Getting tired of unreliable supplies and branding.

[Wolffer Montauk]

Kai - JAPAN
Feather (hate 'em) - JAPAN
Tatra/Tiger - CZECHIA
Personna Comfort Coated (blue) - USA

What other "first-world" blades are there?

Sorry for using that term.

I loved Russian blades. But, now, supplies are dwindling.

India has many good blades, but, we need some brand consistency there. I can't make heads or tails of the different Gillette brands there.

 

[Joezamboni]

since the beginning we’ve never had consistency.

The old timers lost their U.S.A. Gillette super stainless, platinums and Personna 74s.

Then the Gillette Swedes and the Russia pack 7 O’clock super stainless.

Then the Israeli personnas and the Polsilvers.

it’s pretty much try a bunch and buy as many as you can of the blade you like best. I’m easily sitting on probably 4k blades. I might use a bunch of a few, the others I’ll probably sell as i deem them less necessary To have around and the value justifies selling them.

 

[psfred]

German made Wilkinson Sword (not by Gillette)
Personna blades made in Germany, blue packets of 10, made on the machinery used in Israel for IP reds

Don't discount the Indian made blades, many of them are top quality.

Branding is, and always has been, crazy. Before stainless blades were the norm there were hundreds of small factories making carbon steel blades. Bottom line is that most blades are pretty good these days, no one is making them by hand, it's all computer controlled automated machinery.

I have enough blades to last me several lifetimes, so losing the PPI blades isn't a problem, plus I suspect they won't be much different if made on the same machinery in India.

 

[Wolffer Montauk]

Don't discount the Indian made blades, many of them are top quality.

There's no brand logic there though.

For example, I know that Voskhods are smooth Russian blades that will always be available (oops).

Well, I can't make heads or tails of the Indian ones by Gillette. Some are made in Russia, and some in India, and you can't tell easily.

This problem should be solved over the next few years, I think.

I just want to test different Indian blades that I feel will exist for a while.

 

[SharpieB]

I am a big fan of Lord (Egypt) and Super-Max (India).

Lord makes many different types of blades and Silver Stars are top tier IMO.

 

[SharpieB]

it’s pretty much try a bunch and buy as many as you can of the blade you like best. I’m easily sitting on probably 4k blades. I might use a bunch of a few, the others I’ll probably sell as i deem them less necessary To have around and the value justifies selling them.

Same here but I have approx 9000.

I am not worried about it as my huge pile Polsilvers and Israeli Personnas can be sold for a profit if I ever decide I have too many blades (I do!).

I was lucky that I saw the discontinuation of many top blades over the years and stocked up On my favourites. I recommend doing this as one can buy 1000 blades for around $100. 1000 blades lasts me likely 5-6 years and I only use a blade 1-2x. Not expensive to be covered.

 

[Eric_75]

Silver Stars are top tier IMO.

 

[BigJ]

I am a big fan of US Personna labs and med preps (essentially the same blade IMO)!

 

[musicman1951]

I am a big fan of US Personna labs and med preps (essentially the same blade IMO)!

I absolutely agree. In my experience the Med Preps had a very small edge in quality control, but the difference was 2 blades per 100 and most people are not willing to pay twice as much for that small a difference. Excellent blades with great longevity.

 

[Lil Cooties]

BIC DE blades are made in Greece, their branding/range is pretty simple, supply should be reliable and I don't see them disappearing or changing anytime soon. I'm trying them out as a replacement after my small stock of Astra SPs run out.

 

[Lockback]

I am a big fan of Lord (Egypt) and Super-Max (India).

Lord makes many different types of blades and Silver Stars are top tier IMO.

Agreed. I'm a fan of the Lord blades, particularly Shark Super Stainless and Lord Platinums.

 

[Jay21]

Dorco Titan
Silver Star
Shark Platinum
Treet 7 Days Platinum

All top-notch blades for under $10 US per 100.

 

[geneaut]

There's no brand logic there though.

For example, I know that Voskhods are smooth Russian blades that will always be available (oops).

Well, I can't make heads or tails of the Indian ones by Gillette. Some are made in Russia, and some in India, and you can't tell easily.

This problem should be solved over the next few years, I think.

I just want to test different Indian blades that I feel will exist for a while.

The Indian-made black packaged Gillette 7OC Super Platinums are fabulous blades. Have been since I started using them over ten years ago.

Until Gillette started moving production around recently, for the most part, the lineup had been fairly stable on what blades were made where. I never had a real hard time deciding what was what with the exception of a few years when Gillette Wilkinson Swords were on the market from both China and India.

One of the issues with this hobby is that occasionally production of certain products moves or folds up. It is just the nature of this beast, and you have to take a little time and keep up with it. The same goes for soaps and creams. I wasn't active here when Sir Irisch Moos went out of production and I missed the announcement and an opportunity to load up before the supply chain dried up.

 

[geneaut]

I am a big fan of Lord (Egypt) and Super-Max (India).

Lord makes many different types of blades and Silver Stars are top tier IMO.

I think Super-Max has closed up shop, BTW. Still lots of inventory out there at the moment at least.

 

[TOVT]

Lord makes many different types of blades and Silver Stars are top tier IMO.

Ordered 100 because your recommendations of them.

 

[SharpieB]

Ordered 100 because your recommendations of them.

I would be surprised if you didn’t like them. Pretty safe purchase IMO.

 

[Jopo]

Are Chinese blades an option for you? Gillette Shanghai make some great blades.

As far as Gillette India, I'd recommend you try the Gillette 7 O'clock (both the blacks and the greens). They're the more expensive/high quality offerings I believe, and the 7O'clock brand has been made and sold in India since at least 1985. Also considering the large population of India and its hight percentage of DE shavers, I'd think 7O'Clock should be around for quite a while.

 

[geneaut]

Are Chinese blades an option for you? Gillette Shanghai make some great blades.

As far as Gillette India, I'd recommend you try the Gillette 7 O'clock (both the blacks and the greens). They're the more expensive/high quality offerings I believe, and the 7O'clock brand has been made and sold in India since at least 1985. Also considering the large population of India and its hight percentage of DE shavers, I'd think 7O'Clock should be around for quite a while.

The 7OC Blacks have been on the market at least since I got into wet-shaving in 2010. My main beef with them is they have gotten ridiculous in price lately. That said they are some of my favorite blades.

 

[Wolffer Montauk]

The 7OC Blacks have been on the market at least since I got into wet-shaving in 2010. My main beef with them is they have gotten ridiculous in price lately. That said they are some of my favorite blades.

They're approaching $30?!

I don't get it.

 

[geneaut]

They're approaching $30?!

I don't get it.

Luckily my last 100 tin was more like $19. I still have a decent amount from that bunch so I'm OK, but I keep an eye out for better deals