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The Ultimate Guide to Best Safety Razor Blade Choices

Shaving!

Who doesn’t want a comfortable, close, and smooth shave? But we are short on time these days. Thus, we tend to forsake the old ways and go to “Electric Razors.”

Not me! I am kind of “Old School.” I know there are thousands like me who find the ultimate comfort and joy of shaving in the older tool of the trade. The Safety Razor!

Of course, it has to have the right blade in it to work its magic. That’s where this guide fills in. It’ll arm you with the knowledge you need to select the best safety razor blade that suits you.

Just so you can do the research a little bit better, I’ve thrown in my shortlist of blades from reputed brands that are insanely popular among men (and women).

Interested? Let’s dive in!

Why the Safety Razor Blades of All Things

I am not speaking of trimmers or electric shavers but the old school Safety Razor Blades. Why is that? Well, there are benefits of going “Old School” that you never get elsewhere. I’ve listed some advantages you get from the top safety razor blade brands out there.

• The comfort is the first thing comes to mind. A good blade is adept at everything from smooth glide to a perfect pass. As a result, you get a comfortable shave.
• Secondly, I love the closeness these things provide you! With electric razors, I always felt grain-like facial hair sticking out from my face no matter how close I went. With these, you can move the razor really close to your face and get the perfect and smooth shave.
• I love these blades because I can shave with greater control. I can make passes from all angles and still not get cut. I can speed up or slow down depending on my skin type at certain areas of my face. Automated blades don’t give me such convenience and control over my shaving.
• These things are cost effective. An electric razor as a whole can cost you beyond fifty or hundred dollars if you are looking for “Quality” stuff. Attachment of such razors are expensive too! Compared to those, you get 50 to 100 of these blades cheaply. These many blades last longer too.
• People can shave in-grown hair and thick facial hair easily with the sharp edges of these blades. Popular blades work well with both the double-edge razors and the single-edge ones.
• I advise everyone to go for wet shaving if possible. Dry shaving takes away bits of skin with the blade and doesn’t moisturize your skin. But wet shaving lubricates your face and moisturizes it. Wet shaving with the best blade can make this routine one you crave for each morning.

Best Safety Razor Blades – Comparison Table

Need the Best Safety Razor Blade? – This List is for You!

Shaving blades come by the tons. I mean, “TONS.” You might be searching for just the right fit to your skin. But there are thousands claiming they’d fit the skin type and cause less irritation. Which one to pick?

Fortunately for you, I’ve just the list you can pick blades from. Scour through the list to find the top quality shaving blade that you think is tailored to your skin.

1. Personna Double Edge Razor Blades, 100 Count

The Personna Double Edge Razor Blades are well known to be one of the sharpest and well-made razor blades. Some may find razor blades backdated, but in reality, they are more effective than modern day pre-attached razor heads.

These blades have a glide coated stainless surface which increases their efficiency manifold. Owing to their sharpness and stainless steel body, the Personna razor blades are perfectly safe for men with sensitive skin. The blades can cut the coarsest of facial hair, with almost no discomfort.

These products don’t cause any irritation and so your everyday shaving will feel like a breeze (so to speak). Razor blades are already better when you love wet shaving, and Persona is probably the best brand among razor blade manufacturers.

This is a 100 count pack, that is, this package contains 100 Personna Double Edged Blades. And 100 blades will go a long way. How long you ask? Let me give you a rough estimation. Let’s suppose you shave regularly. If you have fine hair, each blade can be used 5-6 times; let’s round it up and take 5.

So this pack of 100 blades will last 500 days, give or take. And if you have coarse hair, each blade can be used for three times. Thus the pack will last for 300 days – almost a year. The packet itself is designed for easy dispensing of the blades.

Each of the blades has their own wrapper and so no matter how long you keep them, they will stay in proper shape.

2. Astra Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades, 100 Blades (20 x 5)

If you are a guy and you shave, you must be aware of some renowned brands like Gillette. But this is a product by Astra, then why I am mentioning Gillette? You might be amazed to know that this brand is actually backed By Gillette.

In the beginning, this brand was called Czech Astra and it was in fact founded in Czech Republic. In 1996 Gillette brought it and moved the company to Russia. And in 2005 Proctor & Gamble merged with Gillette.

