For the past couple of weeks I've been rotating three blades from the Gillette factory in Russia, namely Polsilver Super Iridium, Gillette Stainless and Gillette Bleue Extra. To cut the story short, I couldn't find any difference. To me, they are the same blade, just branded differently. All three are very sharp smooth blades-excellent. Although there was some slight variation from shave to shave, I realized that I could not make a difference in a blind test. Right now, I don't have any 7'OCs and Astras to compare, but I doubt I'll find them much different either. It might sound odd, but I begin to realize that all the blades made in this factory near St. Peterborough are identical, just branded differently for the respective markets they are intended.
Polsilver Super Iridium, Gillette Stainless/Bleue Extra. same blade
- Thread starter muskus
- Start date
I have also been shaving with Polsilver SI for some time now and had two Gillette Stainless that my vendor sent for review. To me they are very different blades. The Gillette Stainless are dull and not smooth at all. They pull and they gave me a below mediocre shave. I know they were only two blades and shaved only a handful of times but still... Could be that I got duds?
Anyway, I must say that I like the PSIs very much.
Anyway, I must say that I like the PSIs very much.
That does sound odd. Pure speculation.
It is speculation but possible...
I don't think so. I traded a large amount of Super Iridiums for some Bleue Extras not long ago; I really favored the BE's. They are smoother and I got more shaves out of them. Also, the packaging is very different. BEs don't have the "classic" wax dots you see with lots of Russian blades.
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- #5
Sure it is nothing more than a speculation, based on my experience with these blades and reviews on another site, where the reviewer provided high magnification microscope images on the cutting edge of the blades. They all look virtually identical. Also, it is a common practice, that the same product is packed and branded differently for different markets. It makes sense. Polsilver for example was a very popular brand in Eastern Europe, while it was virtually unheard of in the west, where Gillette was the most popular one. The text on the package is still in Polish and the address is the one of the P&G distributor in Poland. On the Bleue Extra, the text is in English and French and the address of the UK distributor is given. Indeed these are mainly available in France and UK.
Where I live (south-east) you can easily find Polsilver SI and they are about 30-50 % cheaper than Gillette Stainless. In Western Europe, neither of these is available, but there is the Bleue Extra. In other regions these are replaced by the 7 OCs, which are well recognized.
Perhaps you got an earlier version of the BEs. The current one (made in Russia) is packed exactly like the rest of them. Cardboard box, containing the blades packed in two layers of paper and glue dots.
Where I live (south-east) you can easily find Polsilver SI and they are about 30-50 % cheaper than Gillette Stainless. In Western Europe, neither of these is available, but there is the Bleue Extra. In other regions these are replaced by the 7 OCs, which are well recognized.
Perhaps you got an earlier version of the BEs. The current one (made in Russia) is packed exactly like the rest of them. Cardboard box, containing the blades packed in two layers of paper and glue dots.
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Pure speculation indeed. I shaved a long time with both Perma-Sharp and PSI and they are definitely not the same in term of sharpness and smoothness. Also, the Gillette Stainless (7 O'Clock Green) are dull and not smooth, it's like comparing a Pontiac Grand AM with a Cadillac DTS.
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- #8
We all share just impressions. These are yours, and there is mine. That said, I'd love to see the results from properly conducted, blind tests. I don't have the opportunity to conduct such tests, let's hope that some day someone will do.
In such a test, someone else will load the same razor with the blades to be compared, in a random order. You'll never know which blade is in the razor. Everything else will be kept as reproducible as possible (soap, brush, prep...), brand new blade every time. If you subjective impressions are that say, blade X is sharp and smooth, and blade Y is rougher and duller, in how many occasions of such blind test this would be picked up?
Is this important? Probably yes, probably no. If a blade gives you confidence and just feels right for you, perhaps it doesn't matter much if there is the same blade on the market, just packed differently.
In such a test, someone else will load the same razor with the blades to be compared, in a random order. You'll never know which blade is in the razor. Everything else will be kept as reproducible as possible (soap, brush, prep...), brand new blade every time. If you subjective impressions are that say, blade X is sharp and smooth, and blade Y is rougher and duller, in how many occasions of such blind test this would be picked up?
Is this important? Probably yes, probably no. If a blade gives you confidence and just feels right for you, perhaps it doesn't matter much if there is the same blade on the market, just packed differently.
