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refinedshaving was the site you are perhaps referring to. The website has shutdown now but regardless it is a bit outdated now since a lot has changed since those tests were done.

Sharp are made in Bangladesh along with several other brands such as clifton and Champion to name just two. Sharp also come in various types. Astra blades were made in Russia St Petersberg and are now made in India. Ladas are made in the Russian owned plant Mostochlegmash where Rapira blades as well as your favourite blades (Voskhod) are made.

There are several Derby Blades floating around. There are some Derby Extra blades in white plastic tucks with vertically prints whilst there is an almost identically packaged Derby Extra which is horizontally aligned print insert in the plastic tuck. The ones with the vertically printed insert are said to be of the older stock whilst the new ones are horizontally aligned which is made on newer equipment along with Platinum (Black Plastic tucks) and USTA blades. Some people prefer the old and some people detest them. I have used all of them and they all appear to be fine. The only ones I have not used from this factory is the Bluebird blades but I vaguely recall other blades being made there but my memory fails me. (ZAZA is another blade that I forgot) Derby Extra are also available in orange and also blue labels. The Blue packaged ones are simply packs of 10. The new ones can also be had in tuckless bulk packs that are singly packaged in one little box. (used a fair few of these ones) Derby are very forgiving and probably most peoples starter blades at least they were which is where I suspect they get their poor reputation from.

It's worth noting that Shark also have several different types of blades. Stainless, Chrome and Platinum. Platinum being the newest of the three types.

Gillette Silver Blue, Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (yellow) and Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green) still appear to be made in Russia however their quality may have declined in recent years. I cannot verify this myself as I have a large supply of several of these blades and none of mine appear to be made in recent years. In regards to the 7 O'Clock blades you have I would suggest the Super Stainless as they appear to be reasonably sharp and smooth whilst the yellow ones can vary due to changes made over the years. As of today the yellow SharpEdge ones are not bad but some say they are not as sharp as they used to be. I prefer how they shave now in comparison to the older ones I also have as they were not very smooth at all. I would rate the Green blades a little higher than the Astra superior Platinum blades. If I want a decent, no fuss shave I would chose the Green blades out of these. Gillette Silver Blue are a little dearer. I have found them to be more razor dependent than the Greens but are still pretty decent. Since these are all Russian made blades then availability might be a bit difficult. It is perhaps worth mentioning that I believe the 7 O'Clock blades are made for the Arabic nations (Sorry, a better description of the region is not coming to me) so availability might still be good which explains why they are still readily available. There is a version of Gillette Platinum blades that I enjoy that are still being made and I suspect for this reason also. I also suspect that the Silver Blue and Perma-Sharp blades are made for this market also. Prices may vary as some resellers are milking the market right now too.

Astra have been favoured by many as their first "decent" starter blade but due to the manufacturing location changes it is still early days to form a solid opinion and reputation but as with everything you are going to have fans of the old and fans of the new and then some people that hate change. Everyone's opinion has their merit but since the ones you have are very likely made in Russia I would not depend on these as you will find it difficult to procure them now as they are starting to be overtaken by those made in India.

India, Pakistan and Egypt manufacturer a large assortments of blades not to mention China too. Treet is a reputable brand that make a good variety of blades are largely inexpensive and made in Pakistan. India make a fair few blades including a Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (Blacks) which are nice but for some reason have a big markup and are not worth the price if you ask me as their are other equally if not better blades made in India and elsewhere. Egypt make a ton of blades under several different brands. Bolzano, Rainbow, Lord (being the largest), ASCO, Elios, Shark and Silverstar etc. Vietnam Make Dorco blades which are not bad either. Greece make BiC blades of which there are two types Astor (Stainless steel) and the BiC Chrome Platinum blades.

I am keen to hear how you go with the Derby Extra blades you have.

I personally never found the Voskhod blades to be that great but there was a rather large batch that were faulty many years ago which is when I bought them. (probably before year 2005)

Perhaps you could clue us in what country you are located in so we can make some recommendations based on availability and prices too. We might even be able to provide you with a decent store to buy them at and at the best prices. As with everything I am not a fan of Amazon as you may not be getting what you pay for and may also be paying more than you should. Another factor ould be what razor you are using too as i believe some blades perform differently in different razors.

In regards to the argument that google pays firefox and could easily kill it off I doubt it. Even if they were so bold as to cut funding completely (which they are not) you will find that Mozilla will have at some point have to cut loose their CEO or cut their huge pays down and make some changes there followed by some clever moves to find another source of income. If worse comes to worse the community will come to its aid and it will go back into the hands of the community which is likely a very good thing but Google has another approach to all of this and are incrementally trying to lock firefox or any non compliant browser or competitor out of the internet. Google has been doing it for years now. They hijacked web standards also along the way.

I think people are either forgetting the roots of chrome or how it came about as being PUP and foistware bundled along with popular freeware software or anyone they could pay to bundle their software with but earlier than that it was a toolbar that piggybacked onto IE (for its marketshare) and than I believe even Firefox too. People also seem to have this belief that when Chrome came out it was absolutely revolutionary and brilliant but the truth is that it was garbage but people fell for it like a shark to a bucket of chum. To me Chrome was pretty much your Bonzi Buddy of browsers. And google a complete scourge on the internet.