They kept Astra was their double edged razor blade product. In short, Astra promises of quality. Like Shakespeare said “What’s in a name?” (Quite a lot in this case) let me head into the blades.

The Astra Double Edged blades are steel blades coated with platinum, which keeps them safe from rust. This makes the blades safe for your skin. The Astra blades are not one of the sharpest of blades. But this less sharpness opens some new boundaries.

For those who are experienced, they can deal with almost any razor and any blade. But those who have recently started, a very sharp blade can be hazardous. However when you will use Astra blades with either a safety razor or an aggressive razor.

You won’t have to worry about nicks and cuts at all. That is why they are best rated safety razor blades for beginner. This is a pack of 100 blades – 5 in 20 cartons. Each of them is individually wrapped with wax paper. And a single blade can be used 6-8 times. Buy a pack and it will last you for almost 2 years.

3. Feather Double Edge Blades, 50 Count

If it was possible for me to give you a Feather Double Edged Blade and say “see it yourself”, I will not need to say a single word. These are no doubt the top rated safety razor blades you can find. It is designed to fit different safety razors that use double edge blades. And they also fit other aggressive razors.

The company Feather Safety Razor Co. has been making razor blades since 1964. And so they are able to manufacture blades with the best quality material with matching levels of precision.

In fact, these double edged blades have been manufactured with the precision and technology similar to that of a surgical blade. There is hardly any other brand that can match the sharpness of these blades.

I am not exaggerating. These Feather blades provide a very close shave, regardless of your facial hair type. They are coated with platinum which keeps both the blades and your skin from any sort of harm. Each of the blades will last for 10-15 days. I am not aware of any other blade that lasts so long.

Since it is a pack of 50 blades, one purchase will last more than a year. Each of the blades is hermetically sealed and so they remain in perfect condition. I have highly emphasized on the sharpness of the blades.

So, you might ask if these would prove to be the best safety razor blades for beginners. Well, it definitely would. You will need to use these blades with a safety razor. Unless you are experienced enough, never use Feather Double Edged blades with an aggressive razor.

4.  100 7 O'clock Super Stainless Double Edge Safety Razor Blades

Let’s admit it razor blades are inexpensive modes of getting efficient shaving results. While being cheap is a big factor in case of razor blades, they don’t compromise with quality.

Gillette is a common name in many safety razor blade reviews. They are also equally famous for making electric and disposable razors/shavers. Gillette is one of the few brands that understand what we need. That is why you should give this pack of 7 O’clock Double Edge Blades.

Although these are made for safety razors, they can be used with almost any razor that uses double edge blades. These blades are made of stainless steel and even if you keep them for 2 years, they will stay in proper shape.

The super stainless steel body also means that they are safe your skin. I don’t have sensitive skin, so I can’t vouch that they will be good for those have. But these 7 O’clock blades are a product of Gillette, so it is likely that they will be safe for people with sensitive skin.

The blades help to provide a smooth and close shave. There are 20 tucks in this package and each of the tucks contains 5 blades, that is, 100 blades in total. And each of the blades are wrapped separately.

If you have fine hair, one single blade can be used for 5 times. And if you have coarse hair, one will last 3 shaves. So if you shave regularly, one package is sure to last one and half year. If you compare the price with the number of times you can use the blades, the price is actually negligible.

5. 50 KAI Stainless Steel Double Edge Safety Razor Blades

KAI is widely known Japanese brand who also manufacture cutlery products. While cutlery and razor blades are not related, KAI gives equal importance to both their product ranges.

If you have used any of KAI’s cutlery products, say their knives, you would know how good they are at the cutting business. This is a 50 count product, that is, with a single purchase you are getting 50 blades.

There are 10 tucks, each containing 5 safety razor blades. Each of the blades is individually wrapped to keep them safe. This also makes sure that the blades are not going to lose their edge even if you keep them unused for a long time. However, never keep a wet blade along with new ones.

In fact, make sure your blade is dry and clean before storing it away after shaving. In this way, your blade will stay safe from germs which will further keep your skin safe. The KAI safety razor blades are made of surgical grade stainless steel.

These are known to be one of the sharpest razor blades in the market. A single blade will last 5 shaves, give or take. It actually depends on the type of hair you have. With coarse hair, even the sharpest blades don’t last longer than 3-4 shaves.

