Gillette Platinum
- Thread starter elverdiblanco
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FWIW, I did a SxS test with the Gillette Platinum & the Gillette Nacet Stainless (made in Russia) and there is a clear winner: the Nacet Stainless. Now mind you, I love the former, but the latter is just flat out smoother. I never thought it possible in the past, but I could not deny it using the same cream & same razor. The amount is not great, but enough to warrant attention. This is quite frankly the best modern DE blade I have had the pleasure to use. YMMV.
I've tried the GSB, Platinum and the Nacet and so far Platinum is my least favorite of the 3. GSB and the Nacet I find them very similar on my face, both also gave very close shave in my New LC.
drdave, since Nacet Stainless reviews are ultra rare here, could you expand on your experiences, please? It's the best modern blade I've ever used so far and I have tried a bushel basket of varieties. The Gillette Minora (Russia) shaves similar. I have only used a blade or so out of a five pack on that one so far. I need to explore it further.
Once I use it more I will. I've only used 1 blade so far and I am on 4th shave. Been really positive so far, very similar feel to the GSB to me and I've tried all 3 types in my Gillette New LC so I can get a good comparison amongst the 3. With my thick hair I usually get 5 shaves from a GSB which is my go to blade for past few months, Platinum I used one blade 3 times and never improved. I will try them again just to get a better feel for them but doesn't look good so far, too much tugging even with the same prep I do every shave.
I get around 6-7 uses from the Gillette Platinum,they work great for me.
I love Gillette Platinum. One blade came as a gift on other gear purchase and after my first shave with it I bought 500 at a good price. Now is my go to blade and I take four shaves out of each blade, more than this force to many touch ups. I find them excellent with Gillette New RFB British and iKon OC
I paid around $30 for 100 for the Dark Platinum Blades in October. A few years back they cost around $17-$18 for 100, if I'm remembering correctly. As for "Swedes" they haven't been available in the US for a while. There are sellers offering them on the bay the the price is very high.
I paid 30$ for 100 blades. no shipping costs if I remember, only the blades
Explained in post #10.
As far an I am aware, Gillette (P&G) hasn't made blades in the plastic dispensers in a few years. Even the French Bleue Extra, one of the last to come in the dispenser, now come in the the cardboard box. What is for sale in Sweden/Denmark is most likely new old stock. Also I read, on the page linked below, the last run of "Swedes" were made in St. Petersburg:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100323003248/http://www.razorandbrush.com/Gillettes.html
As for distinguishing the different Platinum Blades here is an older post:
These are "Swedes".
These are White Box Platinum. I consider them the spiritual successor to Swedes.
Not my image.
But for all I know they could be the exact same blade as Swedes, just not in the dispenser.
If I have a White Box Platinum and a Swede in identical razors my face can't tell the difference.
They're both great shaving blades.
This is a good post regarding Gillette Platinum Blades.
John;
It's very simple.
OFFICIAL NAME: Gillette Platinum.
ORIGIN: Russian made at PPI St. Petersburg, main distribution appears to be Eastern European.
B&B NICKNAMES: I call them Dark Platinums, some call them Dark Blue Platinums or Navy Platinums (as in Navy Blue). Someone I know likes to call them Silver Platinums as the word 'Platinum' is printed in Silver ink.
SOURCE: eBay, seller in Malta, I think he is expatriate US citizen by the name. I got 2,000 blades delivered to AU for USD10c/blade.
PERSONAL SHAVE SYNOPSIS: Good in most razors, EJ/Muhle head and the Adjustable Gillettes (Fatboy/Slim) would be the pick, relatively sharp (some say between an Astra SP and a 7OC Yellow) however there is no real smoothness to the blade. This is compensated for by a complete lack of roughness, so it works nicely. Also have had good reports from Redtip users who like this, one person I know bought a lifetime supply (5K blades) and he has a RedTip. I found open-comb razors exhibited roughness and neck irritation when loaded with this blade (NEW).
OVERALL: Good value blade with a decent longevity for me, certainly worth trying at the price.
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OFFICIAL NAME: Gillette Platinum.
ORIGIN: Current stock is Russian made at PPI St. Petersburg and shows the glue spots, main distribution appears to be Western European - Spain, Portugal and Greece have been mentioned by B&B members. These blades have been thought to be produced at the famous Lodtz, Poland facility before it was converted to Mach3 manufacturing and all Gillette DE production moved to St. Petersburg.
B&B NICKNAMES: I call them White Platinums, some call them Cardboard Swedes or CardboardPlatinums. Some sites online call these Gillette Platinum Classic. As you may notice, these are a cardboard box on a cardboard hangar, which is similar to the packaging that the Swedes used to use, except they are in a cardboard box instead of a plastic dispenser.
SOURCE: I got mine from eBay, 5packs x 5blades (25 total) for a cost of well over $1 per blade as they are very expensive, and then Spanish postal costs are very high.
