Russian blade availability poll

Perhaps not directly, but they will likely make them much harder to get. All of the PPI blades I have ordered have come through wholesalers in Estonia or Poland. I forget which ones, but their address was stamped on the cardboard jackets holding the 100 blade packs. I doubt those countries will be importing anything from Russia in the near future. As for direct purchases from Russia, that seems very unlikely now. Are people actually worried about getting PPI blades when we have a huge number of alternatives?

At least one bill has been introduced to ban Russian oil imports into the US. Things are likely to get a lot crazier before they get better.

It's not, but that has no bearing on whether or not their blades will still be available in the West.

 

Russian razor blades will certainly be harder to get. FedEx, UPS, DHL have stopped deliveries to and from Russia & Ukraine. The longer term question is the future of the factories. A lot of blades were exported to eastern Europe who have anti-Russian sentiments now and the foreseeable future. The domestic Russian market is going to shrink with the economy tanking. Buying food will more important than shaving with sharp blades. If the war and sanctions go on for a long time they will have to reduce the production lines, convert to producing something economically viable, or even mothball the factory.

P&G may outright lose its investment in Russia or be pressured to divest. They still own the brands but will have to decide if they want to start operations elsewhere from scratch or more likely buy up small existing blade factories in other counties and consolidate them like they did in Russia. I found an article about P&G Russian invasion impact but unfortunately its behind a paywall.

 

gillette super platinum blacks and greens from India could still be available in the future and are great blades..does gillette Brazil still produce blades? ie platinum plus..? KCG are st.pete's..

 

I remember reading some years ago about the Gillette Petersburg plant and how the different brands were marketed in different regions. I think only the Sputnik and Rubie were sold in Russia. Astra was for the Turkish market, Gilletes & Polsilvers eastern Europe, ect... I'm going from memory so I may have mixed those up, but I think it was something along those lines. Essentially if you went to a Russian market you wouldn't find the full assortment of blades sitting on the shelves. If those export markets are gone then the Petersburg plant will have a lot of extra capacity sitting idle. They could find new friendly export markets like China, but exporting cheap manufactured goods to China is like bringing sand to the beach. Or they could use the Personna model by re-tooling to make medical sharps, like scalpel blades.

I think most Russians already use DE blades vs carts so I don't think there will be an increase in guys looking to save a few kopeks by switching. Maybe your right and blade production increases but I don't see happening at least not in Russian factories given the current environment.

 

From https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/russian-warn-mcdonalds-ibm-arrests-asset-seizures

"(Bloomberg) — McDonald’s Corp., Yum! Brands Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. are among companies that received warnings from Russian prosecutors threatening to arrest corporate leaders or seize assets for criticizing the government or withdrawing from the country, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

Prosecutors called or visited a broad range of companies to deliver their warnings, including technology, food, banking and apparel firms, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Threats of lawsuits and the potential seizure of trademarks and other assets has prompted at least one targeted company to limit communications out of Russia with the rest of the firm, and others are seeking to move executives out of the country, the people told the newspaper."

I don't think we have to worry about Russian blade availability anymore. That ship done sailed. Unfortunately, the average Josef and Zhanna working in the razor blade factory will suffer, even though they never had boo to say about any of this.

Does Personna (or whatever they are called now) still make the med prep or lab blues? I remember American Safety Razor used to make some really good blades 10 or 12 years ago.

 

They still do. Well, Accutec actually, under the Personna name. Accutec makes Lab Blues, Med Techs, GEM PTFE blades, et al.
Accutec makes any "Personna" blade that's marked as "Made in USA", including most or all house label SE blades. I know that when I buy GEM Blades from Rite-Aid or CVS, the dispenser has "Accutec" embossed on the end.

 

I just ordered another 100 of Wilkinson Swords, I like them just as much as Astra SP, I have more than enough blade to last me quite a few years about 7 yr. I think by then I'll be 83 lol. Treet Classic and Sharks work just as well for me.

 

Gillette Silver Blue blades are a favourite of mine, but I like Tiger blades just as much. While Russian blades might not be sanctioned specifically, I think many, including myself, will boycott Russian products.

 

90% of my 3000 blades are gillettes from st.petes and all but 200 were were purchased before this year.i won't turf them in the dumpster.Gillette/P&G is a U.S company that makes products all over the planet..

 

It would do no one any good and not prove anything for them to end up unused in a landfill.

 

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Agree 100%. Chucking blades into the trash would be wasteful. The point of a boycott is to change an entity's behavior, or at least to try.

Thank you very much for that info! I will check my local drug stores to see if their house brand blades are Accutec made in the USA.

 

If you'd like some Personna blades from when it was under American Safety Razor, I have a few dispensers and I can send you a couple of them.

 

Thank you very much for that kind offer! It's so cool to see that kind of generosity on the wetshaving forums.

I came across 100 Perma Sharp blades I completely forgot about, along with another container with about 70 more assorted blades. With the Gillette Platinums I have now, that should last the better part of 3 years, so I will pass for now. But thanks again for totally rocking!

 

I really like Gillette Platinum blades also, very nice............

 

I struggle with using my Gillette Saint Petersburg razor blades that I purchased before the war, I enjoy my GSB , Polsliver and Nacet blades. I wonder what happens in the future for shaving needs when it comes to blades. I will not toss them because it goes against my thoughts in better times when they where MFG!!

 

gillette has plants all over the planet.ibm and coca cola sold product in germany during ww2...

 

Why? You had no way of knowing that this war was going to occur. Since you already have the blades, you might as well use them. I will certainly use mine. To throw them out would be wasteful, and not to use them would be pointless.

How about Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinums, the ones with the black wrapper? They are made in India, and shave a little closer than even the Gillette Platinums. For me, each Super Platinum blade lasts two weeks versus the one week for the Platinums. There are something like 100 different double edge blades available online. We do not lack at all for alternatives.

The Super Platinum blades seem to be getting quite expensive, and some outlets now limit the quantity that can be purchased.

And GM's Opel division sold cars in Nazi Germany. So these greedy corporations found loopholes that allowed them to profit, even from an abhorrent regime that was laying waste to Europe. If the general public had known this was going on, what do you think would have happened?

Gillette does have plants in multiple countries. Their Super Platinum and Wilkinson Sword blades, both from India, are especially good.

All of the above IMHO. Others might see things differently.