Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades - 30 Ct

I had already tried sharper blades such as Personna and Feather, but wound up with irritation despite the close shave. I had also tried duller blades such as Dorco and Derby, which didn't give me irritation but also required me to take multiple passes to cut through my coarse hair. I needed something in the middle and decided to give these blades a shot. I gotta say, they are my new favorites. They're very sharp, only requiring one pass with and one pass against the grain to get everything, and despite their sharpness they're so smooth that it seriously doesn't feel like I shaved at all. I highly recommend them for anyone with coarse hair and sensitive skin. The only negative I can think of is that I only get two shaves (sometimes only one if I wait more than two days between shaves) out of one side before I need to flip sides (thankfully the sides are numbered 1 2 and 3 4 to make this easier), totaling only three to four shaves a blade, but considering how cheap they are and the quality of the blades I really can't complain. As always, however, your mileage may vary depending on your skin and hair type, so be sure to buy a sample pack of different types of blades before choosing one that's​ right for you.

The Astra is one of my favorite double edge blades. It is both sharp (but not as sharp as the Feather yet comfortable and durable. I find myself with far fewer nicks when using the Astra, but it does not get as close as the super sharp Feather. I recommend trying either the Astra or the Gillette 7 o'clock when starting out then comparing the shave to something like the Feather. Value wise the Astra can't be beat. When writing this review I also found a 100-pack on Amazon for $14.00. Incredible deal and blows away any cartridge type of razor can offer. I get about three-four shaves with each blade from the Astra. Then it starts to pull a little too much. No matter what blade you use it is important to let the razor and the blade do the work, and not your hand. Meaning the blade should fall across your skin easily rather than you forcing or pulling the blade across your face.

I'm relatively new to using a safety razor, but I ultimately settled on Astra as my blade of choice after trial and error and a good amount of online research. This maybe isn't the absolute best blade out there, but they seem to be a good choice for beginners. I first tried out these blades from a variety pack (different order), and while they weren't the sharpest, they certainly weren't the dullest, and my face is thankful that I didn't just go for the sharpest blade available. A new blade is sharp enough for me to get the job done, and I usually replace it after two or three shaves, since they start to get dull around that time. So while one day in the future, I might trust myself to "upgrade" to something sharper like Wilkinson Sword or Feather, I'm a happy customer with Astra for now. A bit of extra background info that I've learned and found to be helpful for those who are new to the world of shaving with a safety razor... Some brands of blades are sharper than others. A really sharp blade is *theoretically* great- it will give you a better (smoother, closer, and requiring fewer multiple passes) shave, and blade that's too dull will leave your face irritated, red, and raw (this obviously depends somewhat on your skin type as well). However, a beginner may want to take pause before buying the sharpest brand of blade available, because it requires more care and precision (read: experience) to use if you don't want to massacre your face. I feel like I tried out a good variety of various brands. Some were too dull and left my face burning, and others were too sharp and left me with nicks and cuts. Astra seems to be in the "Goldilocks zone" of these qualities- not too sharp (for my inexperienced hand), not too dull, but just right.

Great blades. Consistent sharpness. I still prefer Feathers, but only by a bit. The Astras are extremely forgiving. I use a 60's Gillette Fat Boy. A fresh Feather usually results in a bit of blood regardless of settings (I tend to use a single blade for 2-3 weeks occasionally shaving my head). The Astra blades allow for much more pressure whilst not drawing blood or cutting as closely - For those just getting into safety razors, especially with a low end setup. These would do better. (I started with an assortment pack of blades and a $12 3-piece razor... I still occasionally use it when my hair is longer. The critical part is making sure the blade is 100% aligned. On my Gillette I just drop in the blade and go.) For comparison - I've got coarse hair and used to press down fairly hard on a 4-5 blade Gillette Mach something razor whilst ripping it back and forth over my head. Usually saw a grimace on the face of anyone that walked by. Overall - Great starter blades that cut smoothly while not digging in. Consistent enough to learn safety razors while being good enough to keep using.

It's hard to imagine how razor blades could work or feel very different from each other, but after spending several months comparing Astra blades to the very highly rated Feather blades, I've come to the conclusion that I really prefer the Astras. The Feathers are, as advertised, extremely sharp. Perhaps too sharp. Though I'm at this point an experienced DS shaver, I live in fear of nicking myself with these blades. They require a very light "feather" touch and a careful stroke. Furthermore, the quality of the shave noticeably diminishes after 3 or 4 uses. The Astra blades, on the other hand, have a gliding quality that inspires confidence. I find I shave faster and with more pressure when using the Astras. I can also get 6 or 7 shaves out of a single blade without any significant drop-off in quality. Plus, they're cheaper and somewhat easier to get out of their paper wrappings than the Feathers. Note, the cardboard boxes that mine came were pretty banged up, unlike the slick plastic boxes that the Feathers came in. But I'm not shaving with the boxes so I don't care.

They're Astra razors. I've used them for years. They're not the best, nor the worst I've used (the best would be Wilkinson Sword Classics. Worst is debatable). But these were terribly packaged in a plastic bag (not even a bubble mailer) and the blades were provided loose as six individual 5-packs (I bought a 30 count). Each of the 5 packs was crushed and the boxes mangled to the point I had to thoroughly check to make sure the blades weren't tampered with and were still packaged. Good razors on a budget but I don't recommend buying them from Razor Blades Club if you can avoid it.

I found these Astra blades to be all that they were reviewed to be, sharp enough to provide a fine shave with my vintage Gillette Super Speed razor without being too aggressive. I made two passes only using a good Williams Mug Soap for lather (which also worked very well), and got a terrific shave. Several shaves later I tried the Wilkinson Sword DE blades and found them quite a bit more aggressive, so I returned to the Astras Platinum blades with better results - for me. The combinations are endless as are the way different faces respond to these combinations, so YMMV more here than you may think. Best advice is to proceed slowly, start finding out what works, and don't be in too big a hurry to change variables without a good reason. After all, the desired result is a good smooooth shave, so once you get to that it's time to stop experimenting - at least for me, I have found my winning combination, and the Astra blades are it. About the only ding that I could suggest is that there is wax or glue on the flat surface of the blades to hold the waxed paper cover in place (just wiped off), and there is no blade safe like Personna gives but these are quibbles. Try the Astras and see what you think.

I am using these blades with a Merkur Safety Razor Model 180. Before I was using the Merkur Double Edge Safety Razor blades, but the Astra blades work much better for me. They are extremely smooth and allow me to get a very close shave without any nicks, cuts or razor burn (zero bleeding in the first week with a brand new blade). In my second week now and still using the first Astra blade. Even my Monday morning stubble (after not shaving Saturday and Sunday) was no problem with this blade, although I had already used it for five shaves last week. Closest shaves I have ever managed to get! Even shaving across or against the grain is no issue for me. I have 30 Astra blades, so they will last me at least a year if not longer. I have not used any other blades besides Merkur and Astra, but for now I believe I have found my favorite blades. I actually look forward to shaving now!

Nice sharp, but not overly sharp blades. Smooth and comfortable. More forgiving than Feather blades.

These blades are fantastic for my skin type & coarse hair. No nicks or irritation, cut through 3 days of growth with no problem. For an inexpensive blade, they are a workhorse. Not a fan of the laser etch branding or the wax dots to hold the paper on..

If you shave often buy yourself a safety razor. Save a lot of money in the long run. The cost for disposable razors vs double edge razor blades is ridiculously. Night and day differents.

Excellent blades that are very smooth. I was hesitant to switch but was not disappointed. I get 1-2 shaves per blade very sharp.

The product arrived early and seems to be working as it is supposed to.