The Eye Test. Thin Gillette, Treet Carbon and Stainless, Gillette Rubie And Bolzano Superinox

[South Dakota Guy]

Forum member @Dualist sent me some blades from his collection that I have put under the microscope for those that are interested. I have never used any of these blades so I cannot comment upon my experience with them, but perhaps @Dualist and others that have experience with these blades will chime in. I am going to start with the Carbon blades. The very first blade is vintage, a Thin Gillette which I believe to be a carbon steel blade. It showed some rust that bled through the wrapper but I did find a section that looked pretty good to scope. It appears to me that there has been some deterioration most likely related to age and improper storage at some point in it's long life.

Thin Gillette 200x

Treet Carbon (aka Black Beauty) 200x

Treet Falcon Carbon 200x

These next blades are all stainless steel to the best of my knowledge.

Treet Classic 200x

Treet Dura Sharp 200X

Bolzano Superinox 200X

Gillette Rubie 200x

Gillette Nacet 200x for comparison to Rubie

 

[gabulldogs]

I believe the Treet Classic is also carbon steel.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I believe the Treet Classic is also carbon steel.

You might be right. I am not very knowledgeable about Treet blades.

 

[Dualist]

I've never shaved with a Gillette Thin but the bevel looks like some others including the Treet carbons. Sorry it's rusted! They came with a Gillette Slim Adjustable I picked up and I haven't even looked at them. When I was getting one to send I noticed some looked rough and I sent you the best one!

I should point out that Treets conveniently come in a tuck of 10 blades, nicely wrapped and in a box identical in design to vintage blades, ie a large flap that opens midway though the back. Which I think is a nice touch. Probably accidental though because they just never updated from the 60's. Treet itself is a very respectable company, they began by selling supplies to the British Army, it's been in the same family for 100 years, the current CEO is an Oxford alum, and they're the only manufacturer in Pakistan currently ISO certified (all this per their website).

The Treet Black Beauty, if you look closely at the pic, shows two bevels about like the others. It's subtle but the grind marks don't quite line up. It's two bevels! These blades are as basic as blades get, blued or blacked or whatever the process is, but uncoated pure carbon steel. And that's why I love em! I read somewhere they're actually Swedish steel, which would explain the magical shaves I get but it's hard to square that with their price point. However, Pakistan has a long metallurgy tradition so they may process the Swedish steel down into the strips for blades themselves, which I think could get them this cheap. Pure speculation though. This pic of the bevel shows me why I cork them- I suspected there was a burr (carbon steel loves to burr) so I tried corking and with that they're better than ever! These blades give me a shave comparable to a straight razor in my FOCS and work great in all 5 of my razors. Gentle, smooth, close, irritation free. For me the best DE shaves I get. I never even think about aftershave and I get 6 great shaves out of them, more than any other blade, which is less than a penny per shave. Their decline "curve" is a smooth predictable, gentle slope downward, unlike stainless which suddenly hit a wall when that brittle stainless edge finally shatters.

However, they are the most widely reviled blade I've ever read about. Unimaginable! I guess I'm a unicorn. These are truly fantastic blades for me and if they were $1 I'd still use them because they're the only blade that gives me no irritation and stainless blades make my face feel like leather. But I don't shave enough to keep them in production, which worries me. But luckily a lifetime supply is $100! It's like manna from heaven!!!

The Falcon is a shiny carbon steel blade. I don't know if it's coated but I don't believe the edge is. Just my guess. They shave very well for me, are pleasant to use, and are quite good blades. Probably about on par with but not better than the Black Beauties, yet they're a significant percentage more expensive per blade so I just stick with the Black Beauties (which evidently are made for skid row). I've read a few comments where people say they like Falcons. Not widely reviled but not widely used either!

The Treet Classic is also a shiny carbon steel blade. Quite good. I'd say it's the equal, and pretty much the same blade, as the Falcon. Although in the picture it looks like a different metal. I haven't shaved with enough of the Classic and Falcon to feel like I can make an accurate comparison so I'll just say the shave about the same for me. Falcon perhaps gentler. I've read many comments where people said these blades work very well for them and they like them etc. But these same people may have never tried a Black Beauty, so any carbon blade may work for them. In the pic the bevel looks uneven. Not impressed! Which tells me that they're probably born in the ancient machinery I imagine produces them. Although I have a warped Le Grelot straight whose bevel looks like ribbon and it shaves like a dream so...

