Personna Reds-new packaging

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

I just received 100 of these Personna Red blades from an Amazon purchase. They are packaged in boxes of 10 each. The boxes are labeled in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

"Product produced, assembled, and packaged in Mexico with blades produced by American Safety Razor Company - Since 1875. Staunton, VA 24482"
The blade wrapper is the common red wax paper envelope for recent Personnas that states that they are distributed by ASR.

The text on the box seems to have been copied from a cartridge blade package that would be assembled in Mexico from American blades. DE blades are not "assembled". They are produced, packaged and distributed.

Are these blades Israeli or American made?

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

Full size image:

Seattle · Jun 11, 2013

Says made in Mexico

The Dean · Jun 11, 2013

I believe the huge "Israeli blad" thread has addressed this. If I'm not mistaken, despite the labeling, these blades are manufactured in Israel. For years ASR denied any connection to these blades, but have now put their name on them.

All this Personna weirdness is really hard for me to comprehend. Fortunately all the blades seem to be pretty good.

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

The Dean said:
All this Personna weirdness is really hard for me to comprehend. Fortunately all the blades seem to be pretty good.

I had a fantastic shave with the first one from this pack this morning. It seems to be as good as the Personna reds with the old packaging with 5 blades. The blade seems to be exactly the same blade.

I was curious whether they have shifted the production to the US, as it specifically states that the blades are made "by ASR". The part about "produced, assembled, and packaged in Mexico" seems to be copied from other ASR shaving products that need assembly.

The Dean · Jun 11, 2013

Zbig said:
I had a fantastic shave with the first one from this pack this morning. It seems to be as good as the Personna reds with the old packaging with 5 blades. The blade seems to be exactly the same blade.

I was curious whether they have shifted the production to the US, as it specifically states that the blades are made "by ASR". The part about "produced, assembled, and packaged in Mexico" seems to be copied from other ASR shaving products that need assembly.

This doesn't completely address the issue, but I think it provides some evidence:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...-Israeli-Made-DE-Blades?p=5123560#post5123560

As with all things Personna, the simple truth is hard to come by.

Jeff_H · Jun 11, 2013

Open up a package. If they look like this on the inside then they are Isreali Personna's. I recently bought 120 of them from Amazon, and they came in 12 packs of 10 in a plain box. I'll have to look at mine tonight and see if they have the same language issues your box has. I honestly didn't look at them THAT closely.

Jeff_H · Jun 11, 2013

I think the blades are made in Israel and then sent to Mexico for "assembly", packaging and then sent to distributors from there. At least from what I can understand from sifting through info here.

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

The Dean said:
This doesn't completely address the issue, but I think it provides some evidence:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...-Israeli-Made-DE-Blades?p=5123560#post5123560

As with all things Personna, the simple truth is hard to come by.

They are not the same graphics as the ones on your link. I can get more photos tomorrow.

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

Jeff_H said:
Open up a package. If they look like this on the inside then they are Isreali Personna's. I recently bought 120 of them from Amazon, and they came in 12 packs of 10 in a plain box. I'll have to look at mine tonight and see if they have the same language issues your box has. I honestly didn't look at them THAT closely.

View attachment 341791

No, not these either. I will post more images tomorrow.

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

OK. Got the additional photos. I'm pretty sure these are the Israelis. The blades look exactly like the older Israelis that I have.

Mick · Jun 11, 2013

All I can say is I'm glad I have 300 of the old type so don't need to worry about where the new ones come from :001_smile

branford · Jun 11, 2013

It is my understanding that the white and blue packaging is for the UK market***, but the blades in the red packaging are the same. West Coast Shaving, a looong-time and knowledgeable B&B vendor, has both versions and has repeatedly confirmed the foregoing. I believe that he also addressed the issue of the Made in Mexico packaging, although I cannot find the thread. Despite ASR/Personna's confusing and frustrating behavior, all blades should be the same Israeli made Red Personna we all love and enjoy.

**** The Israeli made ASR Crystal blades, which are different from the Red Personna, have packaging similar to, if not now identical to, the Red Personna UK packaging.

In light of the above, I would recommend that you try the Personna Super / Labs / Meds. They are fantastic, readily available, and SLIGHTLY less confusing.

Tom Ford · Jun 11, 2013

I recently received a batch of the new packaged 'Israeli blades' that Zbig posted.

Had my first shave with them this morning, which was a shocker. I have a bad case of razor burn. I'm not going to dismiss them based off one shave, however, there seemed to be a big difference between the old I previously had, to the new.

Anyone else experience this??

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

Thanks. I will put on my list of things to buy. And to think that I bought 100 blades in the hope that I won't need to buy any others soon...

Zbig · Jun 11, 2013

Tom Ford said:
I recently received a batch of the new packaged 'Israeli blades' that Zbig posted.

Had my first shave with them this morning, which was a shocker. I have a bad case of razor burn. I'm not going to dismiss them based off one shave, however, there seemed to be a big difference between the old I previously had, to the new.

Anyone else experience this??

Tom, my shave felt exactly the same as the old package Personna red blades. I got one bleeder, but that was an area that got abused during my weekend experiments with other blades and setups. I didn't get any razor burn.

The Dean · Jun 11, 2013

Jeff_H said:
Open up a package. If they look like this on the inside then they are Isreali Personna's. I recently bought 120 of them from Amazon, and they came in 12 packs of 10 in a plain box. I'll have to look at mine tonight and see if they have the same language issues your box has. I honestly didn't look at them THAT closely.

View attachment 341791

These are ASR Crystal blades (made by Personna in Israel, or so I am led to believe). I have a pack of these as well.

Jeff_H · Jun 11, 2013

So then, what's the difference between ASR Crystal Blades (made by Personna in Israel) and Israeli Personna's? If what the OP has are Israeli Personna's, and the one's I have are made by Personna in Israel, then I'm confused again......and I thought I had it straight.

It's enough to make a guy stick with only Gillette's made in the St. Petersburg factory in Russia because that's all they make.....wait, that's not right either.

Dorco blades here I come!!!!!

branford · Jun 11, 2013

Jeff_H said:
So then, what's the difference between ASR Crystal Blades (made by Personna in Israel) and Israeli Personna's? If what the OP has are Israeli Personna's, and the one's I have are made by Personna in Israel, then I'm confused again......and I thought I had it straight.

It's enough to make a guy stick with only Gillette's made in the St. Petersburg factory in Russia because that's all they make.....wait, that's not right either.

Dorco blades here I come!!!!!

Jeff, stop with the Dorco crazy talk. :tongue_sm

It is my understanding that ASR/Personna basically makes 4 blades widely used by wet shaver (there may be more, but these are the ones generally used and discussed):

(1) The Red Personna, made in Israel, and packed in some version of a red cardboard box or 10 pack in plastic dispenser.