Any ideas on when these blades were manufactured and packaged in this particular blade dispenser? It's definitely one of the more unusual dispensers I've run across.
Silver Star Duridium
- Thread starter americanarmsdealer
- Start date
1949-50
http://books.google.com/books?id=GF...&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=whiz-pak&f=false
Wow, that is an amazing package. I shaved with some Silver Stars that were from right before that time period, and I could get 1-2 shaves per blade. They had a tension vibration to the blade that is probably the hollow ground applied to the blade...These were probably the most advanced blade of the time period (before the Super Blue Blade in the late 50's). Then, they faded away, perhaps even before the Stainless blades of the 1963 or so.
http://books.google.com/books?id=GF...&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=whiz-pak&f=false
Wow, that is an amazing package. I shaved with some Silver Stars that were from right before that time period, and I could get 1-2 shaves per blade. They had a tension vibration to the blade that is probably the hollow ground applied to the blade...These were probably the most advanced blade of the time period (before the Super Blue Blade in the late 50's). Then, they faded away, perhaps even before the Stainless blades of the 1963 or so.
I have some Silver Stars with that type of dispenser. There were a number of interesting dispensers in the '50s for blades like Silver Star, Pal, Star, Schick, and others. I'll post some pictures of the ones I have.
They were produced and marketed from '48~'53.
In that post-war era, they were advertised as being so sharp and smooth that you'd not know a blade was loaded. While that may have been the case ~60 years ago, either that was untrue at the time, or time has not been kind to them. They shave rough. Really really rough.
They were an early stainless steel blade, uncoated, from ASR. Duridium is a trade name for 404B Stainless.
ASR had a couple of different and rather novel blade dispensers in the '40s and through the '50s.
-- John Gehman
In that post-war era, they were advertised as being so sharp and smooth that you'd not know a blade was loaded. While that may have been the case ~60 years ago, either that was untrue at the time, or time has not been kind to them. They shave rough. Really really rough.
They were an early stainless steel blade, uncoated, from ASR. Duridium is a trade name for 404B Stainless.
ASR had a couple of different and rather novel blade dispensers in the '40s and through the '50s.
-- John Gehman
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I would love to see photos.....
When introduced, it was priced the same per blade as the Blue Blade (in the cream dispenser)...
http://books.google.com/books?id=dE...v=onepage&q=1949 gillette blue blades&f=false
This is a two page ad...Be sure to scroll down to see the Aristocrat and Milord...
When introduced, it was priced the same per blade as the Blue Blade (in the cream dispenser)...
http://books.google.com/books?id=dE...v=onepage&q=1949 gillette blue blades&f=false
This is a two page ad...Be sure to scroll down to see the Aristocrat and Milord...
Here is a news story about their debut in 1949
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...317,2881157&dq=silver+star+razor+blades&hl=en
It appears ASR stopped using the term duridium in 1953. The Silver Star blades continued to be produced at least until 1960 (the last reference in google news archive is for the blades being in a sale ad during that year).....
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...317,2881157&dq=silver+star+razor+blades&hl=en
It appears ASR stopped using the term duridium in 1953. The Silver Star blades continued to be produced at least until 1960 (the last reference in google news archive is for the blades being in a sale ad during that year).....
- Thread starter
- #7
25 million blades, huh? That's a big order by any measure!
Here are a couple of my favorite dispensers from late '50s early '60s era.
- Thread starter
- #9
Those are pretty neat, Straight Arrow. Thanks for sharing!
This is an old thread, but it seems to have the best info on the Silver Star Duridium and I think it is worth reviving. Tomorrow I plan to shave with one of these blades. It feels stiffer than a modern blade, and a little thicker. Here is a magnified image of the edge: I think this tends to confirm that these are uncoated blades. If it was made ca. 1949-59 it has held up pretty well. There might be some surface corrosion visible on the grind, and a small chip on the edge.
