Nice Variety of Vintage Blades

Gents, 

Hello!  I acquired these blades over the last month...60 blades...which will last 600-900 shaves...easily 3-4 years worth of shaving using some of the best blades ever made!  

That’s insane!!!

I paid $74 for all of these with shipping included, and the pack of Personna Double Edge Super Platinum Chrome are actually Personna 74 blades.

So figure $74 divided by 3.5 years, and it comes out to less than $21.15 per year.  That’s something to think about when considering whether or not to buy modern vs vintage blades.

Vr

Matt

Nice work Ols. Vintage blades are all I use and I have those in my stash. All great shavers

(07-06-2019, 10:25 AM)Mouser Wrote: Nice work Ols. Vintage blades are all I use and I have those in my stash. All great shavers

Yes Sir!  Not too outrageously priced either with a little bit of patience and luck, especially since they are vastly superior to modern blades (in my opinion).

Vr

Matt

Nice collection of blades. I find the older blades I have rougher than the newer ones. I have some Gillette blades from '63 that were only good for 2 shaves. Might I have missed something? If you're getting 10 shaves with each blades that's great.

(07-06-2019, 10:45 AM)Garb Wrote: Nice collection of blades. I find the older blades I have rougher than the newer ones. I have some Gillette blades from '63 that were only good for 2 shaves. Might I have missed something? If you're getting 10 shaves with each blades that's great.

I think early to mid 60s is just before the “golden era” of vintage blades which was late 60s to mid/late 80s...at least that was what I have read and been told. During this time, Schick platinum plus, Wilkinson Light brigades, personna 74s, and Gillette spoilers were produced I think. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken

Vr

Matt

what a haul! 10 shaves per blade! wow! I toss my modern DE blades after 1; SE blades after 2.

its ok tho because when I want to buy a razor or brush that I don't need and can't afford, I buy blades and that's seems to cool the RAD and BAD to a slow simmer.

Yes...that’s a great technique to scratch the itch!

I figure 10-15 shave on average...I used one of those personna 74 blades for 15 shaves and it was not showing any signs of slowing down. Then I dropped it, and just threw it out for fear of having damaged the edge! I am currently three shaves in on my second 74...I can’t wait to see how long it lasts!

Vr

Matt

(07-06-2019, 12:05 PM)Ols67 Wrote: Yes...that’s a great technique to scratch the itch!

I figure 10-15 shave on average...I used one of those personna 74 blades for 15 shaves and it was not showing any signs of slowing down.  Then I dropped it, and just threw it out for fear of having damaged the edge!  I am currently three shaves in on my second 74...I can’t wait to see how long it lasts!

Vr

Matt

I get 24 shaves with each of my vintage blades because that is twice through my dice count.  More than that and my little grey cells can't handle it.

(07-06-2019, 12:33 PM)churchilllafemme Wrote:

(07-06-2019, 12:05 PM)Ols67 Wrote: Yes...that’s a great technique to scratch the itch!

I figure 10-15 shave on average...I used one of those personna 74 blades for 15 shaves and it was not showing any signs of slowing down.  Then I dropped it, and just threw it out for fear of having damaged the edge!  I am currently three shaves in on my second 74...I can’t wait to see how long it lasts!

Vr

Matt

I get 24 shaves with each of my vintage blades because that is twice through my dice count.  More than that and my little grey cells can't handle it.

Well maybe a little over 4 years...I wanted to be conservative in my count!

Vr

Matt

How and where y’all find these older blades?

(07-06-2019, 06:08 PM)Chaddy Wrote: How and where y’all find these older blades?

Forums, etsy, and eBay.

Vr

Matt

(07-06-2019, 10:35 AM)Ols67 Wrote:

(07-06-2019, 10:25 AM)Mouser Wrote: Nice work Ols. Vintage blades are all I use and I have those in my stash. All great shavers

Yes Sir!  Not too outrageously priced either with a little bit of patience and luck, especially since they are vastly superior to modern blades (in my opinion).

Vr

Matt

I agree wholeheartedly.  Since I'm retired I have the time and patience to hunt down all of mine at prices per shave comparable to modern varieties.  With the singular exception of one of my two very favorites.  For some reason finding Wilkinson vintage Light Brigades are harder than any of the others I use and when I do sellers don't budge on their hefty asking price.

