100 7a.m. Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades

These are surprisingly sharp and smooth for being a relatively unknown (to me at least) brand. I get terrific shaves with these blades. They are right up there with the sharpest blades such as Gillette Silver Blue, Nacet, BIC etc. These are sharper than blades like Astra SP (I haven't tried the new Astras made in India though).

4 Month Review -After switching from Mach III razorsBelow is the listed product I am using as part of my "Shaving Arsenal." It took me a while to find each piece needed to bring it all together. My approach was finding all the pieces that had the best reviews vs. price. Just about everything listed below was the "highest price" but luckily these items don't cost much. Not CLOSE to as much as it costs to shave with Mach III Safety razors. If your ready to make the switch to a superior, and cheaper, alternative then check out the products below.Blades: 7a.m. Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor BladesI've heard there are better blades on the Market but since I started out with a 100-pack it will be 2-YEARS until I need to buy any more since I change them out once a week. I'm half Filipino so I don't have the thickest facial hair but definably pull off a goatee without a problem. Other than one "Dud" all other blades have been very predictable and easy to use. I have gotten the occasional razor burn but that appears to be normal with any Double-edged razor. I was worried I would be opening myself up to more "risk" with these but feel that I am at no more risk than any other safety blade now that I am used to it.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017ZECA6/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_32After Shave: Virgin Island Bay Rum by ClubmanI've tested several types of Aftershave in stores but never found anything I liked. Based on reviews I had a hunch I would really like this. Once it arrived I was right! It gives me a very fresh feeling after my morning shave, and has an amazing smell which isn't overpowering at all. My wife is very sensitive to smells but this is one she actually admires.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000053L6W/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_2Handle: Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor.The first thing I noticed about this handle is the quality. You can tell its not your basic cheap piece of metal. Its got a comfortable weight to it, keeps its brilliant chrome finish, and clean up is quick and easy. I consider myself a man with normal size hands and don't know why this one is considered "long handled." Its just a tad longer than the Mach III razor I used to use. However, it’s a night and day difference compared to those "Safety razors." It cuts very close with minimal passes. I've never had a shave that was this close before.http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Model-180-Handled-Safety/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1355613524&sr=8-10&keywords=double+edge+razor+handleStand: Safety Razor standOnce I learned that a stand was needed for the "Tweezerman Men's Shaving Brush" I decided to go with this one. Its been 4 months and the chrome is still shining well. Its sturdy, and holds my double edged razor as well as the shaving brush as if this product was made just for them. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001XURHNY/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_42Brush: Not sure why its made of "Badger" hair but its working. Where this brush looses a star is because it lost some of its bristles during the first week. Since then there haven't been any more hair-loss and I've had no problems. 4 months going strong. It creates a nice lather and feels good against the skin. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G647Y8/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_47Shaving Soap: Prosaro Shaving SoapIt works but I with it had more lather. Based on previous reviews, it sounds like the amount of lather has significantly decreased. Does it work? Yes, but I like a good lather. Anyways, its been 3 months and I feel like I have maybe gone through half of this container which isn't bad. It also has a very fresh but subtle smell which I really like.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00837YY18/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_44?ie=UTF8&redirect=trueSoap Bowl: Guess I didn't need this since I am using the Proraso Shaving Soap which is self contained. For as simple as it is, it lost two stars. There is a rim that goes along the bottom that has (or had) a black rubber piece that ran around it to provide a good footing for the Bowl while on a counter. The very first day this part fell off, it didn’t seat on there, and it wasn't glued. In the garbage that piece went. The next star was lost due to finish. It was a pretty flat finish for chrome and you could see the several light scratches across it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00404RI70/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_35

Great blades and very affordable. Well for me the blades last for about 6-9 shaves before I replace them. It's super sharp and gets the job done. Just make sure to go slow when shaving with these blades, or else you might knick yourself pretty bad.It's not that these blades are bad, but I decided to go back to using my Mach 3 blades, because it just took too long to shave with these blades, due to safety factors, which I stated above. With these blades, it took me about 6-7 minutes to get a close shave, while 3 minutes or even less with the Mach 3. One thing for sure is that with these blades, you'll definitely get a much closer shave than using a Mach 3 blade. The difference is like night-and-day when comparing the two. Shaving time, no pun intended, was more of a factor for me, so that is the reason why I reverted back to using Mach 3's instead.

Nice Shave! The 7am blades are sharp but not too much. I use them in a Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor (MK 23C) and it works great. In the past I have used Double Edge Safety Razor Blade Variety Pack - 100 Blades! which also worked well the Sharks super chrome are like the 7am to me, and the Astra Platinum's are a little too sharp (I had a few cuts with the Astra, you have to be extra careful shaving with those). So 7am delivers a Nice shave at the sharpness I am looking for also the price is fantastic for $13 you get about 1-2 years of razors.

I bought a pack of 100 blades when I first started with wet-shaving but my experience was terrible. However, at the time, I did not know that safety razor blades work differently for each individual's skin type. Some others have worked very well for me and some did alright. 7a.m. blades absolutely sucked!! First shave is mediocre quality and second shave is terrible. Also, the edges is not that great so I ended up using more pressure on the handle that ruins your technique and nicks the face a lot more.Now being a wet-shaver for almost an year, I can say these blades don't have the greatest reputation in wet-shaver community. But again, it may work for you. I suggest trying a smaller pack to begin with if you are not sure.

Look...blades are a very personal thing. How they work will depend on your razor, how you hold it, your skin and your beard. Look at reviews for all double-edge blades: half will love them, the other half will hate them. I've tried lots of blades, including expensive Feather and Merkur blades, Astra, Gillette, you name it. The best blades FOR ME were these 7am blades. I don't care where the blades are made. It's not rocket science. And if you think blades made my Merkur in Germany are higher quality...well, enjoy the hype. (And for what it's worth: I'm German!!!)Bottom line: the best blades I've found for my use. The fact that they are cheap is an added bonus. I didn't select them because they are cheap, but because they are good. I only found out afterwards that they are inexpensive.

If you are looking to save a lot of money and get the best shave this is the razor blades you may want to buy. Got this with the Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor and I will never buy another Mach 3 razor. I had my doubt that this would be a mess since I have very sensitive skin, but it actually made my shave much better and no mess. And after 2-3 shaves you will feel like a pro. And the best benefit is the money you will save. I tried other blades but this one is the best so far.