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Going to try "Vintage" DE Blades

I usually lose count around 30, and just keep using it until I feel a bit of irritation. Haven't really made an effort to keep track beyond that, but I probably should.

30! I read people talking about this kind of thing and I just can't fathom it. I really like some vintage blades. In fact, I've used a Spoiler for the last 2 days. With most blades I get 3 good shaves and I can push it to a 4th or even 5th but the quality of the shave is not as good on these last couple. With a Spoiler, I get 5 good shaves and can push it to 6 but the 6th will be fairly irritating. Going to 7 is a bad idea. I tried pushing a vintage British Gillette Super Silver to 8 shaves last week and I had to stop mid shave on the 8th shave and put a fresh blade in. I love the vintage blades and do get a couple more shaves out of them than I get out of a modern blade but I couldn't get 10 let alone 30.
 
30! I read people talking about this kind of thing and I just can't fathom it. I really like some vintage blades. In fact, I've used a Spoiler for the last 2 days. With most blades I get 3 good shaves and I can push it to a 4th or even 5th but the quality of the shave is not as good on these last couple. With a Spoiler, I get 5 good shaves and can push it to 6 but the 6th will be fairly irritating. Going to 7 is a bad idea. I tried pushing a vintage British Gillette Super Silver to 8 shaves last week and I had to stop mid shave on the 8th shave and put a fresh blade in. I love the vintage blades and do get a couple more shaves out of them than I get out of a modern blade but I couldn't get 10 let alone 30.

+1.....I've had similar experiences with both modern and the vintage blades I have tried.

I like the English versions of Wilkinson Sword and the Gillette Spoilers / Super Stainless. They are worth trying but I can tell you I have over paid for some of them. If it is possible to get in a reasonable price point or you just want to satisfy your curiosity, then go for it and enjoy your shave.
 
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I think it depends which blade you use, your prep, your beard density, your face sensitivity, etc. I've heard over 100 shaves on a P74, and similar numbers on a Swede (Gillette Platinum), and I have no problem believing them. These older blades degrade much more gracefully
 
I agree that all that factors in but I've shaved with most of the popular vintage blades (and a bunch of less popular ones) and even with the best prep etc... I just don't get anywhere near that longevity that people claim. I have a very thick, tough beard which is probably a good part of it but I can't even get twice as many decent shaves from a Gillette Super Silver (British), Spoiler or Swede as I can from a Personna Med or other good modern blade.
I also don't understand the P74 thing. Very nice blades for sure and I wish they were still in production but 100 shaves! I guess if you've only got peach fuzz and are doing 1 pass shaves or something. When I used them, they started getting worse after about the 6th or 7th shave. By the 8th shave the tugging and irritation started and that's when I toss a blade. Actually, I like to toss it one shave before that starts happening :)
 
I tried some American Safety Razor (ASR) Star Quality blades a month or so ago. Picked them up in an antique store for free with razor purchase. I was very disappointed. Tugged and pulled so bad that I only made it 1/4 of the way throgh my shave. Had to remove the blade and put in a new one (Gillette Silver Blue, I beleive).

So much for my journey into classic blades.
 
I agree that your tough beard is likely a cause. I have a pretty medium beard, but extremely sensitive skin. Most vintage blades also have no glue spots, and even if they only last you 8 shaves, for me at least, they are MUCH nicer shaves
 
Hello there old chap,

I use vintage blades on a daily basis and I'd like to share my thoughts with the lot of you :)

First I'd like to say that there is indeed a hype on vintages blades, however there is also a hype on quite a few modern blades as well. I prefer vintage blades because I got better results with them YMMV while most modern blades failed me (The Perma-Sharp SS are one of the very few that didn't disappointed me). Amongst the vintage blades that granted me some of my best shaves, the Gillette Super Stainless/Spoilers(USA, Australia), Schick Stainless or Super Stainless, Schick Super Chromium, Schick Plus Platinum, Wilkinson Super Sword Edge, Wilkinson Sword Master XCN Chromium and Personna Super Platinum Chrome. As for the price, the average price that I paid for a bulk of vintage blade was around 35$, the wilks are so 'Not hyped' that sometime you can get them for as little as 20$/100. The Gillettes are always more expensive but I'd go as far as 50$/100, still that would be less expenside than a bulk of Kai or Bolzano :D Their longevity may vary but If you get 4-5 good shaves, you're in business. Last year, with a good prep, I pushed a Personna SPC to 13x4 passes shaves O.O
 
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I also have very sensitive skin and do love the shaves I get from some vintage blades but 8 shaves is pushing it and I'll never bother to try to go that long again. I'd say with a quality modern blade like a Personna Med (also, no glue spots) I get 3-4 great shaves and with a quality vintage Gillette blade I get 5-6 shaves before the shaves become poor. I can push it with farther with either but I don't like to.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to stumble into a big stash of NOS Spoilers of British Super Silvers and use them for the rest of my life but at the prices you have to pay for them, it's not worth it for me. I probably have about 40 good vintage Gillette blades here and enjoy using them from time to time.
 
