Random question: are Perma-Sharp blades different to Gillette 7 o'clock (Permasharp)? Or are they the same blade in different wrappers?
Perma-Sharp and Permasharp
- Thread starter Trollky
- Start date
They are different blaldes. Perma-Sharp blades (gold pack) are made in St. Petersberg Russia. The brand was originally made in Turkey and a top selling blade there. Permasharp (7 O'clock green) blades are made in India. They are smooth, but not as sharp, not as long-lasting as the Perma-Sharp blades, IMHO.
Different blades! And BOTH are worth trying IMO! 
Definitely different. Perma-Sharp Supers are probably my favorite blade. The 7 O'Clocks I can tolerate, but don't really enjoy.
Definitely a different blade.
I've tried quite a few blades over the years and I only use the Perma-Sharps and the PolSilvers now. I've found for my face these two in particular provide the best balance between sharp and smooth in the 5 razors I have (i.e. EJ DE 89, Merkur 34c, Timeless OC .68 gap, ATT Kronos M1, and Karve Brass C and D plates).
Although good, neither the yellow nor green Gillette 7 O'Clocks made the "cut" for me.
I've tried quite a few blades over the years and I only use the Perma-Sharps and the PolSilvers now. I've found for my face these two in particular provide the best balance between sharp and smooth in the 5 razors I have (i.e. EJ DE 89, Merkur 34c, Timeless OC .68 gap, ATT Kronos M1, and Karve Brass C and D plates).
Although good, neither the yellow nor green Gillette 7 O'Clocks made the "cut" for me.
People are often confused by Personna blades but the moniker "Perma-Sharp" is equally puzzling if not even worse and they even crossed line for some time being produced in the same Israel plant for some years in the 80's.
Nowadays we only have the Russian Perma-Sharps and an Indian variant of the 7 O'Clock Gillette line but in the past there have been a zillion of variants made in Scotland, New York, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Tanzania, Israel, Turkey and other countries.
In 1991 Gillette acquired the brand and some years later (1996?) moved the production from Turkey to the Astra plant in Czech Republic. In 2003, a few months before Czech Republic entered the European Community, Gillette, foreseeing a raise of the labor costs, finally moved the production of both Perma-Sharp and Astra blades to St. Petersburg.
During the last 55 years Perma-Sharp blades have been closely related to Wilkinson Sword, Personna, Derby, Astra and Gillette. If you don't call this a mess... Anyway, since the late 80's Perma-Sharp has always been produced for the Turkish market becoming the Turkish barbers blade of choice. When Çelik Sanayi S.A. sold the plant and brand to Gillette in 1991 they happily took the money and opened a new plant in Instambul. They came out with a new blade, the famous/notorious (depending on the point of view) Derby blade that slowly eroded the Perma-Sharp supremacy becoming the most sold razor blade in Turkey.
Nowadays we only have the Russian Perma-Sharps and an Indian variant of the 7 O'Clock Gillette line but in the past there have been a zillion of variants made in Scotland, New York, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Tanzania, Israel, Turkey and other countries.
In 1991 Gillette acquired the brand and some years later (1996?) moved the production from Turkey to the Astra plant in Czech Republic. In 2003, a few months before Czech Republic entered the European Community, Gillette, foreseeing a raise of the labor costs, finally moved the production of both Perma-Sharp and Astra blades to St. Petersburg.
During the last 55 years Perma-Sharp blades have been closely related to Wilkinson Sword, Personna, Derby, Astra and Gillette. If you don't call this a mess... Anyway, since the late 80's Perma-Sharp has always been produced for the Turkish market becoming the Turkish barbers blade of choice. When Çelik Sanayi S.A. sold the plant and brand to Gillette in 1991 they happily took the money and opened a new plant in Instambul. They came out with a new blade, the famous/notorious (depending on the point of view) Derby blade that slowly eroded the Perma-Sharp supremacy becoming the most sold razor blade in Turkey.
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Indian permasharp blades isn't made in the same factory as the Astras. Many Indian barbers used 7'O Clock permasharp blade.
