Hi everyone. Just received a new shipment of 100 STP300 Dorco Prime double edge blades and discovered a stock keeping unit (SKU) change confirmed via a review of their latest product catalog. The ST301 stainless Dorco blade package is no longer listed in the catalog, only the ST300, Primes and Titan blades remain. Also want to clarify what appears to be confusion between the ST301 and ST300 stainless blades, that based on how Dorco lists them together, appear to be the same blade in different packaging.
Prime Blade SKU/Packaging Change: My first shipment of Dorco Prime blades were STP301s that came in plastic tucks of 10 blades with a slot for used blades. Blades were wrapped in a single sheet of waxed paper. Latest shipment of primes came in cardboard tucks of 10 blades double wrapped. SKU number for this order is STP300. Downloaded the latest Dorco product catalog (link: https://www.dorcoglobal.com:6541/bbs/board.php?bo_table=brochure ) and see that on page 6 STP300 Primes are now the only SKU listed. The same is true for the Dorco website listing (link below). A year ago two Prime blade SKUs were listed in the catalog, the STP301's and the STP300's. Implication likely that Dorco may no longer be producing Prime blades in the STP301 plastic tuck packaging. Blades in both of my shipments are the latest HQ product produced in Vietnam. Cardboard tuck is marked with a UPC and bar code for individual sale unlike the plastic tucks in my first shipment. Amazon is confused by the SKU change as they list the STP300 Primes I ordered as STP301s while showing a picture of the STP300 box. Great value at $9.99 for 100 blades.
ST301 Dorco Stainless Steel Blades No Longer In Catalog: Interestingly the 2021 Dorco catalog no longer lists the ST301 Stainless Blades (in plastic tucks) that many of us also like. Only the ST300 stainless blades in the cardboard tucks. This 2021 catalog change implies Dorco may be rationalizing it's double edge packaging around a single cardboard tuck.
ST301/300s Likely the Same Chromium/Ceramic Coated Blade in Different Packaging: Based on how the Dorco website (https://www.dorcoglobal.com:6541/goods/goods.php?go_table=basic&gc_id=8&per=2 ) and the earlier 2020 catalog lists both of these SKUs it appears that the ST300s and ST301s may be the same stainless steel blade in different packaging. Have seen posts from some others indicating the same. Both packaging types are listed under a combined ST 300/301 heading with a single product description. Note that none of the ST300/301 packaging or catalog descriptions now mention any platinum coating. In the latest catalog the ST300s are noted as having a "Chromium Ceramic Coating" only. The latest catalog still lists the Titan STL300 double edge blades. The Titans, ST300s and Primes appear to be presented as "good", "better" and "best" options.
Given that since Dorco moved its double edged production to Vietnam and moved from the platinum to HQ blade the ST300 and 301's may only differ in their packaging it's interesting that many have reported significant differences in blade performance. While YMMV is always in play it shouldn't apply if the blades are identical. Possible explanations could be comparisons between the latest HQ blades and older Platinum stock or production quality variability. Many have posted that the older platinum blades made in Korea did not perform as well as the HQ blades from Vietnam. Also had 100 of the HQ/Vietnamese ST300s delivered with my Prime blades and will compare these to the ST301s from my earlier shipment. At $6.70 per 100 blades ST300s are a great value if they are the same as the ST301s. I get 8 - 10 shaves from both the primes and the 301s. Will update this post once I try at least a couple of the ST300s.
The above SKU rationalization fits with Dorco's overall strategy of driving growth by shifting demand to their growing product line of cartridge shaving systems in a fashion similar to other global manufacturers. If anyone can add clarifications on the above DE blade assortment changes based on direct communications/information from Dorco please do.
Prime Blade SKU/Packaging Change: My first shipment of Dorco Prime blades were STP301s that came in plastic tucks of 10 blades with a slot for used blades. Blades were wrapped in a single sheet of waxed paper. Latest shipment of primes came in cardboard tucks of 10 blades double wrapped. SKU number for this order is STP300. Downloaded the latest Dorco product catalog (link: https://www.dorcoglobal.com:6541/bbs/board.php?bo_table=brochure ) and see that on page 6 STP300 Primes are now the only SKU listed. The same is true for the Dorco website listing (link below). A year ago two Prime blade SKUs were listed in the catalog, the STP301's and the STP300's. Implication likely that Dorco may no longer be producing Prime blades in the STP301 plastic tuck packaging. Blades in both of my shipments are the latest HQ product produced in Vietnam. Cardboard tuck is marked with a UPC and bar code for individual sale unlike the plastic tucks in my first shipment. Amazon is confused by the SKU change as they list the STP300 Primes I ordered as STP301s while showing a picture of the STP300 box. Great value at $9.99 for 100 blades.
ST301 Dorco Stainless Steel Blades No Longer In Catalog: Interestingly the 2021 Dorco catalog no longer lists the ST301 Stainless Blades (in plastic tucks) that many of us also like. Only the ST300 stainless blades in the cardboard tucks. This 2021 catalog change implies Dorco may be rationalizing it's double edge packaging around a single cardboard tuck.
ST301/300s Likely the Same Chromium/Ceramic Coated Blade in Different Packaging: Based on how the Dorco website (https://www.dorcoglobal.com:6541/goods/goods.php?go_table=basic&gc_id=8&per=2 ) and the earlier 2020 catalog lists both of these SKUs it appears that the ST300s and ST301s may be the same stainless steel blade in different packaging. Have seen posts from some others indicating the same. Both packaging types are listed under a combined ST 300/301 heading with a single product description. Note that none of the ST300/301 packaging or catalog descriptions now mention any platinum coating. In the latest catalog the ST300s are noted as having a "Chromium Ceramic Coating" only. The latest catalog still lists the Titan STL300 double edge blades. The Titans, ST300s and Primes appear to be presented as "good", "better" and "best" options.
Given that since Dorco moved its double edged production to Vietnam and moved from the platinum to HQ blade the ST300 and 301's may only differ in their packaging it's interesting that many have reported significant differences in blade performance. While YMMV is always in play it shouldn't apply if the blades are identical. Possible explanations could be comparisons between the latest HQ blades and older Platinum stock or production quality variability. Many have posted that the older platinum blades made in Korea did not perform as well as the HQ blades from Vietnam. Also had 100 of the HQ/Vietnamese ST300s delivered with my Prime blades and will compare these to the ST301s from my earlier shipment. At $6.70 per 100 blades ST300s are a great value if they are the same as the ST301s. I get 8 - 10 shaves from both the primes and the 301s. Will update this post once I try at least a couple of the ST300s.
The above SKU rationalization fits with Dorco's overall strategy of driving growth by shifting demand to their growing product line of cartridge shaving systems in a fashion similar to other global manufacturers. If anyone can add clarifications on the above DE blade assortment changes based on direct communications/information from Dorco please do.