Frustrating GEM score

[BatNastard]

Yesterday I scored two GEM SE razors at an outdoor antique/yard sale for $25. One is a Damaskene and the other is a Micromatic, I think a 1912. Neither one shaves! :mad:

When I put a blade in the Damaskene (GEM Personna blade) it is too big, so the tab that locks in it place in the back is backed off a bit and the cover doesn't stay closed. It works if I am shaving strict N-S but at any other angle the cover just flops around.

When I put the blade in the 1912, it would appear that the little tabs that hold it in place in front have worn down; one is worn so far that the blade doesn't stay in place.

I doubt I can fix the 1912, but I feel like the Damaskene should be usable?

[mmack66]

Need pictures

[DunEdinRanger]

How about some photos? Then we could provide better information on what to do.

[BatNastard]

about to go out -- I will post some tonight. Thanks guys!

[D.Irving79]

your retaining spring could be loose.

[BatNastard]

Having trouble getting close-ups with my cybershot :mad: I think I have bent the 1912 into a position where it just barely holds the blade in place. I'll give it a careful shave tomorrow. As for the damaskene, it seems that the length of the blade (or the width - from front to back) is too big, and while the sprung tab in back locks it into place, the cover closes in such a way that the sprung tab is too far back to hold the cover down tightly - I guess it does double duty?

[BatNastard]

Hope these help...

[paydepst]

That's odd as those should fit with no trouble. They aren't damaged in any way are they? The pictures aren't really telling me much I'm afraid. You are using regular SE blades aren't you?

[Jatte]

your tab spring is broken,
it just wiggles right? i have one like that and it doesn't push the blade forward,

sadly i don't know what to do to fix it,

[BatNastard]

I'm using regular old personna blades. The razor does not appear to be damaged, it shuts tight without the blade. I don't think the tab has a spring, but rather a piece of metal that pushes against it like a spring clip.

The tab doesn't wiggle, it pushes the blade forward just fine, but the tab itself doesn't come far enough forward to lock the cover into place so the cover just flops open. In the first pic you can see the quarter inch gap between the tab and the cover, in the second you see the blade is in place but the cover flips open loosely.

It seems as if it was either designed for a smaller blade or the front tabs should be further forward. It does say "use only GEM Damaskeene blades" but I assume that was marketing hype of the time?

[paydepst]

Well I'm stumped. I've never had this problem with a GEM before. The lathercatchers are bad about having damaged retaining tabs but the models you have shouldn't be exhibiting this sort of problem. As for the recommended blades I have some of those and they are the same size as the standard SE blade currently in production. Wish I could be more helpful.

[D.Irving79]

as i said, its the retention spring.

[BatNastard]

do you mean the little spring clip under the head?

[D.Irving79]

yes sir :001_smile

[BatNastard]

Added photo above...before I thought you meant like a coil spring somehow. How do I fix it?

[D.Irving79]

ive tried several times with 0 success. its nearly impossible w/o permanently damaging the razor.

[BatNastard]

Bummer. Just so I understand, is it just not forcing the tab far enough forward?

[D.Irving79]

over time/use the spring has lost much of its retaining pressure needed to keep the blade secure in the frame. this is one of the biggest problems you can come across with a 1912.

[BatNastard]

I guess what's getting me is that the blade IS secure in the frame, but the flip top is loose...

EDIT: The other 1912 has the same gap from the tab to the flip top...so why does the cover stay put on the 1912 and not the Damaskeene? It seems like the plain 1912 has a little "shelf" under the hinge of the cover and the Damaskeene does not.

[mmack66]

I think you got two bum razors.

[alex2363]

That's odd as those should fit with no trouble. They aren't damaged in any way are they? The pictures aren't really telling me much I'm afraid. You are using regular SE blades aren't you?

them pics are too blurry and not close enough, its a shame because they look mint s/e razors.

[BatNastard]

Indeed. Note the lack of "wing tabs" on the front razor.

[BatNastard]

Problem solved.

[paydepst]

as i said, its the retention spring.

I defer to the expert! :smile:

That's bad luck and with two razors too! :frown:

Don't give up on the GEMs though as they are worth the time and effort.

[pablo_h]

I think I broke my damaskeene. :blushing:
I was putting up a new shelf today to hold my shaving gear as the mrs takes over 99.9% of the bathroom and I need some space for my *ADs.
While drilling into the wall the vibrations made my damaskeene fall onto the floor.
When I picked it up I heard it rattle :ohmy:
I checked it over and found the rentention spring loose, ie not sitting hard against the cap when no blade is in there.
It has some spring pressure and can hold a blade secured, but it's not tensioned strongly like all my other 1912s are without a blade.
Nothing appears broken, and it's not missing anything compared to the other 1912s.
Maybe it's always been loose, but I don't think so as I've never heard it rattle before.
But did the damaskeene have anything extra in there like a pin or something that later models didn't have? Maybe something has fallen out when it was dropped? :frown:

edit: It doesn't ike the pic BatNastard posted above in post #22, ie the large gap between the spring and the cap with no blade. It's not that bad as nothing is broken. The tab just has a lot of movement up and down, so it can rattle against the cap. It has spring pressure to hold a blade securely and keep the cap closed though

[Nozzlejocky]

That seems to be part of the battle with buying used razors. While most end up very usable, some end up being nothing more that show pieces. I've found some that I thought I could clean, but ended up being worse than I thought once I got into it. Hope you come across an easy solution to your issues.

[D.Irving79]

I think I broke my damaskeene. :blushing:
I was putting up a new shelf today to hold my shaving gear as the mrs takes over 99.9% of the bathroom and I need some space for my *ADs.
While drilling into the wall the vibrations made my damaskeene fall onto the floor.
When I picked it up I heard it rattle :ohmy:
I checked it over and found the rentention spring loose, ie not sitting hard against the cap when no blade is in there.
It has some spring pressure and can hold a blade secured, but it's not tensioned strongly like all my other 1912s are without a blade.
Nothing appears broken, and it's not missing anything compared to the other 1912s.
Maybe it's always been loose, but I don't think so as I've never heard it rattle before.
But did the damaskeene have anything extra in there like a pin or something that later models didn't have? Maybe something has fallen out when it was dropped? :frown:

edit: It doesn't ike the pic BatNastard posted above in post #22, ie the large gap between the spring and the cap with no blade. It's not that bad as nothing is broken. The tab just has a lot of movement up and down, so it can rattle against the cap. It has spring pressure to hold a blade securely and keep the cap closed though

sounds still useable. it can be loose up to a point and still be used actually.

[BatNastard]

It doesn't ike the pic BatNastard posted above in post #22, ie the large gap between the spring and the cap with no blade.

Both razors in the pic in #22 have blades. I'm convinced upon closer inspection that my damaskeene is supposed to have "wing tabs" under the hinge area, like a shelf for the hinges to push against. You can see them in the 1912 behind the damaskeene. It looks like mine were trimmed off for some reason.

I shaved with both today (one pass for each and a tiebreaker) and it wasn't the greatest. I think I need to be more aggressive with the angle. I'll try it for the week.

[82R100]

FWIW, my Damaskene does have the wing tabs.

The good news is that with the blade positioning hooks intact and the spring pressing the blade against them, the clamping force of the lid is relatively unimportant. I think your hair tie should do the trick.

- Chris