Fake PolSilver Super Iridiums?

[VerbaVolant]

...Fraud is as old as mankind. If you don't like it, then just don't get de-frauded.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

I applaud and support all the efforts our "colleagues" do just to take a stance against this vile activity. It is one of the reasons we all come here and use this venue, to make today better than yesterday.
It is unfortunate that a certain nation has such low moral standards. I could say more about this but will leave it here.

Keep up the good work @alin &Co.

Although, I take everything I read on the internets with a grain of salt. In reality, mine anyway, there is no proof that the blades people purchased from those vendors are counterfeit. None.

 

[serafino]

Almost 400 posts in the thread. Wow.

I have used the “fake” Polsilvers and they are good blades.

I don’t understand why folks that are convinced they are fake or an inferior product just either don’t buy them in the first place or throw out the ones they own if they don’t like them.

Same here, I bought some of these "Fakes" to check them out and I like them too. They were part of my rotation between Feather and these "Fake" Polsilvers.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Same here, I bought some of these "Fakes" to check them out and I like them too. They were part of my rotation between Feather and these "Fake" Polsilvers.

If you like them for what they are you would be a perfect candidate to try out the ones Alin found on AliE. If they feel comparable you have found a plentiful source @ 500 for 40.00 instead of 50 for 28.00.

If not, the mystery is then one story richer…

 

[muzichead]

how do you feel about the rest of the story as told by vendors?

I've not seen any story told by any vendors to date.... Feel free to point me to their posts....

I guess I must be blind then, Muzichead. They look exactly the same to me. I agree there is some variation in quality of the printing on the blades, but it is clearly the same print, size, font, etc.

If they look exactly the same then why would you admit in the next sentence that you agree there is some variation? How can they be exactly the same if there is variance? You make absolutely no sense there, imo!!

Although, I take everything I read on the internets with a grain of salt. In reality, mine anyway, there is no proof that the blades people purchased from those vendors are counterfeit. None.

Couldn't agree more!!

Enough has been said here so this is where I'll bow out and leave the theorist's to theorize on a theory that still hasn't been proven as fact!! It's all just speculation at best!!

 

[Multum in parvo]

I've not seen any story told by any vendors to date.... Feel free to point me to their posts....

If they look exactly the same then why would you admit in the next sentence that you agree there is some variation? How can they be exactly the same if there is variance? You make absolutely no sense there, imo!!

Couldn't agree more!!

Enough has been said here so this is where I'll bow out and leave the theorist's to theorize on a theory that still hasn't been proven as fact!! It's all just speculation at best!!

Only for completeness sake - the Polish blade Product of Russia

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Musichead, if you had read my post properly you would surely have understood it. If something is printed with a poor quality printer - as the evidence I referenced showed these blades are - there will be variations, but they are still the same blade. Each blade in a 5 pack of “Polsilvers” is not made by a different company, even though the printing will vary.

 

[muzichead]

Only for completeness sake - the Polish blade Product of Russia
View attachment 1323881

And which vendor posted this in the forum, I see no vendors user name attached...

Musichead, if you had read my post properly you would surely have understood it. If something is printed with a poor quality printer - as the evidence I referenced showed these blades are - there will be variations, but they are still the same blade. Each blade in a 5 pack of “Polsilvers” is not made by a different company, even though the printing will vary.

I completely understood you and what you said, variance is difference no matter how you word it and that does not prove anyone bought this blade and re-packaged it!! When you have proof of that I will entertain what you have to say...

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Ok, so I opened a pack of these Polsilvers and photographed the five blades. Sorry it is late night here so the lighting isn’t great, but I think the pictures are clear enough. And, by the way, two of the blades were stuck in the box due to excess glue and when I pulled the last one out the wax paper ripped and I cut my finger. So at least thank me for the effort. I do not think Gillette blade packs are usually sent out like this.

Anyway, 5 blades from a single pack. You can see the “Extra Stainless” printing is smudged on blade 1 and even more so on blade 5. Blades 4 and 5 have the numbers offset to the right. Blade 4 also has the number 1 smudged on both sides. Blade 4 oddly has a smaller distance between the numbers left to right (the numbers on the left are offset quite far to the right but the numbers on the right are not offset as much).

This is the variation I got in just one box. It is the only box I have opened, so it is random. I did not open loads of boxes looking for one with variations. And, honestly, with blood on my hands now I don’t want to open another.

Does this look to you like a pack of blades made by Gillette?

