Are these blades genuine Lab Blues, or counterfeit?

[Eastcoast30]

I ordered two 5-Packs of Personna Lab Blue double edge blades from the Men's Room Barber Shop out in Wisconsin. I had always wanted to try these blades, but they are hard to find. I expected to receive two 5-packs in actual Personna packaging. But I received two small plastic bags with five blades each, in plain white wrappers each sealed with a small glue dot. They are printed both sides as shown in the picture, but one side is extremely faint. And they seem to have a date code or lot number: C8.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these blades or with this vendor. Perhaps he is selling from a 100 bulk pack, but why does he calls this out as a 5-Pack on his website? I'm hoping they are genuine, as I have heard that the Lab Blue from American Safety Razor is a very good blade.

 

[zoidberg]

Genuine.

Have a look at the thread below

Personna Lab Blues - Once again, are these real?

I bought these from Amazon, good price. But the ink is different than the ones I got from Tryablade. Those had bad printing on the blades, they looked smudged. Others on this site confirmed they were real. But these have a different etching on the blades. Tried one out tonight, seemed smooth...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Wogus]

Compared to the Lab Blues I have here, your blades look totally legit.

 

[Eastcoast30]

Thanks for the replies. Just shaved but will try these on the next shave and report back.

 

[BigJ]

For me, Personna labs (from 100 pack) take a shave or three to settle in, then they are great blades!! Hope they work out for you also!!

 

[THall]

They look genuine Personna but I’m not sure they are Lab Blues. Med preps maybe. The prints are too clean and small. Lab Blues have larger “Personna” print and tend to be a little smeared. Same blade only
Med Preps don’t have the comfort coat.

Lab Blues, like the Med preps have been produced by Accutec at the original Verona, Virginia plant for years now. Never understood why the print differed from one blade to another at the same plant but it did. It is completely possible that Accutec has cleaned up the printing in the last few years so I could be wrong.

 

[Eastcoast30]

They look genuine Personna but I’m not sure they are Lab Blues. Med preps maybe. The prints are too clean and small. Lab Blues have larger “Personna” print and tend to be a little smeared. Same blade only
Med Preps don’t have the comfort coat.

Lab Blues, like the Med preps have been produced by Accutec at the original Verona, Virginia plant for years now. Never understood why the print differed from one blade to another at the same plant but it did. It is completely possible that Accutec has cleaned up the printing in the last few years so I could be wrong.

Mine are printed both sides and one side is quite smeared. But I thought they were manufactured by American Safety Razor. Anyway, that's what the vendor claims for the same box you have pictured.

 

[THall]

Edgewell sold off the US plant in Virginia to Accutec a few years back. Same equipment, source metal etc, same blade. They continue to sell The Lab Blues and Med Preps under the Personna name via license.

If they are Med Preps, probably a good mistake. My Lab Blues don’t become their best until that coating wears off after the second or third shave. Told myself I’d just get the Med Preps in the future after I finish my 100 pack.

Again, they could have cleaned up the printing in the last 2 years so I could still be wrong.

 

[THall]

I’ll add that Accutec changed the box slightly in the last 2 years for the 100 pack. The black print at the top (See my 100 box) was last changed to a blue. I think Accutec did this so people understood they were getting Lab “Blues”.

 

[ackvil]

Here are what my Lab Blues and Med Preps look like. The Labs were sold by an actual lab supply company (EMS) and the med preps from a medical supply company (Robbins). Both came in blue wrappers. The Med Prep blades say "Stainless Steel" and "For Hospital Use." The Labs say "Super."

 

[Atlantic59]

Accutec in Verona, VA make these blades. They have changed the printing and packaging, so the newer blades have laser engraving on one side. They now come in a plain white wrapper. The Med Preps are marked "Hospital Use Only".

It looks like the vendor broke open a bulk pack of 100 or 250 blades and packaged the blades for you. They seem legitimate.

 

[Eastcoast30]

I just ordered some med preps, so that I can compare. Glad to have this site as a resource.

 

[ShaverAZ]

There's no such thing as a stamped Personna "Lab Blue". The name originates from older blade wrappers being blue. Today they're an uninspiring ho-hum unmarked white wrapper. In the 100 pack, they're known as 'Comfort Coated'. under the wrapper, at the heart of it all, you'll find your 'Lab Blue'.
I got some 'Lab Blues' from Razorbladesclub.com a while back and love the blade that comes in the plain white wrapper.
More recently I bought a 100 pack labelled "Comfort Coated". It was filled with the white wrapper blades.