[Microscope] GEM Personna Coated Stainless Steel vs. GEM Coated Stainless Steel

[Rodeodave]

After my last post on the GEM coated ss blades, razorx was kind enough to send me a GEM Personna Coated Stainless Steel blade to compare it to the GEM Coated Stainless Steel blade. So here's how that turned out.

Initially we notice a slight difference in the typeset already:


Now under the mic:


Up close:

The GEM is on the left, the GEM Personna on the right.

Even closer:

Again, the GEM is on the left, the GEM Personna on the right. Notice the "crackle" on the last bevel, I already pointed it out in the other post.

Here's the "crackle" up close, on the GEM Personna blade:

I still think it's cracks in the coating. One should take a look at an uncoated blade for comparison...


Well, that's it. GEM Personna Coated Stainless Steel vs. GEM Coated Stainless Steel. Only one sample per specimen, but still, there are noticable differences in the grind.

Oh, almost forgot, here's the link to the full album: http://imgur.com/a/TShTP#0
Enjoy!

 

[Seadooer]

So which one is better?

 

[Rodeodave]

No idea unfortunately. I damaged part of the GEM Personna's edge on the glass slide. These edges are really fragile.

Like so, GEM Personna on the right:


Palm stropping did nothing but scrape off skin (see last pic in album), the blade remained unimpressed. When I was drawing the blade over my fingernail the nick in the blade's edge was very noticeable, so I decided to not give it a try. Too bad.

 

[Haggises]

I thought the Personnas were not labeled as coated, just stainless....no?

Oh, before I forget...great pics!

 

[Henrik]

A big hand to you Rodeodave for these pics! As for the experiment only two blades were of course in scoope.
As for the verdict so far shall we at this point give a cautious nodge to the GEM PTFE...?? For possible further experiments I would gladly send a few GEM PTFEs to you for further comparisons. (Me myself have zero experience in the others).

 

[razorx]

I thought the Personnas were not labeled as coated, just stainless....no?

Oh, before I forget...great pics!

Just got to see this thread now,nice work Rodeodave,wow man....great comparison pics !

Haggisis I know the GEM Personna Blades including the one I mailed to David,come in a blister package with graphics that describe the blades as coated stainless steel.

Some have said they're pretty much the same blade,others myself included said no.In my experience the GEM PTFE is sharper and holds an edge longer.I think Rodeodave's micro pics demonstrate the difference in the grind he mentioned and at the very least illustrate that they're not the same blade.....so perceptions of performance differences are most likely real.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

A picture taken of these two blades taken over two years ago by MrGuy can be seen in post 4 in THIS THREAD

 

[amishmotorboat]

A picture taken of these two blades taken over two years ago by MrGuy can be seen in post 4 in THIS THREAD

Oh my. It looks like the difference between blades of two years ago to blades today is greater than the difference between the two different blades.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Oh my. It looks like the difference between blades of two years ago to blades today is greater than the difference between the two different blades.

Yep. But what does it mean? The problem with these pictures is what exactly do they show? I mean, they're fun to look at, but what can anyone learn from them?

 

[pipskicks]

Not sure if we can learn anything without a lot of testing, but it sure is neat to see.

 

[razorx]

I told a vendor that his prices for Ted Pella's were too high,especially when shipping's factored in and that I could get coated stainless steel GEM Personna blades at Walgreens locally a lot easier.His response was that the Ted Pella GEMs were vastly superior to the Walgreen's GEMs.

Same performance or one's better than the other ???
YMMV..... But if there's the perception that there's a difference in performance it's enlightening to see how similar they look are up close and personal.