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Sorry, I meant blade 5 (not blade 4) has the numbers offset on the left but not on the right. The distance between the two sets of numbers, left to right, is smaller than on the other blades.

My finger is healing now. You can see the paper on blade 5 is torn. The rest of the wax paper is still glued inside the box.

 

[Lord Fatboy]

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

I applaud and support all the efforts our "colleagues" do just to take a stance against this vile activity. It is one of the reasons we all come here and use this venue, to make today better than yesterday.
It is unfortunate that a certain nation has such low moral standards. I could say more about this but will leave it here.

Keep up the good work @alin &Co.

Although, I take everything I read on the internets with a grain of salt. In reality, mine anyway, there is no proof that the blades people purchased from those vendors are counterfeit. None.

Did you mean to reply to me?

 

[Lord Fatboy]

Sorry, I meant blade 5 (not blade 4) has the numbers offset on the left but not on the right. The distance between the two sets of numbers, left to right, is smaller than on the other blades.

My finger is healing now. You can see the paper on blade 5 is torn. The rest of the wax paper is still glued inside the box.

Blood sacrifice in the pursuit of evidence. This is getting serious.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Did you mean to reply to me?

Somehow I did.

 

[alin]

@muzichead ,
I apologize a thousand times if I'm not understood correctly. I don't speak English and I use google translate and sometimes I make mistakes. I just wanted to warn the members of B&B about the fact that the blades inscribed only Extra Stainless, in my humble opinion, are not identical with the Polsilver Super Iridium blades produced in Russia even if they are packaged in similar packages. In my opinion, these blades are of a lower quality than the original Super Iridium and are not produced in the factory in St. Petersburg Russia. They are not bad blades, but they are not worth the money required by Bullgosse and, if you like, they can be bought much cheaper in Poland or ALIE. I compared the original Polsilver Super Iridium blade (received PIF from @Multum in parvo , whom you thank) and the Extra Stainless, I bought from Poland, and they are not of the same quality. I don't know what evidence you want, but I don't have to prove anything! Maybe the shops that ask us for a lot of money on these blades, should prove something, maybe they should even tell us where these blades are currently made that shame the Gillette factories by very bad and inconsistent printing. Of course, you are free not to believe me and you can spend your money as you see fit. Far be it from me to have any hidden interest.

 

[Multum in parvo]

@muzichead ,
I apologize a thousand times if I'm not understood correctly. I don't speak English and I use google translate and sometimes I make mistakes. I just wanted to warn the members of B&B about the fact that the blades inscribed only Extra Stainless, in my humble opinion, are not identical with the Polsilver Super Iridium blades produced in Russia even if they are packaged in similar packages. In my opinion, these blades are of a lower quality than the original Super Iridium and are not produced in the factory in St. Petersburg Russia. They are not bad blades, but they are not worth the money required by Bullgosse and, if you like, they can be bought much cheaper in Poland or ALIE. I compared the original Polsilver Super Iridium blade (received PIF from @Multum in parvo , whom you thank) and the Extra Stainless, I bought from Poland, and they are not of the same quality. I don't know what evidence you want, but I don't have to prove anything! Maybe the shops that ask us for a lot of money on these blades, should prove something, maybe they should even tell us where these blades are currently made that shame the Gillette factories by very bad and inconsistent printing. Of course, you are free not to believe me and you can spend your money as you see fit. Far be it from me to have any hidden interest.

No worries @alin your posts are absolutely clear to anybody following the subject.
I did the trial vice versa as I have received some Extra Stainless blades from you.

May I quote some vendor here:
These are the Polsilver Super Iridium blades that you know and love. - NOT!

They might be inherent good blades but they are not the advertised identical blades with a mishap printing.

I got 2-3 ok shaves from them whereas the real ones easily yield 7 or 8.

@alin as apprentice Excalibur Club member how many shaves did you get with my Polsilver?

 

[alin]

No worries @alin your posts are absolutely clear to anybody following the subject.
I did the trial vice versa as I have received some Extra Stainless blades from you.

May I quote some vendor here:
These are the Polsilver Super Iridium blades that you know and love. - NOT!

They might be inherent good blades but they are not the advertised identical blades with a mishap printing.

I got 2-3 ok shaves from them whereas the real ones easily yield 7 or 8.

@alin as apprentice Excalibur Club member how many shaves did you get with my Polsilver?

I used the Polsilver Super Iridium blade received from you for 45 times. I gave it up because I was bored not because I didn't cut anymore!

