Gem 1912/ open comb or safety bar

**jkingrph** · 07-21-2012, 08:15 AM

I got back around to using my 1912 Gem Damaskeen and looking at it started thinking. Is it considered an open comb or a safety bar?

It has teeth like the open comb but they are bent or folded under and attached on the leadiing edge like a safety bar.

Should we consider it a hybrid?

**HoosierTrooper** · 07-21-2012, 08:26 AM

In the patent application for the 1912 Simon Zinn calls it a guard-comb.

**Haggises** · 07-21-2012, 10:48 AM

I'd consider them to shave like an open comb since the straight guard piece is so low it does not touch the skin.

**RocketMan** · 07-21-2012, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Haggises

I'd consider them to shave like an open comb since the straight guard piece is so low it does not touch the skin.

Good point.

**jkingrph** · 07-21-2012, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Haggises

I'd consider them to shave like an open comb since the straight guard piece is so low it does not touch the skin.

That's my opinion.

**cryhavoc** · 07-21-2012, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Haggises

I'd consider them to shave like an open comb since the straight guard piece is so low it does not touch the skin.

I would agree with that.

**woodfluter** · 07-25-2012, 09:24 AM

Yep, works like a comb...with ends attached where it doesn't affect shaving.

Tom, very interesting to hear that Mr. Zinn called it a guard-comb. Because, without knowing that, I've used the exact same term (sans hyphen).

**RocketMan** · 07-25-2012, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by woodfluter

Yep, works like a comb...with ends attached where it doesn't affect shaving.

Tom, very interesting to hear that Mr. Zinn called it a guard-comb. Because, without knowing that, I've used the exact same term (sans hyphen).

Just to clarify on this point - while Simon Zinn held a large portion of ASR, August Scheuber was the applicant and inventor on this 1912 design - no credits to Zinn on this one.

**HoosierTrooper** · 07-26-2012, 06:14 AM

You are, of course, correct, Scheuber was the brains behind the design. I believe the approved patent number was assigned to Zinn because of his ownership. Correct?

**RocketMan** · 07-26-2012, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by HoosierTrooper

You are, of course, correct, Scheuber was the brains behind the design. I believe the approved patent number was assigned to Zinn because of his ownership. Correct?

Not sure just how their deals all worked out - but ASR was pretty much controlled by Mary and Simon Zinn along with the ex Kampfe employee Jeremiah Reichard. The three of them brought Scheuber in to design razors almost from the beginning of their involvement, just after the Zinn Automatic I think - certainly as early as 1902/3. So Scheuber was very much part of the picture but registered all the patents on his own designs. I am not certain how all the rights to manufacture were ironed out - but you can bet that ASR controlled the who/what/where of when the 1912 patent design was unrolled.