How long do blades stay sharp?

T

Timbo74

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12
I'm asking as I have several packs of old Wilkinson Sword and Gillette Blue Blades. I'm guessing 1960's for the Gillettes and 1980's for the Wilkinsons.

Should I break the cellophane and shave with them or should I put them on Ebay?
 
hunnymonster said:
Well... if they've been kept dry etc, they should still be sharp. You probably want to get your technique sorted before experimenting with them though :shave
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Thanks although after around 10 years of this lark I think my technique is probably okay ;)
 
Isn't it funny, personally I wouldn't trust vintage blades. The way I see it, there are plenty of good ones around that are reasonably new, I can't see the appeal in a 1960's blade. Razor, yes. Blade, no thanks.
 
Timbo74 said:
I'm asking as I have several packs of old Wilkinson Sword and Gillette Blue Blades. I'm guessing 1960's for the Gillettes and 1980's for the Wilkinsons.

Should I break the cellophane and shave with them or should I put them on Ebay?
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Hi there,

The Wilkinson blades are probably gonna be some good ones and would certainly be worth a try. I've used a few different vintage Wilkinsons over the years with pleasant results.

The Blue blades are most likely not stainless steel, and the resulting shave may be a rough road.

Far as other vintage blades go, I've used a bunch of different ones like Schick and Personna, and some of em are as good or better than any blades currently being produced.

Vintage blades are a hit or miss thing, and sometimes they can be magical.

Martin
 
I have a few vintage blades: 3 EverSharp and 3 Personna that look to be 1960s or 70s to me, some Wodx-box-branded Soviet blades (say Sputnik on the blade themselves), a Gillette Bleue which I don't know the age of but has the Victorian-looking borders and font and King Gillette on it, plus a few Jewels (not from Sunbury though so should be safe to use!)
I know I am being over-sentimental but these blades are wrapped and stored in good condition for several decades over my age - I haven't really got the heart to use them. I don't consider myself a collector as I don't actively seek them out or pay £7 for their empty wrappers in ebay, but if I come by them I guess I get a bit precious about them.
Sounds silly I know and I do have the urge to try them but it is a tiny tiny and admittedly still pretty easy to come by piece of history on something I've come to be interested in.
 
NotTheStig said:
... some Wodx-box-branded Soviet blades (say Sputnik on the blade themselves)...
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The "wodx" is actually "хром" (you have the box upside down) - and means "Chrome" or "Chromium" (depending on context) - so what you actually have is a "Sputnik Chrome" blade. You're not the first (nor will you be the last) to fall for that crippler slipped by those crazy cyrillic-scripted Russians :D
 
Yes, I remember now. Somebody posted on here before about that. I think of them as my Wodx blades as xpom sounds generic to me as I think of the coating rather than a brand; I just need to remember why!
 
Thought folk may be interested in a quick snap:

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The Gillette dispensers are seriously cool-I wish todays manufacturers put as much thought and design into practical packaging.. :geek:

I have opened the Wilkinson Sword pack at the front-seems excellent condition-I'll shave with one tonight.

Tim
 

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hunnymonster said:
If you feel the desire to part with the 10 blade blue dispenser, I'm looking for 3 of those to complete sets...

Same applies to anyone with the 10 blade blue dispensers surplus to requirement. Open to swaps/sales on a reasonable/equitable basis.
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Mmmm I may pass on that HM as that dispenser came in the case of my 1959 Gillette Fatboy.
I guess any of the others are up for grabs though..!
ATB,
Tim
 
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