RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Feb 22, 2012 19:45:51 GMT -6
This is funny stuff!!! I have been trying to convert my wife but she is quite resistant. I do have her finally on a badger and VDH. I haven't thought of her as a way to unload my bad purchases though!!! Lol!!!
I got a small box of ass bad Merkur DEs that almost cured me of ever needing a shave. Maybe I could move those on??
;D
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blobby
SE Super Freak
Posts: 83
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Post by blobby on Feb 28, 2012 22:07:04 GMT -6
That's a good write up HT. It is amazing how confusing the SE blade thing is given that there are only a couple to choose from. This is mainly to do with the fact that the same blades are packaged by different distributors and then become known by their name rather than the actual manufacturer.
What also doesn't help is that the blades are not specifically marked as being suitable for shaving use. Even the GEM PTFE coated blades state that they are industrial. The fact that they "fit all standard single edge razor blade tools" isn't too reassuring either for somebody who doesn't know.
I've also once bought a five pack of GEM Red Star blades from a chemist here in Australia which was actually displayed in the shaving section. It also has the 009-RD marking on the blades. It was obviously aimed at the odd after hours customer looking for a scraper blade because it's totally not suited as a razor blade. Believe me I tried!
I too like the simplicity of SE blade choice. It puts the onus on how the razor performs rather than confusing this with the blade. Mind you I'm not really one to comment on this. My experience with 20 odd DE blades has led me to believe they're more similar than different.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Feb 28, 2012 22:24:11 GMT -6
I am guessing that you have tried to get her to use the real stuff?? Shower soap ughhhhhh Yes, I have. It took the longest time to get her to "want" a Lady Gillette. I finally just got her one for her birthday and handed it to her. ;D I had some old soaps I wanted to get rid of, but she said, "I've been using shower soap my entire life, and it works.", or some such.
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disburden
SE Super Freak
Bacon and anything with it!
Posts: 68
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Post by disburden on Jun 29, 2012 12:41:53 GMT -6
I stopped by my local Hannaford's Grocery store today and found they carry Stainless Steel SE blades as well, their own brand. I didn't buy them though...
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Post by HoosierTrooper on Jun 29, 2012 14:15:10 GMT -6
Were they in the ASR style vault dispenser? I stopped by my local Hannaford's Grocery store today and found they carry Stainless Steel SE blades as well, their own brand. I didn't buy them though...
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disburden
SE Super Freak
Bacon and anything with it!
Posts: 68
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Post by disburden on Jun 29, 2012 14:50:20 GMT -6
Yes same blocked blade vault.
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lloyd
SE Super Freak
Posts: 42
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Post by lloyd on Jul 4, 2012 9:21:16 GMT -6
My wife was looking for a new blade for her razor this weekend and I gave her a Dorco. Not cruel, just a frugal Mainer - we don't like to waste anything. To put this into perspective, she got 6 months out of the Derby she put in it last time. I figured the old Derby had to be pretty dull when she changed it out. If she only gets 2 months from a Dorco, then it's not a complete waste of steel. She hasn't said anything. After all, how picky can she be? 6 month old blade, shaves with shower soap, need I write more? You killin' me, man...
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norfolkdick
Master Shaver
Captain of the Razor Blades
Posts: 1,601
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Post by norfolkdick on Sept 4, 2012 7:15:32 GMT -6
Greetings
Iv'e already learnt a lot since signing up here and this blade guide is wonderful. Here in the UK we have only two single edged blades of shaving quality available and from only one supplier, they are the white 100 boxes of GEM stainless PTFE coated, the supplier is Connaught shaving who also sell the feather spineless SE blades but you need to take out a second mortage to buy them!
Choosing a blade here is simple, but am I missing out on what is available on your side of the Atlantic or in reality do (as I suspect) 90% of you chaps use the coated stainless blades the same as I do ?
It is interesting how you can still walk into a drugstore (chemists to us here) and purchase SE blades, you could travel the length and breadth of this country and nobody in a drugstore would have even heard of them, many would not even stock DE blades!
