Sputnik Blades

Al H said:
NotTheStig said:
Because I have quite a few blades, and many different types, I've started putting a few of my favourites that I have the largest amounts of in the bathroom in a cache away from the main stockpile in the bedroom.
Sputnik were an easy first choice. Polsilver Super Iridium, Personna Lab Blue, Gillette Silver Blue, Gillette 365 and Ri Mei Platinum are the rest.
In time, when there is room, I will add the Super Thins, Rapira Swedish Super Steel and Platinum Lux and maybe some vintage blades. Anyone else do this?
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I have a shoe box full in the wardrobe main stash for sealed blades (1500 ish)
I have a plastic box open/loose blades all in order (loom bands are great for this, about 250 blades different brands)
Then I have a vintage nickel blade holder in bathroom with about 20 different blades in

The sad thing is if I saw a good deal on 100 decent blades I don't have id be all over like a rash

Back to sputniks, good but if you are intent on buying St Petersburg blades I'd stock up on rapira swedes
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At 3 x shaves per blade, you have enough for around 12 years of shaving every day. I am far more sensible and only keep 5 or 6 years stock of blades ...
 
NotTheStig said:
Because I have quite a few blades, and many different types, I've started putting a few of my favourites that I have the largest amounts of in the bathroom in a cache away from the main stockpile in the bedroom.
Sputnik were an easy first choice. Polsilver Super Iridium, Personna Lab Blue, Gillette Silver Blue, Gillette 365 and Ri Mei Platinum are the rest.
In time, when there is room, I will add the Super Thins, Rapira Swedish Super Steel and Platinum Lux and maybe some vintage blades. Anyone else do this?
Click to expand...

I have a large(ish) plastic box from IKEA in the bathroom, slightly bigger than a shoe box, it has all the blades I own in it. The ones I'm currently keen to use are laid out on top of the packs of 100 in the 5 packs, so I can get them easily for a reload.

As I change favourites the half dozen or so packs laid out on top change.

All told there are 'only' just over 800 blades in the box, and a couple of soaps, and.....

As with Al H, if I spot a really good deal for 100 blades, even if I already have 'a few' of them I end up buying them.... I mean, these things are dangerous, 'elf 'n' safety might ban them one day and then I'll just have been planning ahead..... :)
 
NotTheStig said:
Because I have quite a few blades, and many different types, I've started putting a few of my favourites that I have the largest amounts of in the bathroom in a cache away from the main stockpile in the bedroom.
Sputnik were an easy first choice. Polsilver Super Iridium, Personna Lab Blue, Gillette Silver Blue, Gillette 365 and Ri Mei Platinum are the rest.
In time, when there is room, I will add the Super Thins, Rapira Swedish Super Steel and Platinum Lux and maybe some vintage blades. Anyone else do this?
Click to expand...

I keep a stock of about 500 blades at work. I tell myself I keep them there because its warm and dry... I really keep them there so SWMBO thinks I only own a stock of 50 blades in my sock drawer. Anything for a quiet life. I even had my Sputnik order from Gemstone shaving delivered to my work address:icon_redface:
 
The Sputnik is the #1 selling blade in Russia, so they say. Dirt cheap there. I finally tried one recently and IMO it's one of the best blades I've ever used & smoother than an Astra SP. Worked better for me than Voskhod.
 
I was fortunate enough to acquire a box of 10 NOS Sputniks dating from the early 1980's with a razor I acquired from Ukraine a couple of months ago.

The razor I'm pretty sure was released for 1980 Moscow Olympics and I'm pretty sure these blades were too as the labelling is completely in English and the outer box is marked 'Leningrad', whilst the blades and wrappers are marked 'Sputnik'.

I've tried a couple of these blades now and this is how I would compare them against current production:
  • Day 1 - Much sharper, slightly smoother
  • Day 2 - Sharper, as smooth
  • Day 3 - As sharp, less smooth
  • Day 4 - Binned
Probably the closest current equivalent I could suggest is a Feather. Both are exceedingly sharp and smooth to begin with, but tail off significantly after a few uses. Initially I tried the NOS in a fairly mild razor and was impressed with the results (accepting the short useful life), but in something more aggressive one they were too much of a handful to be honest.

Worth keeping your eyes out for if you want to try something a little different, but treat with the same respect as a Feather.

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I don't know if anybody else has noticed, but the Russian EBay sellers who normally have plentiful stocks of Sputniks currently have none available and it seems to have been that way for a few weeks.

Let's just hope that it's a temporary supply issue and nothing more.

Maybe @enatalenko or another Russian member could shed some light on matters?
 
I know there were trade embargoes placed on certain products after the shooting down of the Russian fighter. What those products were I do not know. I wouldn't be surprised if blades were in that though, given the whole "Turkish Barber" thing. Certainly the Turkish sellers I bought off, don't have the blades they normally carried.
 
Ebay is crawling with these now & prices are great!! I used one today in a Schick Krona with Proraso cream. Simply effortless shaving. Like using a squeegee on glass!! :)

The Astra SP & Voskhod seem to garner all the glory for the best of the 'budget' blades, but I only think that is because they are pushed more in the market whereas the Sputnik is not. For me at least, it's the king of 'budget' blades. ;)
 
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