ASTRAPlatinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades,100 Blades (20 x 5)

Love these blades. They are not the sharpest blade, but they are sharper than average AND they keep a better than average edge, so you get lots of good shaves out of each blade. They are also very well priced. This makes them a great value blade. I've been wet shaving with safety razors for 50 years. They work great in every razor I've tried them in. Highly recommended.

Astra Superior Platinum is a formerly Czech brand now manufactured in St. Petersburg Russia by Gillette-owned Petersburg Products International. (Edit: They're now manufactured in India, but worry not because I can tell you the new blades shave every bit as good as the old ones.) It's one of those blades you wouldn't give a second look due to more popular and/or "respected" brands such as Feather or Personna, but the fact of the matter is this is one of the absolute best values to be had in wet shaving at around a dime per blade. I ordered my 100 count box from Super Safety Razors and am pleased to say they're the genuine article as well as newer manufacture. Each blade is secured to its single wax paper envelope with two centrally placed wax dots that aren't nearly as sloppy as what you'd commonly see on a Gillette Silver Blue. Each retail carton contains 20 tucks of 5 blades each, with a perforated slot near the bottom which can be torn out if so desired for easier dispensing.Just to give you some context, I have the dreaded combination of a very coarse beard with sensitive skin, so multiple passes are risking a lot of irritation and ingrown hairs. I first used these in a Merkur 34C and found them to be less tuggy with a more consistent sharpness than GSBs, but they unfortunately did not make the HD a more efficient shaver for me. I've since switched to a Parker 87R with a bit more blade exposure, and that, I feel, is what brought out the best qualities of these blades. I can consistently achieve two pass DFS's (or Damn Fine Shaves) with the Astra SP and the Parker with virtually no irritation whatsoever. They slice through my heavy/coarse beard with ease and plenty of audible feedback, and I can get about three, maybe four shaves from them before I feel like they're not cutting as well as they did when new. Of course, YMMV based on your facial hair type and shaving techniques. I highly, highly recommend pairing them with a razor that has more blade exposure to get the most out of them, however. (Edit, 4/25/18: Many shaves later, I'm still swearing by these blades. Remember when I said they have a consistent sharpness? That's what keeps me coming back to Astra SP. I LIKE that these blades start out at a decent sharpness which SLOWLY and predictably changes over time without requiring you to modify your technique. No break-in period like GSB or Pol Silver, just smooth, consistent shave after shave without any surprises, and you'll know when it's time to replace the blade long before it feels like a dull steak knife; alum blocks never lie.)The only caution I have to offer is that while these blades seem to be the perfect trifecta of sharpness, longevity, and smoothness, that smoothness can and will lull you into a false sense of security if you're not careful, as I learned much to my dismay. I rushed through one of my shaves one day and got rewarded for my impatience with some painful nicks and weepers that made me yelp loudly. Make no mistake: These blades are wickedly sharp, and it's not unheard of for them to be referred to as a poor man's Feather on various shaving forums.At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, I pretty much consider these my grail blade. They work exceptionally well for me and give me comfortable, consistent and EFFICIENT shaves with minimal irritation in my Parker TTO. My advice to you would be to get a smaller pack of these to try out, see if they work well for you, and then spring for the 100 count pack. You won't save as much in the short term, but if they end up not being what you expected, you won't have a bunch of razor blades to give away or throw out. Then again, I'll happily accept any unwanted blades still sealed in their original cartons/tucks and dispose of them for you free of charge. Just pay shipping and handling! :P

TL;DR — These are my go-to blades for great, close shaves at an unbeatable price.Here is my review of the blades I've tried. There are a lot of sampler packs on Amazon, but after doing some research I chose to order around 30 each of just a few different blades to try, avoiding all of the lesser-quality "filler". I'll compare here and there to Mach-3 blades since that's what I previously used before switching to electric, and now this.First off, Derby is what came with my razor. These you can practically rake across your face any way you see fit. They aren't very sharp, on par with a Mach-3 that's been used a few times. Shaving requires more strokes which leads to more irritation, especially on the neck. That said, I'd say these are a good blade if you're super worried about cutting yourself, because it's practically impossible. But even beginners might want to look elsewhere as these blades kind of ruin the "shaving experience". Don't be disappointed if you just bought this razor and have only tried these blades! Keep reading...I ordered a 100-pack of Astra SP Platinum (that's Astra Superior Premium Platinum, not the regular stainless) since it's under ten bucks at the time of this writing. These are great. Beginners, start here. They're sharp enough that you don't have to press the razor against your skin—which you shouldn't have to! You're supposed to let the weight of your razor do the work as you guide it along your face in short strokes. So naturally, these are sharper than Mach-3 blades, but if you do press a little, you probably won't nick yourself. I love these blades because for me, they're comfortable enough for everyday use and provide good, close shaves at a very inexpensive price. Easy on my neck with care. My go-to blade. Great for beginners and pros alike, and eligible for Subscribe & Save!Wilkinson Sword Classic seem to be great blades for people who have their technique down pretty well. Compared to Astra SP Platinum, they are sharper. They provided the best shave of the lot, but I did nick myself here and there on my neck and below my chin the first time around. Do not push these blades against your skin. It doesn't take much mastery to use these, and they're worth working up to. Downside: more than twice the price of Astra SP Platinum. I'll keep some of these around for days when I want the closest shave possible, or I just feel like something different. If you're new to traditional shaving or think Mach-3 blades are sharp, maybe don't start here, but definitely try them out.Feather "New Hi Stainless" Platinum Coated blades are exactly what the reviews say: sharp. My first shave I got a good amount of nicks, but my second I had almost none. I adapted well, and you have to; each brand is a little different and the best require good technique, but some are more forgiving than others. These are negligibly sharper than the Wilkinson Sword Classic but they aren't forgiving at all and I didn't achieve any better of a shave. They're incredibly sharp compared to a Mach-3 blade. At 2x the price of the aforementioned and more than 3x the price of Astra SP Platinum, I won't be keeping these on hand, but your mileage may vary. If you only want the sharpest blade around, this is it. Fun fact: these come ten to a pack instead of five.In conclusion, I'm sticking with Astra SP Platinum for regular use and Wilkinson Sword Classic when I'm up for something sharper. I shave every other day, and either is priced reasonably enough that if I want, I can use each side of a blade just once for a fresh edge every shave. That's about a 100-pack every year, so do the maths on price. Of course, both brands last much longer than this if you're looking for even better value.