Hey Nick! You are the one who get me into shaving with a safety razor many years ago as a teenager. Now, I have gotten more of a beard and keep it short, so I don't shave, but I still very much enjoy your videos! Keep it up man!
Best blades I've found are the Voskhod. Excellent shave and easy on the skin. Highly recommended, very reasonably priced @ $10 per hundred. Great value.
Totally agree. I use Feather, Nacet, and Astra SP in my rotation. But my all time go-to….is my trusted Voshkie. They’re like Proraso soap….cheap price and work great. Voshkie shavers are kind of a cult group. Ran into one guy who has a 3,000 blade stockpile of them.
I got this razor as my first DE, I used the Wilkinson's sword blades once and never used them again, I got some personna blades after finding the included blades was horrible to use, almost put me off DE shaving now I love it!
So crazy how differently different people experience the same product. I just used a Wilkinson Sword blade for the first time in my 7 years of DE shaving, and it was the best shave I have ever gotten. I primarily used Feather before, but not after tonight
You did not used it correctly you must exfoliate, hydrate,warm your skin, put a lot of shaving soap and stretch your skin while shaving. You won't have cuts and will have no irritation.
@@danylbekhoucha6180 to be honest I stopped using the Wilkinson's sword DE razor, I never really got on with it, I got the King c Gillette DE razor in a sale for £5 and I get on with it so much better, even the Wilkinson's sword blades work for me in it. I think the biggest issue I had with the Wilkinson's sword DE razor was it never correctly aligned the blades (at least the one I got), plus there's a central support bar on the blade guard that traps hair when shaving, the King c Gillette has an open blade guard and aligns the blades allot better.
I use Van Der Hagen or Cremo shave cream and the added lubrication works very well with my top three blades: Astra, Personna and Wilkinson Sword. I no longer use the shave soap as I have a beard that you can sand wood after 24 hours. Would also recommend to those having tugging or razor burn to add a bit of shave oil to your shave cream. Works like a charm. Love your videos. Thanks for your time and effort.
I have a thick and very tough beard. Without stropping/honing, even the sharpest blades, like the Japanese ‘Feather’ don’t yield more than two-three shaves for me. In my opinion, the German Wilkinsons are very good quality blades, especially for the first couple of shaves. Thereafter, what I do is strop the blade on an old-fashioned leather/canvas strop (mine is a DOVO PRIMA from Germany) or on an old pair of jeans specifically designated for the purpose. I generally will run the blade against the direction of the cutting edge about 15-20 times on each side. After this the blade performs phenomenally well, and stays super sharp for several shaves. When it dulls, I just repeat the process. With stropping, I can get as many as twenty to thirty very comfortable and close shaves from each blade. The German Wilkinsons are excellent, though I do agree that they are less sharp than some other premium blades on the market. So, if you wish to enhance their sharpness and overall performance try stropping them (there are videos on RU-vid that show you how). Works for me - hope it does for you.
For the price of DE razors why would you strop a DE blade? I’m confused unless you’re talking about a straight razor… I can’t see stropping DE blades you get for pennies on the dollar. When it gets dull just change it
If possible, I'd be interested in seeing you do a shave with this razor, a permasharp blade, and your choice of soap/cream. I'm out of work for a month for medical reasons and love watching your videos. Keep em' coming!
Glad I found your channel! I was given one of these for Christmas by my daughter, and was immediately taken with the item. However, as you rightly say your first experience of the shave is with the provided blades in the set, and despite being very careful indeed I managed to get several nicks and cuts. I put it down to inexperience, and while I have gotten better at it since, it's still not what I'd call a comfortable shave and I have found myself drifting back to cartridges. On checking the packaging (I still have it thankfully), I can see clearly it states the blades are made in Germany. Obviously the German gentleman prefers a much keener blade on his face! I've now bought some new blades (Boots own brand here in the UK) and I'm hoping my next shaves are much more comfortable. Thanks for the heads up!
I like the German blades, I find them sharp though and one has to tread carefully, especially on the first shave with them. In the Wilkinson Sword classic razor, which is mild, I find they work well.
H Nick. I bought this razor a month ago as my first razor to get into DE shaving. Agree the WS blades were bad. I bought a sample pack of blades with 5 different brands (Feather, Astra, Parker, Merkur and Derby). I really rate the Merkur blades. I have had 5 shaves on that blade and it is still good. Love your vids.. Cheers from Sydney.. AJ
I live in NYC. If I ever brake a bone, I want you to be my doctor. No anasthesia,. I want to talk about wet shaving products and techniques during the entire surgery. 😁
Thanks for the great video as usual Nick. I have been wet shaving for years, and in that amount of time I have tried a seemingly endless amount of different blades. In all that time, I always find myself going back to Feather blades. They give me the most comfortable shave every time I use them.
