The Blade Count or How I lost my Mind and became a Hoarder

Let's talk about single and double edged razors and the blades that they use.
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ScottB
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The Blade Count or How I lost my Mind and became a Hoarder

Post by ScottB »

Image

Ok, I figure I can stop buying DE blades now.

Yeah, I know, you "can never have enough" and there is the Shavepocalypse to consider (whatever that is). Not to mention that there is always some new blade to try, I've heard the new Personna Med Preps are very good.

But I'm not going to buy any.

So there were those 500 Feather blades I bought in 2006. That seemed like an adequate stash. But then recently Gordon, upon hearing me gripe about skin thinning, convinced me to try the Israeli Personas (wrapped in red paper). They work so well for me that it has really opened my eyes to other blades. The Red IP is this great general all around blade, sharp enough, smooth enough and durable enough. Not spectacular but very good and very consistent.

So I had to get 400 of those from Phil. So that is something just less than 900 blades. Already seems a bit excessive but not maniacal. Actuarian tables suggest that I might actually be able to use all of them. :)

But then I picked up a few vintage blades, well, vintage-ish. They just made me more curious about the Real Deal, The Real Thing™, The Real McCoy. The Gillette Platinum Plus (GPP), the Schick Plus Platinum (SPP), the Personna 74 Tungsten (P74) and dare I say it?, the Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade (LB).

So 350 Spoilers, 550 SPPs, 180 GPPs and 720 P74s later I'm calling it good. :D Found some Super Iridiums as well.

Yeah, 2600 some odd blades. I was never able to find an LB source. They do not seem to be available in quantity. There will probably just be small offerings of blades from estate sales here and there. If I was an LB fan I would be worried. Total unobtainium so far as I could tell. Definitely the most scarce and possibly the best regarded. While the others can be found readily the LB is on the Endangered Species List. After that the P74 is next to disappear, then the GPP and finally the SPP which is a great blade and is still out there in large quantities.

I can see the A&E announcement "Wetshavers: Buried Alive".

If someone out there has like 10,000 blades please reply that so I will feel better and be further enabled. :D :D That picture is actually Dr. Moss' bath soap collection.

Scott
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SmallTank
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Post by SmallTank »

hmm..is there only 1 face you will be shaving..yours?... :lol:
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

Scott your last sentence wrecked my punch line.
Regards,
Squire
marsos52
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Post by marsos52 »

squire you always make me laugh

love you brother

marc
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Araner
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Post by Araner »

Scott, can you comment on the shave results you get from the Personna 74? Is it all that, and more? Or is it merely a good blade?

Mike
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

I'm not Scott but to me the LB Wilkinsons and Persona 74s are about equal. Both are so darn good there is no comparison to current blades.
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Squire
vtmax
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Post by vtmax »

More like Chris M's shaving soap collection! Hang in there Scott. I'm a little like you in regard to the Iridium Supers.

Max
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ScottB
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Post by ScottB »

Araner wrote:Scott, can you comment on the shave results you get from the Personna 74? Is it all that, and more? Or is it merely a good blade?

Mike
I haven't tried one yet.

I'm exploring several new razors and am just using the Red IPs while I get it all worked out. That lets me discern some differences between new razors I've acquired. Once I've figured out what the different razors are doing I'll start a blade rotation and mix it up a little like some of the guys, Squire for instance. In a way I'm more anxious to try the SPPs because I've heard they are very very smooth.

I think the vintage blades will be fun but I also see that it is cool to develop the skills to make inexpensive blades work too. Its definitely part of the equation.

Scott
Whistler
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Post by Whistler »

Scott, I came to a point when I stopped counting and just say, in the plastic storage container I store my blades in, there is around 27 lbs of blades in there. I gave up on most current production blades and like you stocked up on vintage blades that worked for me.
Regards,
Marty
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"Be still! Me mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading in a waterfall of creative alternatives."
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fallingwickets
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Post by fallingwickets »

no comment other than to say; great thread Scott

thanks

clive
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mikey
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Re: The Blade Count or How I lost my Mind and became a Hoard

Post by mikey »

Hello Scott,

So how can I convince you to sell me 10 SPPs and 10 P74s?

Thanks,
Mike
ScottB wrote:...But then I picked up a few vintage blades, well, vintage-ish. They just made me more curious about the Real Deal, The Real Thing™, The Real McCoy. The Gillette Platinum Plus (GPP), the Schick Plus Platinum (SPP), the Personna 74 Tungsten (P74) and dare I say it?, the Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade (LB).

So 350 Spoilers, 550 SPPs, 180 GPPs and 720 P74s later I'm calling it good. :D Found some Super Iridiums as well...

Scott
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desertbadger
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Post by desertbadger »

Scott really backed up the truck and started loading; that's a good thing!