This blade came in a Whiz-Pak, as pictured in the first post. Anyone tried to refill one of those with modern blades? How did it go?
This blade came in a Whiz-Pak, as pictured in the first post. Anyone tried to refill one of those with modern blades? How did it go?
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So this is what uncoated stainless feels like?
My first shave with a Silver Star Duridium was a little strange. To give the blade every advantage I face-lathered with a vintage Williams stick for over five minutes. Even after that excellent prep the blade felt rough and seemed to tug, yet also seemed to cut hair well enough. After three passes the results were about as good as I ever get.
I suspect that the uncoated edge is plenty sharp, but the grain of the steel somehow binds up or grab onto the keratin in beard hairs. That could explain the relatively unpleasant shaving experience.
My first shave with a Silver Star Duridium was a little strange. To give the blade every advantage I face-lathered with a vintage Williams stick for over five minutes. Even after that excellent prep the blade felt rough and seemed to tug, yet also seemed to cut hair well enough. After three passes the results were about as good as I ever get.
I suspect that the uncoated edge is plenty sharp, but the grain of the steel somehow binds up or grab onto the keratin in beard hairs. That could explain the relatively unpleasant shaving experience.
Interesting. Are these blades hard to come by or still pretty plentiful?
Not too rare, but not not common either. The Whiz-Pak dispensers are a bit rarer than the wrapped blades.
I figured out how to disassemble the Whiz-Pak. Simply use a putty knife or table knife to pop one edge of the metal lid off. Best to keep the dispenser upright if possible, because the blades float on top of a funny-shaped leaf spring and can spill easily. That leaf spring also makes it tricky to reassemble. I got it back together using a knife to press down on the spring and the blades. That was relatively easy with the old blades, because they are stuck together. With loose modern blades it might get fiddly.
I figured out how to disassemble the Whiz-Pak. Simply use a putty knife or table knife to pop one edge of the metal lid off. Best to keep the dispenser upright if possible, because the blades float on top of a funny-shaped leaf spring and can spill easily. That leaf spring also makes it tricky to reassemble. I got it back together using a knife to press down on the spring and the blades. That was relatively easy with the old blades, because they are stuck together. With loose modern blades it might get fiddly.
Your experience squares with that of my daughter. She recently unknowingly shaved her legs with this blade and ended up with cuts and lots of pain from the binding and grabbing happening to her more randomly distributed leg hairs......She had used these blades to cut hair on her head and hair extensions in the past with no problems. We had a nice discussion about the blade.....
That's a cool package and dispenser.
I scored some of these at an antique store in March. I was looking forward to the shave, but was disappointed like the others have noted.
I ended up tossing the blades.
I scored some of these at an antique store in March. I was looking forward to the shave, but was disappointed like the others have noted.
I ended up tossing the blades.
Time for a little thread necromancy.
I picked up a pair of Silver Star blades in a lot of vintage blades, but most were from the late 60's. I decided this week that it was time to take the Silver Star for a spin in my short-comb Gillette NEW. My blades came wrapped in paper, not the Z-Pack. These two blades' wrappers are marked as being made in Brooklyn NY. ASR moved their factory out of Brooklyn in 1954, so these two blades would have been manufactured between 63 and 69 years ago.
Before getting to the shave, two things surprised me. Firstly there were two dried out wax dots holding the blade in place. I don't recall seeing those on Gillette blades of the era. Secondly, these blades are beautiful. If you see a Silver Star wrapper, you may notice some light grey stripes printed on the paper. On the blades themselves, ASR applied stripes of some kind of rainbow irridescent surface treatment. The logo printing is a little spotty, but the blades otherwise look immaculate. Compared to the contemporary Gillette Blue and Thin blades, these would really stand out. The blades are also much stiffer than modern blades, but not noticably different than the other vintage blades of similar age I've used.
So how do they shave? Did I menton how gorgeous the blades look?
