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Chad Uses BAD blades!

Blade-meister said:
Love this thread Chad! I could knap a flint bladed straight razor for you to try
1f604.png
Actually a flake of flint or obsidian is sharper than steel so I'm guessing if you could secure a flake in something it probably would deliver a great shave. I know, I know, me first right?
Click to expand...

You figure it out I will try it also.

Thanks for reading along!
 
Volume 15 Sputnik Use 1


Well today was the first shave with the Sputnik DE blade. Here is what I know about the blade.

Made in Russia by Gillette. They are also Teflon Coated.
My research yielded this is a very popular blade amongst the Russians and easily accessible.

It is not sold at the big 3 in the US, meaning Maggards, WCS, and Italian Barber.

However I did find them on eBay sold by a Russian seller for $14.50. They can also be found at Amazon for $12.99 for the 100 pack. So not an outrageous price. But they are cheaper in Russia.

So the shave was EXCEPTIONAL and now I am wondering... is this a bad blade series or not? LOL

Well I think as we are going to find out as I continue this journey, some blades just might be unknown or not as easily accessible in the United States. I think that is where this blade lands honestly.

I have a very high feeling that this blade will get the 100 PACK rating but I will continue to put it through its paces.

I discuss it in the video but it got me thinking, as I continue this series and more blades inevitably end up with the 100 PACK rating I am going to rank just those. That way you all can see how close a blade was to just getting the good rating.

For reference here are the ranking definitions.

**** Blades Used ****
1. Muhle Rating = Bad
2.Van Der Hagen Rating = Good
3. Graham Field Rating = Trash[/b]4. Super Homex Rating = Bad
5. Shark Super Chrome = Bad
6. Shark Stainless Steel 100 PACK

Here is the video:


So one last think it is Winter here in Utah, which means there are going to be mornings where I have to call audibles and go out and clear snow so my family can get where it needs to be for the day. I promise that every initial use of a new blade will be recorded and same with any that make it to the Variant. So if it is a day I am supposed to record and I have to clear snow, I will call an audible and use a different blade.

Thanks for watching guys!
 
Blade-meister said:
Love this thread Chad! I could knap a flint bladed straight razor for you to try
1f604.png
Actually a flake of flint or obsidian is sharper than steel so I'm guessing if you could secure a flake in something it probably would deliver a great shave. I know, I know, me first right?
Click to expand...

I want to say i have seen this tried before with obsidian but the blades were to brittle to last a whole shave.
 
I was Initially keeping track for blades that should stay away from, but I’ve already added a few on my list to try from this series!

And what’s this about audibles and clearing snow? I’m starting to doubt your commitment to this project Chad....???
 
Blade-meister said:
Love this thread Chad! I could knap a flint bladed straight razor for you to try
1f604.png
Actually a flake of flint or obsidian is sharper than steel so I'm guessing if you could secure a flake in something it probably would deliver a great shave. I know, I know, me first right?
Click to expand...
We brought this up before and TJ said he would shave with it if you made one. I guess you missed that conversation.

When is the tagging going to work????
 
Very Excited to test my Sputniks out now. I am calling Pasteur's to see if they have more but I think the Amazon deal is better.

Chad can you give us a run down of your face's characteristics? Beard coarseness, trouble spots, and growth patterns? You know so we can make you the Median of a standard deviation shave chart where others can position their face type around? You know.. For science.
 
Sharp's said:
Very Excited to test my Sputniks out now. I am calling Pasteur\'s to see if they have more but I think the Amazon deal is better.\n\nChad can you give us a run down of your face\'s characteristics? Beard coarseness, trouble spots, and growth patterns? You know so we can make you the Median of a standard deviation shave chart where others can position their face type around? You know.. For science.
Click to expand...
\n\nWell I have pretty standard beard mapping. Trouble spots are my jawline to ear lobe, mainly because that is the one area where the hair grows from ear towards chin, that is why my clean up pass you will notice this is where I touch up with blade buffing as that is how I get the result I am after. \n\nMy hair grows relatively quickly, and is wiry if that makes sense. Not overly think but not thin either. The wiry look when I let it grow out makes my beard look patchy which is why I prefer to shave daily.
 
uacowboy said:
I want to say i have seen this tried before with obsidian but the blades were to brittle to last a whole shave.
Click to expand...

I'd go for a nice straight flake of Texas Georgetown flint if I were to try it. I make my knives for use out of that stuff and it holds up well.
Spider said:
We brought this up before and TJ said he would shave with it if you made one. I guess you missed that conversation.

When is the tagging going to work????
Click to expand...

Wow KJ, you are right I'd forgotten that. What would be ideal is a set-up like a flintlock gun where the flake of flint could be secured in the razor. I'll start thinking about this.

Dave in KY said:
ON VIDEO PLEASE
Click to expand...

Yup Dave that would be entertainment for sure if I tried it.
 
Volume 16 Sputnik Use 2

Guys this blade SHOULD not have been in the bad blade series. There I said it! I'll put it on camera tomorrow and discuss more during the Variant shave.

