The Oslo Swede.

[NewYorkBuck]

I have a stash of NOS blades that I'll typically install into my razor around some event - a holiday, my birthday, etc. This year, for New Years I dropped in NOS Swedish Gillette into my Karve Bradley. "Oslo Sweden" on the back of the card and all.

My MO is to change my blades based on performance rather than the calendar. but for most blades that settles in at around 4-7 shaves. Lo an behold, today I noticed is Jan 20, and I still have that same blade in my razor. That count now stands at 18 shaves and still going strong. In fact, today was the first time I palm stropped it, and just that little piece of maintenance brought it back to almost new.

Not sure how many more it will go but I'll keep you guys posted. I won't stretch it out just to stretch is out - I typically bin blades at the first sign of tugging or harshness.

I know a lot of folks believe the current Gillette Platinums (both light and dark blue boxes) are the same as the old Oslo Swedes. I have both and I iike both, but I can tell you for my money they are not the same. I've used plenty of them and I don't think I have ever used one more than six or seven times. The Oslo Swedes also seem a bit smoother from jump. JMHO.

I recall when they were going out of stock about a dozen years ago. I forget which vendor it was but I recall emailing and asking how many they had left. They told me three boxes of 50 so I took them all. Glad I did.

Now if I could only go back and buy another 100 Light Brigades at a dollar each as well ...

 

[Maxime D.]

I still have about 140 of the old Swedes that I've purchased from an English lady some 10 years ago. The leftover stash of her late husband, If I recall correctly. I'm assuming that the fellow shaved exclusively with Gillette Platinum as there are blades from '94, '98, '99, 2000, and some mid-to-late 2000s P&G. I'm glad I snagged them back then.

 

[DE Shaver]

I have a stash of the vintage Gillette Bleue Extra blades from the same era and they definitely shave better than current offerings. These are the ones that have the push to extract plastic case.

 

[Maxime D.]

I have a stash of the vintage Gillette Bleue Extra blades from the same era and they definitely shave better than current offerings. These are the ones that have the push to extract plastic case.

There is a member among the Australian contingent who liked these old GBE so much that, when the opportunity arose, he bought 2 crates of 2000 blades.

 

[DE Shaver]

There is a member among the Australian contingent who liked these old GBE so much that, when the opportunity arose, he bought 2 crates of 2000 blades.

I thought my 1,500 blade stash was a lot.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

I have a stash of the vintage Gillette Bleue Extra blades from the same era and they definitely shave better than current offerings. These are the ones that have the push to extract plastic case.

Yep. The Swedes I speak of come in the same plastic case.

In fact, this latest pack was so old that the oil dried up and turned into adhesive. I used the hairdryer to finally get one out of the plastic case.

 

[FarmerTan]

Yep. The Swedes I speak of come in the same plastic case.

In fact, this latest pack was so old that the oil dried up and turned into adhesive. I used the hairdryer to finally get one out of the plastic case.

Any idea what year they were manufactured?

 

[BigJ]

Wish I had a stash of those!!

 

[NewYorkBuck]

Any idea what year they were manufactured?

I probably bought them around 2009 or 2010. It was right when they were being rumored to be taken out of production, and the rumor proved true in this case.

As a quick sidebar, have done that two other times. One was for Wizamet Super Iridiums. That one ended up being a false alarm, but there's worse things to be hording. The other was a rumor about Tabac going non-tallow. That one ended up being true, just ten years late. Have five more tallow pucks. Will probably outlast me ...

And to update on the Swedes durability, did shave #20 this morning. Still smooth and sharp ... incredible ...

 

[NewYorkBuck]

Just to update - decided today would be the last shave at 22.

Could I have stretched it out further? Without a doubt - in fact in its current state I would venture its still better than many blades new. But I bin blades at first sign of roughness or tugging, and this one did just a hint of that on my neck today.

Amazing quality and longevity all in all. Looks like a box of ten of these will take me into the fall should I so decide ...