I have a box very similar, if not identical to that one. The blades are blue wrapped with the same printing. I am not convinced they are Labs, being the box says it was distributed by a beauty supply company. I haven't used one in forever but I don't remember them being all that great. I have also never used a "known" lab either.
Personna Lab Blue Now Made in Germany???
- Thread starter branford
- Start date
I have a box very similar, if not identical to that one. The blades are blue wrapped with the same printing. I am not convinced they are Labs, being the box says it was distributed by a beauty supply company. I haven't used one in forever but I don't remember them being all that great. I have also never used a "known" lab either.
Mine say on the blade, "Made in USA".
These are the sharpest blades I ever used after Feather.
- Thread starter
- #43
The blue box in the photo are indeed Labs, just some of the earliest packaging. I actually miss the blue wrappers because they easily identified the blades.
However, there are (or were) also Personna "barber blades" in the market that might have been different from the Labs, but I never tried them.
I didn't know that. I have over a hundred Made in Israel Personna and close to a hundred of the American lab blue blades. I'm glad I got them a few years ago.
Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk
- Thread starter
- #45
The Labs (and Med Preps) are still apparently being produced in the USA, with the issue of ensuring purchase of the correct box.
The people who've tried the new "German Reds" seem to believe they're largely indistinguishable from the Israeli-manufactured blades.
People who like either blade should be fine, despite Edgewell's and Accutec's efforts to make purchasing Personna blades as confusing and difficult as possible.
I just got in red IPs a couple months ago, but in the white plastic for European market. Seller deals directly with Israel. Date code shows late 2020 on the tucks.
Also bought the German reds 100 box to try but haven't done good comparison.
Unless they stopped production but still had stock that I got, I don't knowthey don't come in a box. Just loose tucks in a bag, so maybe it was from a large bulk package but the date code is recent. Either 2020 or late 2019 I'll have to double check I have so many blades.
Also bought the German reds 100 box to try but haven't done good comparison.
Unless they stopped production but still had stock that I got, I don't knowthey don't come in a box. Just loose tucks in a bag, so maybe it was from a large bulk package but the date code is recent. Either 2020 or late 2019 I'll have to double check I have so many blades.
Hello Gentlemen,
I haven't posted here on B&B in quite some time.
As my stash of US-made Personna comfort-coated platinum chrome blades is quickly dwindling and finding out recently that my favorite Crystal super+ platinum blades have been discontinued with the closing of the Israeli plant (coupled with the general confusion regarding Personna DE blades names/coatings/country of origin) it has led me back here and on a search for a replacement "go-to" blade.
From what I can gather the current production (as of 2021) US-made Personna blades suitable for shaving are as follows:
"LABS"
united states
double edge
stainless steel
comfort coated
3-facet
dispenser of 5 (60-0141)
box of 100 (60-0257)
pack of 250 (60-0138)
"MEDS"
united states
double edge
stainless steel
comfort coated
3-facet
box of 100 (74-0002)
box of 250 (74-0010)
"GEMS"
united states
single edge
stainless steel
coated
3-facet
0.009
aluminum back
dispenser of 10 (62-0174)
box of 100 (62-0178)
It appears platinum chrome blades are no longer produced in the US.
As for the Personna german-made blades, I believe current production (as of 2021) are all "PLATINUM CHROME" available in packs of 10 and sleeves of 200 and are the same as the now-discontinued Israeli-made blades.
Any corrections, clarifications or comments are welcome and appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
PS: I did not post any links as I don't know if that runs afoul of the B&B TOU.
I haven't posted here on B&B in quite some time.
As my stash of US-made Personna comfort-coated platinum chrome blades is quickly dwindling and finding out recently that my favorite Crystal super+ platinum blades have been discontinued with the closing of the Israeli plant (coupled with the general confusion regarding Personna DE blades names/coatings/country of origin) it has led me back here and on a search for a replacement "go-to" blade.
From what I can gather the current production (as of 2021) US-made Personna blades suitable for shaving are as follows:
"LABS"
united states
double edge
stainless steel
comfort coated
3-facet
dispenser of 5 (60-0141)
box of 100 (60-0257)
pack of 250 (60-0138)
"MEDS"
united states
double edge
stainless steel
comfort coated
3-facet
box of 100 (74-0002)
box of 250 (74-0010)
"GEMS"
united states
single edge
stainless steel
coated
3-facet
0.009
aluminum back
dispenser of 10 (62-0174)
box of 100 (62-0178)
It appears platinum chrome blades are no longer produced in the US.
