The 'Shovel Head"

I've seen lots a SE razors now days in pics and I even have a couple myself. I'm still learning them. The 1912 Gem is very smooth and the MMOC is a bit harsh so far but this could be me and/or the blades I'm using. I'd like to find a beautiful Gem Junior Lather Cather? I think that's the one. It has all the scrolling on it and lots of cut out parts on it for lather to go into. Very nice looking for sure. But I regress.

What makes a SE a Shovel Head? Would this be any SE razor? Or a certain design? Help me to learn more on this subject. Thanks.

A shovel head AKA 1924 is the one that the cap attaches to the head at the front instead of the back.

As troy said, it refers to a particular model which was the 1924 and it was known for being the only one where the cap hinged forward. Some say it is aggressive, but it can be a smooth and very efficient razor. I just shaved with it on Thursday and it was a very comfortable two pass shave.

The Gem Jr Lather Catcher may look nice, but it takes some time to find the right angle. Other Gem type razors have a top cap which intuitively gives you the proper shaving angle. the Gem Jr Lather Catcher has just a thin bar that holds the blade to guide you.

I find the round comb '24 to be smooth and just barely more aggressive than the 1912, the square comb version is much more aggressive in my opinion, but a nice close comfortable shaver all the same.

See them side by side here.

I also have an early GEM junior lather catcher without the bar, and it is a fantastic shaver! It works best with a very shallow angle.

As others have mentioned, "shovelhead" is merely an unofficial nickname for the razor officially known as the Ever-Ready 1924.

Fans of Harley Davidson motorcycles don't like it.

Even that isn't really official, as the "1924" was actually introduced circa 1919 and all models say "PAT APP'D FOR" The 1924 designation comes from the year when all the big mail order catalogs popular at the time featured this model.

The first razor with the cap hinged at the comb was actually the British Ever-Ready 1909 (yes, it pre-dates the 1912's) but these are extremely rare.

--Bob

The significance of 1924 is that was the first year that the Shovelhead appeared in a catalog - I once heard it was the Sears and Roebuck Catalog. It may have been in that, or in some other publication. The 1924 and the Shovelhead are one and the same.

I understand now. Thanks for squaring me away on this.
The Gem Junior Lather Cather is such a pretty thing. Id get one just to put in the collection. Cant have enough razors you know. Ha.

Just get two of each, one to use and one to put away.

And thanks for the link to the two different comb styles. 2 of each. I bet one is going to be hard enough to find when i got the money in hand.

On another note...
Ive used the Personna blades i can get at Walgreens. Thinking a thinner blade might serve me better. Any opinions on this?

HazMat Shaver said:

And thanks for the link to the two different comb styles. 2 of each. I bet one is going to be hard enough to find when i got the money in hand.

On another note...
Ive used the Personna blades i can get at Walgreens. Thinking a thinner blade might serve me better. Any opinions on this?

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I'm a big fan of the GEM PTFE coated SS blades. They are undeniably smooth for 4-5 shaves, and I don't toss them until after shave 7.

ciderguy said:

I'm a big fan of the GEM PTFE coated SS blades. They are undeniably smooth for 4-5 shaves, and I don't toss them until after shave 7.

Click to expand...

Good enough for me. Ill order some. Thanks.

HazMat Shaver said:

Good enough for me. Ill order some. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Ok. Just looked around and the ones i bought at walgreens look just like that package. But on my package and the ones i see on line dont say PTFE anywhere so how do you know your getting the right ones? Do they say coated on the blade or something? I might have the right one now so dont want to buy more if they are the same.

I use the ones from Walgreens, they say stainless steel, that's all I use and they're fantastic! They great for 7~8 shaves, but I make em go 10.

The package is similar to this.

Ok. Found some and ordered. From europe but no biggie. 20 bucks for 100 blades. I can live with that. Thanks for the help and PMs.

Yes. Thats what they looked like.

TobyC said:

I find the round comb '24 to be smooth and just barely more aggressive than the 1912, the square comb version is much more aggressive in my opinion, but a nice close comfortable shaver all the same.

See them side by side here.

Click to expand...

I got it backwards!!!!

The round comb is more aggressive!!!

Oh no! Now ill have 100 blades and only two razors that use them. Guess i got to find that shovel head now. Im going to blame it on all of you.

TobyC said:

I find the round comb '24 to be smooth and just barely more aggressive than the 1912, the square comb version is much more aggressive in my opinion, but a nice close comfortable shaver all the same.

See them side by side here.

Click to expand...

In the link to the other thread you state that the round comb is more agressive. Dont confuse me man. Im just a truck driver. Ha. I think i like the look of the rounded teeth better.