Gillette is now using these coatings on their cart blades. Why don't they use the same coating on their DE blades? What is an Atomic Carbon and Telomer coating anyway? They claim it makes the cart blade last longer. Sign me up for a DE GSB blade that can deliver 20 shaves.
Atomic Carbon and Telomer coatings that enhance blade durability
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That's an interesting question. However, with a fifteen cent blade that can last me up to two weeks, I really am not interested in fancy coatings (although I should probably change them after a week).
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You could be right. I know nothing about blade coatings. If they did use these coatings you would think they would advertise the coatings on the tuck.
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Info from the Gillette site says..a diamond-like carbon coating for strength and a thin telomer coating for glide.
The tip of the blade has to be thin. At its cutting edge, a Gillette blade is much thinner than a beard hair, even thinner than a surgeon’s scalpel. To enhance the performance of this ultra-fine blade we add a diamond-like carbon coating for strength and a thin telomer coating for glide. A comfortable shave is a technological achievement, resting on a simple necessity:
The tip of the blade has to be thin. At its cutting edge, a Gillette blade is much thinner than a beard hair, even thinner than a surgeon’s scalpel. To enhance the performance of this ultra-fine blade we add a diamond-like carbon coating for strength and a thin telomer coating for glide. A comfortable shave is a technological achievement, resting on a simple necessity:
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They have to enhance their cartridge blades because thet are expensive and poor value for money. Cartridges are also prone to clogging so any coating that helps clear the debris is a help. However, it is the edge that does the work so I am dubious that these coatings are any help to a DE blade or any blade for that matter.
I regularly get 20+ shaves from GSB, Astra SP but it is the cutting edge that deteriorates.
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I can't speak for others but it is my experience that all my DE blades are better after any coating on the cutting edge has been worn off. Shaves 2-5 (3pass) are almost bbs, the 1st always seems to bite me (all brands) and I am pretty consistent with my prep and technique with over two years of DE shaving every day. What percentage of coating will remain on the edge of a any blade after a first use 3 pass shave? I think all they enhance is their marketing.
For me, this effect is most obvious with Personna labs. The first shave or two can be meh. But shaves 3+ are often terrific!!
Agreed. I find that the second and third shaves on Astra SPs and Gillette Yellows are better than the first.
In order to find out the answer to the o.p.'s question I'd say the first thing to do is establish exactly what the Gillette company's relationship is with double edge blade manufacturing nowadays. Do they still actually make them or just lend their name/brand? Or something in between?
Gillette merged into Proctor & Gamble in 2005 and the name "Gillette" is a trademark held by P&G. P&G own 65% of the PPI plant and also manufacture blades in other countries. P&G also have design and development facilities for cartridge blades to maintain their Gillette brands and other products like soap powders for instance. They manufacture worldwide (out source) to keep manufacturing costs down, like any other multi national company. They have to keep doing some R&D in DE blades to keep up and maintain their market share. Have a look at Wikipedia for more detail.
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Gillette makes Fusion cartridges in the US on its own properties. This is the flagship product that the company wants everyone to use and it is going to get all the newest technology.
Nothing else, especially products that aren't patent protected, are going to get the same level of attention. Not worth it to them.
IIRC the PPI plant in Russia that makes everyone's favorite Gillette branded blades is a P&G property and the Gillette name is licensed. I imagine the only DE blades offered officially for sale in the US, the Brazilian made Platinum Plus that haven't been patent protected for years, might have been made in a Gillette factory but I'd be shocked if there's been a production run of the things in the last few years.
Necrobump, but below is a video illustrating the claims. Have any DE blades also gotten the atomic treatment? Note they only give it to 4 of 5 blades. The fifth is the old and bad. Lol.
In all but two cases that I know of, they manufacture DE's in their own factories in India, China, Russia and Brazil (though it seems Brazil has very likely ceased all DE blade production). There are two Gillette DE blades that are manufactured in India buy the Vertice company
Those Gillette Platinum Plus were made in Brazil, discontinued years ago. Gillette has offered King C Gillette in USA for several years, Russian made were originally introduced but there's another thread saying that they're (also?) made in China now.
