Thoughts on Gillette 7 o’clock Super Platinum (blacks)?

[BigAlVista]

New shaver here, and I think my favorite aspect of the hobby is actually… the blades.
(I’m a bit of a knife & metallurgy nerd so that probably has something to do with it).

So far, I’ve shaved with:

-Gillette 7 o'clock yellow pack
-Gillette 7 o’clock Super platinum black
-Astra SP
-Gillette Silver blue

It’s really eye opening to see how much of a different feel they all have, and how they have their own character.
Different levels of sharpness, smoothness, blade thickness/thinness, etc.

So far I’ve liked the Gillette 7 o’clock Super Platinum blacks the best. They seem to have the best balance of very sharp & very smooth.

Are these considered pretty good blades? I’ve done some searches but can’t find too much on them.
Mine came with a Gillette 7 o’clock Sterling razor (india version of the TECH), so I presume these are made in India?

Just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on these. Am I off in thinking that they’re good blades?

I am also a bit of a blade nerd. No Bohler M390 razor blades hardened to RH of 61??? Heresy, I say.

I think from a steel/hardening perspective, I think Kai does a great job. Mild sharpness on shaves 2-5, but they seem harder/more rigid than other blades. I find they do particularly well in large gap razors.

Which raises the next question is it the blade, the razor or the shaver? I think it's all of the above. As we are the one doing the evaluation, and assuming our technique is consistent, we can remove ourselves from the equation, relative to picking a specific blade for a particular razor.

Next, I think you can have a well engineered, precisely manufactured blade that works fabulously in one great razor, but performs awfully in another. Case in point: In my super efficient Blackbird OC, I get an almost perfect shave, almost every time with a Wizamet blade. I have a really tough time getting a decent shave with that same blade in my Henson mild. Conversely, I get an awesome shave with a BIC blade in that Henson, but in the Blackbird, that same blade with the same technique leaves me raw.

I find the 7 O'clock Black blades are great and work well for me in mild to moderately efficient razors. The others are well made blades as well, but you need to match them to a razor such that your technique with that blade in your choice of razor gives you a great shave.

Does that make sense?

Lots of experimenting to do!!!

 

[cranewarrior]

Does that make sense?

It absolutely makes sense. All razors blades are inherently sharp, so I was never tempted to use those considered at the top range of sharpness like Feathers or Nacets until I was given an old Gillette Tech which I found too mild with my current level of technique. My shaves just took too long with all the clean up needed, so I changed the variables by using sharp Gillette razor blades in the Tech and sure enough that fixed the problem for me.

 

[Juanmosey]

It absolutely makes sense. All razors blades are inherently sharp, so I was never tempted to use those considered at the top range of sharpness like Feathers or Nacets until I was given an old Gillette Tech which I found too mild with my current level of technique. My shaves just took too long with all the clean up needed, so I changed the variables by using sharp Gillette razor blades in the Tech and sure enough that fixed the problem for me.

Try a 7 o'clock SS in your Tech. You'll like it.

 

[cranewarrior]

Try a 7 o'clock SS in your Tech. You'll like it.

Will do. I like the Nacet, Perma-Sharp, and 7 o'clock Permasharp a lot in the Tech.

 

[Proper Irish]

I am also a bit of a blade nerd. No Bohler M390 razor blades hardened to RH of 61??? Heresy, I say.

I think from a steel/hardening perspective, I think Kai does a great job. Mild sharpness on shaves 2-5, but they seem harder/more rigid than other blades. I find they do particularly well in large gap razors.

Which raises the next question is it the blade, the razor or the shaver? I think it's all of the above. As we are the one doing the evaluation, and assuming our technique is consistent, we can remove ourselves from the equation, relative to picking a specific blade for a particular razor.

Next, I think you can have a well engineered, precisely manufactured blade that works fabulously in one great razor, but performs awfully in another. Case in point: In my super efficient Blackbird OC, I get an almost perfect shave, almost every time with a Wizamet blade. I have a really tough time getting a decent shave with that same blade in my Henson mild. Conversely, I get an awesome shave with a BIC blade in that Henson, but in the Blackbird, that same blade with the same technique leaves me raw.

I find the 7 O'clock Black blades are great and work well for me in mild to moderately efficient razors. The others are well made blades as well, but you need to match them to a razor such that your technique with that blade in your choice of razor gives you a great shave.

Does that make sense?

Lots of experimenting to do!!!

Great post!
And yes, all of it makes sense.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how different blades shine in certain razors, and why exactly that is. Is it the blade gap? Exposure? Razor head geometry? Something else?

Like these 7 OC Super Platinums- they were my favorite in my first razor (the 7 OC Sterling -Tech clone).
But in my Razorock 68p, they are not. The Feather is king in that razor.

I’m learning it’s all trial & error, matching blades to razors and trying to remove the other variables like soap, lather quality (too thick, too thin, etc), human error, etc.
One would also have to think there’s batch/sample variation amongst the blades…


As for the Kai blades, I’ll absolutely order a pack to try, although at over double the price of Feathers I don’t see myself ordering a 100. $60 for 100 is a hard pill to swallow.

I’m also going to need that link for the m390 blades
I wonder if we get Crucible steel to make a batch of DE blades for us if we placed a group order?
CPM-Cruwear razor blades

Maybe we can get Larrin Thomas & Sal Glesser into DE shaving?
I can only imagine the products that might spring from that. H1 razors and Magnacut blades? Sign me up!

 

[Juanmosey]

Can

Will do. I like the Nacet, Perma-Sharp, and 7 o'clock Permasharp a lot in the Tech.

Can't beat the Tech with a sharp blade.