PERSONAL SHAVE SYNOPSIS: Some have said that these are the current spiritual successor to the Swedes, and I would say that I understand those sorts of statements. The White Platinums excel where the Dark Platinums failed, namely in open-comb razors. Effortless, smooth shaving. Improved over the Dark Platinums in the other razors too, but in something like a Fatboy there was not much improvement at all.
OVERALL: Great shaver, I'd say it was in the region of a 7OC Black for shave experience but less irritation afterwards. However it is not worth $1.25/blade when I can get 7OC Blacks for much, much less (USD35c/blade delivered)
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OFFICIAL NAME: Gillette Bleue Extra.
ORIGIN: The NOS blades I don't think anyone has any real answers but Lodtz is thrown about, as is a factory in France. NOS versions (pictured left)are in a plastic dispenser, and manufactured around 1999-2001. The current production (pictured right) are PPI St. Petersburg made, and come in a cardboard box on the same cardboard hanger as shown in the picture. They are available in France for €2,50 per 10-pack.
B&B NICKNAMES: GBE is pretty much the standard moniker around here.
SOURCE: I got mine from 'rareup31' via eBay, 2 cases (20 boxes of 10 dispensers with 10 blades per dispenser) for a total of 4,000 blades. I paid about USD15c/blade delivered. That sources is now gone, although WCS and shaving.ie both have these in the NOS production, albeit at a higher price.
PERSONAL SHAVE SYNOPSIS: I have to say that my best shaves come from a Bleue in a Slim set to 6, and going WTG/XTG on that setting. Blade does not sing at all, but gives feedback against your skin, and you never feel like you will ever nick yourself. I have said before that I tend to shave with 'Gay abandon' with these blades, and I mean that in the pre-1960's meaning.
OVERALL: For me, one of the best blades ever produced. I can shave with my stash exclusively until I am 140 years of age. I turned 32 on Friday just gone.
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OFFICIAL NAME: Gillette Silver Blues.
ORIGIN: Originally made in Czechoslovakia, later PPI St. Petersburg. Packaging is a dead ringer for the Dark Platinums, except the blue ink is a lighter yet richer blue. The Dark Platinums is a darker & dirtier blue.
B&B NICKNAMES: Silver Blues.
SOURCE: Currently David @ razorbladesandmore. I believe italianbarber in Canada has these also. They apparently bought up the last of the stock from the distributors, these are not being produced anymore.
PERSONAL SHAVE SYNOPSIS: The easiest way to explain these is that Gillette told PPI to turn the sharpness '7' setting on the Dark Platinums all the way to 11 and call them 'Silver Blues' instead. If Feathers scare you, don't even think about these. Sharp, relatively unforgiving but rewarding when you get them right. I found some smoothness where I only find sharpness with Feathers.
OVERALL: I've had one shave with these, in the Slim. I wimped out and went WTG only set on 3. I have stored it, want to load it up in my NEW for the second shave. These are no longer produced and expensive.
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Just wanted to thank Xillion for quoting my post again and wanted to mention that the original post was written many years ago. As such, things in the way of production and availability have changed significantly.
Joel,
Are the white box Platinum the only ones that aren't readily available? I see then from time to time on the bay but those appear to be NOS as they are double wrapped.
My current production Dark Platinum, purchased in 2013, came single wrapped with only two wax dots like other current production PPI blades.
Some members in France report that cardboard Bleue Extra are available there but I am not sure if they are still in production.
Are the white box Platinum the only ones that aren't readily available? I see then from time to time on the bay but those appear to be NOS as they are double wrapped.
My current production Dark Platinum, purchased in 2013, came single wrapped with only two wax dots like other current production PPI blades.
Some members in France report that cardboard Bleue Extra are available there but I am not sure if they are still in production.
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Very interesting Alex. I wish Platinum in the dispenser, or the white cardboard box version, were as readily available here in the states. They are one of my favorite blades. I always got a great shave from them in matter what razor I used them with.
Are they similar to these ones which I bought?
http://liorfe.com/gillette-platinum-100-double-edge-blades.html
I think the Gillette Platinum (Russia) is the same blade as their Minora. Having shaved with both many times they are eerily similar and Gillette seems to market what appears to be the same blades in different parts of the World with different names.
I would imagine that some of their employees in Russia who read English get a kick out of reading threads like this knowing which are which. "Hey Igor, look at these fools who think we actually make ten different blades!"
I would imagine that some of their employees in Russia who read English get a kick out of reading threads like this knowing which are which. "Hey Igor, look at these fools who think we actually make ten different blades!"
I would imagine that some of their employees in Russia who read English get a kick out of reading threads like this knowing which are which. "Hey Igor, look at these fools who think we actually make ten different blades!"
I had started out using a fresh Treet Black Beauty today, and got a horrible shave. Pulled it out & put in a Gilette Platinum....man, what a difference!
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