OK, OK. I shaved twice with one of the blades. The first shave did not go well at all. On 1.5 day's growth, (my beard grows slowly, btw) the initial N-S pass was going fine. The blade felt sharp, untill I got to the bottom of my neck where the growth direction reverses. That's where the shave went sideways. As soon as the razor hit ATG terrain it started catching and pulling hairs, rather than cutting. I worked up my courage and lathered up for for my ear to chin pass, which is XTG on my face, but ATG across most of my neck. It felt unpleasent across my face, but bearable. But again, once it hit ATG terrain, it got bloody. I was left with nicks and weepers all over my neck and ingrown hairs a day later.
Not being one to give up easily on inconsequential matters, (read: I am stubborn) I decided to give it another go. I waited 2.5 days and gave the blade a good round of palm stropping; 30 strokes per edge. This morning's shave was... better. I managed a full, three pass shave. The blade was still very tuggy, but noticably sharper. It did cut the hairs cleanly ATG without catching them or cutting me up. The only weepers were a couple small ones from going ATG on my upper lip, where I frequently get them. I was left with no irritation, and a very close, comfortable shave. I think the stiffness of this blade must have helped it get close, because it certainly wasn't the keenness of it's edge.
Two times around with the Silver Star was enough for me. I plan to turn these blades into shims. They are thick and stiff, so one should do the work of 2 or 3 shims made from modern blades, and they are stainless and will not corrode like a shim made from vintage carbon steel blades would.
I picked up a pair of Silver Star blades in a lot of vintage blades, but most were from the late 60's. I decided this week that it was time to take the Silver Star for a spin in my short-comb Gillette NEW. My blades came wrapped in paper, not the Z-Pack. These two blades' wrappers are marked as being made in Brooklyn NY. ASR moved their factory out of Brooklyn in 1954, so these two blades would have been manufactured between 63 and 69 years ago.
Before getting to the shave, two things surprised me. Firstly there were two dried out wax dots holding the blade in place. I don't recall seeing those on Gillette blades of the era. Secondly, these blades are beautiful. If you see a Silver Star wrapper, you may notice some light grey stripes printed on the paper. On the blades themselves, ASR applied stripes of some kind of rainbow irridescent surface treatment. The logo printing is a little spotty, but the blades otherwise look immaculate. Compared to the contemporary Gillette Blue and Thin blades, these would really stand out. The blades are also much stiffer than modern blades, but not noticably different than the other vintage blades of similar age I've used.
So how do they shave? Did I menton how gorgeous the blades look?
OK, OK. I shaved twice with one of the blades. The first shave did not go well at all. On 1.5 day's growth, (my beard grows slowly, btw) the initial N-S pass was going fine. The blade felt sharp, untill I got to the bottom of my neck where the growth direction reverses. That's where the shave went sideways. As soon as the razor hit ATG terrain it started catching and pulling hairs, rather than cutting. I worked up my courage and lathered up for for my ear to chin pass, which is XTG on my face, but ATG across most of my neck. It felt unpleasent across my face, but bearable. But again, once it hit ATG terrain, it got bloody. I was left with nicks and weepers all over my neck and ingrown hairs a day later.
Not being one to give up easily on inconsequential matters, (read: I am stubborn) I decided to give it another go. I waited 2.5 days and gave the blade a good round of palm stropping; 30 strokes per edge. This morning's shave was... better. I managed a full, three pass shave. The blade was still very tuggy, but noticably sharper. It did cut the hairs cleanly ATG without catching them or cutting me up. The only weepers were a couple small ones from going ATG on my upper lip, where I frequently get them. I was left with no irritation, and a very close, comfortable shave. I think the stiffness of this blade must have helped it get close, because it certainly wasn't the keenness of it's edge.
Two times around with the Silver Star was enough for me. I plan to turn these blades into shims. They are thick and stiff, so one should do the work of 2 or 3 shims made from modern blades, and they are stainless and will not corrode like a shim made from vintage carbon steel blades would.
OUTSTANDING THREAD! Thanks for resurrecting this one.
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