Some Cool Finds

[TheVez2]

The coolest Blade Bank I have ever seen!

Yardley Wood Bowl, empty, but still a great display piece.
GEM Micromatic Reversable blades (Double sided) One blade February, here I come!
Personna Double II razor. I tossed the blade that was on it, but I have a few boxes of NOS blades I acquired before.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Nice finds. That's a unique blade bank.

 

[TheVez2]

Thanks. This is my first decorative blade bank, and I love it.

 

[Mick]

Now that is one nice blade bank. Don't recall seeing that style before

 

[jzuzphreek]

I'm confused about those GEM blades....

 

[TheVez2]

I'm confused about those GEM blades....

I haven't opened mine yet, but basically it is a normal SE blade, but instead of a spine on one side, it has another cutting edge. Once the one side is dull, you flip it around and use the other side. On the other side of the package, it says something to the effect of: for use only with Micromatic razors. Here is a pic, previously posted by amishmotorboat:

 

[Hayden]

I really like the blade bank, nice find.

 

[jzuzphreek]

I haven't opened mine yet, but basically it is a normal SE blade, but instead of a spine on one side, it has another cutting edge. Once the one side is dull, you flip it around and use the other side. On the other side of the package, it says something to the effect of: for use only with Micromatic razors. Here is a pic, previously posted by amishmotorboat:

View attachment 332470

THAT is extra cool!!! It seems like that would be a lot cheaper to make than the SE blades available today. Wonder why they went away.

 

[TheVez2]

Wonder why they went away.

From another thread:

It's a matter of simple marketing.

Gillette at the time was marketing their blades as lasting longer, because each blade had two shaving edges. Gem was trying to make the playing field even, by also selling a blade with two shaving edges.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/121960

 

[jzuzphreek]

From another thread:


http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/121960

That explains why they did it, but not why it went away? Snap judgement with no proof or research would lead me to believe production issues. Why tie up production time for one blade that can only be used in one line of products, when you can make 1 blade that fits all products. Basically Differential cost analysis (thanks managerial accounting!) It costs more to produce the second type of blade that doesn't add as much to the contribution margin as 1 type of blade. Does that make sense?

 

[TheVez2]

Oh, I misread your question. I suspect that they just weren't that popular. And really, if you think about it, it doesn't seem too practical, for a couple reasons.

First, you've got a blade that you need to flip, and you removed the safest place to handle the blade. If you use a DE blade from a dispenser, you never have to handle it at all, even by the edges. This blade requires you handle it at some point.

Secondly, Even when I'm not using the second edge, I'm getting it wet, it's probably getting lather on it (at least through sink rinsing), then drying. Repeat. So, I imagaine that through all of that, while I'm using the first side, I'm still degrading the second edge. So the second edge, when I flip it, will not be a pristine new edge. I would not expect the second side to last as long as the first. We'll see, I have yet to use one to test that theory.

Seems to me it was a strategy that just didn't pan out.

 

[jzuzphreek]

Oh, I misread your question. I suspect that they just weren't that popular. And really, if you think about it, it doesn't seem too practical, for a couple reasons.

First, you've got a blade that you need to flip, and you removed the safest place to handle the blade. If you use a DE blade from a dispenser, you never have to handle it at all, even by the edges. This blade requires you handle it at some point.

Secondly, Even when I'm not using the second edge, I'm getting it wet, it's probably getting lather on it (at least through sink rinsing), then drying. Repeat. So, I imagaine that through all of that, while I'm using the first side, I'm still degrading the second edge. So the second edge, when I flip it, will not be a pristine new edge. I would not expect the second side to last as long as the first. We'll see, I have yet to use one to test that theory.

Seems to me it was a strategy that just didn't pan out.

Interesting observations. And all reasons why my thought above could have been a key contributor. Sometimes a manufacturer will elect to keep a failing product line because it would cost the company more in contribution margin (Sales - Variable Expenses) to stop producing the product. In this case it could have been a failed product that directly competed with the company's successful product. Again... all just speculation.