As I stated "Indian" I thought it was obvious that the 7 O'Clock Permasharp blade variant is produced in India. My bad...
!Perma-Sharp was an American Company. The company can be traced as far back as 1955. Perma-Sharp Manufactoring Corp. had factories in New York, East Kilbride (Scotland), Mentone (Australia) and Canada. The most famous were the superb Scottish variant made of Sheffield steel. Rumors say the engineers who worked on Wilkinson Sword legendary stainless blades were hired by Perma-Sharp to come up with a similar blade. Also the Australian variant was quite popular between fellow Aussie shavers.
The company lived some turmoil during the 70's when it first was renamed UF Industries Inc. and was later bought by Wilkinson Sword (1976). Wilkinson owned UF Industries (or UFI) until 1979.
What happened next it's a little unclear. Production was resumed in the early 80's in Nazareth, Israel. It's still possible to get some Israeli Perma-Sharp on the Bay, especially the variant reserved for the Israeli Army. The Nazareth plant (not the same Personna plant) was shut down and Perma-Sharp production was moved to Turkey where it became the Turkish barbers' blade of choice. Also it is unclear when Permatik Çelik Sanayi S.A. bought the brand from Israel but we do know they sold the plant and the brand to Gillette in 1991. We also know that Permatik Çelik Sanayi S.A. took Gillette's money and opened another plant nearby where they started to produce a new blade, the famous/notorious Derby, very likely to the same specs of the old Turkish Perma-Sharp.
Gillette produced the Turkish Perma-Sharp until 1996 when they closed the plant and moved to Czech Republic. Finally, since 2003, all Gillette Perma-Sharps are produced in St. Petersburg.
Some people confuse the Russian Perma-sharp with a similarly branded 7 O'Clock Permasharp (without the "-") produced in India but those are different (and in my opinion inferior) blades even if they are both produced by P&G by two different international divisions of Gillette. The Russian variant is the one tied with the heritage of the earliest Scottish blades.
The company lived some turmoil during the 70's when it first was renamed UF Industries Inc. and was later bought by Wilkinson Sword (1976). Wilkinson owned UF Industries (or UFI) until 1979.
What happened next it's a little unclear. Production was resumed in the early 80's in Nazareth, Israel. It's still possible to get some Israeli Perma-Sharp on the Bay, especially the variant reserved for the Israeli Army. The Nazareth plant (not the same Personna plant) was shut down and Perma-Sharp production was moved to Turkey where it became the Turkish barbers' blade of choice. Also it is unclear when Permatik Çelik Sanayi S.A. bought the brand from Israel but we do know they sold the plant and the brand to Gillette in 1991. We also know that Permatik Çelik Sanayi S.A. took Gillette's money and opened another plant nearby where they started to produce a new blade, the famous/notorious Derby, very likely to the same specs of the old Turkish Perma-Sharp.
Gillette produced the Turkish Perma-Sharp until 1996 when they closed the plant and moved to Czech Republic. Finally, since 2003, all Gillette Perma-Sharps are produced in St. Petersburg.
Some people confuse the Russian Perma-sharp with a similarly branded 7 O'Clock Permasharp (without the "-") produced in India but those are different (and in my opinion inferior) blades even if they are both produced by P&G by two different international divisions of Gillette. The Russian variant is the one tied with the heritage of the earliest Scottish blades.
Yikes. That makes me feel old. My established date is 1952.
Scottish Perma-Sharp:
Israeli Perma-Sharp:
Turkish Perma-Sharp:
Old Perma-Sharp stocks (note the "name changed to UF Indstries")
Israeli Perma-Sharp:
Turkish Perma-Sharp:
Old Perma-Sharp stocks (note the "name changed to UF Indstries")
Gillette loves the Permasharp moniker but when it is used it's always written without the "-" between Perma and Sharp.
In Mexico the popular Goodnews disposables are renamed "Permasharp"
In Mexico the popular Goodnews disposables are renamed "Permasharp"
To me the Indian Permasharp is sharper than the Prrma-Sharp Super
If I’m not mistaken they’ve recently changed the name of the gold pack from Perma-Sharp Super to Perma-Sharp Stainless