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You might suggest to Oscroft, forum member from the UK, that he schedule some of these blades as part of his Blind Blade Testing series. Here's what he has done so far.
Links to tests can be accessed here
Blind test #1 - Feather vs 7 O'clock Yellow
Blind test #2 - Astra SP vs Derby
Blind test #3 - Shark SS vs Dorco ST301
Blind test #4 - Personna "Red" vs Astra SP
Blind test #5 - Feather vs Personna Med Prep
Blind test #6 - Gillette 7 O'clock, Yellow vs Black
Blind test #7 - Med Prep vs Iridium Super
Blind test #8 - 7 O'Clock, Black vs Blue
Blind test #9 - Personna, Med vs Lab
Blind test #10 - Timor vs Sputnik
Blind test #11 - Med vs Lab, round 2
Blind test #12 - Iridium Super vs Polsilver Super Iridium
HTH
Links to tests can be accessed here
Blind test #1 - Feather vs 7 O'clock Yellow
Blind test #2 - Astra SP vs Derby
Blind test #3 - Shark SS vs Dorco ST301
Blind test #4 - Personna "Red" vs Astra SP
Blind test #5 - Feather vs Personna Med Prep
Blind test #6 - Gillette 7 O'clock, Yellow vs Black
Blind test #7 - Med Prep vs Iridium Super
Blind test #8 - 7 O'Clock, Black vs Blue
Blind test #9 - Personna, Med vs Lab
Blind test #10 - Timor vs Sputnik
Blind test #11 - Med vs Lab, round 2
Blind test #12 - Iridium Super vs Polsilver Super Iridium
HTH
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You're right -- I have different version. Mine come in a plastic dispenser. They have a thin film of oil and you have to push them out one-by-one since they are stacked.
I think the Bleue Extra and the Super Iridium are not the same blade. The SI's seem to be just a bit smoother, on my face anyway.
I once used a Permasharp blade from a sampler pack, and that one really reminded me of a Bleue Extra. So those are possibly the same blades.
Anyway, SI and BE are my 2 favourites and I have stocked up on them.
I once used a Permasharp blade from a sampler pack, and that one really reminded me of a Bleue Extra. So those are possibly the same blades.
Anyway, SI and BE are my 2 favourites and I have stocked up on them.
I find differences between various blades made in St Pete, but I often wonder if they are fundamental differences, or just luck of the batch differences... I read the series of blind tests, and it was interesting to say the least. I still end up relying on my experience with various blades though, and one thing appears to be clear for me. Even if I don't remember which blade is in any of my razors, pretty much ANY blade made in St Pete delivers a beautiful, comfortable, and irritation free shave, and does so long enough that blade cost vs number of shaves isn't worth even considering.
Gillette makes (in my opinion) blades with a perfect mix of characteristics in St Pete. I can't say that for any other company, including Feather. So, I ended up with several hundred Astra SP blades as a base because they epitomize that blend of sharpness, comfort, tolerance to quick shaving with any soap or no soap, yet still deliver a perfect BBS shave when the need arises. And all without blood or irritation...
As a bonus, Astra blades are aimed at near third world markets that are not economically ready to fully buy into the prime time cartridge shaving assault. That makes them dirt cheap, but quality is still paramount, as production line reality, and the need for Gillette to keep those customers happy as their income rises makes the thought of producing several grades of blades ludicrous.
I love trying new blades all the time, and some blades are real treats to shave with, but most all of the treats I have used that offer a great shave without sacrificing comfort are made by Gillette in St Pete, and the cheap Astra SP is right there....
Gillette makes (in my opinion) blades with a perfect mix of characteristics in St Pete. I can't say that for any other company, including Feather. So, I ended up with several hundred Astra SP blades as a base because they epitomize that blend of sharpness, comfort, tolerance to quick shaving with any soap or no soap, yet still deliver a perfect BBS shave when the need arises. And all without blood or irritation...
As a bonus, Astra blades are aimed at near third world markets that are not economically ready to fully buy into the prime time cartridge shaving assault. That makes them dirt cheap, but quality is still paramount, as production line reality, and the need for Gillette to keep those customers happy as their income rises makes the thought of producing several grades of blades ludicrous.
I love trying new blades all the time, and some blades are real treats to shave with, but most all of the treats I have used that offer a great shave without sacrificing comfort are made by Gillette in St Pete, and the cheap Astra SP is right there....
