Safety Razor of the Month, June 2012 - Lather Catchers

**welshfellow** · 07-09-2012, 05:13 AM

Oh very fancy makes my old Valets look like um? Valet downs
Smithy

**cpool222** · 07-10-2012, 10:09 PM

Sorry it took me so long to answer your question, MacDaddy, it would be hard to make picture of the loading, because you have to hold the thumb tab down while backing the razor blade up into the head from the front. The blades that came with them had tabs on each side which would have made it easy, but with injector blades, you just have to place them in and adjust them to the level you see in my pictures. I figured that out by inserting one of the original blades (that's not shave-worthy) to see how much of the blade should be showing. It's a little dicey putting it in, but the spring on the head is so tight that it holds it in place. Does give a good shave, though.
Cleave

Originally Posted by MacDaddy

Very nice. The Zinn Automatic is one that I don't have myself yet. It's also very cool that it will work with injector blades. How are they held in place? Are they deep enough to rest in front of whatever stops would have held the ears on the back corners of the Zinn blades? I'd love to see a picture or two of how the blade loads in.

**Haggises** · 07-17-2012, 05:56 PM

But gonna show these off anyway, so long as Dropbox cooperates....

Looks like I'm missing something....strop attachments?
The one with the shorter handle has a near perfect head. No brassing I can see. The nice longer handled head is almost identical in shape, but with extensive brassing in a few places. Came with one box, one wedge blade and one set of instructions too.
GEM blade seems to fit nicely - will see how one shaves tomorrow.

**Haggises** · 07-18-2012, 04:44 AM

Turns out it's French...
Figured some of you would get a kick out of the instructions.
Apologies for badly lit iPad pics.

**MacDaddy** · 07-18-2012, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by Haggises

But gonna show these off anyway, so long as Dropbox cooperates....

Looks like Dropbox is being nasty with these images. I'd love to see them, though. You can attach them directly here instead of linking out to them.

**Haggises** · 07-18-2012, 08:47 AM

that wasn't working either. That's what I get for doing things the Apple way :)

I'll attempt to fix via PC soon.

edit: Done. I think. I hope.

**Haggises** · 07-18-2012, 09:00 AM

One tidbit - the wedge razor is not original, but after removing grime turned out to be "Le Grelot"

**RocketMan** · 07-21-2012, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by MacDaddy

Here's an interesting tidbit: Everything you know about loading a GEM Junior Bar is wrong.

I recently saw this Cuticura Superior Safety Razor with instructions sell on eBay. Cuticura was a soap company and the Superior was essentially a white-labeled version of the GEM Junior Bar sold under their name. According to the instructions you aren't supposed to lift the bar at all to load the blade:

Directions: Slide Blade into place without raising Bar Frame and secure it by pressing forward Clamp. It is not necessary to raise Bar Frame to remove Blade to insert new Blade or to clean Holder, although it may assist in the latter operation to do so.

Attachment 252089

THAT IS JUST TOO EASY!!!!!

(maybe even three easy!)

Well I never. Thnx for that MacDaddy!!! You have forever changed my shaving life!!!!!! : )

**mvk** · 07-29-2012, 10:09 AM

Does anyone know if you can use a Gem SE blade on this type of razor? I have the razor, but no blade.

**MacDaddy** · 08-02-2012, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by RocketMan

Well I never. Thnx for that MacDaddy!!! You have forever changed my shaving life!!!!!! : )

I know, right?! I felt the same way when I saw those instructions. It makes total sense to look at it, though. The little feet on the inside corners of the guard bar are even curled up to help guide the blade into place.

Originally Posted by mvk

Does anyone know if you can use a Gem SE blade on this type of razor? I have the razor, but no blade.

We'd have to know more specifically what kind of razor you've got there. Many can take modern blades, but some can't -- or at least not easily or safely.

**72plymsatellite** · 01-08-2013, 10:49 PM

here are my lather catchers. i have a gem jr and a star kamph. im not sure how old the star is but i like it cuz its not the same stamped design that u usually see on the lather cathchers. i also like that u can adjust the blade gap. there are little screws where the blade sits and it limits how agressive or mild u want it. maybe the first adjustable??? lol

i apologize for the sub par pics. im not the expert cameraman that everyone on the forum seems to be lol