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Squire
Squadron Leader
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 12325
Location: Jackson, MS
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 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject: Derby Blades, A Review |
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For your reviewing pleasure, the Derby blades.
Description: Made in Turkey using a formula of Chromium/Ceramic/Platinum-Tungsten and Polymer coated edges this blade has often been referred to on our Board and here's why:
Charistics: Presented in a standard plastic box of five the green label does not imply where these blades originate, rather UK looking actually, the blades are single wrapped and are very clean with a disposable slot in the box.
I included two photos of the edge which is quite interesting. The edge is a two hone, the first from the blade table being long and very even, the second being very short, good quality control here, this is the largest photo my equipment can do but I examined the entire length of the blade and both hone lines are very consistent, referring back to my earlier blade review edge photos this edge is visibly a higher quality.
Use: In four out of five razors this blade shaved me very well. An easy, effortlessly gliding shave like a ball of mercury rolling across a pane of smooth glass. Beautiful performance, the day after my test concluded I called Giovanni and ordered another 500. Just hedging my bet against them selling the factory or something.
Conclusion: I can recommend this blade highly, it will not work in every razor every time, it didn't work that well in one of my proven razors, but it is so consistently good I understand why it's so popular. Rated 7.
Post edited on 10-29-11. The blades reviewed here were manufactured at least six years ago and may not reflect the current quality manufacture of this brand.
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Squire
Last edited by Squire on Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
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D.Irving79
The Great Lord Protector of the SE!
Joined: 10 Feb 2008
Posts: 3311
Location: CRANFORD, NJ
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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| love these things. in my personal favorite blades, they are second to feathers. |
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Mr Mxyztplk
Joined: 10 Feb 2008
Posts: 368
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| This is my blade of choice too, and I also ordered 500. Nice photos, Squire, thanks for the review!
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bernards66
Duke of Silvertip!
Joined: 27 Feb 2005
Posts: 26298
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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Squire, A most informative review. I'm usually not a nut for microscopic photos of blade edges, but I found these interesting. I've used Derbys only a few times, and wasn't overly fond of them, but I probably should revisit them at some point. Perhaps I got a couple of bummers, or maybe the razor I was using was not suitable for them. Thanks again for the time and effort.
Regards,
Gordon
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mission of burma shave
Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 246
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| they didn't work that well for me. smooth while shaving but irritation later in the day.
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regards,
mj
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Nitrox
AC/DC
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 3680
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Derby Blades, A Review |
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| Squire wrote: |
Beautiful performance, the day after my test concluded I called Giovanni and ordered another 500. Just hedging my bet against them selling the factory or something.
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Squire, this is a very impressive review, well done.
I love the Derbys and must have at least 800 of them lying around. I bought 200 once and then they had a deal a while back where you buy about 400 and get 200 free or something like that.
They also threw in all 4 creams, which I wasn't too fond of though.
They work well in all my razors, including the aggressive Merkur razors.
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Bruno
"Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave everyday and you'll always look keen"
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sean mac
Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 258
Location: western New York
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a big fan of Derby's also. I've used these blades in my Merkur Futur for some time now.
Sean
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Produce great people, the rest follows.
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george
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 287
Location: mid-Michigan, USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:03 am Post subject: |
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Okay, I have a question... I cannot find the used blade slot on the Derby boxes. I can find it quite easily on the Merkur box and the Gillette box, but the Derby seems to be all closed up.
Am I blind? Ignorant? I may sound dense, but I'll play my Noob card as a defense...
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drumana
Joined: 05 Apr 2007
Posts: 5051
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:20 am Post subject: |
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| Derby Extras are great blades for me. I find them to be smooth and mild yet sharp enough to do the job. . .
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-Andrew-
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TorzJohnson
Joined: 21 Jan 2007
Posts: 554
Location: NY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:45 am Post subject: |
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| george wrote: |
Okay, I have a question... I cannot find the used blade slot on the Derby boxes. I can find it quite easily on the Merkur box and the Gillette box, but the Derby seems to be all closed up.
Am I blind? Ignorant? I may sound dense, but I'll play my Noob card as a defense... |
George, if you look on one end of the box, there is a little flap / trap door that you can open to take out blades. At the other end is a small slot. I just put the old blades in that slot._________________ Jim
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a-cut-above
Joined: 07 Mar 2007
Posts: 2273
Location: Fresno, CA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| I agree that the razor plays a part in how a blade works or feels. In my Merkur HD, a Derby feels harsh. In a Super Speed, it feels smooth and sharp, something I would buy again. Interestingly, in my Merkur Travel Razor (3-part razor, not counting the screw-apart handle), the Derby feels better than in my HD (two-part razor). The Travel Razor, aside from the head, is also a much lighter razor, so the balance and feel may affect the way I shave and how the blade feels.
