Most of you probably know Gillette for their modern cartridge razors and their shaving creams that are filled with tons of additives. But did you know Gillette was actually the OG when it came to safety razors? Yep, they created the original safety razor design and introduced it to the market over 100 years ago.
So today we are going to take a look at a product where Gillette may not place much emphasis anymore, but one where they used to be the king: their double edge razor blade the Gillette Silver Blue. Let’s find out if Gillette still has it’s “A” game when it comes to double edge razor blades or if their best days are in the past.
Brand | Sharpness | Smoothness | Best For... |
|---|---|---|---|
Gillette Silver Blue | 8 | 8 | Men that want an aggressive shave but still want the blade to be above average smoothness |
Pros
- Very sharp but still delivers a smooth shave
- Not quite as sharp as a Feather, but much more forgiving
- Delivers very close and comfortable shave
- Great for men that need an aggressive razor blade
- Superb quality control
Cons
- No blade bank
- Shouldn’t impact performance, but some customers have complained about the glue on the blade that keeps it secure in the individual wrappers
Product Overview
The Gillette Silver Blue razor blades are manufactured in St. Petersburg, Russia. This has made it somewhat difficult in the past for wholesalers and wet shaving sellers in general to get them consistently, but it looks like that’s a thing of the past as these are available at a multitude of places online.
One of the great things about Gillette’s Silver Blue blades is that they are available to buy in packs of 25, 50 or 100. Obviously, the price/blade goes down when you buy the bigger packs. But if you want to buy a smaller pack, it’s nice you can buy a set of 25 and not be wasteful. You don’t have this option with some other types of blades.
Regardless of what size package you order, the packaging of the blades is always the same. They are packed in sets of 5. So 5 individual blades are packed together in a box that just says “Gillette Silver Blue” on it. Love the classic, simple design and logo.
Inside the box though is 5 individually wrapped blades in paper. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about the blades appearance. They are marked with “Gillette Silver Blue Stainless” though so you can be sure you’re not getting some counterfeit or replacement blade.
Key Features & Characteristics
Above Average Sharpness and Moderately Smooth
The Gillette Silver Blue razor blades are definitely some of the sharper blades available on the market. Are they as sharp as Feather’s? No, pretty much nothing else is. However, they are right up there with the top tier when it comes to aggressiveness. I’d probably rate them as an 8/10.
What I think makes these such great blades though is that although they might not be quite as sharp as a Feather, they are significantly more smooth than most other blades you would find that pack this much punch.
Bottom line: there aren’t many other options out there that can pack this much sharpness AND smoothness in one blade. It’s a sharp razor that just glides across your face.
Great Option for Guys with a Few Days Growth
The Gillette Silver Blues are an excellent blade for guys that don’t shave every day. If you like to shave every 3 or 4 days and have a decent amount of growth, this is a great option. Why?
Because it’s sharp enough to cut through that hair growth. If you use too mild of a blade it will just end up tugging on those longer hairs -- not a good feeling at all.
This blade will cut right through those hairs though. Combine this blade with a good pre-shave routine and using this blade on a few days growth shouldn’t be an issue but YMMV.
Great Option for Guys that Just Need a More Aggressive Blade
You’ve probably already realized this by now, but this is also a great option for men that just need a more aggressive blade. Most of the time, men looking for a sharp blade have to settle for sharpness and sacrifice smoothness.
That’s definitely not the case with the Silver Blue’s. So if you need a blade that is on the sharp end of the spectrum but still want a smooth blade so you can limit the razor burn and nicks and cuts, this just might be for you.
One of the reasons this blade works so well for me is that I have pretty thick facial hair. My beard itself is only probably average thickness, but my individual hair follicles are pretty thick.
Combine that with the fact that I only shave about every 4 days and that means I need a sharp blade. This blade is a great balance of sharpness and smoothness for my routine.
Great Option in the Winter
I’ve actually heard of guys that use Feather blades in the spring and summer and switch to the Gillette Silver Blue blade in the winter. Why? Because it’s just a little easier on their face.
The cold winter weather can be tough on your face. And this can cause your face to dry out and a lot of men tend to see more razor burn and just overall razor irritation in the winter.
So while a Feather might work great for some guys in the warmer months, it might be worth switching to something a little less sharp and more forgiving in the colder months. Personally, I think it’s a great idea. Don’t feel like you have to stick with one razor blade year round.
Are you willing to sacrifice a little sharpness for a smoother shave in the winter? For some guys it might not be necessary, for others though I think it’s a great idea.
Good Durability -- YMMV
Gillette’s Silver Blue blades are a solid blade when it comes to durability. I usually get between 4 and 5 shaves out of one blade, but I’m also pretty conservative and like changing them out before I need to.
If you have really light facial hair, I definitely think it’s possible to get a good 7 shaves out of these. Like with all blades, YMMV depending on a lot of factors.
One thing I have noticed with these blades, like a lot of other blades, is they actually improve after the first shave. The first shave kind of hones the blade and I actually get better shaves on uses 2-5 than I do on the first shave.
By the way, let’s quickly run through how long a pack of 100 can last you. Let’s say you like changing your blade every 3 or 4 shaves. Okay so that means you can get 300-400 shaves out of the 100 pack. Which means you can shave everyday for a year and the entire pack would last an entire calendar year!
What I’m trying to say is this: the durability of these is really good. Yes, some blades might be slightly more durable, but I wouldn’t let durability be the deciding factor.
Superb Quality Control
The last thing I want to point out about the Gillette Silver Blue’s is how great the quality control is. The consistency from blade to blade is great and the quality of each blade is as good as the last. I haven’t had any issues with getting a lemon.
What Are Some Other Good Options
Safety Razor Blades to Consider?
Feather
If you’re looking for a blade that is even sharper than the Gillette Silver Blue, your best bet is going to be the Feather double edge razor blade. The Feather blade is an awesome blade that is manufactured in Japan and is pretty much universally accepted in the wet shaving community as the sharpest blade on the market. It definitely delivers a great shave for experienced safety razor users, but it’s not going to be as forgiving as the Silver Blue.
Wilkinson Sword
The Wilkinson Sword double edge blade is very close in comparison with the Gillette Silver Blue. It’s plenty sharp for even thick, coarse beards but it’s also very smooth and comforting. These are one of the more popular blades for a reason.
Shark Super Chrome
Do you need a blade that is quite a bit less sharp and forgiving? The Shark Super Chrome blades are an excellent option for any wet shaver that needs a more mild blade. If you don’t have a thick beard or your facial hair is very fine, you probably don’t need a very sharp blade. The Shark Super Chrome is a very forgiving blade that works for a lot of men that don’t need an aggressive shave.
Still not positive you've found the right double-edge blade for your safety razor? Then checkout my guide on what I think are the best safety razor blades on the market right now. It has all the information you need to find the perfect blade for your razor.
