Gillette Yellows - duller?

[rmac]

Hi all,

Recently invested in 100 packs of Voskhod, Astra SP, Feathers and Gillette 7 O'Clock (yellow).

All blades were fine until I started using the Gillettes, a full tuck of 5 blades I find to be dull and only last on average 2-3 shaves. I also get quite a bit of blade "chatter" or skipping on tougher parts like the chin or lower neck.

These blades aren't what I remembered from 4-5 years ago. Even the blades appearance out of the pack is different - a laser etch on one side only with Arabic writing on the packet. The outer casing does however say they are manufactured in St. Petersburg so I have no doubt they are genuine.

I've tested these in a Parker Variant, Fatip Piccolo, Rockwell 6C and a 1960's Gillette Fatboy, all with the same results. I've ruled out lather as an issue as the other blades all perform fine, regardless of razor.

So have these blades changed at all or has my facial hair just got immensely tough in the last 5 years?


Thanks,

R

 

[guitarslinger]

I’ve been wondering the same thing. I was considering putting a few hundred yellows into the “give these away a few tucks at a time” bag.

They kind of suck now. Makes me sad. Or my face changed.

Btw, I’ve been using yellows on and off since around 2008 or so. I remember when they were a good deal at $40/100 on eBay.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

I've never used an older one, but the ones I got as a sample last year were not sharp enough for me. I like sharper blades like GSB, Nacet and Feather. It behaves very much like an Astra SP for me, which is also not sharp enough.

 

[cernel_joson]

I've had the same experience with my new pack of Silver Blues. Moving on to Nacets because of that.

 

[Slanterino]

The ones I had performed pretty well like all other russian gillette. Sharp and smooth.

But that was a few years ago.

Last year I read on another forum about fake yellows on ebay. Or maybe they simply changed the manufacturing process for this blade.

 

[ivan_101]

I have some from 4-5 years ago. Last month shaved with one. They are 100% genuine, but I had a few packs back around 2009 that were definitely sharper. So they really changed them. Now they are like 7 o'clock Permasharp made in India. Ten years ago the yellows were sharper than the Indian greens.

 

[razorhead63]

I’ve noticed the same thing.

 

[Space_Cadet]

When I used one a few years ago, it was great - really sharp but also smooth. It was one of the best blades back then. Not sure what is going on with the current production.

 

[banditman]

Hi all,

Recently invested in 100 packs of Voskhod, Astra SP, Feathers and Gillette 7 O'Clock (yellow).

All blades were fine until I started using the Gillettes, a full tuck of 5 blades I find to be dull and only last on average 2-3 shaves. I also get quite a bit of blade "chatter" or skipping on tougher parts like the chin or lower neck.

These blades aren't what I remembered from 4-5 years ago. Even the blades appearance out of the pack is different - a laser etch on one side only with Arabic writing on the packet. The outer casing does however say they are manufactured in St. Petersburg so I have no doubt they are genuine.

I've tested these in a Parker Variant, Fatip Piccolo, Rockwell 6C and a 1960's Gillette Fatboy, all with the same results. I've ruled out lather as an issue as the other blades all perform fine, regardless of razor.

So have these blades changed at all or has my facial hair just got immensely tough in the last 5 years?


Thanks,

R

I just took delivery of another hundred of these Russian Yellows-they look just as you describe them. However, I find that they shave exactly the same as all of the previous yellows I've used and I've been through several hundred. Not sure what is behind your situation.

 

[GR5233]

The yellows that I have are the new production version and I haven’t had any problems with them. But I’d choose GSBs over the yellows

 

[Juanmosey]

I just bought a 5 pack from a local independent pharmacy that also sells tinfoil hat for cats...I kid you not. Stay tuned. I'm using a 7 o'clock green for the next week. BTW the Russian great is great so far no dulling at all.

 

[shave/brush]

I have a new pack (100) of the Yellows and they work just fine. I still think they are he best DE blade around. The GSBs may be a tad better but I don't buy them anymore because they put so much of that shipping wax on them it makes a mess.

 

[stoof2010]

Are the new ones still made in st. Petersburg russia?
Says nothing on tuck like it used to.
The ones I just got in have the laser etching too.
Another bonus for those who don't know already, the new production gillette's and any blade made for gillette like astra have date codes on the tucks. On the side where you open the
Month and day are backward compared to how Americans write them. They are day first then month then year.
Just noticed today when I got new production blade lot in to compare.

 

[Juanmosey]

Just got done seconds ago with a yellow and my 1967 Super Speed. Not as sharp as a Nacet or GSB for sure but smooth and safe. The aftershave that burns like heck just tingled. DFS.

 

[Juanmosey]

2nd time today. Smooth but not "sharp". Took a while.

 

[dmrljes]

Hey rmac, I have the same problem. I bought a 100 pack from some Pakistani seller and they’re not the same like Russians altough they have same bar code. I don’t know whats up with these, but I suspect they might not be genuine. They also have that Arabic typing and different laser engraving. And they feel much more uncomfortable than the RUS yellows in my DE89.

I came to this forum wondering if someone also have this problem. Gonna post some pictures of comparison beetwen RUS and these.

 

[RanTan the Cool]

I just bought a 5 pack from a local independent pharmacy that also sells tinfoil hat for cats...I kid you not. Stay tuned. I'm using a 7 o'clock green for the next week. BTW the Russian great is great so far no dulling at all.

My cat’s now interested in one of those tinfoil cat hats - he says they may be better than the Personna blades he’s using. I’ve tried explaining that it’s for wearing....

For the pot - my Gillette Yellows work fine.

 

[dmrljes]

On the left are RUS blades that I got from G&C, right one's are 'arabic' that I got from Pakistan (eBay) for 14$.

 

[Captaincaveman1]

I got some in a sample pack recently and I thought they were extremely dull compared to the green. Both Russian.

 

[Juanmosey]

My cat’s now interested in one of those tinfoil cat hats - he says they may be better than the Personna blades he’s using. I’ve tried explaining that it’s for wearing....

For the pot - my Gillette Yellows work fine.

Tell your cat to Google Archie Mcfee and he can buy some directly.