But with fine hair, a single blade can last up to 10 shaves. In short, it is guaranteed that this pack of 50 safety razor blades will go a long way before you would need a purchase a new one.

6. Merkur Double Edge Safety Razor Blades – 10 Count

The Germany based manufacturer Merkur has been making double edged blades since 1896. In fact, they produce one of the perfect safety razor blades. Their blades are known to be sharp and provide you with a very close and smooth shave.

Given the number of blades in one package (10 count), this is a tad bit costlier than most other safety razor blade brands. But if you care to spend a bit more than your regular grooming expenses for once, you will see that the extra money is totally worth it.

Look at the fact that they have been in the market for over 100 years (in fact 120) and still people are using and recommending it (me included). So you should give it a try.

All of Merkur’s razor blade products are made in Germany and then exported around the world. My father has been using them for 3 decades now, and from his experience I can tell Merkur has never compromised with quality.

Plus, the blades fit all safety razors even the butterfly ones. These razor blades can also be used with aggressive razors, so there remains no limitation of usage. They are a great choice for both beginners and experienced shavers. The blades are made of stainless steel.

These blades hold their edge through almost 10 shaves. The 10 blades are each separately wrapped in paraffin paper. They are platinum coated, which makes them safe for smooth skin. And this also allows the blades to glide smoothly over your skin leaving no razor rashes.

7. Super Iridium Double Edge Razor Blades 50 Pack 50 by Polsilver

The Polsilver Super Iridium Double Edge razor blades are surely the top quality safety razor blades for beginners. With that being said, I also should mention that these blades are not famous for their sharpness. That’s kind of a paradox as that is what makes them safe for noob shavers like me.

With these blades you will not need to worry about getting any rashes or any nicks and cuts for that matter. I’ve only been shaving for a year and so I tend to lose any attention while shaving. With any other blade I should end up with half of my skin ripped off (no kidding).

But Polsilver makes sure that does not happen. With a safety razor blade that works smoothly on any hair type.

I have fine hair and my brother has coarse hair, and the blade has been able to satisfy both of us. This is a pack of 50 blades. There are 10 tucks and each has 5 individually wrapped blades inside. Both of us brothers buy one package together, and on purchase lasts us a year.

The blades provide 5-8 good shaves, varying on the basis of how coarse your hair is. Given the price, even if you use each blade for 3 times, it’s worth it. They don’t cause any skin irritation and so I believe it is totally safe for those with sensitive skin.

If you check on the quality, it has got high ratings going by users.

8. Shark Double Edge Safety Razor Blades, Super Chrome, 100 Count

The Shark Double Edge Blades are another deserving name to be put in the list of safety razor blades. They provide one of the smoothest and closest shave you can ask for. They have a Super Chrome coating that makes them last longer than most razor blades.

In fact, a single blade will provide you with more than 10 shaves, less if you have coarse hair. Unlike other products that should be wiped dry after use, the manufacturers recommend not doing that in case of their products.

According to them, the Super Chrome coating will get damaged if you wipe the blades dry. Since the coating is what makes them so great, I am totally fine with. As is the case with most blades, a wet surface may make the blade lose its edge.

From my experience I can say, it does not happen with the Shark Safety razor blades. I am able to use a blade for an average of 12 shaves, and that’s superb. This is a 100 count product and contains 20 tucks with 5 blades in each. And so if a blade lasts you 5 shaves.

Buying one package will get you 500 days of shaves. In reality, it will last even more. I bought one in 2015 and recently bought a new one. I actually lost the last three tucks of blades, otherwise, I could have gone on for another two months.

They work great on my sensitive skin. The stainless steel blade coated with polymer and chrome feels seamless against the skin.

9. Derby Extra Double Edge Razor Blades, 100 Count

Oh yes! Derby is the name of safety razor blades that are made just for people like me who prefer a traditional, wet shave every morning. Each package contains 20 tucks and they each contain 5 blades. That is, you get 100 high quality blades for a negligible price.

The manufacturing process of the blades is what makes them so unique. These safety razor blades are made of Swedish hardened stainless steel. But Derby has put more effort in their blades than most other razor blade manufacturers.

They have used Sputter Deposition to make sure their product ends up to be the best safety razor blade in the market. If you are not aware about this method, let me give a brief demonstration.

