NOS Gillette Bleue Extra (aka 'G.B.E.') - best all-round available DE blade?

Monsta_AU

Monsta_AU

...can I interest you in some vintage blades?
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Feb 2, 2011
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Guildford.nsw.au
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I've got to sing the praises of this blade.

Before Christmas 2010, I bought a 100-pack of these blades on eBay which were manufactured around 1999-2000, with the intention of stocking up on them if they were decent. There were multiple 2,000 blade cases available.

My parcel of blades is almost to arrive and all of a sudden, the 3 available cases becomes one. There are another 2,000 blades in 100-packs available. What to do?

I pulled the trigger on a hunch, and so very glad I did.

A couple of days later, a small package arrives from the UK. Inside is a box of 100 GBE's. I rush home and load one into the DE86. I find myself with an excellent, controlled shave with loads of feedback from the blade. very, very enjoyable. Immediately, all doubts and worries subside about my major purchase, which equates to well over 100 years worth of supply at my shaving rate.

So just after Christmas after a recommendation to 'try them in a Slim', I drop a new one into my slim, dial it up to 5 and start my WTG pass with TOBS Sandalwood. Talk about the nicest, smoothest shave I have ever had! The blade just glides and the hair is gone. You simply could not wipe the grin from my face all day.

And then the motherlode arrived...

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These really are worthwhile to have in your stash. The Slim and the Red Tip Gillettes are known to really work extremely well with the GBE's and it is worth grabbing one or both of these excellent razors. And to make matters even better, the Slim is much cheaper than trying to find a Fatboy.

I have passed our quite a few dispensers of these now, I hope that they are liked as much as I like them. The blades are available from a number of online vendors, but time is running out as there is no more once they have gone. If you have tried these, tell us what your opinion of them is.
 
I've tried them, but not getting to attached as I only have 10 blades, and by the time I do anything about getting more, they'll probably be all gone or too pricey.
Decent blade and what I found the longest lasting blade I have used, easily 6 x 3 pass shaves, while most others only last 3-4 three pass shaves.
Early on, not the most comfortable or sharpest blade red personnas more comfortable, astras sharper, but a win for the GBE for longevity
 
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pablo_h said:
I've tried them, but not getting to attached as I only have 10 blades, and by the time I do anything about getting more, they'll probably be all gone or too pricey.
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They are still available at reasonable prices, WCS has them at a decent price. Shaving.ie has them too I think.

Anyway, they should be available for the next 12 months or so before they are hard to find.
 
I retired the rapiras and chucked one of these in today and quite fearlessly mowed the grass with it.

Very nice, responsive and steady blade. I got a pretty damn close shave from three passes.
 
These blades are still very much available and still at okay prices (in the $30/100 range). Putting them in a Slim or Fatboy and opening up the guard a bit is a wonderful thing and will put a big smile on your dial for a day or two.

I actually took the GBE dispenser with me last weekend to Sydney and got a glorious shave with the Slim. I am actually going to opening it up to 9 on the next shave, see how it runs.
 
Razormonsta said:
They are still available at reasonable prices, WCS has them at a decent price. Shaving.ie has them too I think.

Anyway, they should be available for the next 12 months or so before they are hard to find.
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Neither WCS nor Shaving.ie has them at the moment. Only source I found in a quick search was a Singapore eBay seller. $15 (incl. shipping) for a pack of 10.
 
What a difference 6 months makes. If I could sell them at $150 for a box of 100, then I would!

I could sell 1/4 of my stash and be up 200% profit.... me like!
 
Saw these for about 56c per blade +postage from Europe online and wondered about them, but seeing they are double what you paid 2 years ago Razormonsta, and are pretty much already unobtanium I might save my pennies for something I know I like.
 
Hmmm, I think I've tried this - didn't like them
 
Never used one. Have got what looks like a vintage packet of Blue Gillette Blades with a picture of King Camp Gillette and New Improved blazoned across the front. Not exactly an impressive blade. By the way, what a daft name to have. Even midway of the 19th century you have to wonder what his parents were thinking.
 
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Pjotr said:
Never used one. Have got what looks like a vintage packet of Blue Gillette Blades with a picture of King Camp Gillette and New Improved blazoned across the front. Not exactly an impressive blade. By the way, what a daft name to have. Even midway of the 19th century you have to wonder what his parents were thinking.
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I also wonder what he and Gillette the company are thinking when they name damn near every product they produce blue, or bleue. There are blue blades, bleue blades, bleue extra blades, silver blue blades, super blue blades, blue disposablesn blue ii disposables, blue tip superspeed, a blue starburst ladies razor, several blue handled razors, and quite likely several other products.

Also I think of blue steel as being carbon steel, so am always wary of blades that have that name.

As far as his name is concerned though - it would make getting reservations at restaurants much easier I imagine.
 
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eggbert said:
I also wonder what he and Gillette the company are thinking when they name damn near every product they produce blue, or bleue. There are blue blades, bleue blades, bleue extra blades, silver blue blades, super blue blades, blue disposablesn blue ii disposables, blue tip superspeed, a blue starburst ladies razor, several blue handled razors, and quite likely several other products.

Also I think of blue steel as being carbon steel, so am always wary of blades that have that name.
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Blue is fresh, clean, Ocean, water etc. It's constant use does wear thin, I agree.

eggbert said:
As far as his name is concerned though - it would make getting reservations at restaurants much easier I imagine.
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"Hi, my name's King Camp and I'd like to reserve a table for four"? It's memorable I guess.
 
I think maybe Lord, or Baron would be a better first name.

"I would like to book a table for Lord Pjotr of Freo" sounds better.
 
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eggbert said:
I think maybe Lord, or Baron would be a better first name.

"I would like to book a table for Lord Pjotr of Freo" sounds better.
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Baron von Pjotr has got a nice ring to it. A lot better than uncultured phillistine which, by the way, unless you wholeheartedly endorse and rave about the Bleues, you will also be tagged with.
 
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Pjotr said:
Baron von Pjotr has got a nice ring to it. A lot better than uncultured phillistine which, by the way, unless you wholeheartedly endorse and rave about the Bleues, you will also be tagged with.
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Not too sure about that PJ - Barons are a dime a dozen but I think any restaurant would take a booking in the name of Uncultured Philistine Moderator Pjotr - if only to see what kind of creature it was.
 
Lovely, lovely blades! Thanks @Monsta_AU for the 10 blade sample. I just tried my first blade and it sung as it scythed through my stubble. Glorious in feel. Sharp and yet very comfortable. It feels like it's not even loaded.

I'm going to look forward to giving these a real run. [emoji4]
 
^^^ I can feel another fancy banner coming on for people like him ....
 
I've never seen one of them blades. Even if I did have one I'd be too scared to try it. Anything other than a "these blades are amazing" comment will get you in the shit big time.

filobiblic said:
Lovely, lovely blades! Thanks @Monsta_AU for the 10 blade sample. I just tried my first blade and it sung as it scythed through my stubble. Glorious in feel. Sharp and yet very comfortable. It feels like it's not even loaded.

I'm going to look forward to giving these a real run. [emoji4]
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Suck up!
 
Pjotr said:
I've never seen one of them blades. Even if I did have one I'd be too scared to try it. Anything other than a "these blades are amazing" comment will get you in the shit big time.
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I think I got some of the vintage blades pass-outs early... Some of my first vintage blade!
 
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