Gem wheel of wonderful

Ok, I've spent the last three weeks shaving with all of the different SEs that I've aquired, and here are a few thoughts. I've seen a few comparative threads with the DEs and I thought that I would do one with my SEs.

The Gem 1912 with the chian link handle is my hands down favorite of the lot!
The balance seems to just work perfect for me. No pressure and the head seems to just naturally want to fall into the correct cutting angle.

The Gem Junior with brass head and fat black bakelite handle is a close second. The balance is still nice, and holding it close to the head lets you get a nice pivot when going around the sharper curves of the face.

The Gem Micromatic is definately the most aggressive of the bunch with the open comb, and an inate will to plunge gleefully in battle with your face. Respect with this Lady is paramount, but fun none the less.

The Ever-Ready top opening 1912 may have the same look as the Gem 1912, but for some reason doesn't seem to quite live up to the origional. For whatever reason, I tended to have more skipping with this razor than I thought I should. More investigation will be required......

The Ever-Ready front hinge version. Very simular to the other Ever-Ready. Both are very nice razors, but I seemed to have to work a bit more and do a bit more touch ups with both of them.

Each razor went through a three day cycle of the following.
I used Gem/Pella blades from Walgreen's for all the shaves.
I used Conk's bay rum soap for the first shave, CO Bigelow cream for the second shave, and Sienna cream by Crabtree and Evelyn for the third shave.

I also have a Gem Featherweight that alas, didn't make it into this rotation, because I picked it up after I had already started this test.
I will go ahead and start running the featherweight through it's paces starting tomorrow. I'm also looking for a clogproof, but I'm still stalking that one in the wild, and haven't resorted to B/S/T yet.

While I'm nit picking between all these razors, I must say that *all* of them gave really nice BBS shaves with very little to no weepers. I'm glad that I picked them all up.

I also recieved my first shipment of mamma bears soaps on Saturday, so I'll be adding her soaps into the mix as well.
This week I'll be using the featherweight at the start of the week, and will probably end the week with using the two schicks that I have. One is a model G6 with clear amber handle and the other is a hydromatic.

hope this helps spread the joy of SE shaving just a bit.
I know I had a blast.

Nice write up John, I'll look forward to your impressions of the Feather Weight. I enjoyed my week with my 1912 Ever Ready tremendously, didn't have the skipping issues you mentioned.

I'm finishing my week of the '40's Super Speeds tomorrow (today actually), and had planned to begin "Tech Week" next. But I may have to delay that, as I've a couple Feather Weights and an open comb Micromatic I want to try myself. And I've got a really clean cased Ever Ready 1912 coming, along with a gold (or is it shiny brass?) Gem 1912, and another nickel Gem 1912 that looks to be brand new.

And while I was out bid on two great Gillette's today, I got the razor I really wanted. A Gem Junior Bar lather catcher, circa 1910. Purdiest razor I've ever laid eyes on!

Hmm... Whod'a thunk it? I think I may be turning Gemocrat.

T Rick said:

Nice write up John, I'll look forward to your impressions of the Feather Weight. I enjoyed my week with my 1912 Ever Ready tremendously, didn't have the skipping issues you mentioned.

Hmm... Whod'a thunk it? I think I may be turning Gemocrat.

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I didn't have that many with the ER, it's more a case of the GEM gave me very little to no skipping.


Hmmm....it does have a nasty way of sneaking up on you and delivering an awesome shave.

BTW where is the September RAD pic?????

John C said:

BTW where is the September RAD pic?????

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Knew you'd be asking. Soon, I need to get the group together and shoot them.It's somewhere around 50 now (counting those delivered or purchased in Sept. only, that'll leave the new Gem's out- the gold one arrived today BTW, and it's beautiful! Very minor cleaning, and it'll be shave ready).

I'm still cleaning a few, though there will be several in the shot that will be as arrived (it'll be weeks before I'm done cleaning them up, I've learned to be a little less ham-handed and more cautious with these rare beauties!).

I'll get it this week, as next week I am in class all week (plus commute 100+ miles ).

T Rick said:

Knew you'd be asking. Soon, I need to get the group together and shoot them.It's somewhere around 50 now (counting those delivered or purchased in Sept. only, that'll leave the new Gem's out- the gold one arrived today BTW, and it's beautiful! Very minor cleaning, and it'll be shave ready).

I'm still cleaning a few, though there will be several in the shot that will be as arrived (it'll be weeks before I'm done cleaning them up, I've learned to be a little less ham-handed and more cautious with these rare beauties!).

I'll get it this week, as next week I am in class all week (plus commute 100+ miles ).

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Cool! You've far surpassed me. The girls school functions and candy/cookie drives dried up a fair amount of my RAD money.
Course can't complain, they all surprised me with a box of three momma bears soaps that came in the mail last Sat. The girls think my new hobby is "cool and retro" and they're loving the part about picking out the new sents of soaps. I give them all a thumbs up or down vote before I get a new scent, so they feel empowered. Of course this is the course of wisdom when living with three daughters and the wife.

good luck with the classes next week that commute will definately be a pain.