The only other SE blades I have tried are some GEM premium edge blades from the 50's that were included with my pushbutton GEM; I found these so rough as to be unusable, not to be beaten I stropped one for 20 minutes in the stropper that came with my streamline set and the difference was zero, no worse but certainly no better!
Am I handicapped by lack of choice or am I using the right blade anyway?
Regards Dick.
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Post by HoosierTrooper on Sept 4, 2012 9:07:22 GMT -6
I would guess that the majority use stainless SE blades. I use them as well, but prefer the carbon steel variety.
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Post by wchnu on Sept 4, 2012 15:03:43 GMT -6
If you would like you can pm me an address and I will mail you a few carbon steel Treet and PAL blades to try . I do not think there is any issue other then the customs wait.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Sept 4, 2012 15:14:49 GMT -6
I would guess that the majority use stainless SE blades. I use them as well, but prefer the carbon steel variety. +1. I'm in that majority group. But I still like CS blades. I just don't trust rust that I can't see, and I keep myblades in the high humidity bath room. I have no idea what Connaught gets for their blades, but if it makes sense to buy in bulk from Ted Pella (121-3) and ship them to you, just say the word and it'll be done. Last I heard they were reasonably priced, but that's up to you to decide. TP sells them 200 blades at a whack and 1000 blades is no more difficult to send on as 200 are. I'm not of the opinion that carbon steel blades should be stockpiled because of micro rust that's invisible to the eye. IMO CS blades should be purchased fresh. Yes CS blades are good. Yes, we can walk into pretty much any pharmacy and purchase them, but they'll only have one type and you need to know who stocks what blade. I've never seen a selection of SE blades at a Chemists. I probably should buy a 10 pack of CS blades again, just for variety.
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norfolkdick
Master Shaver
Captain of the Razor Blades
Posts: 1,601
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Post by norfolkdick on Sept 4, 2012 16:08:39 GMT -6
Greetings
Thank you all so very much for the kind offers and advice, the modern GEM stainless blades are not terribly expensive here in Britain I was referring to the Feather blades which cost an arm and a leg and only last (so I am told as I have not tried them) for a couple of shaves.
What I would really appreciate is a couple of carbon blades to try as I just can't get these full stop, I am hoping that I will not like them for that very reason!!
The single edge scene here is rather small but I think it is growing especially amongst old farts like me, a problem here is that 95% of the SE razors available are Ever Ready's because as far as I can establish no GEM's were manufactured in Britain.
If there is anything for sale here this side of the pond that is difficult or expensive to obtain your side then likewise let me know, the only thing that springs immediately to mind are Palmolive Shaving sticks which cost 50 pence in my local supermarket, I think they work great but the scent (if you could call it that) leaves a little to be desired.
Regards Dick
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Sept 4, 2012 17:20:04 GMT -6
The Feather SE blades are about $1 per here as well, but they last far longer than the DE version. I average about 10 shaves with one. I only use them in Valet razors that require them. I don't use those very often.
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Post by razorx on Sept 4, 2012 21:06:36 GMT -6
Hoosier Trooper mentioned West Coast Shaving in the original post of this thread,I recognized that name because I stumbled onto them looking for a 2nd brush a couple of days ago and thought their prices were much better than other sites I've checked,so while I was there looked into SE blades. GEM Personna Coated Stainless Steel Blades from West Coast Shaving $4.75 a 10 pack is much less than I'm paying at Walgreens. www.westcoastshaving.com/GEM-Personna-Stainless-Steel-Single-Edge-Razor-Blades-10-pak_p_1171.htmlWith free shipping on orders over $80 I could order Twenty packs for $95 which works out to be $47.50 per 100 Blades including shipping. Can I beat that deal anywhere else ? How does this compare to Ted Pella ?
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Sept 4, 2012 21:14:39 GMT -6
I get 200 TP 121-3 GEM SS ptfe coated blades shipped to my door for $50. They're in Califormia and I'm in Maine, CONUS shipping doesn't get much worse than that.
They need an address to ship them to where an adult will be found. A business address will do, and they will check before shipping.
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