I realize these blades no longer technically exist and have never actually used them. I have tried the new Personna Reds from Germany that are Platinum-chrome coated and they are very nice and comperable to the Nacets I've been using. I also see a Personna blue and white package that is also Platinum-chrome coated from Germany that WCS says is the previous Israeli red. Given the same coating and country of Mfg I'm a bit confused. Are these the same blade in different packaging?
Will the real (new) Israeli Red please stand up
- Thread starter MHBru
- Start date
They are similar but not exactly the same since they're made in the German plant now. You can still get the older Israeli Personna blades at the Razor Blades Club, last time I checked. Many people think that the German Personna Chrome is at least as good, though.
Forget about red or any packaging colours. Focus on Israeli made. The ‘Israeli reds’ were packaged in blue tucks for most of the world, except the red packs for America. But they were made in Israel.
If the Personna is made in Israel then it is excellent (and no longer made). If it is made in USA it is also excellent (medical or lab blades). If it is made in Germany then a lot of us don’t think they’re particularly good blades.
West Coast Shaving is selling the German Platinum blades, which are now sold in red boxes of 5 in the US market. These are not ‘Israeli reds’. West Coast Shaving surely knows better and they are doing something quite shady in my opinion. Anyway by using the word ‘Israeli’ they are certainly misrepresenting the blades.
So, for current manufacture, I recommend you look for the USA-made Comfort Coated blades (so-called ‘Lab Blues’) or the Prep (so-called ‘Med-Prep’) blades. These are both sold in large boxes with the blades individually wrapped (below)….
If the Personna is made in Israel then it is excellent (and no longer made). If it is made in USA it is also excellent (medical or lab blades). If it is made in Germany then a lot of us don’t think they’re particularly good blades.
West Coast Shaving is selling the German Platinum blades, which are now sold in red boxes of 5 in the US market. These are not ‘Israeli reds’. West Coast Shaving surely knows better and they are doing something quite shady in my opinion. Anyway by using the word ‘Israeli’ they are certainly misrepresenting the blades.
So, for current manufacture, I recommend you look for the USA-made Comfort Coated blades (so-called ‘Lab Blues’) or the Prep (so-called ‘Med-Prep’) blades. These are both sold in large boxes with the blades individually wrapped (below)….
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These are Israeli Reds and are identical blades. Only difference is that the red pack has 5 blades and the white plastic holds 10…
These are made in Germany. I have only used one, but I found it to be similar to the Israeli Red…
These are made in Germany. I have only used one, but I found it to be similar to the Israeli Red…
If you read the fine print, the WCS site says the blades are made in Germany and packaged in Mexico. I'm not sure why WCS is using the title "Israeli Red" on their website. It's misleading.
I'll agree with @Mr. Shavington that the Personna Lab Blue and Med Prep made in Virginia, USA are great blades. They're worth trying if you haven't yet.
I'll agree with @Mr. Shavington that the Personna Lab Blue and Med Prep made in Virginia, USA are great blades. They're worth trying if you haven't yet.
Agree. But they are almost identical. I think Med Preps are sterilized but otherwise the same as Lab Blues. I don’t notice a big difference and Med Preps are 2-3x more expensive. Excellent blades in any case.
I bought them on the Bonanza website which displayed the same tuck as in your post. That is definitely the packaging from Israel. What I received was the tuck with the gold bar which is manufactured in Germany. Pretty darn misleading if you ask me. Let us know if what you received was the tuck displayed in your thread.
I have both the German and the Israeli blades and my face cannot tell any difference. My go to blade, whatever the package says!
Carm knows his stuff. I would be surprised if TOTC doesn’t send you the Israeli Reds as pictured.
Great explanation!
I enjoy the US made Personna labs and med preps. I also enjoy the Israeli reds. Fortunately, I laid in a good stock of reds when production was moved to Germany. So I have no experience with the German version. I agree that it is misleading to market the German made blades as the same as Israeli reds.
Honestly, Amazon. I usually look for a good seller and they are often on sale for $25CAD or so.
Hmm, here's the description of the Gillette Platinum Dark Blue on their website: "These legendary double edge Gillette razor blades are from the St. Petersburg Factory in Russia. (These are the same blade as the renowned "Gillette Swede" but packed on a blue card)."
This description would be more appropriate to apply to the Gillette Platinum Light Blue (formerly in white package), perhaps they just lifted the description from a listing for Gillette Platinum Light Blue.
This is yet more misleading advertising from WCS!
The Gillette Swedes aren't made any more. These blades are recently made in Russia, so they cannot be the same as the old Swede blades.
Maybe they resemble or are similar to the old Swedes, but they aren't the same. This is just an attempt to falsely associate some other blade with a legendary blade from the past. Pretty shady.
I agree with you.!
i don't understand what the fuss is all about. i have read in an german forum that who ever holds the personna name these days, has insured in an official statement, that the german platinum chromes are made with the exact same steel, they personally deliver to solingen where these blades are produced now with the exact same technique and procedure they have used before. i always thought the personna labs made in the u.s. are the way better blade anyway, sharper but just as smooth, if not smoother.
edit: i think i have to correct myself here, smoothness in a blade is sharpness. you don't fell the blade cutting the beard, it glides through it. with the platinum chromes i always had the feeling that they were tugging a bit while, on a positive note, totally refuse to hurt the skin (blood spots while shaving or razerburn after the shave). the personna lab blue, has these positive characteristics as well, they refuse to bite or to give you a nasty razerburn, while in contrary to the platinum chromes, gliding through the whiskers and not tugging on them.
edit: i think i have to correct myself here, smoothness in a blade is sharpness. you don't fell the blade cutting the beard, it glides through it. with the platinum chromes i always had the feeling that they were tugging a bit while, on a positive note, totally refuse to hurt the skin (blood spots while shaving or razerburn after the shave). the personna lab blue, has these positive characteristics as well, they refuse to bite or to give you a nasty razerburn, while in contrary to the platinum chromes, gliding through the whiskers and not tugging on them.
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