After Googling around a bit for sampler packs, I see stuff all over the place. Post-COVID and supply chain issues also probably have affected supplies, prices, and general availability. I'm open to building my own sampler pack or buying one from a vendor somewhere. What are my better options in today's market? Are there any good "retail" shops in East Texas or, would I need to go to Dallas, Texarkana, or Shreveport? I did find a shop online in Navasota but is too far to be practical. Amazon free shipping doesn't look too good for me with the options available there so, a retail shop somewhere might work out better for me. Most of my Googling ends up on barber shops so, it seems like a reference here is my best option. TIA, Sid
I could send you about 12 different blades to try if you'd like. Send me a PM and I'll get them out by week's end
And there you have it. Generous offer from @poppi. I can't help you with specific vendors that stock a sample pack, but what I did in the past was add a couple tucks of blades I had wanted to try to an order.
Online vendors with sampler packs include Maggard, IB, WCS, Amazon, .RazorBladesClub, and EBay. Or just add a few tucks to an order.
On a related thought, I see a lot of Russian blades being highly regarded. With all the Ukraine conflict "Western trade restriction" impacts towards Russia, I'm assuming Russian blades are becoming a thing of the past. Looking at the Razorbladeclub site, it appears some of them are made using "Swedish steel" so, that blade stock isn't going to be available either. Are Russian razor blades being exported at this time? Or, are they becoming a thing of the past?
I honestly don't know if they are impacted by the sanctions. I ordered a bunch within hours of tanks rolling over the borders. All of the major blade suppliers bought huge stocks at the same time, I guess, probably for the same reason. Russian blades will be available for years at least. Maybe even a decade. If they were not able to buy them, we would of probably heard about it by now.
Yes, you can buy 100 Nacets or 100 7 O'Clock Greens (both Russian Gillettes) at IB cheaper now then they've ever been. $9 for 100 Rapiras too. Weird, actually.
Blades are usually purchased in boxes. When you order pallet loads, you get a better price. Joe is probably passing on some of the savings.
It could also be people, in general, moving towards non-Russian manufactured DE blades creating a glut at the suppliers thus, creating better prices at places like the Italian Barber since the savings are being passed on.
True. I know some people on Facebook stopped using Russian blades. I like the blades too much to virtue signal like that, but I have noticed I've been using other blades an awful lot lately. Chance? Subconscious aversion? Who knows? If we ever see Astra SP's start to climb past $10 and head towards $15 a carton on Amazon, we'll know they are starting to run out.
I just ordered some Astra SP's to head off any price hikes. I am a bit surprised that almost a year into the Ukraine/Russia war, we're still able to get Russian blades and the prices don't seem too bad ... Yet.
You're right. The last two times I've bought them they were a little over $6... But that's not typical.
Thanks to @poppi, I feel like a won the lottery today! Really good selection of blades I want to try too! Huge thanks to poppi!