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My Impressions of The Single Edge vs. Double Edge

For the last few weeks, I have been comparing a Gem 1912 and Gem Junior (Single Edge Razors) to my Gillette SS Red Tip (Double Edge Razor). They all give me a very close, comfortable shave. However, I have found one area where the advantage goes to my DE razor: I have a much harder time shaving directly under my nose with a SE.

The difference between the way in which the DE and SE shave under my nose is a direct consequence of the different way the razor blades are held in place. With a DE razor, the entire cutting edge of the blade is exposed. This is possible because the razor is held in place inside the razor, at the center of the blade. With a SE, the cutting edge of the blade closest to the corner cannot be used to shave, because that area of the blade is being blocked by the prongs at the front edge of the cutting surface that are used to hold the blade. This front corner of the blade is what I normally use to shave the hair immediately under my nose. That hair grows right up to the nostril on my face, and is very easy to get with the front corner of my DE (with an E-W/W-E pass). The Single Edge takes significantly more effort and more passes to cut the same hair (in that area only). Not a big problem, but a minor irritation (both literally and figuratively).

I am also wondering if this is the advantage to a Spanish point, Spike point, etc. versus a rounded point in the straight arena. Okay, that's the subject of a different post (I haven't tried a straight, yet).

In the future I will also try a Gem G-Bar and a micromatic, to continue the comparison.

For me, as of this post, I'm giving the slight advantage to my Gillette Red Tip over my Gem 1912 or Junior (the 1912 and Junior have the exact same head). My impressions are limited to my face and my facial hair. The shape of your nose and the way in which the hair on your upper lip grows will make your experience unique to you. This is the ultimate YMMV.

Point: Gillette.
 
I used to use a DE many years and always been using my SE GEM 1912 with gem ss blades for 3yrs now..SE is great at under the nose cause you gotta go slightly slanted when shaving under the nose area..man are SE handles n blades great!..alot less irritation if any compared to DE also
 
My first injector shave was yesterday (Schick E type), but I found it a little easier to shave my upper lip with the injector than with a DE (Merkur 34c or various super speed heads that I've tried). The injector head is smaller than any DE that I have tried, and the entire blade is exposed.

I have a micromatic waiting for me to try it - possibly this evening. The micromatic does have the corner prongs that DSB described.
 
I haven't tried an SE yet (though I'm really thinking about it), but a DE is simple for under the nose trims, and one real disadvantage of the round point razor is that it is quite difficult (for me at least) to get right up to the nostril. French, Spanish, Spike, even Square and Barber's Notch blades to a better job in that respect.
 
A lot of guys like particular tips on straight razors for the reasons you mentioned, but I'm able to shave with all tips pretty much at the same level. Aesthetics are different, but I don't personally see much of a functional advantage of one type over the other (noted exception being my Elite French Tip Williams Custom which has an extreme "reach" that others don't)
 
What is the diff between the Gem 1912 and the Gem Junior. They look a lot alike.

The only difference between my Gem Junior and Gem 1912 is the handle. The handle of my Junior is longer, and decorated. The handle of my 1912 is shorter, with less decoration. Of course, the handles are interchangeable, so I do not know if either handle is original to either razor. For all intents and purposes, I don't see any practical difference between the 1912 and the Junior. They have the EXACT same head.
 
A lot of guys like particular tips on straight razors for the reasons you mentioned, but I'm able to shave with all tips pretty much at the same level. Aesthetics are different, but I don't personally see much of a functional advantage of one type over the other (noted exception being my Elite French Tip Williams Custom which has an extreme "reach" that others don't)

I saw the photos you posted of that razor (I'm assuming you're talking about the 8/8 with the giraffe bone scales). THAT is a gorgeous razor!
 
As foretold, I took my plastic bullet-tip GEM micromatic for a spin this evening. I used pretty much the same procedure as with the injector yesterday, except this was an evening shave and I didn't shower first. To compensate, I spent extra time rubbing soap into my beard, then rinsed and re-lathered. I used a brand-new amazon blade, after some palm-stropping.

Like DSB, whose thread I might be hijacking, I had some trouble with the razor head. My trouble wasn't on the upper lip, though: it was on the upper cheeks, where the razor head was butting up against the rims of my eyeglasses. It isn't really safe for me to shave without wearing glasses, but I risked a couple of swipes and then put them back on. For some reason this only happened on the left side, so maybe with practice....

As with the injector shave, I clearly need more practice with blade angle. I was even more cautious with the micromatic than with the injector, but still ended up with palpable neck stubble and some razor burn. I had more stubble left than with the injector, but I also bled less: I didn't need to dig out the alum at all.

Anyway, I'm not about to judge either razor on just one shave. Like the injector, the micromatic did pretty well in the hands of an SE novice. If you're curious, by all means give it a shot.

How can I close without wishing everyone a joyous holiday?
 
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