Vintage Aussie Perma-Sharp Blades

[TomG]

I've just scored a box of Vintage Perma-Sharp blades (NOS) here in Australia, and have done a wee bit of research on same.
Here are some photos:

The back of the box is marked Perma-Sharp Mentone, Victoria. However, the blade is clearly marked "Made in Gt. Britain". The price on the box is marked in pre-decimal currency, dating it to pre-1966.
Hence, whilst these blades were sold in Australia, I postulate that this blade was made in Perma-Sharp's East Kilbride factory in Scotland, during the period 1962-1965, and is a predecessor of the highly regarded "Scottish Perma-Sharp" blade of the mid to late 1960's.

Have trawled background posts on vintage perma-sharp blades in this Forum (many thanks to previous contributors) and also some other Forums some other Forums for information (thanks to B&B). The following post is instructive:

I find this article very interesting, in that it states that Scottish Perma-Sharp employed some of the engineers that developed the original stainless steel blades for Wilkinson Sword. See the following photo of these early Wilkie blades:

Note that these first stainless Wilkies are marked Triple Life, as are the early Perma-Sharps in question.

There are subsequent variants of the Scottish Perma-Sharp blade during the 1960's and early 1970's, some of which as seen in the following photos:

See below an advertisement from the Sydney Morning Herald dated 22 Aug 1965:

Note that the price listed is the same as my box of blades. However, whilst the box and the label are very similar, the box in this ad does not have the "Triple Life" marking.

Regarding the employee testing of the blades, this indeed seems to be true, as evidenced in the following article from a US newspaper (Evening Independent) dated 23 April, 1964.

Would be very happy for others to contribute.

Cheers,

TomG

 

[Blademonkey]

I've just scored a box of Vintage Perma-Sharp blades (NOS) here in Australia, and have done a wee bit of research on same.
Here are some photos:

The back of the box is marked Perma-Sharp Mentone, Victoria. However, the blade is clearly marked "Made in Gt. Britain". The price on the box is marked in pre-decimal currency, dating it to pre-1966.
Hence, whilst these blades were sold in Australia, I postulate that this blade was made in Perma-Sharp's East Kilbride factory in Scotland, during the period 1962-1965, and is a predecessor of the highly regarded "Scottish Perma-Sharp" blade of the mid to late 1960's.

Have trawled background posts on vintage perma-sharp blades in this Forum (many thanks to previous contributors) and also some other Forums some other Forums for information (thanks to B&B). The following post is instructive:

I find this article very interesting, in that it states that Scottish Perma-Sharp employed some of the engineers that developed the original stainless steel blades for Wilkinson Sword. See the following photo of these early Wilkie blades:

Note that these first stainless Wilkies are marked Triple Life, as are the early Perma-Sharps in question.

There are subsequent variants of the Scottish Perma-Sharp blade during the 1960's and early 1970's, some of which as seen in the following photos:

See below an advertisement from the Sydney Morning Herald dated 22 Aug 1965:

Note that the price listed is the same as my box of blades. However, whilst the box and the label are very similar, the box in this ad does not have the "Triple Life" marking.

Regarding the employee testing of the blades, this indeed seems to be true, as evidenced in the following article from a US newspaper (Evening Independent) dated 23 April, 1964.

Would be very happy for others to contribute.

Cheers,

TomG

Great write up and a great find. How would you compare the blades you have to the modern Perma sharp blade?

 

[TomG]

Great write up and a great find. How would you compare the blades you have to the modern Perma sharp blade?

I have some modern perma-sharp blades, but yet to try them. Will do so in near future and let you know. So far so good with the vintage blades.

 

[Blademonkey]

Thank you, I have found the modern ones to be very good.

 

[Chowart]

Hi
I was able to buy old permasharp blades

 

[NotTheStig]

Very nice!

I have three variants, two of which shown above (the 'blue, white and gold' design and the black and gold Supreme design) and recently scored some from the Permasharp factory. These are not retail packed and seem to share the same blade wrapper as your design?

Link here if you're interested.
Post in thread 'Shaving Acquisitions February' https://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/community/threads/shaving-acquisitions-february.57871/post-909676

 

[Chowart]

ok, thanks for the link, mine are steel sheffield

 

[Chowart]

Turkish version