Merkur Super Platinum double edged blade review
I was a bit nervous using the Merkur Super Platinum blade as I hadn’t read good things about them.
Having used the one that came with my Merkur HD razor months ago for my first double-edged razor shave, I remember overall getting a decent shave but badly cutting up my lower right neck (my trouble area).
Going back to the blades in my sample pack re-affirmed to me why people say it’s important to try a blade again after a few months.
1. Sharpness
I remember when I first used the Merkur blade my HD razor came with it and observing that while the blade cut ok enough it was a very rough cut. At the time I’m going to put that down to me having no technique, let’s face it, it was my first shave with the razor.
A few months later and I found the blade sliced the stubble much more cleanly. It did however tug in a few areas briefly but didn’t cause any irritation or nicks as it eventually went over.
The sharpness is obviously there as I got a decent weeks shave out of the blades but they didn’t feel as smooth as say a Derby or a Personna red. For beginners I think this blade dullness might cause a shaver to press down a bit and that’s probably what cut me up the first time.
2. Durability
Unlike some of the sharper blades the Merkur Super Platinum maintained a consistent shave over the course of six shaves. I did however have to go over some areas one or two times more to get a completely smooth shave by the fifth and sixth shave.
Compared to the drastic drop in blade sharpness I experienced with the Feather and Astra blades after just one shave though it was nothing.
3. Irritation
None to speak of. Even with the increased passes in the fifth and sixth shave (standard 4 became 5 or 6) my skin was left irritation free.
I think this is probably due to the blade consistency over the shave period.
The blades are made in Germany and are platinum coated stainless steel. They come in a sealed package that contains the razor box rather then just a sealed box like all the other razors I’ve tried.
The reason for this is that the plastic box is open to begin with and has two slots, one for disposing blades and one for dispersing. Don’t do what I did and not notice this.
I pried off one of the ends in confusion and now I’m left with a container that leaks blades everywhere at the slightest tilt.
Coming in at around $1 a blade (Derby blades go for under 30c each) they are also ridiculously expensive and I have no idea why.
For that cost alone I’d be expecting big things from the blade but sadly the Merkur Super Platinums just don’t deliver.
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