Gillette 7 O’Clock SharpEdge Razor Blade Review
The Gillette 7 O’clock series is made up of 4 different blades, with the yellow packaging being the SharpEdge. The black package is the Super Platinum and there are 2 different green packages which are either the Permasharp Stainless or Super Stainless. This review will focus on the Gillette 7 0’Clock SharpEdge in the yellow package.
When I was first getting into shaving with a safety razor, one of the pitches was that evil companies like Gillette were taking advantage of us by charging outrageous prices for cartridges. I was a little surprised to see so many different Gillette DE razor blades available, and there are many different DE blades that are not even branded as Gillette but made by Gillette.
100 7 O'clock SharpEdge Double Edge Safety Razor Blades
- Stainless steel blades - Made in Russia
- One of the sharpest blades available
- Sharp and Long Lasting - Excellent in all brands of double edge safety razors
- 5 blades per tuck, 20 tucks on a display card for a total of 100 blades - an exceptional value
Based on this I had a little chip on my shoulder against Gillette starting off. Ironically one of the first great shaves I had was with the Gillette 7 O’clock Black’s, and I found another favorite with the Gillette Silver Blue’s.
The Gillette 7 O’clock SharpEdge was pretty low on my list of blades to try for no real good reason. If it was not doing well in the polls (you can vote for the next razor blade to test here) I do not think I would have tried it any time soon. That would have been a shame.
Fresh out of the pack the sharpness measured 46. For information on what this means check out Razor Blade Sharpness Testing. This is right about average. You can click this link to see a Razor Blade Sharpness Comparison Chart with the other blades tested so far.
It only took a few strokes for me to realize that I really liked this blade. I proceeded to have an excellent shave that was very smooth and extremely close. It was one of those shaves where I was thinking yes, this is why I use a safety razor – this is amazing. I could not have been happier with the first shave.
Note that I shave my head as well as my face and have a pretty thick growth – except for the top of my head. This means that one of my shaves might equal two of someone that just shaves their face, or even more if they have a thinner beard.
After the first shave, the sharpness increased to 43. You will notice in the other razor blade reviews as well that most blades so far tend to sharpen up with use. What I like specifically about the Gillette 7 O’clock SharpEdge is that while it did increase in sharpness, it also remained fairly consistent which I personally favor.
The second shave was basically the same as the first. It was great and I enjoyed it the entire time. I was able to achieve a very close and comfortable 3 pass shave on both my head and face.
After the second shave the sharpness increased just slightly to 42, for all intents and purposes this is the same. Again this is extremely consistent which I favor.
I have personally found the following regarding the sharpness of DE razor blades relative to shaving:
An average sharpness value of 50 is about where a noticeable amount of increased effort is required when shaving. A value larger than 50 (less sharp) may result in the feeling of drag or potential pulling. The low 40’s is right where I like to be. It is sharp but still forgiving. When the sharpness gets into the 30’s, this is where the blade is very sharp. A sharp blade is a great shave, but one must be extremely careful as the slightest pressure may cause irritation or a minor misstep may result in a nick or a cut. This may take away from the shaving experience unless the shaver is very seasoned in which case the increased sharpness may be desirable.
The reason I like a high level of consistency is that the same level of care and attention is required the entire time. While some of the blades sharpen up quite a bit, I find that I need to actively back off when it is sharper or I risk irritation. I prefer a blade to be consistently sharp or consistently average, but either way not change too much during a shave.
As always your mileage may vary. The real take away information here is the relative sharpness to other blades and the confirmed level of consistency.
Initial Sharpness = 46
Average Sharpness = 44
Edge Retention = 0.91
Smoothness = 5/5
Overall Subjective Rating = 5/5
Platinum Coated. Made in Russia.
The Gillette 7 O’clock SharpEdge (yellow package) exceeded my expectations and has become one of my favorite blades. I make a point of only giving good blades a rating of 4/5 so that a 5/5 means something, and this one is a 5.
Another benefit to the Gillette 7 O’clock SharpEdge is that they are widely available for a reasonable price. I would also be very comfortable using this blade again for a third full head and face shave. I highly recommend you give it a try.
Check out more Razor Blade Reviews or look into how the Razor Blade Sharpness Testing works.
Have you tried Gillette 7 O’clock SharpEdge (Yellow) Razor Blades? Be sure to leave your overall rating, the community appreciates your vote!
100 7 O'clock SharpEdge Double Edge Safety Razor Blades
- Stainless steel blades - Made in Russia
- One of the sharpest blades available
- Sharp and Long Lasting - Excellent in all brands of double edge safety razors
- 5 blades per tuck, 20 tucks on a display card for a total of 100 blades - an exceptional value
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One of my favourite blades, fantastic value for money.