Question about vintage blades

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by fishcrow, Feb 20, 2012.

  1. Straight Arrow

    Straight Arrow Active Member

    Review of Silver Star:
    This is a unique blade. A product of American Safety Razor it is made of duridium metal. A print ad from a 1949 Life Magazine speaks of duridium metal as having been "manufactured by a process discovered during the war". The ad features men from all walks of life testifying that they can't feel the blade cutting the whiskers. What the duridium process is is kept a secret. Whether it is an early stainless steel process or something different I don't know. I do know that there is a very noticeable difference between Silver Stars and carbon blades from the same era. The first difference is the look of the metal. It reflects light in an unusual way, producing shades of red and green. There is absolutely no rust or corrosion on any Silver Star blade I have used suggesting that these may be an early stainless steel blade. Whatever they are they really do come through on their promise. Compared to carbon steel blades they cut very smoothly. Any guy in 1949 that tried one of these for the first time would certainly have been amazed at the comfortable feel of the shave.

    I used one this past week for four shaves in a Gillette Slim set at various low settings. All four shaves were very comfortable and produced DFS results. A couple of tiny weepers occurred during one shave. Now mind you, these blades are nowhere near as smooth as modern coated stainless steel blades. Think of them more as a technological link between carbon steel and modern stainless. For anyone looking to try a vintage blade but not ready for the challenge of old carbons...this might be your choice.

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    Note the reflective colors. I have never seen another blade do this
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    gorgo2 likes this.
  2. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Absolutely 100% accurate review of the Silver Star. I too have wondered if it's an early form of stainless, for the very reasons you describe.

    As for the colored sheen on the blades, I believe it's just residual coating of oil since I think with use (if memory serves, I'm trying to stretch out my Stars and it's been a couple months) it comes off after a couple of post-shave rinses. I also found them to smooth out even more with subsequent shaves, as many blades do.

    It's hands down the best out of the pack "carbon" I've ever encountered, that's for sure. I count myself as very lucky when I happened across a stand-up counter display of them.
     
  3. Issac

    Issac Member

    I've never seen those before. I have the 5 blade version of the box featured in this ad, although the stuff printed in black is actually blue (including the blade).
    [​IMG]
    They aren't kidding about "tougher blades" these things are barely even flexible, which makes me wary of trying to shave with one.
     
    Straight Arrow and CyanideMetal like this.
  4. Straight Arrow

    Straight Arrow Active Member

    I'm glad you posted about Star blades, Isaac. Like Silver Star, Star was a product of ASR. I love the strange names they came up with..."Duridium Process" and "Miracle Process 6NX". I have used Star many times and it is a pretty good shaving blade. I think it's on par with Silver Star. Whatever they were doing to the blades in that era it was a step toward the refinement that peaked in the '60s and '70s.
     

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