like derby blades just seem to nick lots but the el cheapo personna/israeli blades seem to be good and forgiving. Can be a bit variable though.

Having looked at a few technique tips, tried Feather again using no pressure & holding the razor much further down the handle and it was a massive improvement – single pass and pretty close shave.

Like the Taylors cream I’m using at the moment but actually body shop macca root cream is really surprisingly good.

bigblackshed -I now feel like a real man again

What sort of man were you feeling before 😯

Glad you haven’t cut your face off. I’ve been using one since about November find that the Derby’s have given me the shave so far. Ultras are ok but I found the Feathers (in the yellow wrapper)uncomfortable to use and didn’t like the way my skin felt after using them.

eruptron – Member

bigblackshed -I now feel like a real man again

What sort of man were you feeling before

That doesn’t sound like I meant it to sound. Errrrmmm……….

It feels like I’ve become a man again.

That’s better.

I think I’ll order a sampler pack of different blades. See how they compare. Connaught Shaving where I ordered the Merkur from put a pack of Trent blades in. Should have ordered some samples at the same time. Durrrr.