Sputter Deposition is the process in which high energy particles are ejected from a primary solid target material and then those particles form a thin layer on a secondary target material.

In case of the Derby, they have used a combination of chromium, ceramic, tungsten and platinum to coat their safety razor blades. And after that, they have applied a final coating of Teflon. Teflon is a widely known non-stick material largely found in cooking utensils.

It makes sure that there is no friction between the blade and the skin. Each of the blades are individually wrapped to make sure one does not touch the other and that you can safely procure one out of the tuck.

While most safety razor blades are intended for razors that use double edge blades, the Derby are made for razors using double and single edge blades. The blades can be broken in half uniformly owing to their thin mid-section.

How to Choose the Right Safety Razor Blades for Yourselves?

Scoured through the list and didn’t find the ideal blade matching your preference? No, problem, I am here to help nevertheless! Let us go over some of the dominant factors that will help you in choosing the ideal tool for the trade.

Choose Between Aggressive and Normal Blades

Aggressiveness depends on the gap these double-edge blades have towards the middle. The more the gap, the more aggressive it is towards your face.

Most people think, aggressiveness is good for your skin. Hey, not necessarily! It depends on how adept you are at shaving. If you are an expert and doing this for years, aggressive blades won’t make much of a difference to you.

But if you are just starting out, I suggest you get yourselves a mild blade. This will help you getting the hang of shaving. You’ll gradually grasp the patterns, your own comfort zone, different strokes over your face, and the time it takes for you to complete shaving. A mild blade helps you avoiding nicks and cuts too!

Feel the Weight of the Blade on Your Palms

Absurd! Right? I mean, Safety Razor Blades are small by default. What’s the point of feeling for the weight then? Believe me, there is a reason for this.

The blades that feel heavy on your palms usually pull the razor down on your face. They strike your beards hard. This is harmful! You can suffer nicks, cuts and burns. Red patches show up on your skin.

The lighter blades are soft and smooth on  your face. They glide over the face easily. These blades provide the much needed comfort you desire without hurting you in the process.

Check for the Sharpness of the Edges

You’ll do well to inspect the edges of the blades you choose. I am not pointing to a level and saying “THIS is the ideal level of sharpness.” It is dependent on your skin type like anything else.

People who have coarse hair, should get sharper blades as the hair is difficult to cut. On the other hand, do get mild-edge blades for sensitive skin. It will save you from nicks and cuts.

Remember, I spoke on how aggressive blades might harm you? Well, sharpness or the lack of it is another catalyst in making a blade aggressive or mild towards your skin.

Longevity of Each Blade Plays a Part in Quality!

Yes, even in case of a product as small as a safety razor blade, longevity is key. For me, the Top Rated Safety Razor Blade should outlast all its competitors.

My personal choice is those that are made of hardened stainless steel. These are robust and durable. Some reputed brands go one step beyond steel. They coat it with substances that protect it from rust and environmental damages.

These blades often give 5 to 8 shaves. Since one pack comes with 10 – 100 blades depending on the brand, These last longer than their competition.

Find a Cost Effective Solution to The Blade Problem

No, I am not telling you to go cheap! These blades are already cost effective. You don’t need to go cheaper. I am telling you to buy in bulk. Most of the brands sell these things in a package of 10 to 100.

A group of blades are tucked in a package. Multiple tucks are separated by papers. Sure, that is a bit of extra money. But assuming each blade gives you a minimum of 5 shaves with you shaving every other day, the blades will last well beyond a year.

If I buy a pack of 100 blades, the package will go on forever (not technically, but you get the idea). It is always better to go for such a brand than to buy 10 or 20 blades every month. It will save you a lot of money in the long run.

The “Endnote”

Honestly speaking, the Best Safety Razor Blade won’t do you any good if you are not sure about your own ability to handle the razor. For that, you need to learn control. That you’ll do gradually.

Until then, I suggest you find yourselves a “Beginner-Friendly” shaving blade from my list and get started. Alternatively, use the Buying guide to do your own research and find one YOU like!

The end goal should be to find the perfect balance in between control, comfort, convenience, and features. One or two trial runs with a brand and you’ll know if it is the one you are looking for or not.

If it doesn’t suit you, you can always switch these things in a jiffy!