I got a pack of Personna 74 blades that says they are tungsten. What kind of metal is that? Does it rust like carbon steel or avoid rust like stainless steel?
What are Personna 74 blades?
- Thread starter lak611
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Personna 74 Tungsten Blade Variants
There has been numerous excellent threads on this topic, some of which I have referenced at the base of this post, and I would like to acknowledge and thank previous contributors. Unfortunately, the tyranny of photo hosting sites has resulted in many of the photos in previous posts being void...
www.badgerandblade.com
They‘re good blades that under normal circumstances won’t corrode. The earlier ones last longer (titanium used with the tungsten) however the later ones with platinum are considered smoother (from what I’ve read).
I‘ve tried a later version and was very impressed. Have a package of the early ones but can’t get myself to open it yet.
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- #3
Thanks! I take it mine are the earlier version because they just say "Tungsten Steel" and have $0.89 rather than $1.19.Personna 74 Tungsten Blade Variants
There has been numerous excellent threads on this topic, some of which I have referenced at the base of this post, and I would like to acknowledge and thank previous contributors. Unfortunately, the tyranny of photo hosting sites has resulted in many of the photos in previous posts being void...
They‘re good blades that under normal circumstances won’t corrode. The earlier ones last longer (titanium used with the tungsten) however the later ones with platinum are considered smoother (from what I’ve read).
I‘ve tried a later version and was very impressed. Have a package of the early ones but can’t get myself to open it yet.
Unfortunately, I can't see many of the pictures in that thread you linked.
They are known in the wet shave world as one of the best blades ever made. They are sharp, smooth and last a very long time. They are very pricey if you are able to find them. In my experience, it is always a pain to slide the blades out of that dispenser. You have to try them out and let us know your opinion.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
From my limited research Gillette and Personna got into a expensive blade wars who had the best blade blade for sharpness and longevity and I believe they realized it was in their best interests to stop making blades that last to long.
I think the Personna 74 tungsten blades won the battle but Gillette gave them a run for their money and expertise, but almost broke them both in lost sales. Gillettes big Stainless steel blade was the spoiler that was awesome for sharpness and longevity from the 1970's I believe.
Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest know metals known to man in the world other than diamonds!
Tungsten steel is a steel alloy with a small amount of tungsten. This gives the steel more toughness so it can hold an edge longer.
Blades from the Golden Age.
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- #8
I will definitely let you know how I like them.
I've never experienced troubles with the Personna dispensers. The all plastic Gillette dispensers on the other hand give a nice shave of finger trying to push them out. The partly metal Gillette dispensers don't do that.
Sometimes heating up the dispenser with a hair dryer will loosen up the blades in vintage dispenser. I have also put a drop of mineral oil in the center of the blades in the dispenser, although that might take a day or two for the mineral oil to creep between the the blades in the dispenser. Some vintage blade dispensers will need to be carefully taken apart. Just be careful not to cut yourself if you end up having to disassemble. YMMV
Meh, they're no big deal. My uncle, Santino Nunzio, left me a '77 Lincoln Continental in his will after the courts declared him legally dead when nobody had seen him for months. This was after a trip to see some guys from the longshoreman labor union back in the 90s.
So the trunk had thousands of these Personna 74s in it. Like my uncle had been peddling this trash on street corners as a side hustle. But I tell you, one man's trash is just another man's trash. I've been giving them out to subcontractors to scrape paint as they refurbish townhouse.
So the trunk had thousands of these Personna 74s in it. Like my uncle had been peddling this trash on street corners as a side hustle. But I tell you, one man's trash is just another man's trash. I've been giving them out to subcontractors to scrape paint as they refurbish townhouse.
Do you still have the Lincoln???
Yeah, that’s what I want to know, too!
Gentlemen, this is a shaving forum.
Who cares about the Lincoln, do you still have any of the blades?
Who cares about the Lincoln, do you still have any of the blades?
Oh yeah, that’s what I meant to ask. Do you have any blades left?Gentlemen, this is a shaving forum.
Who cares about the Lincoln, do you still have any of the blades?
I was just kidding, guys. I was remembering back in 1997, me and a bunch of guys went through Army Sergeant's school mostly talking like mafia guys. It was pretty goofy.
I'm about as "mafia" as The Lawrence Welk Show.
I'm about as "mafia" as The Lawrence Welk Show.
The 74’s are probably the best blade ever. They are sharp annd smooth and really work well for me. And yes, I have had dispensers so locked up I had to disassemble them to get the blades out. I have gone 40 shaves on one 74 and only tossed it because I went around my d20 die twice and was just bored with the exercise. Probably could have gotten 50+. I ran another 74 this summer for a dozen shaves before I got bored with it. Each shave was as good as the last. It never degraded.
I know a lot of guys trash talk the 74, and that’s okay. They are expensive and no longer available. But I was able to get a couple dozen blades just before they got super crazy expensive, and I just love them. I do save them for a special occasion though.
I think they are much better than the famous Light Brigade blades, which are great, but don’t have the longevity.
And spoilers are great too, but they are not as smooth as 74’s, and they too don’t have the super longevity of the 74’s. I have over 100 spoilers in my collection, and don’t think I can ever use them all.
In my book, the 74 is the best blade ever made. But ymmv as usual. Enjoy the shaves!
I know a lot of guys trash talk the 74, and that’s okay. They are expensive and no longer available. But I was able to get a couple dozen blades just before they got super crazy expensive, and I just love them. I do save them for a special occasion though.
I think they are much better than the famous Light Brigade blades, which are great, but don’t have the longevity.
And spoilers are great too, but they are not as smooth as 74’s, and they too don’t have the super longevity of the 74’s. I have over 100 spoilers in my collection, and don’t think I can ever use them all.
In my book, the 74 is the best blade ever made. But ymmv as usual. Enjoy the shaves!
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