Comparing two Gillette Blades
Pre Procter & Gamble Russian-made Gillette Super-Stainless and current production Gillette Platinum blades
We
keep hearing from some sources that the Russian-made Gillette
Super-Stainless blades sold in the US are of poor quality and to be
avoided at all costs. The same sources also state that the current
production Gillette Platinum blades are superb blades and, in fact, the
best available anywhere and the only modern blades that actually match
the quality of the Wilkinson and Gillette blades from the 60s and 70s.
Here at Barbieria Italiana, we sell the current production Gillette Platinum blades and we can confirm that they are, indeed, excellent blades. In some circles they are also known as the "Swedish" Gillettes: an incorrect term, since, according to one of my sources, they are actually made in Russia.
The "Swedish" attribute comes from the fact that some packages came to the US from the Gillette distribution center in the UK that also serves Scandinavia and France and they were labeled with the location of the Scandinavian Gillette distributors on the back of the packaging. Current blades sourced from the same UK Distributor now only show the address of the Procter & Gamble Offices in Surrey, England. There is absolutely no change in the blades, the only difference is the address on the packaging. In fact, we are receiving some shipments from Gillette UK that have a mix of the two packaging versions, inside the very same box!
So after shaving yesterday with a new production "Swedish" Gillette, this morning I prepared to shave with one of the dreaded Russian Gillettes, bough about three years ago in an American drugstore.
I planned to use my vintage Gillette slim adjustable razor from the 1960s and compare the performance of the much-criticized Russian Gillette and the universally praised "Swedish" Gillette (which, as we now know, is not made in Sweden at all).
First, let's compare the blade packaging:
The similarity is striking: the same blister pack, but, even more significant, the card stock used has exactly the same weight, texture and color and the blade dispensers are absolutely identical. This and the fact that a Russian note was found inside one of the boxes received from the factory would indicate that the "Swedes" actually come out of the Gillette plant in St. Petersburg!
Let's have a look at the back of the packaging:
Keep in mind that one of these is an older package (the Russian one) made before Gillette was taken over by Procter & Gamble. The "Swede" packaging shows the Paris/Stockholm/Oslo and Copenhagen addresses. The newer "Swede" blades only show the UK Distributor's address.
Let's have a look at the two blades:
They look identical. Keep in mind that one of these is Platinum-coated, the other one is not. Still, no visible differences, no subtle color discrepancies.
So, let's have a shave with the "Swedish" Gillette (or Gillette Platinum, to use the correct name):
nice smooth blade, sharp, with no hint of roughness or aggressiveness. A world class blade. No differing opinions here: just about everybody rates these as top quality blades.
Now for the dreaded, "horrible" Russian Gillette (or, to use its proper name, Gillette Super Stainless):
Surprise!: nice, smooth blade! The blade shows a hint of roughness for the first stroke: many blades require one of two strokes in order to clear the cutting edge of any protective treatment). After the initial stroke, the blade delivered a smooth and sharp shave. Very much like the Gillette Platinum. The main difference between these blades and the Gillette Platinums is their longevity: when I use them, these blades provide three good shaves, then the edge starts to lose its sharpness. This is not unusual for blades without a chromium or platinum-hardened edge. In spite of the horrible reputation that this blade has with some reviewers, I rate it as a very good blade.
So, how do I explain the different results I got from those of the other reviewers? I can only guess that, at some time, a poor batch of Russian Gillettes may have found its way to the American market. An interesting observation is that many reviews (especially bad ones) have a way of perpetuating themselves: people like to post on certain boards their opinion of blades (or soaps, creams, etc...) and often their judgement is colored by the opinion of other posters. Part of group behavioral dynamics, I believe.
I read, at times phrases like: "I tried this blade for a few strokes and threw it in the wastebasket. It was horrible". This is certainly not the right way to evaluate a blade: many factors may have influenced the first impression of a blade in a negative way: poor lathering, insufficient preparation of the beard, wrong matching of blade and razor, poor technique on the part of the shaver. Also, sadly, a preconceived negative attitude towards a brand, a vendor or a reviewer.
