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Comment by robert_foss | Hacker News Reader

I switched to a safety razor 10 years ago, and ordered 250 science (not shaving) grade blades.

I still have about 150 blades left. The pack cost me <20USD including shipping from US->EU.

Got a link, brand, or model number for these "science" grade blades? I've been an on-and-off DE shaver for some years, and I've never heard of this option. I settled on Feather blades myself.

Also interested in link here. Also purchased large size feather blades a couple years ago still on the same box but running low.

I too use a DE safety razor and chose Feather blades after sampling an assortment. Is GP asserting there's something even better?

It wasn't stated that the blades were necessarily better, but the fact these "science grade" blades were chosen over name brands implies there may be some benefit. This was totally new to me, and it sparked my curiosity.

I guess they're taking about American Personna Super blades, which are commonly referred to as "Lab Blues". They're about 12 cents a blade when you buy them in packs of 100, which makes them one of the cheapest blades around.

There's lots of discussion on shaving forums about exactly why they're called "labs", but as far as I know they're just regular double-edge blades.

I also prefer Feather. They cost about twice as much, but work much better on my tough stubble.

I imagine they're referring to the blades marketed for cutting up samples to put under a microscope. They're commonly sold in packs of 250.

Examples:

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/razor-blade-uncoated...

https://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/preparation/bl...

That’s funny. I have been using the same Gillette Sensor for 20 years. Off brand blades were available locally in the USA, but those dried up. Via eBay, I ordered Gillette branded blades “made in Germany” for a fraction of the cost of local Gillette blades. I figured the EU was not ripped off as bad as the USA for razor blades. Maybe that is not the case?

That razor recently broke, so it’s off to eBay again to find a replacement, since I have a box of blades. I refuse to pay for rip-off blades.

You're probably buying fakes, IIRC a study found the majority of name brand razor blades on eBay are counterfeit. Amazon has a counterfeit razor blade problem too, but I don't know the prevalence.

Probably, but if his face can't tell the difference, it's not a problem for him.

Until he gets hep C ( /s kind of )

The recent off-brand ones available in the US will rust if left in the shower. The "German made" ones don't, just like the OEM Gillette.

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