I ordered the German wilkinson's based on a lot of positive feedback from people that I consider experienced. I had the exact same experience in both of my safety razors, tugging and razor burn. Interested to see in the comments what everyone's favorite blade of 2020. I am really liking the Gillette Nacets at the moment.
@@coffeegrinder6319 exactly the same for me brother. The India ones are a no go for me. The German ones were my first go to that I bought a 100 pack of. I find then to be a standard of good quality. Sharp and smooth, not overly sharp and not the smoothest if that makes any sense. I find them to hit the middle of all the marks I like in a blade.
Such a great cream. Probably the best mass produced tube shaving cream, another one if you don't have it is the maca root from the body shop in a tub. Cheap and amazing, their after shave lotion (which is almost the consistency of hair gel out of the bottle) is also quite good, a little goes a long way and it's mentholated so it's very cooling.
Great video, Nick! Please keep them coming. I've watched many of your videos and have enjoyed them, including the first video of you using this razor. I was disappointed to hear of your bad experience with the German WS blade, because it was my first favorite and might still be (definitely top 3). Blade selection is very personal and subjective, based upon beard coarseness and skin type, so YMMV, as many folks in the wet shaving community have stated. I suggest folks try sampler packs to find which blade or blades are right for them. Initial cost per blade is higher, but waste will be less when you toss blades that don't work for you. Two sellers that allow you to choose individual blades are Try A Blade and RBC; there may be others. They also have predetermined sample packs with one or two blades of each variety. Some other sellers have the predetermined 1 or 2 blade samplers, too. Buying two of each variety is suggested in case you get a dud. I like Lab Blues like you; 7 O'clock Sharpedge (yellow) and a few Lord blades with Big Ben and Silver Stars my favorites from Lord. Astra SP and Voskhod tore me up, but I will try them again at some point. I've been trying several blades with same soap to compare apples to apples. I'm up to 16 different blades and have about 25 more to go, so my favorites are likely to change. I hope this gives others some ideas. Thanks again for your videos and expertise.
Great video, NIck! My first DE razor was the Van Der Hagen which came with Van Der Hagen blades; needless to say, my first couple of shaves were horrible! I searched for a tutorial on RU-vid, and the one i found on the VDH razor specifically advised all users to "ditch the VDH blades and get ANY other blade!". I found some Gillette Platinums and the rest was history. Thanks for sharing with your audience, and have a great weekend!
I don’t blame you.......I used to use Wilkinson sword blades there horrible it came a time when I was on holiday and I cut my face that bad it was very deep it was like a slice on my face from that day on I dumped Wilkinson sword razors and was paranoid with DE razors. But after a couple of years I came back to DE razors since then I knew you can get much better de blades and from that day on I use either treet blades or Gillette nacet and I couldn’t be happier with the smooth results and my shaving life was very enjoyable
Damn this is honestly reassuring to hear.. got the WS and it seemed just ok, but I got some Astras to start on next. Bought a 100 pack though so I hope they're alright.
Better facial expression this time...so funny with the Wilkinson last time.....Anyway , I got the Rockwell 6C & its awesome....started on 2 now on 3....I retired my Parker 26C for this...I'm sure 4 would be like the Merkur but I'll stick to the #3 as i dont need to shave for work everyday (retired)....Keep up the good work!!!
I recently found a box of Wilkinson blades in my drawer and decided to give them a try. I have no idea where or when they were made but that was the worst shave I have had in months!
A brand I've never tried. Astras, Rapiras and Personna blues are my go tos. Astras are definitely at the top, Personnas are smooth but don't last as long as the Astras and don't seem as sharp. The Rapiras are a good middle ground between the other 2. Hopefully if the blades are that awful it doesn't turn people off DE shaving.
Great shave! I agree in regards to the German made Wilkinson blades I think it was kensurfs and Paul H films who mentioned that they were not up to the mark. Don't quote me on that though as my memory is not that great having watched more than my fair share of RU-vid shaving videos!
Totally agree! I tried Wilkinson sword blades (bought a 5 pack in a black container) used each blade no more than 2 times before they started to pull/tuggle , absolutely terrible! Personally, I really enjoy Astra and Feather blades. :)
I got a Van Der Hagen DE razor and shave kit making a lather came to me like second nature and im going on my 4th day of shaving and no razor burn and no irritation like i get with a cartridge razor
@@ivermec-tin666I personally do. The china made blades seem a bit harsh when compared to the India blades. The India made blades have offer a more consistent performance. Never had any issues with them.
@@robanderson5153 Thanks for sharing your experience. For those who don't know, the Indian manufactured Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades may be purchased in a box of 50, which they market as a "saloon pack". At this point, all of the boxes of 100, appear to be made in China. The German manufactured blades are labeled as "Wilkinson Sword" blades, with no Gillette reference in the name.
One thing I like about the Lab Blues is that they're a little more rigid than most DE blades, which makes for less chatter in most DE razors and a shave more like what you'd get from an old style single edge blade.
