Gem Damaskeene

[christopherh]

I have been a DE shaver for about 3 years now and thought my shaves couldn't get any better. I love my Merkur 38C and my Gillete Slim Adjustable and never thought I would use anything else regularly.

I have a EverReady 1924 SE (at least that's what I think it is) in the rotation but it didn't get much use. I started using it exclusively about 2 weeks ago after getting a really good shave with it and decided to pick up a second SE razor just to give into my RAD.

After posting a WTB for a SE in the Buy/Sell/Trade, BowTieGuy (who is a super nice guy BTW) hooked me up with a Gem Damaskeene and a MMOC. I used the Damaskeene on Sunday and was honestly expecting it to be very similar to the shave I get from the EverReady. I was completely shocked by how much smoother of a shave I got with the Damaskeene. The shave was effortless. I normally have some stubble about 8 hours after I shave. A full 16 hours after my shave yesterday, I still had NO stubble. I almost didn't need to shave today!

Seriously... this may be the ONLY razor I use going forward. I honestly don't think I could go back to using a DE. Not that the shave with a DE isn't great... but it doesn't compare with the Damaskeene. It's that good!

 

[Greyfox]

I like mine as well but it is second IMO to the GEM Jr bar Lathercatcher.

 

[drews50]

Funny how they nailed shaving 100 years ago.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I have been a DE shaver for about 3 years now and thought my shaves couldn't get any better. I love my Merkur 38C and my Gillete Slim Adjustable and never thought I would use anything else regularly.

I have a EverReady 1924 SE (at least that's what I think it is) in the rotation but it didn't get much use. I started using it exclusively about 2 weeks ago after getting a really good shave with it and decided to pick up a second SE razor just to give into my RAD.

After posting a WTB for a SE in the Buy/Sell/Trade, BowTieGuy (who is a super nice guy BTW) hooked me up with a Gem Damaskeene and a MMOC. I used the Damaskeene on Sunday and was honestly expecting it to be very similar to the shave I get from the EverReady. I was completely shocked by how much smoother of a shave I got with the Damaskeene. The shave was effortless. I normally have some stubble about 8 hours after I shave. A full 16 hours after my shave yesterday, I still had NO stubble. I almost didn't need to shave today!

Seriously... this may be the ONLY razor I use going forward. I honestly don't think I could go back to using a DE. Not that the shave with a DE isn't great... but it doesn't compare with the Damaskeene. It's that good!

Hearing this from a guy with as much experience as you have just reinforces my belief that the 1912 Damaskeene is the best designed razor ever.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

Yup those older GEM's are awesome.

 

[jgkeegan]

Hearing this from a guy with as much experience as you have just reinforces my belief that the 1912 Damaskeene is the best designed razor ever.

Hold on there..... I like the Gem Jr much better than the Damaskeene. In fact I have sold two Damaskeenes. I like the normal 1912 Gems too, and the "clog pruf" micromatics.

 

[Pjotr]

Hold on there..... I like the Gem Jr much better than the Damaskeene. In fact I have sold two Damaskeenes. I like the normal 1912 Gems too, and the "clog pruf" micromatics.

..........and the Feather Weight and the Streamline and the ............

 

[BigFoot]

..........and the Feather Weight and the Streamline and the ............

I think it sounds like a poll time. Someone post all the different kind of Gems there are here and I will put a poll in the Safety Razor forum.

I am not a big SE guy so I do not want to miss any.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Hold on there..... I like the Gem Jr much better than the Damaskeene. In fact I have sold two Damaskeenes. I like the normal 1912 Gems too, and the "clog pruf" micromatics.

I like all of the normal 1912's, all three Micromatics, the 1914 and the 1924 Ever-Ready's a lot, and to a lesser degree, the later Heavy Flat Top, Feather Weight and the Contour models. But with it's slightly rounded head and the round knurled handle I think the Damaskeene is the best overall, at least for me.

YMMV and void in states where it's prohibited by law.

 

[dalew]

Hearing this from a guy with as much experience as you have just reinforces my belief that the 1912 Damaskeene is the best designed razor ever.

I just shaved with the Damaskeen that Tom told me to get. It is without a doubt the closest shave I have ever had out of 25 different razors. I only used a two pass shave with a touch up. I used the Treet blades Tom told me to use. This razor is #1 for me so far.