My concern about buying vintage blades is in regards to how/where they were stored for all these years.

(07-06-2019, 10:20 AM)Ols67 Wrote: Gents, 

Hello!  I acquired these blades over the last month...60 blades...which will last 600-900 shaves...easily 3-4 years worth of shaving using some of the best blades ever made!  

That’s insane!!!

I paid $74 for all of these with shipping included, and the pack of Personna Double Edge Super Platinum Chrome are actually Personna 74 blades.

So figure $74 divided by 3.5 years, and it comes out to less than $21.15 per year.  That’s something to think about when considering whether or not to buy modern vs vintage blades.

Vr

Matt

Wekk played, Sir!  I also own a decent stash of all of these varieties, and they give me great shaves.  Of this bracket, my personal favourite is the Personna Super Platinum Chrome, which for me is marginally smoother than the P74.

(07-10-2019, 05:33 PM)chazt Wrote: My concern about buying vintage blades is in regards to how/where they were stored for all these years.

That's a huge concern when it comes to carbon blades,  much less so for stainless.  If the package is sealed and they look in good shape that tells you most of what you need to know.

I agree...I haven’t used any carbon/blue blades, so I can’t speak to those...however the vintage Wilkinson, personna, and Gillette blades from the late 60s on seem to be in great shape with no degradation. I could also just have been extremely lucky so far!

Vr

Matt

(07-11-2019, 09:09 AM)Ols67 Wrote: I agree...I haven’t used any carbon/blue blades, so I can’t speak to those...however the vintage Wilkinson, personna, and Gillette blades from the late 60s on seem to be in great shape with no degradation.  I could also just have been extremely lucky so far!

Vr

Matt

I suspect you've been lucky, Matt.  My experience has been that blades in containers that are still sealed on their cards are fine, while those whose dispensers are loose, no longer sealed, can sometimes have the blades stuck together by corrosion that often is not visible from the exterior.

(07-11-2019, 09:14 AM)churchilllafemme Wrote:

(07-11-2019, 09:09 AM)Ols67 Wrote: I agree...I haven’t used any carbon/blue blades, so I can’t speak to those...however the vintage Wilkinson, personna, and Gillette blades from the late 60s on seem to be in great shape with no degradation.  I could also just have been extremely lucky so far!

Vr

Matt

I suspect you've been lucky, Matt.  My experience has been that blades in containers that are still sealed on their cards are fine, while those whose dispensers are loose, no longer sealed, can sometimes have the blades stuck together by corrosion that often is not visible from the exterior.

Yes...I have only purchased ones like the Personna 74 Medical preps and vintage Wilkinsons that are individually wrapped, and dispensers sealed on their cards.

No loose blades or dispensers, and that seems to be working well for me.

Vr

Matt

(07-11-2019, 07:10 AM)Mouser Wrote:

(07-10-2019, 05:33 PM)chazt Wrote: My concern about buying vintage blades is in regards to how/where they were stored for all these years.

That's a huge concern when it comes to carbon blades,  much less so for stainless.  If the package is sealed and they look in good shape that tells you most of what you need to know.

Thanks for that. In that case, if I come across any in my travels, I will look twice.

(07-11-2019, 09:19 AM)Ols67 Wrote:

(07-11-2019, 09:14 AM)churchilllafemme Wrote:

(07-11-2019, 09:09 AM)Ols67 Wrote: I agree...I haven’t used any carbon/blue blades, so I can’t speak to those...however the vintage Wilkinson, personna, and Gillette blades from the late 60s on seem to be in great shape with no degradation.  I could also just have been extremely lucky so far!

Vr

Matt

I suspect you've been lucky, Matt.  My experience has been that blades in containers that are still sealed on their cards are fine, while those whose dispensers are loose, no longer sealed, can sometimes have the blades stuck together by corrosion that often is not visible from the exterior.

Yes...I have only purchased ones like the Personna 74 Medical preps and vintage Wilkinsons that are individually wrapped, and dispensers sealed on their cards.

No loose blades or dispensers, and that seems to be working well for me.  

Vr

Matt

The vast majority of the ones I use are in dispensers.  For most that's the only way they came for some time. Try to find some individually wrapped  "Spoilers".  Much easier to use and as long as they were on the original card or passed my visual inspection no problem.  Once I gained some experience I havent had "bad" ones in years.