Purchasing Single Edge Blades in New Zealand

If you're keen to put one of those Gems, Ever Readys or Valets you picked up on Trademe a whirl then you'll need some blades!

Buying locally:

I don't know why, but pharmacies in New Zealand sometimes have the blades that would fit the Gem/Ever Readys, or be modified to fit the earlier Valet models, they are a pack of 10 blades, in the shaving section, with Gem branding on them. HOWEVER they are not the blades you are looking for. Well probably not anyway. The ones I have seen all have the word "scrapers" on them. As you might guess, this is not a word that has pleasant connotations when it comes to shaving. And no wonder as these particular blades are not made for, nor marketed at shaving. They are no where near sharp enough to deliver anything approaching a decent shave. No seriously, learn from my mistake. I'm not talking about a "your mileage may vary" type of performance, THEY DON'T WORK. They are designed for scraper tools that accept that style of blade.

And that's all I (sadly) have to say about buying SE blades locally. Have never seen anything but the above.

Online locally:
Nope, nothing to see here either.

Online internationally:
If you've been to BestShave.net looking at the DE blades, you might have noticed they sell SE blades as well. These are not the blades you are looking for, they are properly called "saloon" blades, they are designed for "shavette" replaceable blade straight razors and will not fit any of the SE razors I have discussed.

For the Gem/Ever Ready (and the ones modifiable for the early Valets) blades best bet is Connaught Shaving decent price and excellent shipping rates. While there you may notice a type of Feather branded SE blade, again not the type you are looking for. For those, the Feather blades with the cutouts that will fit the nibs on the newer Valet models, there is only one place I know of: Razorbladesandmore and their wince worthy shipping rates. The blades are (at this time) $4.50USD per pack of 5, and only in packs of 5.

A note:
If you've seen reference to "Ted Pella" blades and their super awesomeness, fret not. If you get the Gem PTFE coated blades from Connaught, then you are getting the blades sometimes (erroneously) referred to as "Ted Pellas"