100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick, Green

PROS:- Sharp blade that provides a smooth shave- Versatile- Won’t punish you for every mistake- Premium quality and performanceCONS:- No blade bankPRODUCT OVERVIEW:Astra is actually a subsidiary of Gillette as they were acquired by Gillette a few decades ago. I couldn’t find the exact year this transaction took place.Anyway, these blades are manufactured in Russia. They are made from stainless steel and fit any standard safety razor. One other thing to note is that these blades are platinum coated. Hence where they get the name Astra Superior Platinum. The platinum coating isn’t just some marketing gimmick though -- it’s important to the performance of these blades because it really helps the blade shave more smoothly.I’ve seen these blades sold online in quantities of 5, 10, 15, 30, 50 and 100. Regardless of what quantity you buy though, they all come packaged the same.They are packaged in small boxes of 5, which they refer to as a “carton”. So if you buy an order of 50, you will actually be getting 10 cartons with 5 blades in each carton. Each blade inside the box is individually wrapped in wax paper to help protect it from the elements as well as make it safer to handle.The blade itself just says “ASTRA” across the top of the blade and “SUPERIOR PLATINUM” across the bottom.Don’t worry too much about the packaging though. Let’s get to what really matters: their performance and if they are the right blades for you.KEY FEATURES & CHARACTERISTICS- Above Average Sharpness + Above Average Smoothness = Great Blade- The Astra Superior Platinum double edge razor blades are one of the sharpest smooth blades out there. Or to put it another way, one of the smoothest sharp blades.- Either way you want to look at it, these blades are amazing at being sharp enough to deliver an amazingly close shave while being smooth enough to do it without causing a lot of irritation.- Most blades are either sharp and not smooth or smooth and not sharp. These blades do a great job at both.- These might not be as sharp as a Feather or as smooth as a Shark or Derby, but they are well above average in both categories.NOT A FEATHER, BUT THESE STILL PACK A PUNCH- So exactly how sharp are these? Well they are not as sharp as a Feather, nothing is, but I would still rate them as an 8/10 on the sharpness scale. Some guys might prefer a sharper razor blade, but I think the vast majority of men can easily shave their beard with the Astra. It’s plenty sharp enough to be able to take off even thick, coarse facial hair.SMOOTH AND COMFORTING- The Astra Superior Platinum Blades are incredibly smooth. In fact, I really think the sharpness of these blades benefits the smoothness. How so?- Because the blade is so sharp it easily shaves facial hair off without tugging at it. Yes, Derby’s and Shark’s might be smoother for men that have really light beards and fine facial hair, but Derby’s and Shark’s are not smooth for men with thick beards and coarse facial hair because instead of easily shaving the hair, they often tug at the beard.- Astra’s are awesome though because the blade is sharp enough to easily shave thick beards and coarse hair, but it does so while being pretty smooth and irritation-free on the skin.- I actually think these are one of the smoothest blades I own. There are several other blades that are sharp or sharper than the Astra’s. And there are several other blades that are as smooth or more smooth as the Astra’s. But there’s only a few that do both well.GREAT OPTION FOR WIDE RANGE OF MEN- Because the Astra Superior Platinum blades offer both excellent sharpness and smoothness properties, I think these blades are a great option for a wide variety of men. It’s plenty sharp for men that have a thick beard and/or coarse facial hair, but at the same time it’s also smooth enough for men that have sensitive skin and need a blade that is more forgiving.- This blade really falls right in the sweet spot for a lot of men that want a close shave but don’t want to be dealing with cuts or razor burn in order to get a close shave.RETAINS SHARPNESS AND SMOOTHNESS PROPERTIES FOR MULTIPLE SHAVES- The Astra Superior Platinum blades probably won’t last you much longer than your standard safety razor blade, but I do think they retain their sharpness and smoothness better.- I have a medium thickness beard and my hair is slightly coarse so I typically average around 5 shaves with a blade. And I found that Astra’s are right on my average. I probably could push it and get another shave or 2 out of them but I just find that unnecessary when double edge blades are so cheap.- All that said, I was really impressed with how sharp and smooth these blades stayed for all 5 shaves. In fact, the first shave was really good, but I actually found that the blade got a little sharper for shaves 2 and 3. This isn’t unusual if you’ve read my other reviews.- I’m impressed with the longevity of the blade. I’ll always take a blade that can deliver superb sharpness and smoothness for 5 shaves over a blade that gives mediocre performance for 10 shaves.CONCLUSION:I like to get a variety pack to start out with and literally shave with one blade for 5 days and then rotate to the other one for 5 days to see the real difference. Remember the benefit of going with manual shaving is how long these blades last at such a low price. You just save money hands down use them over disposable razors.

I've only recently started the DE shaving thing as my daughter bought me a Wilkinson's classic chrome razor pack for Christmas. I've always preferred wet shaving, usually with a Gillette Fusion something or other. Never had any problems with it, never had any razor burn, but always fancied the old-school method, and here I am. Four months in and getting better at it!These blades are very good, though you might not know it at the beginning. It seems to me that the "platinum" coating can make for a very uncomfortable initial shave with a new blade. It doesn't matter what I do or how careful I am, a new blade will cut and nick. I nearly gave up on them, but then noticed that on following shaves the blade seems to get sharper. That can't be right - but then I found an article on the internet confirming this, though I won't link to it here. Suffice to say, give them a couple of goes before binning the idea, and remember to take smaller, more careful strokes. I find now that each single Astra blade can last an absolute age.Quick note about the Arko gear too - it's quite possibly the best shaving cream/soap/whatever I've ever used. It just seems to be absolutely perfect. A good deep rub of the face with a wet Arko stick (don't be frightened - really put plenty on!), and use your wet brush to lather, and the performance is just excellent. i love the smell very much but it seems to split the crowd. I think it's very lemony and refreshing. Either way, it's definitely the best gear I've ever used and I've bought three more sticks. Should see me through the Covid apocalypse and beyond!

A few years ago, I was recommended by a Dermatologist, to try using a Double Edge razor instead of the usual 3/5 blade razors / Electric shavers I have used all my life, as her advice was it would help reduce the shaving irritation and constant ingrown hairs I experience following every shave. I ignored that advice as couldn't see how an old fashioned razor would be better, but recently , when looking to purchase more 5 blade Wilkinson cartridge razors, I saw these and thought I would give them a go The cartridges were double the price for 8 vs 100 of these blades, so I thought it was worth a punt...So far I have been really happy with the result. The packaging is simple, 20 x 5 blade cardboard packs within a larger external cardboard box. Each blade wrapped in paper so no excess plastic waste. Easy to fit in the Safety Razor I purchased, and with the Arko soap that accompanied the blades, I found the shave excellent, particularly for a novice whose technique was probably poor. I had a couple of small nicks around the chin, but to be expected for the first time but the big plus was no razor burn. Ingrown hairs will take time to go but definite improvement.Give it a go and stick with it, even if the first couple of shaves don't go according to plan. The keys lessons for me were, less pressure against your skin with the razor and keep the skin taut. I expect the more I shave, the better the results will be.