100% agree! I bought that razor just to try a twist to open. I tried the blade they supplied, and absolutely hated it! Rough as hell. Would also love to know what the blade gap is.
Blades are not going to cut it? No pun intended? LOL. The German Wilinson Sword works great for me. Remember YMMV. My sweet comination for my face is Rockwell 6C number 4 or 5, Stirling Baker Street, and German Wilinson Sword blades. Sorry the Wilky blades did not work out for you.
Great Video Nick, I just got home my Wilkinson Sword Butterfly Razor with a 10 pack Wilkinson Sword Blades, love the feel and balance of this razor, it is not as aggressive as my Parker 96R, I´d say it is on the par of my Bluebeard Schimitar Razor. Being a new razor I was cautious and used my Personna Blade for the first shaveing......SMOOOOTH! like shaving with my Bluebeard. I hope it performs as well with the DERBY EXTRA BLADES that are comming. I´ll try the Wilkinson Blades, maybe they are good I will find out soon. I hope your message about seperate judgeing of Razor and Blade finds it´s way to the New-by Wet Shavers.! A bad shave can really put one off getting the best shave in the world.
A video that I and possibly others might be interested in seeing would be a blade comparison. Maybe a handful or more of blades compared. For example, if I am currently using shark blades with success and want to try different blades that might be comparable. Maybe 3 groups of sharpness and smoothness. Idk just thought. Great vid
Nick, you and Kensurfs are the 2 people that really got me into wet shaving and enthusiastic about it. Thank you for always being a calm, patient and informative reviewer. I like how you take your time and explain techniques, equipment and the reasons for what you do. Do you have a "go-to" razor and blade combo that's your every day? Mine is either the DE89 or the Heritage and i use PolSilver blades. Thanks again for all you do!
Nick.. i saw your list of Gear of the Year and your list of faves, i was unsure if this was updated to current choices. Sorry for confusion and thank you.
Some weeks ago I was in a supermarket in Germany looking for blades for my cartridge razor. A pack of 4 was around 14 euros. Then I saw this Wilkinson Sword razor with 5 blades for 10 euros. It looked cool and had a weight to it, especially when compared to those plastic cartridges in random silly colors. I thought "Fuck it, it can't be that difficult to use", so I bought it. I had no idea about the size of the rabbit hole I was getting myself into... 😁 The blades do work, I can't tell how they compare to others, as they are the only ones I've used so far. After watching far too many shaving videos, I'll probably get some Personna blades once I'm done with the Wilkinson ones... Thank you for your reviews, your videos are great! 👍
It'd be nice to see you review the Rex Ambassador. If you don't have one, I'm sure there are several people that would let you borrow theirs. I have one if you need it. Take care.
Yo Nick , I'm a fan of Viking Blade (Odin and Augustus) would love to hear your review of them , also that Norelco one blade , I've been using that on my neck everyday lately and though it's not as close , the convienience factor is huge , my girl even bought one for the legs
I got some German Wilkerson Sword blades in a sample pack years ago and did not like them. There are some Gillette Wilkerson Sword from China and from India. The ones from India are the better ones.
Hey Nick, kinda off topic but have you ever shaved with a shavette by any chance? Just wondering, I am thinking of starting with it before a straight razor.
I hate to say this, but this Wilkinson Sword is hands down the worst razor I've ever tried to use. Though I'm quite experienced at DE shaving, this razor left my face covered with blood each time I used it. I normally use the Taiga (when I'm at home) and Edwin Jagger 3one6 (when traveling), both of which razors I love to death. From time to time, however, I happen to try something else, just for curiosity and for the fun of it. That's why I recently bought two cheap razors: this Wilkinson Sword butterfly razor and the King C. Gillette DE safety razor. Whereas the King C. Gillette (in my country available for 12 bucks now) turned out to be an excellent razor, this Wilkinson Sword only proved to be a horrible piece of junk.
strange, my best shave so far was with the german wilkinson sword. do you figure it was because of variations between batches ? or just the general YMMV stuff ? Thanks for the review.
Nice shave, hey I noticed when you leaned into the cam that you sounded much clearer. I haven’t noticed this before but I think your sound quality would really be used with an external mic or a plug in mic pointed at you. Other not I have a Rockwell 6c that the blade gap is exposed a lot on one side and less on the other and it gives terrible shaves I didn’t find this till the 4th shave because I forgot to look. One would expect from a high praised razor it wouldn’t have that kind of issue. Go figure.
On German Amazon it's 18,99€, not the best price by far. I got mine in Luxembourg for 15,99€ and I've paid too much, I was in Trier later and Müller had it for 9,99€.
You are a big Personna man , which do you like better , the med preps , or the lab blues ? I think you used the lab blues on this shave . Glad your back , beautiful lather by the way !