Blue Blade Butchery

[VolpeVerde]

I have a couple of Gillette's super blue blades that were in the metal razor dispenser I received with a razor that I had purchased. The blades appear to be from the early '60s. Up 'till now I've been trying many of the modern blades with fair to excellent results. So I thought I'd give a super blue a try.
I took one from the dispenser and gave it the once over. Looked new and clean, so I loaded it into the FatBoy, which always gives great shaves. I lathered up with Tabac, set the adjuster at 3, and let 'er rip. First couple of passes did'nt feel too good, lots of pulling. Re-lathered and changed the setting. Still no good. Felt like I had loaded the FatBoy with a sanding disc. More play with adjustments, still no good. No nicks but lots of weepers and irritation. I finally had enough, so I pulled the super blue and replaced it with a single shaved Treet Dura-sharp from the Futur, readjusted the FatBoy and proceeded to clean up the mess the super blue left behind.
My question is, were those super blues lousy blades or could I have gotten a bad one. I know technology has gotten better since the sixties and today's blades are produced with better materials and sharpening techniques. Information on the web appears limited, and it seems that the super blues were only available throught the '60's and then eventually replaced by stainless. I probably won't use the remaining blade, I'll just keep it in it's blue and white metal dispenser. Any opinions or info is appreciated.

 

[ari95]

The general thought is to not use vintage blades. After decades of sitting the edge has degraded too far to be useful. As you have experienced it is like shaving with a dull blade. I am sure in their day they were decent, but now they look cooler than they shave.

 

[FrankPoole]

As I recall they were good for only one or two shaves and rusted terribly.
The edges were not as finially honed as platinum blades. I remeber spending 4x more for platinum blades jsut to have a smooth shave with the blade that gave me more than one shave.
It was like going from a cheap single blade disposable to a Fusion razor.

 

[wizard]

Vintage blades left out to the elements just don't hold up well. Air being one of the elements. Some of the problems could only be seen with a high power lens or a microscope. If they were wrapped type blades, not in a old type dispenser where the blades are exposed they hold up a little better.
I have used vintage blades with good results only by honing & stropping them first. This involves more equipment to buy. Better to just use modern blades!

Also forgot to add that was one of the reasons that blades of today get a coating on them, was to preserve the edge!

 

[Stubblefield]

Most vintage/NOS blades made of stainless steel are actually quite fine if left in their packages and kept from the elements. Alas, those Blues are not stainless, and generally give a very rough shave, so I am told.

Shaving with a DE was really not all that fun until Stainless blades were introduced.

 

[D.Irving79]

vintage carbon steel blades are a bad idea most of them time.

 

[FrankPoole]

If you take a look at the blue steel blades under an microscope you will se the edges are very rough and jagged. I believe they even made small stropping machines for them to sharpen them more before shaving.

 

[Brodirt]

First couple of passes did'nt feel too good, lots of pulling. Re-lathered and changed the setting. Still no good. Felt like I had loaded the FatBoy with a sanding disc.

Any opinions or info is appreciated.

Viewing the post edited as above do I really need to post my opinion?

 

[al7jj]

As I recall, those were the blades which convinced me to grow a full beard and give up shaving for 38 years And that's when they were new