Personna Med Prep has been discontinued/renamed

[wetshaver233]

I just saw a video on Youtube made by Geofatboy and he said that he wanted to restock on Med Prep blades, but the supplier told him that they are no longer in production and ìnstead, they are now selling new blade called AccuThrive Double Edge Prep Blade. Are both the old and the new blades the same, but in a different package and different name? Or they are an entirely new blades, which is better/worse than the old one? I have no idea.

Here's a link to the video.

 

[Andris83]

I don't have any Personnas in my stash, so I'm watching from the sidelines the next chapter of the "Personna blades rebranding" show

 

[Seelector]

I watched the video and Geo basically confirmed what I suspected. The blades are identical they've just got a new name. Med Preps are supposedly Lab Blues that have gone through a sterilization cycle to make them safe for hospital use. I bet that there is some fairly tight process control and traceability/documentation required for medical supplies, so I doubt that AccuTec would go to the effort and cost of making any changes there. So yep, just a rebrand.

I bet they'll rebrand Lab Blues soon as well. Actually now that I think about it, are they actually called Lab Blue or is that just a nickname that stuck?

 

[lancre]

I watched the video and Geo basically confirmed what I suspected. The blades are identical they've just got a new name. Med Preps are supposedly Lab Blues that have gone through a sterilization cycle to make them safe for hospital use. I bet that there is some fairly tight process control and traceability/documentation required for medical supplies, so I doubt that AccuTec would go to the effort and cost of making any changes there. So yep, just a rebrand.

I bet they'll rebrand Lab Blues soon as well. Actually now that I think about it, are they actually called Lab Blue or is that just a nickname that stuck?

Just a nickname from the shaving forums.

 

[SharpieB]

Med Preps are too expensive for what they are IMO. And I find them to be the same as Lab Blues. No idea why someone would actually have a strong preference for Med Preps over Lab Blues Considering the huge price difference. To each their own and all that, of course.

 

[Qanzoq]

There is an updated video comparing the Personna Med Prep with Accutec Accuthrive Med Prep

 

[Jens]

Med Preps are too expensive for what they are IMO. And I find them to be the same as Lab Blues. No idea why someone would actually have a strong preference for Med Preps over Lab Blues Considering the huge price difference.

In my judgement the Med Preps are clearly sharper than the Lab Blues. Med Prep is one of my favorite blades for the "sharp and smooth" combo. But I agree they are way overpriced, so I am not going to stock up on them. I got a hundred blades a few years ago (when they were cheaper), still have a good stash of them.

 

[Island]

Med preps are my favorite blade. They are sharp but last much longer than feather blades.

 

[lancre]

Med Preps are too expensive for what they are IMO. And I find them to be the same as Lab Blues. No idea why someone would actually have a strong preference for Med Preps over Lab Blues Considering the huge price difference. To each their own and all that, of course.

They feel essentially the same on my face as well. Given the huge difference in price, I'd choose the Blues over the Med Preps.

 

[Oliviamaynard]

Med Preps are too expensive for what they are IMO. And I find them to be the same as Lab Blues. No idea why someone would actually have a strong preference for Med Preps over Lab Blues Considering the huge price difference. To each their own and all that, of course.

The quality control is better. I don't know why they feel differently but they do. I figure the tolerances are more tightly kept on the medical supply side.
Like how feather blades are just more consistent but way more expensive.
They are Japan medical blade Provider.

 

[House Boy]

Tried the meds, I’ll stick with the Personna Platinum they are better than the meds imho.

 

[NorthernSoul]

The Med Preps seem a bit better to me than the standard Lab Blues. When I got a box of 100 last time, they were on sale for $25, which was OK since I get more shaves than average with them. Prices have gone up a lot since then, so I'd probably just get the Lab Blues instead now.

 

[jbhunt04]

I had a box of 100 Persona blades made in US(not the med blades). They must have had QC issues because most of the ones I used would hardly cut. I eventually threw them away.

 

[lancre]

I just saw a video on Youtube made by Geofatboy and he said that he wanted to restock on Med Prep blades, but the supplier told him that they are no longer in production and ìnstead, they are now selling new blade called AccuThrive Double Edge Prep Blade. Are both the old and the new blades the same, but in a different package and different name? Or they are an entirely new blades, which is better/worse than the old one? I have no idea.

 

[Frito Ray]

I had a box of 100 Persona blades made in US(not the med blades). They must have had QC issues because most of the ones I used would hardly cut. I eventually threw them away.

There were (are?) a third blade made by personna USA that were(are?) referred to as “barber’s” here. They generally weren‘t considered great.

 

[walpan]

I had a box of 100 Persona blades made in US(not the med blades). They must have had QC issues because most of the ones I used would hardly cut. I eventually threw them away.

I am so glad to read that someone else has the same experience I did. I put one in my ares and it was just hote horrible. At first I thought it wasn’t set well but it was just a bad blade. I tried a different lab blue blade and the same result. I am going to cork it first the next time and see if that makes a difference.
I just received my repackaged med preps. I’ve never tried these blades and am very interested in seeing if they are better.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

To think a few blokes could enjoy many pints in a pub over several hours and spend the whole time discussing razor blades. I love this hobby.
Perhaps a few brawls and many more hugs have been the result of such sessions.

 

[Lockback]

As I understand it, the MedPreps were made in the U.S., either Virginia or California.
I hope the newly branded blade is made here as well. We don't make things here anymore and it's a problem ...

 

[AU55IE]

I was under the impression that these Personna blades (lab blues as we call them and Med prep) in particular were always made in the US. I believe Accutec took over from the Edgewell company. The facility is the same and operation just that Accutec has decided to label and market them under their name rather than the traditional Personna label which is a shame but everything else should be the same unless they hired all new staff and re-calibrated the machines differently which I doubt.
I believe they purchased the company or at least the DE blade sector from the previous owners a fair few years ago and only recently decided to change the labels on the blades.

I believe they operate out of two facilities one in Verona, Virginia and another in Mexico which might be why we have seen some Personna Red blades (We might refer to them here as Israeli Reds) made in Mexico for a short while. I am believe the Red blades are made in Germany now but they are terribly expensive for my liking and as such haven't bought any since they stopped being made in Israel. The packaging is different now too.
I would like to assume that the Med Preps and the "lab blue" blades are still made in the same US factory that they have been made in since 1957 but its just a guess at this point as I have no idea of the inner workings and how Accutec has split its manufacturing across the two facilities. The facility in Virginia is much larger and makes many more blades than the factory in Mexico which only manufactures 10 or so blades.

I believe Accutec used to be known as Star Razor many years ago which had been around in the late 1800's in the US.

The Personna blades I have were made by Energizer which also owns many other products. I vaguely recall them also owning at some point nu-polish if you guys are aware of that brand. I'm not sure if they still do but I do not think they were the original owners of that brand but at some point they did own or currently own that too. I also believe they bought the Jack Black brand of personal products too.

 

[Andris83]

at first I thought they shot themself in the foot by this rebranding. thinking about it more, no-one in their right mind would rebrand a brand like Personna (made in USA for 50years), so their right for the Personna name might have just ran out. This is only speculation from me, but it would make sense.