Are these good Personna blades?

**merwtje** · 03-07-2009, 06:22 AM

I stumbled into these blades. I don't know anything about them and how old/young they are. Are they good/safe to try?

**Zonian** · 03-07-2009, 09:30 AM

They do not look like the personnas I use so I am afraid I can not help. I am, however, interested in your opinion of them after you use them.

**merwtje** · 03-07-2009, 01:25 PM

Thanks, so nobody knows them?

**SavantStrike** · 03-07-2009, 02:10 PM

I certainly don't (though that isn't saying much).

If you don't mind me asking, where did you find them? It's fascinating to hear how many different places one can find DE blades. Contrast that with cartridges which can either be found 1: at the manufacturer's plant or 2: at the plant that makes counterfeit versions of said blades which are mediocre at best (google it).

**Zonian** · 03-07-2009, 03:47 PM

The best I can do is the following from the American Safety Razor Company's web site. Maybe you have an older version of their blade?

Either way I still want to know what you think after you use them. So when is that going to be. . . the suspense is killing me.

**Dharion** · 03-07-2009, 03:56 PM

Old blades are generally regarded to be safe to try. Good luck and report back.

**ClubmanRob** · 03-07-2009, 09:40 PM

Those are the older version of the standard Wal-Mart Personna's that you get now (pictured above with the red and black blister pack). I'm estimating that they're late eighties/early 90's stock.

My local Wal-Mart stocked these until around 92/93 and started carrying the yellow pack Schicks instead. About eight years ago they dropped the Schick and went back to Personna.

I've never shaved with the ones you have, but that's what my dad used to use. He claims that they shave the same as the current Personna's, but the Quality Control was much better on the old ones. He recalls only getting one or two bad blades in the course of several years compared to the two or three bad blades you get in each pack now. I wouldn't be afraid to use them, as a matter of fact I'll take the empty blade dispenser once your done with them if you wouldn't mind holding on to it until then (nostalgia reasons- anything my dad used, I snatch up if I see it anywhere).

**haiti222** · 03-08-2009, 06:07 AM

Since they have a full zip code, they are post 1963.

I personally believe they are from between 1968-71. In the early to mid 60's, Personna imported blades from the UK, yours are US made. In 1971, the Personna 74 blade was introduced. Your dispenser is similar to the older UK one. The Personna 74 and later tended to have a metal dispenser.

Safe to use. Decent blade....

**Boyextraordinare** · 03-08-2009, 06:58 AM

I like Personna blades. Use them and if they're the Personna 74 you've hit a jackpot.

**ClubmanRob** · 03-08-2009, 11:50 AM

The Personna 74 and later tended to have a metal dispenser.

If that's the case, then the Wal-Mart that carried these (which opened in 1988) had a steady five year supply of NOS fifteen year old blades. The Personna's that I grew up with didn't go to metal dispensers until the mid 90's. In fact, the Personna DEs that Dollar General carries didn't go to a metal front until about two years ago. You can still find some DG stores that have the older all plastic dispensers still on the shelf.

**merwtje** · 03-08-2009, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by ClubmanRob

Those are the older version of the standard Wal-Mart Personna's that you get now (pictured above with the red and black blister pack). I'm estimating that they're late eighties/early 90's stock.

My local Wal-Mart stocked these until around 92/93 and started carrying the yellow pack Schicks instead. About eight years ago they dropped the Schick and went back to Personna.

I've never shaved with the ones you have, but that's what my dad used to use. He claims that they shave the same as the current Personna's, but the Quality Control was much better on the old ones. He recalls only getting one or two bad blades in the course of several years compared to the two or three bad blades you get in each pack now. I wouldn't be afraid to use them, as a matter of fact I'll take the empty blade dispenser once your done with them if you wouldn't mind holding on to it until then (nostalgia reasons- anything my dad used, I snatch up if I see it anywhere).

Thank you (all) and I will think of you when one is empty.

**ClubmanRob** · 03-08-2009, 12:59 PM

Thanks, Erwin!

**haiti222** · 03-08-2009, 05:21 PM

Here is a buy it now showing the ultra-chrome Personna formulation for the injector blades. As the seller notes, the number of NFL teams in the premium item included with the blades places it between 1968-75.

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/VINTAGE-5-PER...mZ310104721302

Again, the NFL sponsorship was from the late 60's to mid 70's, but the Personna 74 blade came out in early 1971, when it was introduced in a Super Bowl commercial. The ultra chromes were the blade immediately before the Personna 74.

To clarify, I guess I should have said Personna has had a metal and plastic dispenser. The dispenser shown is the all plastic one used up until the Personna 74 with both the early US and UK blades....

**Stubblefield** · 08-29-2009, 08:33 PM

Late to the party, as usual . . .

As pointed out by others, those were made sometime between 1965 and 1971. They are very good shavers, tho not up to the same standard as the Personna 74 (my second favorite blade). They are not the same blade as the red blister pack, I'll post up a pic later.

Personna also sold the blade to Kmart, same packaging with the addition of the Kmart logo.

I have about 150 of these, and really like them.