Blades from 1982

[HoosierTrooper]

Included in my latest razor purchase was these Gillette blades, dated C-2. Popped one in a 48-50 SS, my favorite SS, lathered up with some Mama Bear's Spellbound Woods and got a fantastic shave. This 28 year old blade is as sharp and smooth as any of the "modern" ones I have. I cant tell how many are left, but it looks like only 3 or 4.
Just thought I'd share.

 

[rapperley]

I have to say that anything made in 1982 is bound to be sharp and smooth...

 

[HoosierTrooper]

My second oldest son would agree with you I believe. Crap I'm old...

I have to say that anything made in 1982 is bound to be sharp and smooth...

 

[kwigibocity]

That's pretty surprising; most of the time that I try any old stock double edge blades it doesn't fare well, and the factory edge of every unsold-for-decades straight razor I've come across seemed decidedly further from hair-popping readiness than today's factory edges from Dovo or Thiers. Cool story!

 

[iamdarkangel2005]

WOW!

Nice Blades! I was 2 years old! JAJAJA

Dark

 

[DE Shaver]

I'm not surprised that you had a great shave. In the very limited exposure I had to old blades, I found they generally shaved fine. If you protect the blades from oxidation, they will keep their sharpness. Blades covered in oil or are coated will likely be able to retain their keen edges.

 

[xillion]

I have had some great shaves using NOS Gillette Blades, Super Stainless (Spoilers), and Platinum Plus.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Also got a bunch of the gold colored Thins, Blue Blades, Silver Stars in a dispenser, Schick Kronas, Barbasol, Burma Shave, Silver Leaf, Star Sealected and a couple others I can't remeber. Not holding my breath on most of them but I'll cork em and see what happens. Should be fun.

 

[mmack66]

The old carbon steel blades generally don't afford a very good shave but the later coated stainless steel blades are excellent.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Yeah, I'm not expecting a whole lot out of the old Thins. The Silver Stars look promising and they're in a big vault type dispenser.

The old carbon steel blades generally don't afford a very good shave but the later coated stainless steel blades are excellent.

 

[Stubblefield]

Also got a bunch of the gold colored Thins, Blue Blades, Silver Stars in a dispenser, Schick Kronas, Barbasol, Burma Shave, Silver Leaf, Star Sealected and a couple others I can't remeber. Not holding my breath on most of them but I'll cork em and see what happens. Should be fun.

The Kronas will rock, for sure, and will not require any corking. I have heard of others getting good results from the thins. Post a pic of the Stars if you can.

Most all of the older stainless steel blades will/should certainly shave well.

 

[haiti222]

Many of the ones you have are worth a try, if nothing else. I have been able to get 2-3 shaves out of Silver Stars....They seem to wobble when I use them, maybe because of how they were ground...

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Here's some pictures. The Blue Blades are from 1949 and the
Thins from 1950. I tried the Blue this morning and it wasn't as bad as I expected,definitely not as smooth as the newer ones, but I do think I could get a decent shave with it. Finished with the Gillette from yesterday and it performed just as good as the first shave.

Going to try the Silver Star next when the Gillette wears out.

 

[BroJohn]

Yeah, I'm not expecting a whole lot out of the old Thins. The Silver Stars look promising and they're in a big vault type dispenser.

I acquired a large number of Silver Stars a few years ago. They're from ASR and were advertised between '49 and '53. They are an early stainless steel blade and are not coated. ASR touted them as being made of 'Duridium', which they claimed was a material developed in WWII.

'Duridium' = 404B Stainless.

Advertisements of the day had glowing testimonials that they were so sharp and smooth that you couldn't feel the blade. That may have been the case 60 years ago (though I don't believe it), but they are really rough in comparison to the NOS stainless blades we've come to love from the '70s.

I couldn't finish a shave with them, they were so harsh (I had to try them out, too). They do have a rather novel dispenser, though.

-- John Gehman

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Thanks for the info. Any insight on the Star blades?

I acquired a large number of Silver Stars a few years ago. They're from ASR and were advertised between '49 and '53. They are an early stainless steel blade and are not coated. ASR touted them as being made of 'Duridium', which they claimed was a material developed in WWII.

'Duridium' = 404B Stainless.

Advertisements of the day had glowing testimonials that they were so sharp and smooth that you couldn't feel the blade. That may have been the case 60 years ago (though I don't believe it), but they are really rough in comparison to the NOS stainless blades we've come to love from the '70s.

I couldn't finish a shave with them, they were so harsh (I had to try them out, too). They do have a rather novel dispenser, though.

-- John Gehman

 

[Stubblefield]

Advertisements of the day had glowing testimonials that they were so sharp and smooth that you couldn't feel the blade. That may have been the case 60 years ago (though I don't believe it), but they are really rough in comparison to the NOS stainless blades we've come to love from the '70s.

It might have been arguably true right after the war, when you compared them to Carbon steel blades of the time. But yeah, in comparison to the blades of the 60's and 70's, no contest.

I love the look of the Star blade dispenser.

 

[luvmysuper]

The old carbon steel blades generally don't afford a very good shave but the later coated stainless steel blades are excellent.

+2

I have had some great shaves using NOS Gillette Blades, Super Stainless (Spoilers), and Platinum Plus.

Spoilers!!!

 

[DunEdinRanger]

The dispenser is interesting. I love the phrase "registered quality" - was there a centralized location where this was done with quality?

 

[Stubblefield]

The dispenser is interesting. I love the phrase "registered quality" - was there a centralized location where this was done with quality?

Why the good old USA, of course.

Of course, after 1972 the "Registered Quality" Board moved to Japan . . . .

 

[Straight Arrow]

Thanks for the info. Any insight on the Star blades?

I have had some good enough shaves with the Star blades. They are Sealected and they have undergone the 6NX Process. Golly!