Getting back to the Russian Gillette blade under review: in conclusion, there are blades that are better and less expensive than the Gillette Super Stainless sold in some North American drugstores; many such blades are actually manufactured by Gillette (Gillette 7 O'Clock, Polsilver, Iridium, Astra Keramik, Astra Superior), others come from different manufacturers, but this blade does not deserve the terrible reputation that it has been given by shavers who, perhaps, should re-visit it with an open mind.
Giovanni Abrate
Here at Barbieria Italiana, we sell the current production Gillette Platinum blades and we can confirm that they are, indeed, excellent blades. In some circles they are also known as the "Swedish" Gillettes: an incorrect term, since, according to one of my sources, they are actually made in Russia.
The "Swedish" attribute comes from the fact that some packages came to the US from the Gillette distribution center in the UK that also serves Scandinavia and France and they were labeled with the location of the Scandinavian Gillette distributors on the back of the packaging. Current blades sourced from the same UK Distributor now only show the address of the Procter & Gamble Offices in Surrey, England. There is absolutely no change in the blades, the only difference is the address on the packaging. In fact, we are receiving some shipments from Gillette UK that have a mix of the two packaging versions, inside the very same box!
So after shaving yesterday with a new production "Swedish" Gillette, this morning I prepared to shave with one of the dreaded Russian Gillettes, bough about three years ago in an American drugstore.
I planned to use my vintage Gillette slim adjustable razor from the 1960s and compare the performance of the much-criticized Russian Gillette and the universally praised "Swedish" Gillette (which, as we now know, is not made in Sweden at all).
First, let's compare the blade packaging:
The similarity is striking: the same blister pack, but, even more significant, the card stock used has exactly the same weight, texture and color and the blade dispensers are absolutely identical. This and the fact that a Russian note was found inside one of the boxes received from the factory would indicate that the "Swedes" actually come out of the Gillette plant in St. Petersburg!
Let's have a look at the back of the packaging:
Keep in mind that one of these is an older package (the Russian one) made before Gillette was taken over by Procter & Gamble. The "Swede" packaging shows the Paris/Stockholm/Oslo and Copenhagen addresses. The newer "Swede" blades only show the UK Distributor's address.
Let's have a look at the two blades:
They look identical. Keep in mind that one of these is Platinum-coated, the other one is not. Still, no visible differences, no subtle color discrepancies.
So, let's have a shave with the "Swedish" Gillette (or Gillette Platinum, to use the correct name):
nice smooth blade, sharp, with no hint of roughness or aggressiveness. A world class blade. No differing opinions here: just about everybody rates these as top quality blades.
Now for the dreaded, "horrible" Russian Gillette (or, to use its proper name, Gillette Super Stainless):
Surprise!: nice, smooth blade! The blade shows a hint of roughness for the first stroke: many blades require one of two strokes in order to clear the cutting edge of any protective treatment). After the initial stroke, the blade delivered a smooth and sharp shave. Very much like the Gillette Platinum. The main difference between these blades and the Gillette Platinums is their longevity: when I use them, these blades provide three good shaves, then the edge starts to lose its sharpness. This is not unusual for blades without a chromium or platinum-hardened edge. In spite of the horrible reputation that this blade has with some reviewers, I rate it as a very good blade.
So, how do I explain the different results I got from those of the other reviewers? I can only guess that, at some time, a poor batch of Russian Gillettes may have found its way to the American market. An interesting observation is that many reviews (especially bad ones) have a way of perpetuating themselves: people like to post on certain boards their opinion of blades (or soaps, creams, etc...) and often their judgement is colored by the opinion of other posters. Part of group behavioral dynamics, I believe.
I read, at times phrases like: "I tried this blade for a few strokes and threw it in the wastebasket. It was horrible". This is certainly not the right way to evaluate a blade: many factors may have influenced the first impression of a blade in a negative way: poor lathering, insufficient preparation of the beard, wrong matching of blade and razor, poor technique on the part of the shaver. Also, sadly, a preconceived negative attitude towards a brand, a vendor or a reviewer.
Getting back to the Russian Gillette blade under review: in conclusion, there are blades that are better and less expensive than the Gillette Super Stainless sold in some North American drugstores; many such blades are actually manufactured by Gillette (Gillette 7 O'Clock, Polsilver, Iridium, Astra Keramik, Astra Superior), others come from different manufacturers, but this blade does not deserve the terrible reputation that it has been given by shavers who, perhaps, should re-visit it with an open mind.
Giovanni Abrate
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