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Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (He could have had a wetshaving hobby.)
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Squire
Squadron Leader
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 12325
Location: Jackson, MS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:39 am Post subject: |
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| Yes Dave, it's counter intuitive but true. My Jagger Merkur fixed head didn't perform as well with the Derbys as my other razors either.
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Squire
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mantic
Wielder of the Zorrick
Joined: 06 Jul 2004
Posts: 2350
Location: Somewhere Between Snook and North Zulch, TX
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| TorzJohnson wrote: |
| george wrote: |
Okay, I have a question... I cannot find the used blade slot on the Derby boxes. I can find it quite easily on the Merkur box and the Gillette box, but the Derby seems to be all closed up.
Am I blind? Ignorant? I may sound dense, but I'll play my Noob card as a defense... |
George, if you look on one end of the box, there is a little flap / trap door that you can open to take out blades. At the other end is a small slot. I just put the old blades in that slot. |
If you have a broadband connection this video should help as well (about 1:20 into the video; it shows a Feather magazine but Derby is the same).
--Mark |
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george
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 287
Location: mid-Michigan, USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:10 am Post subject: |
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| mantic wrote: |
| TorzJohnson wrote: |
| george wrote: |
Okay, I have a question... I cannot find the used blade slot on the Derby boxes. I can find it quite easily on the Merkur box and the Gillette box, but the Derby seems to be all closed up.
Am I blind? Ignorant? I may sound dense, but I'll play my Noob card as a defense... |
George, if you look on one end of the box, there is a little flap / trap door that you can open to take out blades. At the other end is a small slot. I just put the old blades in that slot. |
If you have a broadband connection this video should help as well (about 1:20 into the video; it shows a Feather magazine but Derby is the same).
--Mark |
I'll recheck, but the Feather magazine in the video looked just like the Merkur I have: new blades out the top on one side, old blades in the bottom on the opposite.
But the Derby mag doesn't seem to have that opening for the old blades. I'll have to check again.
So far, though, I'm not a big fan of the Derbys in my 38C. I've ordered a Weishi and I'll try them in there and see how that works.
Thanks!
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Squire
Squadron Leader
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 12325
Location: Jackson, MS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| Hi George, open the trapdoor in the end of the Derby box and you'll see an upper and lower compartment divided by a solid plastic ledge. New blades in the top, used in the bottom.
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Squire
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BeatlesFan
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 769
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Like so many gents around here, I love the Derby blades.
This past week I decided to try Gillette Platinums again, thinking that maybe I'd been unfair in my prior evaluation of it. So I switched from Derby blade to a Gillette blade.
My first Gillette shave was just terrific. Close, comfortable, no irritation, and still smooth at dinner time.
After the second day, however, my face got really irritated (as it has in the past with the Gillette Platinums).
So . . . . back to the Derbys! After just a couple of "repair" shaves, I'm back to my normal close, super-comfortable Derby shave.
For me, Derby hits the "sweet spot" where it's sharp enough to cut, and yet gentle enough not to cause any injury.
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Squire
Squadron Leader
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 12325
Location: Jackson, MS
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Good BF, were you using the same razor?
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Squire
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BeatlesFan
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 769
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Good BF, were you using the same razor? |
Yes. Vision set on mild. I agree that switching razors would have introduced a variable that would invalidate the comparison. So, whilst keeping the razor as a constant, the comparison was the Gillette blade vs. the Derby blade (in the Vision razor).
For me, although I admire the sharpness of the Gillette, it's just too rough on my skin. I do better (in fact, so far I do best) with a Derby.
If I had tougher skin, it might be a different comparison. But we have to play the hand (or face) we are dealt!
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Squire
Squadron Leader
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 12325
Location: Jackson, MS
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| Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| I've never used a Vision but the Derbys shine in my Futur.
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Squire
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ebastow
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 123
Location: Central NY State
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| Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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It is always amazing how these discussions evolve.
First a very "scientific" view of the blade edge. And it slowly eroded away to where the used blade slot is on the blade container.
Anyway.......I have heard, from what I consider to be a reliable source that there isn't any platinum in/on razor blades, as many of them claim to have. Years ago my employer investigated "recycling" razor blades for the sake of reclaiming the supposed platinum.
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