Amazing Shaves From My Oldest Blades

[Ouchmychin]

A few days ago as I was culling my blade collection I ran into a white box of Israeli Personnas. I thought "what the heck" so I pulled the KAI blade I have been enjoying out of my Future and stuck in one. Left the setting the same and shaved just like I did with the KAI. Result: same shave as I was getting from the KAI! What the--, I have now used the same blade for 3 days and today was the first nick. I got careless, which is something you don't do with a Futur. I would say the blade is ready to be tossed, but might give it one more try to be sure. What a pleasant surprise.

[Squire]

To be sure, they do Pete. I have some decades old blades as ready for use today as when first made.

[Ouchmychin]

I have now used the old blade for 7 days straight. Still getting wonderful bbs shaves. If this keeps going I am going to have to retitle this thread: The Wonder Blade. I recall my youth loving to see how many shaves I could get from a disposable razor (good enough for work). The record was 6 months form a Schick disposable. I bought 40 5 packs and still have a few. Don't see how I was getting all those shaves now.

[John N.]

Pete, I am in the middle of an experience that parallels your own. Several days ago I spotted a well kept magazine of Gillette Superblues in my stash and loaded one up in a vintage (4th quarter 1959) RedTip...wanted to be chronologically correct . I had two excellent shaves with this combo, then transferred the blade to a Futur. This AM had a great shave with this new set up. It seems to give some credence to my belief that the Futur brings out the best in whichever blade is installed. As far as the Super Blue Blades go, I think the silicone coating has helped preserve the extremely sharp (for it's day) edge. As with any carbon blade, I blow off any water beads on the edges after each shave...seems to extend the life of the blade. Hope to get 4-6 shaves out of the Superblue. So far so good.
J.

[alcx77]

Alas I have but one blade left from my 1970s stash ... a Shick DE which will come up at the end of my current rotation.......may take some
time to get there. Then again, anticipation is a wonderful thing.

[Ouchmychin]

Alcx, I have quit rotating since my discovery. I will stick to my Futur which I have learned to use. Today I finally decided to put in a new Israeli Personna. The old one was still working but I felt that it was struggling to get bbs. The new one did not seem any better to me. I hope it just needed a break-in. I'll know tomorrow. If you have a Futur you could try it with the Shick DEs. I set mine just about 1.8 to get the good shaves without being too aggressive.

[alcx77]

Indeed I do have a Futur which I yet to explore beyond a setting of 2. I look forward to my silky Shick DE blade........the last of my NOS.

[Bob in TX]

I am on my 5th shave this week with a 70's Gillette Super Stainless "Spoiler". All have been excellent. I still have a few left.........

[Squire]

That's a classic lineup Bob.

[BeatlesFan]

Bob, I know you are a fan of both the Gillette Red Tip and the current production Personna Hospital Use blades.

Any comments about the vintage spoilers vs. the Hospital Use? I've been switching between vintage Gillette Platinum Plus and the Hospital Use, and can't really see much difference (if anything, maybe the Personna is a tad smoother).

Any thoughts?