As for webkit that old chestnut. The only reason why that is popular at all is because Apple makes sure that you cannot use any other browser or makes it as difficult as possible not to mention the largest part of their user base comes from their iphone without that they're pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel. IMO Yes, Google is just as bad if not worse in many cases as they leverage their android phone market, run ads on TV specifically designed to push chrome and also built an entire laptop (all be it a terrible one) and called it a chromebook to make sure they keep their dominance but lets not also forget they bought youtube also to stack the odds in their favor. Same ol' Google really.

The browser wars are dead! We just settle for the lesser evil these days.

Saying that this is better for your privacy is like saying I only get punched in the face every second day rather than every day now.

Taking all of the above away and if there is one reason fewer people should be using chrome or chromium based browsers and using something else such as Firefox or a fork is to maintain a balance and take away some of the power and influence they (Google) do have over the web so they will not be able to force things such as WEI and take away many of the freedoms from the net in which we grew up on as too did the internet. The Freedom of exchange of information was never meant to be conditional or the internet held to ransom by one company but this is where we are at so its time for a change of hands or a the balance of power to be restored. Bringing balance will also force sloppy and lazy web developers to stop build dirt poor websites and deliberately blocking out other browsers. Web standards need to be restored and be completely independent from one entity or another, be it google, Mozilla, Apple or any one else in between.

Yes! I do still use the headphone jack. Bluetooth is trash and suffers from extreme latency and is not capable of the same quality of a wired connection.

I recently bought some bluetooth earphones (sony wf-c500) after many years of avoiding it. I was under the impression that things had improved but bluetooth is still as bad as I remember them. The audio latency on windows alone is unreal but another kettle of fish.

The real disgrace is that phone manufacturers removed the MicroSD card slot and then tried to justify it with weak excuses that didn't add up. MicroSD/SD cards have also recently become much quicker but nobody was using a MicroSD card as primary storage anyway so it was irrelevant and a weak argument at best. The only reason why phone manufacturers did remove it was to charge you much more for the large storage capacity phones. I would also say the price increase for that given storage space was and is also vastly more expensive than it actually is. In other words it is a cash grab. Its also of no coincidence that many phone manufacturers also now sell their own shitty Bluetooth headphones.

We can also sight the absence of charging cables/cords and wall plugs/power bricks. Not to mention that people these days are more privacy focused and tech savvy and begrudgingly use android or apple phones as they know with each update their privacy is being further eroded away. Whilst also being undermined by manufacturers with such things as planned obsolescence and them deliberately making it difficult if not impossible to repair your own phone.

...and phone manufacturers wonder why nobody wants to buy a phone anymore. Dumbasses! The truth is there are many more number of reasons why phones are garbage these days.

I'm actually due for a shave today and am really thinking of using the futur that I have today on the 3.5 setting but will use one of my preferred blades right now the ASCO Orange. It's a lot more mild than a feather but might give me a better idea. Depending on how well the shave goes I will probably use it with a fresh feather blade down the line also just to get an even better idea. The clone may have even taken on the improvements too since it appeared very many years after mine was released and bought. I have heard they are quite decent but as with a lot of the cheaper ones perhaps longevity isn't on their side nonetheless you have had a good run with it and it sounds like you are looking for something else to try anyway.

Sounds like an angle I like to shave at for the most part. My hair is fairly straight but grows in a few different angles on my neck so it makes it tricky to maintain that WTG (with the grain), XTG (across the grain), and ATG (against the grain) shave which always leads to irritation if I don't so I can imagine how tricky it would be to have curly beard hair, it sounds like a bit of nightmare. If it works for you then who is to argue.

Refreshed Observations: I forgot to mention that the Futur razor appears to have brass in the handle which usually weighs a good amount too. I recall one of the things I didn't like about the Futur was that there is a bit of play in the head that doesn't help to keep the blade straight. It kinda pivots a bit from left to right if i hold the top cap from the blade tab sides and gently torque the handle left to right which was always a bit of a worry for me. When I bought mine there was no such thing as a chrome or gold coated ones. It was the Satin finish or nothing.

This razor has a weak blade clamping system by design and over the years the tension rods can maybe weaken over time too. There is a good deal of blade chatter for a few reasons the spring tension clamping and also for the fact that there is very little to hold the edge of the blade tight to the top cap aside from that narrow bar (the thrust plate in the middle of the head where the tension rods are) in the middle which means you will hear the blade a lot more as you shave your hair which some people refer to as blade chatter. Depending on the person this could be a good thing or a bad thing. The good thing is that its pleasing to hear but the bad is that it may cause a lot of vibration and flex in the blade which doesn't always lead to a pleasant and comfortable shave. Despite all of the above it actually shaves quite well. I'm not 100% if Merkur made some changes and improvements after I bought mine (I vaguely remember something happening many years ago) but this is my observations.