Thanks Tom.

 

[Grumpy_Bottom]

I have been a DE shaver for about 3 years now and thought my shaves couldn't get any better. I love my Merkur 38C and my Gillete Slim Adjustable and never thought I would use anything else regularly.

I have a EverReady 1924 SE (at least that's what I think it is) in the rotation but it didn't get much use. I started using it exclusively about 2 weeks ago after getting a really good shave with it and decided to pick up a second SE razor just to give into my RAD.

After posting a WTB for a SE in the Buy/Sell/Trade, BowTieGuy (who is a super nice guy BTW) hooked me up with a Gem Damaskeene and a MMOC. I used the Damaskeene on Sunday and was honestly expecting it to be very similar to the shave I get from the EverReady. I was completely shocked by how much smoother of a shave I got with the Damaskeene. The shave was effortless. I normally have some stubble about 8 hours after I shave. A full 16 hours after my shave yesterday, I still had NO stubble. I almost didn't need to shave today!

Seriously... this may be the ONLY razor I use going forward. I honestly don't think I could go back to using a DE. Not that the shave with a DE isn't great... but it doesn't compare with the Damaskeene. It's that good!

I hate posts like this

 

[christopherh]

I just shaved with the Damaskeen that Tom told me to get. It is without a doubt the closest shave I have ever had out of 25 different razors. I only used a two pass shave with a touch up. I used the Treet blades Tom told me to use. This razor is #1 for me so far.

Thanks Tom.

You are right... Tom is the MAN! I decided on the Damaskeene based on his posts and he was SOOOO right. Thanks for the advice Tom!

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Fella's I'm glad to have helped in a very small way, but I truly don't deserve any credit. Guys way before me were singing their praises, that's who deserves the credit. I just have a tendency to blab a lot on here about them.

 

[Dave Deluxe]

There is not a bad shave to be had with a SE razor.

DD

 

[Viseguy]

Are Damaskeenes as common as 1912s, or are they harder to find?

BTW -- and apologies for veering off-topic -- but I just tried searching on "featherweight" (no space), and it didn't pull up this thread. (Now it will, though. ) I have mixed feelings about starting this hypercorrect "Feather Weight" trend. Precision is nice, but it's also important to keep the search function useful. I guess you could argue, "Be correct, and let the chips fall where they may." I dunno.

 

[mftoms59]

Hearing this from a guy with as much experience as you have just reinforces my belief that the 1912 Damaskeene is the best designed razor ever.

I own three SE's; G- Bar, Ever- Ready Lather Catcher and the Damaskeene, all of them are well designed but the Damaskeene just does it a bit better. Sometimes I wish I didn't have ~1200 DE Blades , but I do enjoy my 59 SS

 

[willyb]

way back when gents, they did things just a little bit better..... just a little bit better.

my damaskeene, my MMOC and various 1912s, would i part with them. ummm i dont think so, my great grandkids will need to learn how its done correctly.

 

[willyb]

Fella's I'm glad to have helped in a very small way, but I truly don't deserve any credit. Guys way before me were singing their praises, that's who deserves the credit. I just have a tendency to blab a lot on here about them.

Gents, HT has every right to speak his mind. A true gentelman, he has helped me and many other fellas along on the path. Many thanks trooper!

 

[OkieStubble]

Gents, HT has every right to speak his mind. A true gentelman, he has helped me and many other fellas along on the path. Many thanks trooper!

+2 I picked up and fell in love with my first SE about a year ago after reading Tom's many praises of the closeness and longevity of the SE blade.

Since it's a hobby, I still like using my DE's and am also starting to dabble ever so slowly with straights, but SE's are still my preferred way of shaving.

 

[Pjotr]

I think it sounds like a poll time. Someone post all the different kind of Gems there are here and I will put a poll in the Safety Razor forum.

I am not a big SE guy so I do not want to miss any.

But that means we can only vote for one of them!

Oh well here's my list:

GEM 1912
GEM Minute Man
GEM Junior
GEM Damaskeene
GEM Jewel
GEM Micromatic Clog pruf
GEM Micromatic Bullet Tip
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
GEM G-Bar
GEM Feather Weight
GEM Contour I
GEM Contour II
Ever Ready 1914
Ever Ready 1924
Ever Ready Streamline

That's a big list already and there are a load of lather catchers I don't know much about.