As for the Personna german-made blades, I believe current production (as of 2021) are all "PLATINUM CHROME" available in packs of 10 and sleeves of 200 and are the same as the now-discontinued Israeli-made blades.
Any corrections, clarifications or comments are welcome and appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
PS: I did not post any links as I don't know if that runs afoul of the B&B TOU.
I think you may be confused about the origin of your Personna blades. Join the club, you are in good company.
Here is what I know: The blades marked "Personna Platinum Chrome" have never been made in the US. Up until its recent closure, these blades were made in the Edgewell plant in Israel. They came in a red tuck, hence the common reference to these blades as "Israeli Reds". The European packaging for these blades was a 10-blade plastic dispenser. The blade wrapper on the Reds said, confusingly, that the blades were distributed by American Safety Razor, Verona, VA, USA, but reportedly ASR/Personna USA disavowed any knowledge of or involvement with these blades. In any event, they were made in Israel, not the US. Since the closure of the plant in Israel, a reportedly equivalent blade (also marked Platinum Chrome) is being produced in Germany.
As you noted, the Crystal blades marked "super platinum +" were also made in the Edgewell plant in Israel. These were branded differently in different markets and are commonly referred to as "Israeli Personnas". AFAIK, at this time there is no German made equivalent/replacement for the Crystals.
As you pointed out, the only Personna branded DE blades currently produced in the US are the Lab Blues and the Meds, and that has been the case for many years. The comfort coated Lab Blues (comfort coated is marked on the box) are (and have been for many years) marked "Personna Super" on the blade itself, not "platinum chrome". There has never been, to my knowledge, a Personna blade that has been denoted as both "comfort coated" and "platinum chrome".
To sum up: The Personna Platinum Chrome blades (aka Israeli Reds) and the Personna Comfort Coated blades (aka Lab Blues) are two different blades; the former made in Israel (and now Germany), the latter made in the USA.
The good news is that if you like these blades both are still widely available. The US made Comfort Coated Lab Blues are as good as ever IMO. I haven't tried the German-made Platinum Chromes, but the reports I have seen have been generally favorable. As for the Crystals, it appears that they may be no more, so for the present we are out of luck there.
Hello Spang,
I will respectfully disagree.
I never stated that the US-made platinum chrome blades were marked "platinum chrome". But, ASR most definitely made Personna platinum chrome blades in the US. They used to make four varieties of DE blades for consumers (in dispensers on blister cards). These have all been discontinued:
stainless
stainless comfort-coated
platinum chrome
platinum chrome comfort-coated
See this thread and post:
www.badgerandblade.com
Further, I never stated that Israeli platinum chrome blades and US lab blue blades were the same.
To summarize my post above, current production Personna DE blades (as of 2021):
stainless comfort-coated "labs" (USA)
stainless comfort-coated "meds" (USA)
platinum chrome (Germany)
You are correct (and I am very much aware) that there is no German-made replacement for the discontinued Israeli-made super+ platinum Crystals. Some day...soon...maybe.
Thanks,
Mike
I will respectfully disagree.
I never stated that the US-made platinum chrome blades were marked "platinum chrome". But, ASR most definitely made Personna platinum chrome blades in the US. They used to make four varieties of DE blades for consumers (in dispensers on blister cards). These have all been discontinued:
stainless
stainless comfort-coated
platinum chrome
platinum chrome comfort-coated
See this thread and post:
Personna Confusion #59353
Ok, I went to sallys beauty I purchased these: http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Personna-Lab-Blue-Double-Edge-Blades-5-blades_p_1158.html Are these LABs? They do not say SUPER on them, as opposed to the ebay link here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180758469680...
www.badgerandblade.com
Further, I never stated that Israeli platinum chrome blades and US lab blue blades were the same.
To summarize my post above, current production Personna DE blades (as of 2021):
stainless comfort-coated "labs" (USA)
stainless comfort-coated "meds" (USA)
platinum chrome (Germany)
You are correct (and I am very much aware) that there is no German-made replacement for the discontinued Israeli-made super+ platinum Crystals. Some day...soon...maybe.
Thanks,
Mike
I think you may be confused about the origin of your Personna blades. Join the club, you are in good company.
