I now own an SE as RAD hit during the auction

I'm a DE open comb shaver but RAD hit during the auction so now I own this beauty.



Any tips on what to do differently from a DE? Also anyone got any blades I can try out? How long do blades typically last in this? Yeah, I have little clue what I bought but the word aggressive always turns my crank.

I have two SE razors and they're quickly becoming my go to razors. They shave great and from what I've heard the blades last twice as long as a DE blade. I don't have your style (mine is a GEM Demaskeen and a Star) so I don't know how it will shave but SE's are surprisingly popular so I'm sure you'll enjoy it. My first shave with both of mine was amazing! Nice find!

Post this in the SE forum, and you should get plenty of help. CVS Pharmacy carries Gem blades. Use these. Shaving with this will be different then DE shaving. The angle is almost flat against the face. Blades can last almost 3 times longer.

Thanks. Maybe an administrator can move this? I wasnt aware of the SE forum and will check it out.

The angle is going to be different than a DE. Hold it flat against your face and lower it slightly until it begins to cut. This is an aggressive razor. The blades, for most people, seem to last about twice as long as a DE, on average. YMMV.

Welcome to the SE forum and the world of SE razors. You are now the proud owner of an Ever-Ready 1924, often referred to as a "Shovelhead." It is generally regarded as one of the more agressive SE razors. 1924 does not refer to a patent date, but rather the year in which ads for the razor appeared in the major mail order catalogs of the time.

Blade selection is much more limited than DE's. Your main choice is stainless vs carbon steel. It is very much a YMMV thing, with both types having their devoted followers. The carbon blades must be removed from the razor and dried after each shave, otherwise they will rust. Carbon blades are widely available at major drug store chains (CVS, Rite Aid, etc.). There is a link to a discussion of blades in the INFO POST sticky at the top of the forum.

Don't try to use blades from a hardware store. They look the same, but are made for paint scrapers and box cutters and do not have the same quality edge.

The shaving angle is different from DE's, a very shallow angle with the cap of the razor almost touching the face. The feel is also different, as the SE blades are more rigid than DE's. Use minimal pressure, letting the weight of the razor do the cutting.

A word of warning: I discovered SE razors a few months ago. I now have 41 of them (with 2 more on the way) and cannot remember when I last shaved with a DE.

--Bob

Welcome to the Wonderful World of SE!
the 1924 is a very underrated razor.

I'm a tad concerned with the angles I may need based on the size of the head and the very shallow angle necessary but I will have to just try it out and go with negative pressure. I moved up in aggressiveness from about a level 4 DE (RR Mission) to an open comb RR Little Bastone level 6.5. Then to a NEW LC. This is probably closer to straight territory. I'm excited and will report back when it arrives and I take the leap.

The conventional wisdom is to start with the cap right against your face and raise it just until you cut whiskers, which you will hear as well as feel - SE razors, and the 1924 in particular have excellent audible feedback. And as with any just about any razor, minimal pressure.

The 1924 is agressive, but nothing like a Micromatic Open Comb, at least not to me (YMMV). Also, when you first load up a blade and see how much of the blade is exposed, it can be a little intimidating.



--Bob

That's a whole lot o' blade. Nice pic.

SEs are pretty nice shavers and you will find the angle quickly...I found it pretty quick to learn and get a great shave!

Nice score. See below.

DaltonGang said:

Post this in the SE forum, and you should get plenty of help. CVS Pharmacy carries Gem blades. Use these. Shaving with this will be different then DE shaving. The angle is almost flat against the face. Blades can last almost 3 times longer.

Click to expand...

i_dont_bite said:

I'm a DE open comb shaver but RAD hit during the auction so now I own this beauty.

View attachment 510034

Any tips on what to do differently from a DE? Also anyone got any blades I can try out? How long do blades typically last in this? Yeah, I have little clue what I bought but the word aggressive always turns my crank.

Click to expand...

Congrats on picking up a lovely looking razor! I was the one who picked up the other SE on the auction, the GEM g-bar. Like you, I've got no experience using these single edge razors but I can't wait for it to arrive in the post!! Hope it goes well for ya...