The Treet Dura Sharp I believe is a coated shiny carbon steel blade. I think their coating process, such as it is, shows itself in the pic. I find these blades to be another iteration of the above, with the exception of the fact that I found them very harsh. I think the coating slicks them up and you're left with a sharp carbon steel blade on steroids. The other carbon steel blades I find very gentle yet equally close, as if they can't cut skin but only whiskers. The Dura Sharp left me with some weepers and I didn't enjoy my one outing with them. However, from my reading these seem to be the Treet that the most people get along the best with. Perhaps because they're closer to stainless in performance and price. They seem to be the most popular and the most respected, I suspect also due to the PTFE coating (that I personally despise). I think for their price you'd have to specifically want a carbon blade and known the difference because their price is within striking distance of some decent stainless blades like GSB and Nacet, although my strong opinion is that carbon steel shaves better. With Dura Sharp blades people report the little to no rust development, presumably due to the coating, and great shaves. They're almost liked!

The Bolzano is a blade I like. Opinion seems divided but if you like it you really like it. I used these exclusively for almost 10 years, mostly in a Merkur Progress and sometimes in a Schone (Fatip) with just any old bath soap. I get good consistent middle of the road shaves with them. When they do bite it's a really specific bite, no other blade bites like that. I got a FOCS a few months ago and the Bolzano is absolutely magnificent in it! I get 5 shaves out of them and then toss it. I've pushed it further but it wasn't my idea of fun. I should specify that this Bolzano is either from 2014 or 2019 (the two times I've bought them per my order history) but I don't know which. 100 of them lasted both my wife and I 5 years! I do use a straight too though. I've read that they just moved production from East Germany to Turkey and they're not at all as good. I don't know if there's any truth in this but that's what I read here on B&B. That bevel photo shows me why I like them and doesn't reveal anything obvious regarding why opinion is divided. However, due to the pandemic and having some time to explore shaving options, my new go to stainless blade is now Kai. Same price as German Bolzano but a performance closer to carbon steel in a stainless blade.

The Gillette Rubie in my opinion is one of the best blades currently in production. It's a St Petersburg made blade. The (laser?) etching on it and the overall package is straight outta 1986. Reminds me of Tron, in a cool way. In a rétro manner they ooze quality. I feel like they were the latest and greatest back then and somehow they're still rolling along unbothered. For me they're slightly harsh but that's probably just me and my general lack of interest in stainless blades. They're nicely sharp, skillfully walking the line between sharp and harsh, and they stay just on the right side of sharp and useable. I think this is a blade everyone should try. For me, however, they're the same price as a deal on Kai or Feather and I can shave for 2 months with Black Beauties for the price of one Rubie. They're beautiful a blade though! And I think they're definitely worth the price if you like their beauty and quality.

Comparing a Rubie to a Nacet, which is a blade out of the same St Petersburg factory, to me it looks like the same bevel. Identical. But the steel itself looks different. I'd guess the Rubie uses a higher quality steel. It's shiny and beautiful, like a DeLorean! And in my experience they shave exactly like that-- same edge but a Rubie one senses in the shave is slightly higher quality steel. And I say that having used them back to back.

However, I see Rubies for 30¢ each and Nacets for 13¢. I get 4 nice shaves out of each. In my own limited experience Nacets are by far the best stainless blade for a budget price (still more than 2x heavenly Black Beauties though!). Personally they're not quite my thing but I think everyone would do themselves a favor to try one. They're very good and for the price stellar!

Thanks a million for all your work with the pics! They really explain the blades, which gives us a better understanding of what we're dealing with and armed with this knowledge we get much better shaves! So seriously, a big round applause and thanks for @South Dakota Guy!!!

 

[BigJ]

Great photos!!

I can almost understand why I prefer the Nacets!!