 

[Multum in parvo]

I used the Polsilver Super Iridium blade received from you for 45 times. I gave it up because I was bored not because I didn't cut anymore!

Would you go 45 shaves with the Extra Stainless?

 

[alin]

Would you go 45 shaves with the Extra Stainless?

I tried, for a while I went in parallel Super Iridium vs Extra Stainless but I gave up Extra Stainless at 10 uses because I felt that it no longer offered me a comfortable shave. However, it is not a bad blade and after 4 uses it became comparable to Super iridum, but after 10 uses it could not keep up with Super Iridium.

 

[bobmsp]

If anyone in the U.S. is interested, I would be happy to send you a tuck of the Extra Stainless to try out. PM me with your address and I'll send a tuck in the mail.

I bought some of these blades from what appears to be a reputable Polish online store. The packaging looked right so I figured I'd hope for some of the SIs and give it a shot. (Call me an optimist.)

The blades arrived but, of course, they're the Extra Stainless. The packaging on these blades looks legit to me based on my previous purchases of SI blades. (I'd be happy to take pictures if anyone wants.). Clear printing, statements that (I'm assuming) reference distribution by P&G Poland and production by PPI, St. Petersburg, and the same UPC.

In addition, they have a production code similar to Wizamets I own. These appear to have been produced in November 2016.

My own personal theory is that these are blades that have been distributed by P&G Poland under the Polsilver Super Iridium brand. That would explain their widespread distribution within Poland and would explain why Bullgoose and others say that these are legitimate blades that were acquired through their regular channels. As to the origins of the blade itself - I'm open to various possibilities. Of course it's possible that they could have been produced by PPI St. Petersburg. But I'm just as likely to believe that PPI imported the blades from another producer in China or some other location with the idea of using these less expensive blades in the Polish market.

As others have said, they're not a horrible blade. But they're not the same (or IMHO as good) as the Super Iridiums.

In any event, I've got plenty to share.

Bob

 

[BradWorld]

If anyone in the U.S. is interested, I would be happy to send you a tuck of the Extra Stainless to try out. PM me with your address and I'll send a tuck in the mail.

I bought some of these blades from what appears to be a reputable Polish online store. The packaging looked right so I figured I'd hope for some of the SIs and give it a shot. (Call me an optimist.)

The blades arrived but, of course, they're the Extra Stainless. The packaging on these blades looks legit to me based on my previous purchases of SI blades. (I'd be happy to take pictures if anyone wants.). Clear printing, statements that (I'm assuming) reference distribution by P&G Poland and production by PPI, St. Petersburg, and the same UPC.

In addition, they have a production code similar to Wizamets I own. These appear to have been produced in November 2016.

My own personal theory is that these are blades that have been distributed by P&G Poland under the Polsilver Super Iridium brand. That would explain their widespread distribution within Poland and would explain why Bullgoose and others say that these are legitimate blades that were acquired through their regular channels. As to the origins of the blade itself - I'm open to various possibilities. Of course it's possible that they could have been produced by PPI St. Petersburg. But I'm just as likely to believe that PPI imported the blades from another producer in China or some other location with the idea of using these less expensive blades in the Polish market.

As others have said, they're not a horrible blade. But they're not the same (or IMHO as good) as the Super Iridiums.

In any event, I've got plenty to share.

Bob

That’s a viable theory. I have the same purchase experience. Thought I was buying the real thing. Got 400 of them from Poland a few years ago. Knew something was up the minute I got them. Paid under $20 per 100 pack, so it wasn’t a tragedy by any stretch. I had a conversation via email with the seller and he was responsive and earnest in his responses. So I didn’t feel right sending the, back. They’ll get used and some will be given away. I pull one out every now and then. Good blades, but not as good as the real deal.

 

[alin]

That’s a viable theory. I have the same purchase experience. Thought I was buying the real thing. Got 400 of them from Poland a few years ago. Knew something was up the minute I got them. Paid under $20 per 100 pack, so it wasn’t a tragedy by any stretch. I had a conversation via email with the seller and he was responsive and earnest in his responses. So I didn’t feel right sending the, back. They’ll get used and some will be given away. I pull one out every now and then. Good blades, but not as good as the real deal.

I have a question: if it didn't say Polsilver Super Iridium on the packages, would you still buy those 400 blades? Don't you consider yourself fooled? Isn't the fact that you paid for Super Iridium blades and actually received something else a scam? Why don't anyone defend us, bona fide buyers? Are your packages also produced in November 2016?