Personna Israel vs. USA

beardybrewer
I think if you had 5 Personna Supers (lab blues), and 5 Med Preps, and even 5 Reds and used them back to back and interchangeably, you would like them all and see the performance gap between them close to...negligible.
I am a die hard user of the Lab Blues. American made, economical, and very predictable between all of my razors. I never bought or used the Med Preps but have had one from a sample pack and they are the same, considering they are made on the same equipment now, sterilized (purportedly) , and just in a different wrapper (as stated above).
I read on a vendor's website that the Israeli Reds are now in a new package but are assuredly the same blade. I swear I read this on G&C but went to look and if it was there, it is no longer. I bought a 50 pack from them as I trusted their supply stream over our American vendors, to source the Reds. I like them. I like them alot. But truth be told, they are almost identical in every way to the Lab Blues. Which means I wont be paying extra for the novelty of having them when the Blues suffice for me.

If you go to search for the Israeli Reds, look for them in this package, this is what they look like now.

https://www.giftsandcare.com/en/de-razor...tinum.html

And since I have seen you ask others what razors they used their blades in, I stay strictly vintage, and here are the razors I rotate between;
Gillette Big Fellow
Merkur 37C slant
Gillette Ball Tech
Gillette OC Old Type
Gillette OC Ball end OT
Star
and the Solingen Apollo

What razor are you using them with?   I found Voskhod worked best for my DE89 but when I got a vintage razor with a more aggressive head I switched down to Personnas. I would rate sharpness as: Astra < Personna Blue < 7 O'clock Yellows < Voskhod < Feather

I have not used the Blue or Med Prep, but I find the Red (in the red cardboard packaging) to be sharper than the Voshkod.

I have read that the new blue/white/silver/red packaging of the Red as shown on G&C is intended for the British market. I've compared them visually to a blade from the red packaging and they seem identical, but I have not shaved with a blue-package Red yet.

What razor are you using them with?   I found Voskhod worked best for my DE89 but when I got a vintage razor with a more aggressive head I switched down to Personnas. I would rate sharpness as: Astra < Personna Blue < 7 O'clock Yellows < Voskhod < Feather

I’m surprised you voted the Voskhod as sharper than Personna. I find Voskhod to be a little dull. I can only get a couple of shaves out of them. I wonder if I got a bad batch.

I have used blue, red and med prep. I prefer red in my Rockwell.

I just ordered the blue box ..I’m new to de shaving and heard these are good for beginners. Also like the fact they are made in the USA.

I was just done testing the Personna Platinum Chrome with the white/blue packaging, this one slightly tugged from the first shave and it just got more uncomfortable over time, I barely made trough 3 shaves and threw the blade away.

I'm currently testing the Red Platinum Chrome and its a world of difference, on my 4th shave today and the blade is gliding trough my beard even with long strokes, wow what a blade! beats down the GSB for sure. I saw 100 pack blades for $15 shipped and I jumped on it and bought them, 2 days later the Personna samples came in and I first tested the Blue packaging and got disappointed, I thought if these are same as the reds then I have bought the 100 pack of reds for nothing, whew! what a relief the Reds are amazing, same sharpness as the Crystals but smoother ride for sure.

I'm thinking maybe I got a dud from the blue packaging ones, maybe.... will have to try another blade before I even think of buying the Platinum Chrome Blue color in 100 pack.... Hopefully it was just a bad blade.

The Lab blues are not as sharp or smooth as the Reds and Crystals but no doubt a very good consistent blade and very close in performance, got 6 shaves out of it and tossed it. Some people claim the old Lab blues are better in quality vs the new iteration one, makes me wonder cause I never tried the old ones.

Next on the list from the samples I received is the Med Prep in blue packaging, will see how these perform.

I already have 100 pack of Lab blues, 100 pack of Red Israeli and for sure getting 100 pack of Crystals cause they are cheap and great blade.

In order for me to shell out $35 for the Med Preps they have to perform same as the reds but last 10 shaves which I doubt this will be the case.

As far as the Europe version of the Blue Israeli Personna they failed but maybe it was a bad blade, I will find out soon when I go for 2nd or I will even give it 3rd trial, time will tell.

I just ordered 100 of the white and blue UK “Red”. It will be very disappointing if they turn out NOT to be the same.

I just ordered 100 of the white and blue UK “Red”. It will be very disappointing if they turn out NOT to be the same.

lets hope so that the one I shaved with was a dud. Now testing the Med Preps and they are good blades, very similar to the Lab Blues and probably that's what they are just sterilized and no coating. Good blade but not good enough to pay $35 for 100 pack.

So far this is how I would rate them until I revisit the Blue/White UK Red:

1. Red Israeli
2. Crystal Israeli
3. Lab Blue & Med Preps
4. White/Blue UK Reds ( to be revisited at later time)

...In order for me to shell out $35 for the Med Preps they have to perform same as the reds but last 10 shaves which I doubt this will be the case.

As far as the Europe version of the Blue Israeli Personna they failed but maybe it was a bad blade, I will find out soon when I go for 2nd or I will even give it 3rd trial, time will tell.

The Lab Blue & Med Prep are the SAME blade, only that the Med Prep has been sanitized. That is straight from Personna.

In order for me to shell out $35 for the Med Preps they have to perform same as the reds but last 10 shaves which I doubt this will be the case.

I took my last Prep blade to 12 shaves with no issues. However, I do two-pass shaves, so that has some effect, as do about a hundred other variables common to wet shaving…