Star SE

Hey jents! Hope all is well! I hope this isnt in the wrong place. I recently snagged this Star SE and wanted to know more about it? I did a search but didn't come up with much. I dont know allot about SE's. I have a GEM Demaskeen and wounded if the shave id get with this would compare? Is there any way to know what year this one was produced? Is this type of razor referred to as a "lather catcher"? Any info would be great! Thanks!

Beautiful razor.

That is indeed a Star Lather Catcher. The fact that it says Star Safety Razor Corp indicates that it was made after 1919 when Star became part of American Safety Razor. Waits Compendium shows an ad for a razor that looks like yours circa 1920-1921. Yours appears to be in excellent condition with most of the plating intact.
It takes a standard single edge blade and should be an excellent shaver, very similar to a Damaskeene.

- - Bob

spidey9 said:

That is indeed a Star Lather Catcher. The fact that it says Star Safety Razor Corp indicates that it was made after 1919 when Star became part of American Safety Razor. Waits Compendium shows an ad for a razor that looks like yours circa 1920-1921. Yours appears to be in excellent condition with most of the plating intact.
It takes a standard single edge blade and should be an excellent shaver, very similar to a Damaskeene.

- - Bob

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Thanks for your help Bob!! I can't with to use it!

I'd love to get my hands on one of those early Lather Catchers, as they seem like a work of art. Yours is a beauty!!!

Nothing utilitarian about those early lather catchers!

They made them useful and beautiful.

-jim

It's a Star-branded version of the Gem Junior Bar. It's one of the models that they made after the Star brand was consolidated up into the ASR Co. with GEM and Ever-Ready. It's hard not to think that ASR may have been rubbing Star's nose in it just a little, releasing the "old" razors under their name while GEM moved forward with the newest designs. They did the same thing with the 1912-style, too.

The GJB frame is probably my all-time favorite SE, and I have a Star-branded one just like this on my bathroom counter right now. It's an extremely nimble shaver with great access to the blade without going over-the-top aggressive.

Very cool. I love the Stars and Kampfes. I call them early 20th century industrial art.

I have one. I found that with a CVS blade the shave was mild and poor; however, with a Ted Pella SE blade the shave was very good. YMMV. If the shave is not satisfactory, experiment with different brands of blade.

Thanks guys! I hope to give it a shot in the next few days! I hope it shaves as good as my Demaskeen!

They are a work of art. I have yet to acquire one of these(Kampfe, Star,Asr, etc.".

Great find! I am always on the lookout for one to add to my AD collection.