Revised comments: I took some time to look into the Qshave clone. I believe it is a little thinner and from my research is a little lighter too. The Qshave is actually 88g which places it within a comfortable weight class to replace as many razors come in at the same weight if not heavier which is good news for you. So where does that leave you? You could very easily buy the Merkur Futur and have a heavier and similar razor that is a step up in quality whilst being the same razor you know and love whilst being a heavier, more substantial in the hand, better balanced and made to a higher standard of quality.

In the meantime have you also tried cleaning your razor. They are very easily to disassemble and to reassemble. Just take note of which way the parts were set before you took them apart and lay them before you in parts as it was when it was assembled. It could just be surface rust. You could use an old toothbrush and some dish soap in warm water to clean it or if you're lucky enough to have an Ultrasonic cleaner you can use that also.

I particularly like the Athena razor myself as well as the Ares but the Ares being an open comb might not work out for curly hair although I can't say for sure. The Athena is 118g and very smooth but efficient. Another good razor is the Blackland Blackbird which is 94g. You can get the blackbird in the original plate or the lite plate which is more mild and also various metals, finishes and also different handle lengths. It's a very popular razor which I would class as efficient also.

I have the Genuine Merkur Futur but have not used it in a very long time now so I can't comment on it too much but I am curious how well it works for me these days as I bought it when I was reasonably new to wet shaving more than 10 years ago but I do recall it being aggressive and would describe it as being blade positive.

I would recommend a Pearl Flexi (an adjustable) for weight (All brass, apparently CNC machined tank. It doubles as a hammer. Its 140G) but their quality can be a bit of a hit and a miss unfortunately so I cannot really recommend it completely. I have two myself. One was terrible and the second was no better but I was lucky enough to be able to swap parts some parts and make the better of the two razors. I am not alone in having to do a few refunds until you get the magic one that works.

Have you consider something like a stainless steel Muhle R41 (R41GS). Since you are using an aggressive razor at a mid-high setting with a very sharp blade then this razor might be up your alley.

I believe the genuine Futur is 128g and the stainless steel R41GS is 113g so its not quite as heavy but I am fairly sure it is efficient enough to be in line with the Futur clone. Since the R41GS is a standard three piece design you could change the handle for something else that is heavier if you really like but its my opinion that the Futur is head heavy and so all the weight is in the head.

Another similarly efficient razor is the REX Ambassador, it's not as heavy as the Futur clone (128g) as its 110g but is head heavy by design and adjustable.

I will have to use my Merkur Futur again to give you better advice but will have to wait a week or two before I can as I have some upcoming events and don't wanna risk having a bad shave for it. I have an old R41 in Zamak somewhere also but its in a box buried under other boxes in storage.

The futur razor is quite a unique design of a razor so its hard for me to compare it to anything really. I actually felt like it was a terrible razor but mine was a much older version and the clone and new Merkur's may be better than the one I have.

In regards to the angle of shave are you using the futur clone in a shallow or steep angle?

Bugger! I forgot to add the Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel bottle in the pic.

I would gladly take a smooth blade over a sharp one and let the razor and angles do the rest of the work. I can use feathers and a few others but it depends on the razor razor or my skin condition. I'm not sure what date Astra blades (likely the old ones that everyone knows and loves which are made in Russia) you have but there is a little bit of rumbles in regards to where they are made now. I believe the newer ones are made in India. The reason why I mention this is because it is believed that this is perhaps got to do with GIllette P&G moving blade production outside Russia which means that in time 7'O Clock blades may be affected but its worth nothing that India already has had their own production of 7'O Clock blades for many years. They make blacks (Super Platinum) and a version of Green called Permasharp Stainless (not to be confused with the other Permasharps also made by Gillette in Russia or other Green 7'Oclocks Super Stainless also made in Russia. hahaha)

You might also appreciate blades like Derby Premium or Derby Extra. If you can get a tuck to try of either one then it might be worthwhile also.

I'm glad you enjoy the newer Yellow SharpEdge blades and its definitely made me more keen to try them. I feel like our blade preferences aren't too far apart.

There is a couple of different versions of these particular SharpEdge blades. I still have some of the old ones that a few people enjoyed but honestly I found them to be needlessly harsh. I believe the newer ones are said to be much smoother but I have not experience with the newer ones myself.

The ones you have are from the new batches. I will have to try these ones out soon.

I enjoy the Nivea lotion. I will have to pick up a new bottle. My ones are as old as the hills and probably no good anymore. lol

In regards to blades it sometimes also depends on the particular razor and your hair and skin type as well as technique. It's really a journey.

It's good to hear another vote of smoothness for the updated SharpEdge blades though.

Thanks for creating this community here. I pretty much joined Reddit for a few niche communities like this one and now am joining Lemmy because of this and also to give Reddit the middle finger. I hope this community gains a lot of traction and becomes very popular.

Whatever matches the shaving products I am using although the PAA Unscented gets the most use lately as too does more subtle soaps like MWF (old Tallow version and not the new tallow free version that I have no interest in) which I have been using a lot lately too.