Gem 1912.....WOW!!!!!

[sandmountainslim]

Most of you know I am a longtime DE shaver who mainly uses Gillette Old Types and Super Speed razors but a friend gave me a Gem 1912 SE a couple weeks ago and I cleaned it up and decided to try it out...WOW!!! I have NEVER gotten a closer shave from a safety razor in my life!! Two passes and my neck was as smooth as a Girl Scout in a lotion factory! :) To top it off I was using generic SE blades made in Korea (I assume Dorco) so assume a name brand blade would be even better. What's the general opinion on these things? I looked for blades on ebay and saw plain white boxes with 100 blades for under ten bucks, Would these be shaveworthy? I am just blown away by this thing....but having 3000 DE blades there is no way I can completely switch to it ;)

[the beav]

... I am just blown away by this thing....but having 3000 DE blades there is no way I can completely switch to it ;)

You wouldn't be referring to these blades, would you???

197011

[sandmountainslim]

That is PART of em :) I have added on since then. Are U eyeballin' my Leningrad Green Russian's????

[the beav]

That is PART of em :) I have added on since then. Are U eyeballin' my Leningrad Green Russian's????

Well...uh... maybe. You might wonder how I remembered this photo; the simple truth is, who could forget it?

Just PM me with your address and I'll send you some Ted Pella blades to try.

[sandmountainslim]

Well...uh... maybe. You might wonder how I remembered this photo; the simple truth is, who could forget it?

Just PM me with your address and I'll send you some Ted Pella blades to try.
Lol :0 Yeah I gues it IS a unique display of blades.

[brianw]

Watch for the next Gem Blade group buy....

[hotreds]

Love my GEM 1912. The Ever-Ready 1907 also does a wonderful job. Who needs DE??!!

[jsj_297]

The GEM 1912 is just a solid razor! With a little practice, its just a smooth shaver! Enjoy sir!!!

[BBrad]

As you have discovered, the 1912 has a different feel than DE, but is a heck of a lot of fun to work with! Great results as well . . . so blade it up every once in a while and enjoy a shave or two . . . wouldn't want to work through that stack of DE blades too quickly!

[kirk 988]

yep the 1912 has ruined my DE shaves i am DE no more

[HoosierTrooper]

yep the 1912 has ruined my DE shaves i am DE no more

I was afraid of that.:thumbup:

[Slivovitz]

No surprise on the razor, but a bit of a surprise on the Korean made blades. I've tried the Dorco labeled SE blades (free sample that came with something else), and found them too dull for shaving. I wonder if they make different grades, or there is another Korean company that does a better job.

I accumulated way too many DE blades myself before deciding that SEs and injectors were better. I still use DEs every now and then, but at some point I'll have to look for a good way to PIF the extra blades. If I never get around to it, you can drop by my estate sale and pick them up cheap.

I'd recommend trying Gem Stainless SE blades if you can find them, often at Walgreens. CVS brand blades and Treets appear to be the same. They aren't stainless and may not last as long, but are good while they do. If, after you use up a ten pack, you still want to stick with SE razors, there are always bulk buys from EMS or Ted Pella.

[natchez]

Good advice above. IMO you great shaves with DE or SE, although the SE shaves feel a bit more like straight razor shaves to me than DE. Stiffer, thicker blades just have a different feel. In handles, you have all the ASR offerings and the Auto Strops. The cost of the SE handles is generally less than comparable vintage DE holders. SE blade choice is somewhat limited, but the ones for shaving are quite good. It is really more a question of what feel you are looking for, because great shaves can be achieved with DE, SE or straights. To me, it is like choosing what to eat for breakfast- are you in a ham and eggs mood or do you fancy pancakes that day, different, but both great. :001_smile