I also have very sensitive skin and do love the shaves I get from some vintage blades but 8 shaves is pushing it and I'll never bother to try to go that long again. I'd say with a quality modern blade like a Personna Med (also, no glue spots) I get 3-4 great shaves and with a quality vintage Gillette blade I get 5-6 shaves before the shaves become poor. I can push it with farther with either but I don't like to.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to stumble into a big stash of NOS Spoilers of British Super Silvers and use them for the rest of my life but at the prices you have to pay for them, it's not worth it for me. I probably have about 40 good vintage Gillette blades here and enjoy using them from time to time.

There is 3 brands, that no matter what, are always expensive.

1.Gillette Platinum Made in England T.T I remember a guy on 'the shave den' who sold 600 of the for 300$, few years ago. The price was still Ok back then XD Now, ferget it.

2.Gillette Platinum Plus O.O
3.Gillette Super Silver o.o
 
I like my vintage blades, but I don't think they are any better than the best modern blades. My favorite ones are the Wilkinson Light Brigades. As several people have mentioned, the Wilkinson Super Sword Edge are almost as good, but much cheaper. Without really trying, I can get 10 good shaves out of a Light Brigade or a SSE. My LB record is 25 and the blade was still as smooth as silk (but not as sharp as I would have liked). The Gillette Platinum (aka "Swede"), made in the UK, is a very good blade.
For me, the vintage blades are an adventure. If all you want is a great shave, just buy some good modern blades.
 
the vintage blades are an adventure. If all you want is a great shave, just buy some good modern blades.

Well said. Let go on an adventure!

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I'm about 4 blades into my pack of 15 of the Gillette Super Stainless M2s and I believe that I've found how they work best for me. I'd found earlier that they work best in my OLD and I suspect it's because I can get a very shallow angle because of the thin head. But the quality of the shaves seemed to degrade over the week. Last week, I used the OLD on Monday and then changed the blade to my NEW LC for the rest of the week... that made all the difference. The SS blade/OLD combo was just a tad too aggressive (for my technique) to use every day. By switching to the NEW LC, I "dialed it back a bit" I was able to avoid the irritation that I felt by Friday. Today was day 6 on my latest SS after not shaving since Friday and it was as if it was a new blade.

Bet this would work with my FB or Slim as well... aggressive on Monday and step down a click or two for the rest of the week....
 

Graydog

Biblical Innards
Today I used a fresh Schick Super Stainless
Karona edge. It was a very pleasant Shave.
I was sent a 5 pack and a 15 pack in original packaging and figured that I would open the
5 pack
 
I use vintage blades exclusively. I tried some now and then when I first started wet shaving and was surprised by how close, comfortable and long lasting they are if you get a pack or dispenser in excellent condition. Long story short, I did lots of research , on forums, talking to various people including an old guy who was connected with Gillette in the day and more library type research and this is my conclusion as to why they're so much better. Well, not mine but a consensus of others looking into it as well. Back then blades were made, at least the big boys of the industry, they were used by everyone and those big boys target market were men of the first world with plenty of disposable income and who demanded the best. 85% of todays double edge market, or more, are third world men. I'm trying to keep it short but I'll bang out all the details if you want. Anyways, to make them as good today would put them out of reach of those men. They certainly have the know how today to do that or even make them better but it would lose money. When I was using modern blades at best I'd get 4 shaves and weepers a few times a week
With vintage I get 12 to 30+ and they're closer, way more comfortable and I've forgotten what weepers look like have a card with two dispensers sets of 6 regular Gillette Stainless blades from 1962. 12 blades, the card is marked $1,75 . Today they'd sell for
$14.87!! And there's nothing legendary about these blades except they shave closer, smoother ( feels like there isnt a blade in it) than anything modern and do it 12 or 14 shaves
 
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Graydog

Biblical Innards
I am sold on the Gillette Spoiler blades
I have 100 or so in in unopen hanging packs of 5 . Great shaves with them.
I still like some of the modern blades as well
 
Perhaps almost a year ago i managed to score about 560 Spoiler blades (10 packs) for about $110USD on ebay. They seller found them at a flea market and wasnt sure of the value in them, and listed them quite cheap with a Buy Now.
I gave a few away and sold some others but would have at least 400 in possession still. I havent used more than 1 x tuck so will use on of these next time i change blades.
 
I've tried a few carbon-steel blades. The Gillette Thin Blades from the 60's were usable. Some Gillette Blue Blades from the 40's were not.
 
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