Here is what I know: The blades marked "Personna Platinum Chrome" have never been made in the US. Up until its recent closure, these blades were made in the Edgewell plant in Israel. They came in a red tuck, hence the common reference to these blades as "Israeli Reds". The European packaging for these blades was a 10-blade plastic dispenser. The blade wrapper on the Reds said, confusingly, that the blades were distributed by American Safety Razor, Verona, VA, USA, but reportedly ASR/Personna USA disavowed any knowledge of or involvement with these blades. In any event, they were made in Israel, not the US. Since the closure of the plant in Israel, a reportedly equivalent blade (also marked Platinum Chrome) is being produced in Germany.
As you noted, the Crystal blades marked "super platinum +" were also made in the Edgewell plant in Israel. These were branded differently in different markets and are commonly referred to as "Israeli Personnas". AFAIK, at this time there is no German made equivalent/replacement for the Crystals.
As you pointed out, the only Personna branded DE blades currently produced in the US are the Lab Blues and the Meds, and that has been the case for many years. The comfort coated Lab Blues (comfort coated is marked on the box) are (and have been for many years) marked "Personna Super" on the blade itself, not "platinum chrome". There has never been, to my knowledge, a Personna blade that has been denoted as both "comfort coated" and "platinum chrome".
To sum up: The Personna Platinum Chrome blades (aka Israeli Reds) and the Personna Comfort Coated blades (aka Lab Blues) are two different blades; the former made in Israel (and now Germany), the latter made in the USA.
The good news is that if you like these blades both are still widely available. The US made Comfort Coated Lab Blues are as good as ever IMO. I haven't tried the German-made Platinum Chromes, but the reports I have seen have been generally favorable. As for the Crystals, it appears that they may be no more, so for the present we are out of luck there.
What you state above is fully confirmed by my research.
Following the closure of the Israeli plant, a single pallet of razor blades was shipped from the Haifa port to Accutec for distribution. Since that information comes from a bill of lading, there is no way of knowing the specific identify of the blades and how they were packaged or distributed. Some claim to have seen some Platinum Chrome blades made in Israel, but distributed by Accutec. This is a possibility, but a one time event.
I have no evidence that he Crystal (aka Israeli Personna) blades are still being produced, I would recommend that anyone who likes Crystal try either Astra Superior Stainless. Those are the most comparable blade I know of. I consider the German Wilkinson Sword and German Personna Platinum Chrome blades to be similar, but perhaps slightly sharper. Thus, there really was no significant reason to continue the Crystal line.
Mike,
My humble apologies. I not only misread your post, I was also apparently flat wrong in my belief that ASR did not produce any platinum chrome blades in the US. Your link to the post back in 2011 set that straight. Maybe this will teach me not go mucking around in the byzantine world of Personna blades as if I know what I'm talking about.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a few more bites of crow to choke down
.Hello Spang,
No harm, no foul.
These are just razor blades we are talking about. I have spent way too much time (both this year and ten years ago) trying to decipher and understand the whole mystery surrounding the Personna DE blades. All in the name of a good shave.
Anyways, have a nice weekend.
Thanks,
Mike
No harm, no foul.
These are just razor blades we are talking about. I have spent way too much time (both this year and ten years ago) trying to decipher and understand the whole mystery surrounding the Personna DE blades. All in the name of a good shave.
Anyways, have a nice weekend.
Thanks,
Mike
Not sure if these are the "Lab Blue" double edged razor blades being talked about but I have nearly a full box of 250, which are made in Verona, VA.
And they say for hospital use on them.
Of the half dozen or more blade brands I tried when I first started wet shaving I settled upon these. They give me the most comfortable and close shave of any I tried; often BBS, if I do my part.
I would be curious to hear what colloquial name these blades go by.
Tim
And they say for hospital use on them.
Of the half dozen or more blade brands I tried when I first started wet shaving I settled upon these. They give me the most comfortable and close shave of any I tried; often BBS, if I do my part.
I would be curious to hear what colloquial name these blades go by.
Tim
Those are Personna Med Preps.
That makes sense because they are great at dry shaving an area of the skin in preparation for attaching a sensor or making an incision (in addition to a lot of other surgical site preparation).
Your answer now has me curious about what the difference is between these med prep blades and the lab blue blades. Sounds like they both could be used in a hospital, doctor's office, or laboratory setting.
Tim