That is definitely a 1924; however, there are at least two different 1924s. One has flatter comb teeth and more blade exposure and the other has a rounded comb teeth and feels considerably milder. It is difficult for me to tell from the picture that you posted which one you have, but if I had to guess, I would say it is the more aggressive one. If you can post a closer picture of the comb, I can probably tell you for sure.

The more mild 1924 is my current favorite SE razor. It is like a smoother version of the 1912. Shaves like an aggressive razor but actually feels mild. The more aggressive one has considerably more blade feel and has an audibly lower pitch and louder sound when it is in the act of cutting. The milder 24 sounds rather high and "tinny" in comparison as well as being less voluminous. Both are really nice shavers.

Yours is beautiful and I hope you like the shave.

AnthonyD said:

That is definitely a 1924; however, there are at least two different 1924s. One has flatter comb teeth and more blade exposure and the other has a rounded comb teeth and feels considerably milder. It is difficult for me to tell from the picture that you posted which one you have, but if I had to guess, I would say it is the more aggressive one. If you can post a closer picture of the comb, I can probably tell you for sure.

The more mild 1924 is my current favorite SE razor. It is like a smoother version of the 1912. Shaves like an aggressive razor but actually feels mild. The more aggressive one has considerably more blade feel and has an audibly lower pitch and louder sound when it is in the act of cutting. The milder 24 sounds rather high and "tinny" in comparison as well as being less voluminous. Both are really nice shavers.

Yours is beautiful and I hope you like the shave.

Click to expand...

Wow! I feel as though I'm getting prepared for quite a symphony. Shaver is in transit. I will post a close-up of the teeth when it arrives. Xmas is coming early this year!

To respond to some earlier suggestions re: blades we don't have CVS in Canada but blades are on the way from a generous B&B member (Thanks Bushhippi) to get me started. I'm hesitant to order a 100/200 pack until I know I enjoy the shaver.

DaltonGang said:

Post this in the SE forum, and you should get plenty of help. CVS Pharmacy carries Gem blades. Use these. Shaving with this will be different then DE shaving. The angle is almost flat against the face. Blades can last almost 3 times longer.

Click to expand...

That's pretty much my advice. You have an everready shovel head there. I have a couple of those. The flat surface at the top of the head is close to the right angle. Lay that flat surface directly against the face and tilt is a few degrees toward the edge until you hear the ripping off tape shaving sound. That's the right angle.

I think you're going to enjoy this SE. Looks like you did a great job in picking one in nice shape.
Single edge razors do work best at a shallower angle than DE's. You'll also find that the blades do last longer, depending on how tough your whiskers are. Used properly with a quality blade, you find they shave as well and by some reportedly better than a DE.

One of the main points to remember is that you are using a blade that is substantially thicker than the DE blade, and less forgiving. If you shave a bump of some kind, the bump may be removed by the blade, so a little extra care is needed.

The best current readily available blade I am aware of are the Gem Super Stainless, which does provide a wonderful shave, and some have reported up to 15 shaves on one blade. Second choice might be the standard Gem SE which is a carbon steel blade. The packages look very similar and the word stainless is generally marked on the right front of the package. Each blade also is stamped "Stainless."

Just for fun I have used virtually single edge blade I could get my hands on and shaved with them, just for fun to see if they work. To my surprise, many of the hardware store blades actually worked quite well. Not up to the standard of the Gem Super Stainless, but much better than I expected, and would actually work in a pinch if you don't mind doing an additional pass or two, and some touchup.
Have fun and enjoy your new SE

AnthonyD said:

That is definitely a 1924; however, there are at least two different 1924s. One has flatter comb teeth and more blade exposure and the other has a rounded comb teeth and feels considerably milder. It is difficult for me to tell from the picture that you posted which one you have, but if I had to guess, I would say it is the more aggressive one. If you can post a closer picture of the comb, I can probably tell you for sure.

The more mild 1924 is my current favorite SE razor. It is like a smoother version of the 1912. Shaves like an aggressive razor but actually feels mild. The more aggressive one has considerably more blade feel and has an audibly lower pitch and louder sound when it is in the act of cutting. The milder 24 sounds rather high and "tinny" in comparison as well as being less voluminous. Both are really nice shavers.

Yours is beautiful and I hope you like the shave.

Click to expand...

Here it is. What's the call on the milder / aggressive one?