So a tuya dev account can make them local, this is the piece I was missing. Now I want to get one just to try it out.

First, your writeup here is extremely helpful, thoughtful, and I am very grateful.

I am in the USA.

I actually just cancelled my Amazon Prime membership today after more than a decade. We used them for everything including grocery delivery, but no more.

I have primarily shopped at Maggard Razors (online) for my wet shaving needs and have been happy with their service, though I'm open to anything (except Amazon).

I just started my experimentation of finally trying these sample packs of blades I bought more than a year ago. I used one derby blade twice now. Seems fine. I'm not looking for the holy grail, just an affordable blade that gets the job done. I prefer to use a blade only once or twice before replacing, and I only shave between 2-4 times a week. It feels a lot easier to use a blade once or twice when it only costs $0.11 rather than $0.40 per blade.

FYI, I started off with a POS Viking razor from amazon, then got a Rockwell 6S. The Rockwell was fine, but I eventually got a Razorock GC84-P (Game Changer in the more aggressive gap). I love this razor.

Maggard Razors has the Derby blades in a 100 pack for $11.95. This seems reasonable to me. I will use all 5 in my sample pack (plastic tuck with writing read while tuck is in vertical orientation). Then I will try my tuck of 10 Sharp Durablade.

When I was first buying shaving soap I found it so confusing. It was only after I was informed that the main difference between the soaps was the fragrance that I finally started to "get it". I have tried several soaps and found them all to be serviceable. I am primarily going with Stirling because it is highly available, reasonably priced, and works well for me.

I think that most blades should be fine for most people barring any bad batches. I do wish the terminology was more logical when describing these things.

I really wish razor blades came with a "nutrition label" that said what they were made of, where they were made, and their initial sharpness. Terms like "super stainless" "sharpedge" and "superior stainless" just do not do much to help me figure out what I'm potentially introducing to my bloodstream or how the blade will perform.

I actually have a 8 packs of samples of "silver blue" "7 o clock" (green and yellow?) "Sharp Durablade" "Astra superior stainless" "ladas" "Derby" and "Shark". I have not appreciated Shark in the past. The Ladas appear to have Russian writing, but do not clearly say where made. The 7oclock and super blues say they are made in Russia clearly. The Astra does not say where it is made, but it is clearly a P&G brand, so should I assume Russia? The "Derby Extra Superior Stainless" says it has a "Platinum Tungsten Polymer Coating", should I assume this is still teflon?

Planning to continue my "experimentation" with the derby (made in Turkey, maybe not teflon?), but would also love to know any details about Sharp and Astra as this stuff is just not "google-able".