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Post by wchnu on Feb 16, 2010 14:19:43 GMT -5
I just picked up some Treet blades at the local Rite Aid. I can't distinguish these from the GEM Blue Stars, so either one I can find suits me. (Strangely, our local Walgreens doesn't stock the GEM/Personna stainless blades.) I find the GEM/Personna stainless blades too dull for a good shave, without adding pressure and getting irritation. So, when it comes to SE, it's carbon steel all the way for me. - Murray Yea the Treets are all over the place around here so easy to pick up a pack.. they shave great for me. I love that I can walk to the corner grocery and have me some good blades. Fuzzy
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Post by Possum on Feb 16, 2010 16:49:44 GMT -5
I think I have a couple Blue Stars lying around in my blade drawer. Think I will pull one out and give it a go. Maybe in the Contour and Featherweight if I get them out of their sabbatical. Will report my findings when I do it.
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Post by rocketman on Feb 17, 2010 1:35:50 GMT -5
WooOoOOohooOo!! I rcvd a spankin new 10 pack of Blue Stars from a very generous member here. WooOOOOhooOoOo!!! In the morning I am looking forward to test driving one in a 1908 Gem frame. I needed some excitement in the routine - new blades to test!!! To the bunny!
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Post by rocketman on Mar 2, 2010 13:57:27 GMT -5
Being that the Blue Stars are neither Stainless Steel nor PTFE treated, you probably need to treat them as you would a carbon steel blade - such as in a str8 or a rolls, or with the single edge blades of old. Dry, strop and oil. I would try drying them first (using a cotton cloth as paper has long been known to damage a blade edge), and then I would pull out an Ever Ready Automatic Stropper handle with a leather stropper. Likely 10 to 15 reps would properly dry and set the edge and then you could put a light coat of castor oil. A few quick strops before shaving the next time and I will bet you will get miles out of these blades. I can only guess at this though as I haven't yet sourced out any blues. Non SS/PTFE blades such as these might really be the answer, and also allow for the use of the equipment that was manufactured for these razor/blade combinations. Many thanx to Wchnu for sending this poor old canadian some Gem Blue Stars!! It was a very generous and considerate thing to do!!! VIVA LA WCHNU!!!! Now, after all my pontificating in an earlier thread about how easy it should be to extend the life of these blades with proper stropping technique etc, it is time to fess up!! These Blue Star blades are 'ok'. They are certainly not as sharp as PTFE coated blades. That said though, I have been able to get passable shaves. Now, for extending them - it doesn't seem to work really. I am finished with my fourth blade now and have carefully stropped and oiled the first three beginning after the second shave for blade one, after the first shave with blade two and three, and not at all with blade four. They seem to have all performed exactly the same. That is, they begin to generally not work too well by the third shave. All four responded pretty much the same by the third shave regardless of the treatment given to them. So, I guess my vision of stropping the same carbon steel blade into my 90's can be dropped now!! All in all though, I think with these blades available to my american cousins at gas stations and out of the way spots, they are definately a viable option for shaving - when in a pinch! But, I would not want to be saddled with these for every day use. It was a really fun experience though - thanx so much Wchnu!! VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!
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cmur12
The Bee's Knee's
Posts: 121
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Post by cmur12 on Mar 3, 2010 0:33:06 GMT -5
Rocketman, I haven't tried the PTFE coated GEM blades from Ted Pella, but I find the Blue Stars and the Treet carbons to be very noticeably sharper than the GEM stainless blades sold in the local drug store. The GEM stainless were smoother, but not as sharp.
Interesting that your experience and mine are so completely different. At some point, I am going to make a bulk order from Ted Pella, but I had ruled out the stainless blades based on my experience with the drug-store GEMS and was just going to order GEM carbons from Pella.
- Murray
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Post by spinyeel on Mar 3, 2010 1:14:48 GMT -5
I find that the first shave with a Blue Star is sensational.Very sharp blades straight out the pack. :)The speed of deterioration is astonishing though.
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cmur12
The Bee's Knee's
Posts: 121
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Post by cmur12 on Mar 3, 2010 2:01:35 GMT -5
I find that the first shave with a Blue Star is sensational.Very sharp blades straight out the pack. :)The speed of deterioration is astonishing though. Very true! The first shave is glorious. The second shave is very good. The third shave feels rough during the shave, but the results are still excellent. I don't push it past 3 shaves. - Murray
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cmur12
The Bee's Knee's
Posts: 121
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Post by cmur12 on Mar 5, 2010 1:20:35 GMT -5
I find that the first shave with a Blue Star is sensational.Very sharp blades straight out the pack. :)The speed of deterioration is astonishing though. Very true! The first shave is glorious. The second shave is very good. The third shave feels rough during the shave, but the results are still excellent. I don't push it past 3 shaves. - Murray Well, I just got my third shave out of a Treet carbon blade, and it was pretty rough. I still got a decent shave, so it clearly can be done, but ... . - Murray
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