Regards,
David
Regards,
David
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m3m0ryleak
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Post by m3m0ryleak »

Thanks Scott for the "Raiders".
At least I know that I'm comfortably in the company of other sick, er like minded fellows. I put the brakes on blade acquisition (well mostly) when the stash included both a dresser and vanity drawer. But the AD slithered out of its hiding place and now another bathroom closet shelf is lost to bath soaps and aftershaves. As long as the bills are getting paid and retirement money is still getting salted away, where's the harm ?.

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Tony

"They say that dreams are growing wild just this side of Burma Shave" - Tom Waits
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LookingGlass
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Post by LookingGlass »

Wow...that is a lot of blades. How did the significant other manage this acquisition. :shock: :shock: ?

A main point I gleaned from this post is the words about the IP Red. One of my best, comfortable shaves is one of these in my '59 Fatboy. For some reason this blade/razor combo rocks for me.

Ed
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ScottB
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Re: The Blade Count or How I lost my Mind and became a Hoard

Post by ScottB »

mikey wrote:Hello Scott,

So how can I convince you to sell me 10 SPPs and 10 P74s?

Thanks,
Mike
ScottB wrote:...But then I picked up a few vintage blades, well, vintage-ish. They just made me more curious about the Real Deal, The Real Thing™, The Real McCoy. The Gillette Platinum Plus (GPP), the Schick Plus Platinum (SPP), the Personna 74 Tungsten (P74) and dare I say it?, the Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade (LB).

So 350 Spoilers, 550 SPPs, 180 GPPs and 720 P74s later I'm calling it good. :D Found some Super Iridiums as well...

Scott
You can pick those up here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SCHICK-PLUS ... 1c1cd618f0

and here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... MEBOFFX:IT

Scott
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ScottB
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Post by ScottB »

LookingGlass wrote:Wow...that is a lot of blades. How did the significant other manage this acquisition. :shock: :shock: ?

A main point I gleaned from this post is the words about the IP Red. One of my best, comfortable shaves is one of these in my '59 Fatboy. For some reason this blade/razor combo rocks for me.

Ed
Bought her an enormous Ocotillo tree that is being delivered this weekend from Arizona on a flatbed. :D

The IPs work particularly well in my 60s Gillette razors too.

Scott
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

FWIW I pretty much agree with Squire re: the LBs and 74s and there are a few others of that vintage that are almost as good. And...er...Scott..I..a...suggested the IPs in the WHITE & BLUE wrappers, not the red, so you might need to pick up some of those as well...ahem.
Regards,
Gordon
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ScottB
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Post by ScottB »

bernards66 wrote:FWIW I pretty much agree with Squire re: the LBs and 74s and there are a few others of that vintage that are almost as good. And...er...Scott..I..a...suggested the IPs in the WHITE & BLUE wrappers, not the red, so you might need to pick up some of those as well...ahem.
Regards,
Gordon
Phil sells them and they come in white packs with blue cardboard inserts (thus my confusion) but each blade is wrapped in red paper. Not sure if that makes it a Red IP or a Blue and White. If you're saying each blade is wrapped in blue and white paper I have definitely not tried those yet. Didn't mean to misquote you Gordon. Still I must credit you for moving me away from the Feathers even if I didn't get it precisely right. :)

The red wrapped blades are very nice so far, easy on the face at least compared to the Feathers I used since 2006. I don't seem to get nicks and have been able to shave 6 days per week. Basically zero irritation and a decent shave that doesn't take too much time. I have to say that this blade on shave 2, 3 or 4 in my 60s Gillette razors is just unbelievably smooth. I didn't even think the razor was shaving and had to check. It just feels like I'm wiping the lather off my face. Its good in my EJ89L but not as crazy smooth as in the old Gillettes.

Scott
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Scott, Yes, each blade is wrapped in white paper with blue logos on it. They are sometimes branded as 'Crystal' blades but mine came via eBay in a plain white unmarked box containing 100 blades. Personally I preferred them to the ASR version that are red wrapped, but of course, not everyone agrees ( big surprise ). Anyway, I guess it was a good thing to help you toward experiancing some different blades....maybe....
Regards,
Gordon
mikey
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Re: The Blade Count or How I lost my Mind and became a Hoard

Post by mikey »

Sure, but I really didn't want to deal with eBay.

Thanks,
Mike
ScottB wrote:
mikey wrote:Hello Scott,

So how can I convince you to sell me 10 SPPs and 10 P74s?

Thanks,
Mike
ScottB wrote:...But then I picked up a few vintage blades, well, vintage-ish. They just made me more curious about the Real Deal, The Real Thing™, The Real McCoy. The Gillette Platinum Plus (GPP), the Schick Plus Platinum (SPP), the Personna 74 Tungsten (P74) and dare I say it?, the Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade (LB).

So 350 Spoilers, 550 SPPs, 180 GPPs and 720 P74s later I'm calling it good. :D Found some Super Iridiums as well...

Scott
You can pick those up here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SCHICK-PLUS ... 1c1cd618f0

and here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... MEBOFFX:IT

Scott
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