 

[BigAlVista]

Great post!
And yes, all of it makes sense.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how different blades shine in certain razors, and why exactly that is. Is it the blade gap? Exposure? Razor head geometry? Something else?

Like these 7 OC Super Platinums- they were my favorite in my first razor (the 7 OC Sterling -Tech clone).
But in my Razorock 68p, they are not. The Feather is king in that razor.

I’m learning it’s all trial & error, matching blades to razors and trying to remove the other variables like soap, lather quality (too thick, too thin, etc), human error, etc.
One would also have to think there’s batch/sample variation amongst the blades…


As for the Kai blades, I’ll absolutely order a pack to try, although at over double the price of Feathers I don’t see myself ordering a 100. $60 for 100 is a hard pill to swallow.

I’m also going to need that link for the m390 blades
I wonder if we get Crucible steel to make a batch of DE blades for us if we placed a group order?
CPM-Cruwear razor blades

Maybe we can get Larrin Thomas & Sal Glesser into DE shaving?
I can only imagine the products that might spring from that. H1 razors and Magnacut blades? Sign me up!

Count me in on the Crucible blade order!!!

Where do you live? Amazon has the Kai blades for $39/100 from Razor Blade Club

I never understood why nobody does an H1 Razor. Does Spyderco have the supply locked up? And what's the deal with 904? Is it really more precious and harder to work on then Ti? Based on the prices of watches and razors made of 904, you'd think so...

 

[deafficianado]

The black ninjas are my favorite among all double edge blades. The problem is that they are hard to find even in India where they’re made. I know because my wife went to several stores in Delhi last year and she was able to find only one tin. One store owner told her that they stopped making them and what’s available online is old stock.

 

[DesertIguana]

The Super Black is the Pricy Blade in. 7 0 Clock line, use couple of times. Greens n Yellows work fine for me.

 

[SeaDiving]

These blades are very nice. Now given how much they cost I am not sure they are worth it when there are other alternatives.

 

[ErkRusselReserve]

The black ninjas are my favorite among all double edge blades. The problem is that they are hard to find even in India where they’re made. I know because my wife went to several stores in Delhi last year and she was able to find only one tin. One store owner told her that they stopped making them and what’s available online is old stock.

That is news indeed.

 

[Goblin]

The black ninjas are my favorite among all double edge blades. The problem is that they are hard to find even in India where they’re made. I know because my wife went to several stores in Delhi last year and she was able to find only one tin. One store owner told her that they stopped making them and what’s available online is old stock.

If this is true, it would explain why the prices have been getting hiked over the past 12 months.

 

[shave/brush]

I found the black 7 O'clock blades not to be smooth. I like the yellows much more.

 

[Cal]

The black ninjas are my favorite among all double edge blades. The problem is that they are hard to find even in India where they’re made. I know because my wife went to several stores in Delhi last year and she was able to find only one tin. One store owner told her that they stopped making them and what’s available online is old stock.

That is news indeed.

If this is true, it would explain why the prices have been getting hiked over the past 12 months.

As the Ninjas are my current favorite (and benchmark) blades... I emailed Gillette/P&G.

Email address on the back of the ten-pack:

MY QUESTION:

THEIR REPLY (the excellent news highlighted):

 

[Dave himself]

As the Ninjas are my current favorite (and benchmark) blades... I emailed Gillette/P&G.

Email address on the back of the ten-pack:
View attachment 1807546

MY QUESTION:
View attachment 1807547

THEIR REPLY (the excellent news highlighted):
View attachment 1807551

This is good news indeed .

 

[ShavingPrimate]

Now, can someone please explain why these blades are so expensive? Every other blade produced in India is very reasonably priced. Every other Indian blade I own is 1/3 the price of the Black's (or even less).

 

[Chad3]

I believe it is because they aren’t supposed to be made for certain countries. They are cheaper in India from what is said by those who have purchased them direct. Who knows for fact but that is what I’m guessing.

 

[ShavingPrimate]

I believe it is because they aren’t supposed to be made for certain countries. They are cheaper in India from what is said by those who have purchased them direct. Who knows for fact but that is what I’m guessing.

No doubt that they would be less expensive there, but they stand out as being a super premium price here. Don't see any reason for them being so almost Feather expensive, when literally every other Indian blade remains a $10/100 value or less?

 

[Lil Cooties]

In India, they are considerably more expensive than other Indian made Gillette blades, and even more so other brand blades. Looking at a 100 packs on an Indian retailer, Wilkinson Swords are 230 rupees, 7o'clock Permasharp Stainless (green) are 250 rupees, and 7o'clock Super Platinum (black) 1,039 rupees, and other brands like Topaz Platinum are 150 rupees, so a significant price difference.

 

[BurnFree]

Nacet remains my favorite Gillette blade & probably favorite overall. Older super iridiums were a close second before the last dull batch and could be stretched over an entire work week, but I am not stockpiling Russian stock and had to find a substitute.

The Super Platinum Blacks have worked out pretty well for me and are probably a safe bet for most people, but they do not contain pixie dust. Subjectively they are not as sharp as feather or nacet, but it's good enough and they are smoother. I like them better than the other Gillette "colors" and can get away with a lot of buffing to obtain the same result as a Nacet in the end.

They are also consistent from blade to blade and well-wrapped. The edge looks smoother under the microscope after 3 shaves than some brands do right out of the wrapper! I get two great shaves and a good 3rd without sacrificing much (not an Excalibur member) and did not think they were grossly overpriced at $28/100, but I wouldn't pay much more either. The right price is whatever the market will pay; Gillette figured this out a long time ago.

Personal opinion says Treet Dura Sharp blue pack is just as smooth but sharper than the Super Platinum Blacks for 10cents a blade. One & done (maybe two) but that's easy enough to remember and the shave has been great every time.