Personna brand history?

[sandmountainslim]

What is the history of the Personna brand DE blades?

I see and hear talk of Israeli Personna, Wal-Mart Personna, Egyptian Personna, Dollar Store Personna and saw in another thread where there is a Personna Company in the UK and that the brand has different owners in different nations

I know that ASR owns the Personna name in the US but was Personna originally an ASR product like Star and Gem?
Anyone got the 411 on this brand?
Thanks.
Wp

 

[mmack66]

http://www.personna.com/personna/blades/corporate/history/

 

[sandmountainslim]

http://www.personna.com/personna/blades/corporate/history/

Thanks good link but it only begins mention of Personna with its 1953 purchase by ASR ...which answers one question I had Anyone know the brands adventures prior to 1953?
Wp

 

[mmack66]

"Pal Blade and Tool Company

Pal Blade Company began in Plattsburgh, New York in 1935 as a merger between the Utica Knife and Blade Company and the Pal Blade Company of Chicago. On January 17, 1941 the company formally purchased the cutlery tooling and machinery of Remington Arms Company Cutlery Division, and set up a new factory in an existing building on Bigelow Street in Holyoke, Mass. They were in production by June, 1941 continuing many of the Remington patterns and also developed a line of their own in both hunting knives and pocketknives.

During World War 2 the company made the M3 knife, the M1 bayonet, the M4 bayonet, and some pocketknives such as the TL-29. They also made the Navy Mark 1 and Mark 2 sheath knives. They also supplied the military with millions of razor blades from their Plattsburgh factory. Their RH-36 pattern (Remington Hunting, Pattern 3, 6 inch blade) was purchased in large quantities by the military and sold to servicemen through the Army PX system.

Following the war they continued to make a line of commercial knives, but by 1953 the machinery was effectively worn out, and it was decided to close the factory. Pal Blade Company of Plattsburgh was acquired by American Safety Razor in 1953. They continued to manufacture razor blades, and remain in business making Personna and Bic razors and other products today under the American Safety Razor (ASR) company name."

 

[haiti222]

Pal and Personna seemed to get together in the early 60's IIRC. In the stainless era, Pal made stainless injector blades and razors in the USA, starting in around 1963-64. Personna DE blades were supplied from a plant in Scotland until around 1968 or so. Then production transferred to a US plant for the US market. There also started to be a Personna injector blade and the Personna name was used on the stainless razor rather than PAL.

In 1971, the Personna 74 blade was released for both injectors and DEs.

There was a clear relationship between UK Personna and US Personna throughout the 60's. I think Israeli Personna was actually a different company until the 80's or 90's when it merged into ASR......

 

[sandmountainslim]

Found this online it is a 1947 ad from Life Magazine
which would predate the ASR deal. It says they sold both SE and DE blades at the time.
Wp

 

[Robxcarlson]

What is the history of the Personna brand DE blades?

I see and hear talk of Israeli Personna, Wal-Mart Personna, Egyptian Personna, Dollar Store Personna and saw in another thread where there is a Personna Company in the UK and that the brand has different owners in different nations

I know that ASR owns the Personna name in the US but was Personna originally an ASR product like Star and Gem?
Anyone got the 411 on this brand?
Thanks.
Wp

I've never seen any Egyptian Personnas. Where are you finding these? The only Egyptian blades I've seen are Lords.

 

[sandmountainslim]

I've never seen any Egyptian Personnas. Where are you finding these? The only Egyptian blades I've seen are Lords.

On the Israeli Personna history topic I found here on B and B it was stated that they were originally produced BY Lord for ASR and then later production went to Israel. This brand name has a more twisted history than Gillette lol!
Wp