Bought a GEM Micromatic - Should I be afraid?

There really isn't anything to be worried about. as alluded to above, the angle with which you hold it to your face will be a bit different, but if you just let the top of the razor lay flat on your face as you shave, you should be ok.

as with any new tool like this, just go slow and steady at first.

you probably can find new SE blades at a supermarket or drug store in your area.

I've managed to stave off the urge to shave all day (not easy), so tomorrow morning I'll be greeting the MMOC and Gem PTFE combo with 2 days worth to road test!

Absolutely horrible.

No, kidding

It was fantastic and crazy close. Great blade feedback on two days worth of stubble. No blade chatter.

Of course after researching reviews about the Micromatic OC I had approached this shave being mindful of all the usual technique requirements and allowed sufficient time (this is important with unfamiliar razors). Don't rush your shave and don't treat the razor like you're holding a Merkur 34C

Prep was a thorough face wash with hot soapy water. With face still wet, squirted a dollop of Proraso green into my stainless shave bowl, add a few drops of glycerin and use my barber pole Razorock Plissoft and begin whipping up something resembling Cool Whip, then proceeded to get down to business.

Blade was a brand new Gem Personna PTFE.

All I really had to do (as posted by all others previously) was be mindful of pressure and angle. Keep angle as shallow as possible and only tweak it slightly more steeply where necessary. Keep strokes short.

My pattern is always the same - one N/S pass top to bottom, followed by XTG on cheeks and S/N on neck. I was apprehensive about this S/N on neck with this "new" razor but being mindful of pressure/angle, it worked. The pattern I'm seeing is the first N/S pass gets much closer with SE than when using DE. I could probably skip the second pass for many situations unless I need the shave to last much farther into the day.

There were no cuts, no errors. The handle of the Micromatic is comfortable and easier for me to work with than the skinnier handles common on many other SE's, and this is a big help maintaining good angle when working the neck area.

The folks that hacked themselves up with the Gem Micromatic OC in past reviews either used bad blades (entirely possible with SE), kept the handle too low, used excess pressure, or any combination of those. It is not a tool to be trifled with but when employed with good prep, a good blade and proper technique will reward you with a great shave!

Be afraid, very, very afraid! Now that you have the MMOC, and discovered the great, easy shave it gives, your other razors will disappear under the dust on the shelf, or worse, will appear here on the BS&T.

It looks meaner than it is.

Yeah, it's not that bad, the 1924 feels more aggressive to me.

Jacquers said:

Yeah, it's not that bad, the 1924 feels more aggressive to me.

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I just shaved with the Clog-Pruf this morning and it completely blew me away!

I use the Gem Micromatic OC daily. I prefer the Blue Star blades. If you are wanting to try different blades, http://www.myotcstore.com/ carry Pal, Blue Star, Treet, and the Gem SS blades. Sometime the Blue Star are 12 packs of 10 for under $26 dollars. (Not today, but every couple of months the price drops for a while.) Tedpella.com also sells 121-1GEM[SIZE=-1][SUP]®[/SUP][/SIZE] Carbon Steel Blades, box/200. Some people do not like them. I get a good close shave from them. You already have used his 121-3 Single Edge, PTFE- Coated, Stainless Steel Blades, box/200.