Have you tried an old stock blade? Do the old stock blades compare well to the new ones coming out these days? What is your opinion?
JB: I have some NOS Feather blades (non-Platinum coated) that work VERY well. I dont know how old they actually are but......... 2 snaps up from me :happy108
If they're stainless or coated (platinum, chrome, Teflon, etc.) they might be better than today's blades. If they're carbon steel they're probably rougher and will rust quickly once they get wet. I've used some stainless blades from the 1960s that were fine. I've been dropping old carbon steel blades in a box for later trades to a collector. Richard
One word. YMMV. I don't think it's a question of old versus new stock unless there is a manufacturing quality issue. As you have already found out, there are huge differences just between modern blades. The same would hold true for NOS blades. Buy some and try them out.
Hi JB, Thirty year old NOS SS personna injector blades were my go to's until I started using a DE only. Excellent shaves for me with those. Martin
I have a modest supply of NOS UK Wilkinson blades from the 70s/80s era that are, IMO, the best blade I have ever used. Very sharp, very smooth. I also have a nice supply of Gillette Super Stainless (The Spoiler) and Gillette Platinum Plus that are probably from the early 80s. Both are great blades! All these blades I mentioned are stainless steel. I've never had a good shave with a NOS carbon steel blade. I recommend that if you see any NOS stainless blades in your travels, grab 'em and try 'em out.
I get great shaves using Schick and Gillette stainless blades. The old Gillette Blue blades you might get one use out of. I'd say try the stainless blades and remember YMMV.
Like a lot of the guys here are saying... If the blade has been stored in proper conditions, it may have not degraded much over time. Blade technology however has made a lot if improvements. Some of those older blades were pretty rough the day they were made. I doubt 40 years of age is gonna help them.
With all due respect, if blade technology has improved then why are some of these NOS blades so damn fine? The Wilkinsons from the 70s are the finest blades that I have used. Others have echoed that opinion on this forum and the other shaving forums. Ditto for the Gillette Platinum Plus and the Gillette Super Stainless from the 70s and 80s. I don't see where today's blades are better.
Relax fellas, no reason to get angry. Their blades for crying out loud. Love NOS, hate NOS, who cares? Just shave baby!
Then as now it's basically going to come down to a QC issue and YMMV. 7AM blades are the perfect contemporary illustration of this. When you get a good one it's a great shave for the next three or four days. Their QC is very inconsistent though. If you get a bad one you won't make too many swaths through the lather and you can take my word on that.
