Blade extinction?

Ferry-shave

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I read recently, that the Gillette Silver Blue production stopped a few years ago; I am not sure whether that is the case or not - I hope note, I love the GSB's :)

Anyway, the idea that the 'big' players could stop DP production entered my mind; is that possible, or is the market for DE blades to big?

I don't think that DE blades will go; not least Feather will always make Feather DE blades for their razors, and there remains the possibility that the 'big' players in the market could try the subscription route for DE blades?

Any thoughts?
 
I read recently, that the Gillette Silver Blue production stopped a few years ago; I am not sure whether that is the case or not - I hope note, I love the GSB's :)

Anyway, the idea that the 'big' players could stop DP production entered my mind; is that possible, or is the market for DE blades to big?

I don't think that DE blades will go; not least Feather will always make Feather DE blades for their razors, and there remains the possibility that the 'big' players in the market could try the subscription route for DE blades?

Any thoughts?

GSB's have been made recently, they've been appearing with the etched/blank side which is the Russian Gillette PPI's recent wave of blade making. Whether they are still being made, or will be made again is something only Gillette/PPI will know.

As for DE blades going out of production all together, I think it is very unlikely in the foreseeable future. Even if the DE blade is not really relevant in 'developed' markets, I'd say for 'emerging' markets for which DE blades are largely made for (eg India, Pakistan, etc) there are a lot of consumers who still favour the barbershop shave, and whilst these particular preferences remain the DE blade is still here to stay.
 
I think there's a likliehood that some of the better blades will either be reformulated to a lesser product (in the same way that Astra has) or disappear (like Super Thins and, so I'm led to believe, Personna will in the very near future).

I suspect that DE blades of some description will be available for years to come, however I'm pleased that I've already stocked up with enough of my favourite blades to last me a significant period of time.
 
I think there's a likliehood that some of the better blades will either be reformulated to a lesser product (in the same way that Astra has) or disappear (like Super Thins and, so I'm led to believe, Personna will in the very near future).

I suspect that DE blades of some description will be available for years to come, however I'm pleased that I've already stocked up with enough of my favourite blades to last me a significant period of time.

I compared a new vs an old Astra SP and I found the newer one to be a smoother than the older counterpart, but I may be alone in my observations.

I'm of the opinion if you find a blade that suits you then as blades take don't a huge amount of space it's more than possible to get a lifetime's worth of blades and store them in a box under your bed.
 
I've read contradictory tales that Polsilver have or have not been discontinued :cry:

From this post below, they are not being made at present. Whether Gillette PPI gets around to making them again is something only they know

Me to although I do like the Wilkinson DE made in Solingen. For me the 7 o'clock Sharp Edge and the dark blue Platinum are the best currently made. I have been told that the Platinum has replaced the Polsilver which is not currently in production, and has not been made since 2015/16.
 
I compared a new vs an old Astra SP and I found the newer one to be a smoother than the older counterpart, but I may be alone in my observations...


Some say that as well regarding the new "Blue Box" Gillette Platinum blades, although I'd be hard pressed to say there's an improvement. I have some of the laser etched Astra SP blades and IMO they shave the same, i.e., very good. I won't hold my breath however as regards Gillette using their latest blade technology for DE production. It would take something truly Earth shattering by their DE blade competitors to force Gillette's hand in that and I don't forsee that happening.
 
Some say that as well regarding the new "Blue Box" Gillette Platinum blades, although I'd be hard pressed to say there's an improvement. I have some of the laser etched Astra SP blades and IMO they shave the same, i.e., very good. I won't hold my breath however as regards Gillette using their latest blade technology for DE production. It would take something truly Earth shattering by their DE blade competitors to force Gillette's hand in that and I don't forsee that happening.

Blades are incredibly YMMV issue and I've found it's near enough impossible to compare blades be it 2 from the same pack or 2 completely different ones. Recently I tried to compare 2 Astras (new and old) and a Nacet vs Permasharp. For the latter, I found after a couple of shaves I'd struggle to tell the difference between the two, but not for the Astras. However I'm well aware of the variables (eg what batch, what my lather was like and so on) make it near enough impossible to quantify my own observations!

Is there a need for Gillette to use their latest technology for making DE blades? Most modern Gillette DE blades (irrespective of where they are made) I have tried have been excellent but If they did I'm sure it'd raise the price. As most DE blades are made for 'emerging' markets the consumers out the demand might be even more sensitive to changes in price. My knowledge of how the blades could be improved is limited as well, would it be improving the grinds or alloys? Like the DE razor (the ones I like anyway, Ball End Tech in particular), the blades themselves seem to be quite simple and straightforward designs which is why after so long where so much in the world has changed those particular designs have remained largely unaltered - testament to the great design.
 
I don't think DE blade availability is worth worrying about. If your favorite DE blade becomes unavailable, then just go with your second favorite blade. If all DE blades become unavailable and your supply runs out, then go whatever alternative works best. The chances of the overall supply running out are pretty much nil, however. Wetshavers used to call it the "shavepocalypse" a 10-15 years ago, and fret that it was around the corner. The exact opposite happened, and we now have more traditional shaving products than ever.

There are 100+ different double edge blades available today. For most of us, that translates into at least several dozen readily available. There is still a large demand in less developed areas, as they are quite price sensitive. Not sure if subscriptions would work, as many of those places are cash-only economies. Wetshavers in industrialized countries can buy their favorite blades 100 or more at a time for dirt cheap. We don't really need subscriptions. It is different for cartridge users, as cartridges cost much more than DE blades.
 
Some say that as well regarding the new "Blue Box" Gillette Platinum blades, although I'd be hard pressed to say there's an improvement. I have some of the laser etched Astra SP blades and IMO they shave the same, i.e., very good. I won't hold my breath however as regards Gillette using their latest blade technology for DE production. It would take something truly Earth shattering by their DE blade competitors to force Gillette's hand in that and I don't forsee that happening.
What Gillette is doing is saving some
Money on ink purchases and also on
Clean up and waste do to ink smears, the
Equipment is probably more centered on
Labeling than on making a Blade that
They wish would just disappear anyway.
 
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