This blade is quickly becoming one of the best blades I have ever used. Perhaps it is just the perfect pairing in the Timeless? I wonder if I could work out a bulk buy from Russia and save even more money. This blade needs to be in my den that is for sure.

Nothing much more to report in it, BBS again on Day 2!
 
Ok Ok .. I am sorry.. I was in Pasteur's and I saw it for the first time. One Lone pack sitting there... Never hear of it. right next to the Zorriks... I though .. well this has to suck.. I will shave with mine tonight and if I agree I will join your bulk buy... Maybe it wasnt a bad thing that I sent that.

That Said I am going to pastuers today.. I will buy them out of all he has if the price ir right.
 
Volume 17 Sputnik Use 3

Well today was the third shave with the Sputnik blade. Loaded it up into the Parker Variant and set it at the most aggressive setting. I definitely felt the blade more, at times felt some scraping instead of just gliding and cutting. But the shave was still very smooth, not really anything bad to say about this. Then BOOM it happened. Did you catch it on my first pass? I went at the wrong angle on my chin and got a nic, NOT the blades thought that was a lapse of judgement on my part.

The blade didn't feel overly buttery smooth today as it did in the Timeless. So it left me wondering, does this blade only pair well with certain razors? Does it die quickly? So some blades I think are better in certain combos, however I do have some blades like my Astra SP that I consider my universal blade, I can load that into any razor and get a nice shave. And does it die quickly? Some blades do, most blades I can get 6+ shaves from, however my Nacets I get about 3 really great shaves then it is down hill and quick. But I still bought a 100 pack of Nacets a year or so ago because the shave is so good! It is obviously important to take these reviews with a grain of salt, I am rating blades after only 2 or 3 shaves. Your results obviously may vary. But this is a very nice blade.

So with that being said I give it a rating of 100 PACK! Yes even with the less than perfect shave today it still gets that rating. The first two shaves where the best I have gotten in this series so far! The blade deserves to be bought. And I will order a 100 pack eventually and then put it through the paces of more razors and decide can it be a universal blade? Or will it pair better with certain razors? Time will tell, but for this series it is 100 PACK, and I am confident in that rating. So here is the updated results:

**** Blades Used ****
1. Muhle = Bad
2.Van Der Hagen = Good
3. Graham Field = Trash
4. Super Homex = Bad
5. Shark Super Chrome = Bad
6. Shark Stainless Steel = 100 PACK
7. Sputnik = 100 PACK

*** 100 Pack Ranking***
1. Sputnik
2. Shark Stainless Steel

Also here is the video from today:


Also I realized that I didn't finish a discussion in the video. I mentioned that Sharp's bought the remaining 5 packs on the Sputniks from Pasteur's. So what I was going to say is that we must always remember we are going to pay a higher price when only buying a single blade, a 5 pack, or a ten pack. We save money when buying in bulk. And since most blades are sold in 100 packs that is why I use that price when I go through my initial review.

Hope you guys enjoyed today. Up next is the Rockwell Blade!

GO UTES
 
So there were only two 5 packs left at $1.49 a 5 pack which is about as cheap as you get at Pasteur's for 5 packs.(remember they pay NYC rents). Talked to Leo and he will be getting more. Maybe we talk to him about a special purchase. Though we know we can get 100 on Amazon at $12.99 for 100.

Though I will be shaving with them today for the first time. If I get equal or better performance as you did then I will commit to 100-200 blades if we want to try to go big and do a group buy direct or from Alibaba. If others want in.
 
Sharp's said:
So there were only two 5 packs left at $1.49 a 5 pack which is about as cheap as you get at Pasteur\'s for 5 packs.(remember they pay NYC rents). Talked to Leo and he will be getting more. Maybe we talk to him about a special purchase. Though we know we can get 100 on Amazon at $12.99 for 100. \n\nThough I will be shaving with them today for the first time. If I get equal or better performance as you did then I will commit to 100-200 blades if we want to try to go big and do a group buy direct or from Alibaba. If others want in.\n\n
Click to expand...
\n\nA group buy from Alibaba would be awesome. But I think they require you to buy a lot correct?
 
RazorBladesClub dot Com has them for $12.95 + $2.99 shipping. FYI.

I have never bought from them, so I don't know how reliable they are. However, $16 for a 100 pack is a decent price.

Does the $13 Amazon price include shipping? Is Prime Shipping available from that seller?

A group buy from Alibaba would also be interesting, if they come in under the above prices shipped.
 
dkeester said:
RazorBladesClub dot Com has them for $12.95 + $2.99 shipping. FYI.

I have never bought from them, so I don't know how reliable they are. However, $16 for a 100 pack is a decent price.

Does the $13 Amazon price include shipping? Is Prime Shipping available from that seller?

A group buy from Alibaba would also be interesting, if they come in under the above prices shipped.
Click to expand...

Free shipping at Amazon. So $13 for 100 not bad at all.
 
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