Ooooo, Lather-catcher. (You're in for a treat.)
In praise of the lowly Gem...
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Ooooo, Lather-catcher. (You're in for a treat.)
It's a GEM 1901 with a wooden handle, and if you can believe it, it looks pretty much like it's never been used. To my eye, it's in pretty much like new condition.
I suspect you have the 1900/1901 patent bar razor. I will wager you will really enjoy the shave you get from it.
I use one with a metal handle most mornings. I also have the one shown below with the small black wooden handle and the fancy "Gem Jr. Bar" scroll lettering on the back.
Since I have the one I use with the metal handle, I've chosen to not use the one with the wooden handle and keep it for display. Unfortunetly, the case it came in, as you can see, is quite shabby looking but the razor looks as good as new.
Regards,
Tom
That's the one I have, the Gem Junior, August 28, 1900, November 5, 1901 with a short wooden handle.
I'm looking at it now, and it looks better than I remembered, I have to take my glasses off and peer at it closely to see the three tiny spots of wear on the plating.
I wish I had a metal handle that fit it though to use instead of the wooden one. The paint on the wooden one is so shiny that I would hate to see it wear out.
That's the issue we all face though isn't it? Preserve these razors or use them.
You guys have me on the hunt for my own 1912 now. I have a Featherweight, a G-Bar, and as of yesterday, a Pushbutton. Haven't used the pushbutton yet. Since the astounding shave the Featherweight gave me a couple of weeks ago, with all the posts singing the praises of the 1912, I have to have one.
RAD. It lives again. Film at 11...
RAD. It lives again. Film at 11...
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In addition to my Fatboy and Schick injector I have in rotation a Gem Micromatic all brass SE. It's just a little different to use but is a fine shaver. Pretty much what has been said about using it. My only problem is finding suitable blades in the smallish town I live in. I have a moustache and goatee so the size of the head is no problem. I have a couple of cartridge razors an old Trac II and a Mach3 but only use them on plane travel trips, they don't care about your single edge on the train, or when I am in an extreme hurry. So rarely. I like using the SE, maybe because of the stiffer blade, though all my single blades give DFS's.
Just a pic of my excellent SE Gem Micromatic Clog-Pruf all brass shaver. Again, just adjust the angle a bit to get a fine shave. And don't use box cutter SE blades, find coated ones for shaving.
unless your face is cardboard.
Apologies for zapping back to life a six year old thread, but reading it from start to finish was a treat. I've been using exclusively over the past five weeks the four GEMs I got through eBay, and have loved every shave (bad soaps notwithstanding, like this morning
)
My four GEMs are a G-bar, Featherweight, Micromatic, and Jr. In order of preference I'd rank them Jr., Featherweight and tied for last the G-bar and Micromatic (the G-bar because I can't, pardon the pun, get a "handle" on it and the Micromatic I just haven't used enough to have a proper opinion).
The Jr., is the oldest, rattiest looking of the four, but it shaves fantastic. The Featherweight (whose brand name I only just discovered) is one that I consider to be the Tech of the bunch. Cheap looking, but a solid performer.
Once I figured out the "keep the top flat against your skin" instructions, every shave has been even more enjoyable. I liken the experience to the moment in your wetshaving journey that you go, "Aha..that's how it's supposed to be done!"
And of course, reading through this thread, made me want to search out a nice lather catcher.
)My four GEMs are a G-bar, Featherweight, Micromatic, and Jr. In order of preference I'd rank them Jr., Featherweight and tied for last the G-bar and Micromatic (the G-bar because I can't, pardon the pun, get a "handle" on it and the Micromatic I just haven't used enough to have a proper opinion).
The Jr., is the oldest, rattiest looking of the four, but it shaves fantastic. The Featherweight (whose brand name I only just discovered) is one that I consider to be the Tech of the bunch. Cheap looking, but a solid performer.
Once I figured out the "keep the top flat against your skin" instructions, every shave has been even more enjoyable. I liken the experience to the moment in your wetshaving journey that you go, "Aha..that's how it's supposed to be done!"
And of course, reading through this thread, made me want to search out a nice lather catcher.
Great stuff. Now we need photos
Ugggh, my photo-uploading skills need work. Anywhooo, my four GEMs as displayed in order of like-ability on my bathroom sink...
From bottom to top of the alleged photo:
Jr.
Featherlight (or Slim-V Flat To)
Micromatic
G-bar
Hmmm, looks like there's room to squeeze in a lather catcher, although in a quick search on eBay, the term lather catcher yielded not to promising results.
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I think your Micromatic might be a 1912.
Thanks, Gents, for the clarification on my "Pseudo Micromatic"!
A question on the 1912, if I can pick your far more advanced brains.
Does anyone else find the head feels a bit "thin"? The other three GEMs I use have a certain heft, weight-wise, during each stroke that requires a light no pressure stroke. However, when using the 1912 that light touch feels almost too light and I find the head skipping. The sound of the beard cutting isn't that solid sound, either. It sounds, well, thin.
Is more pressure needed, or is the 1912 just a mild razor?
Does anyone else find the head feels a bit "thin"? The other three GEMs I use have a certain heft, weight-wise, during each stroke that requires a light no pressure stroke. However, when using the 1912 that light touch feels almost too light and I find the head skipping. The sound of the beard cutting isn't that solid sound, either. It sounds, well, thin.
Is more pressure needed, or is the 1912 just a mild razor?
Porgy,
Have you read this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/452041-Gem-Jr-se ? Starting about post 23 it talks about a way to change the feel of your 1912.
Bill
Have you read this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/452041-Gem-Jr-se ? Starting about post 23 it talks about a way to change the feel of your 1912.
Bill
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Thanks Bill,
Yeah, I read that thread about a month ago, and had forgotten about shimming. I might give it a try, after I put "9-1-1" back on my speed dial.
Yeah, I read that thread about a month ago, and had forgotten about shimming. I might give it a try, after I put "9-1-1" back on my speed dial.
I just finished two weeks of shaving with a GEM 1912 and then a GEM Pushbutton. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a G Bar and am awaiting its arrival.
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