The 'first shave with ___ razor' threads can get old, but I thought many of the merkur / gillette crowd may benefit from this thread.
After reading all of the hype about the Gem razors, I decided to stray from my normal merkur / gillette shave and give one a spin. I had acquired an old Micromatic some time ago, but was trying to hold out for my recently purchased 1912 to arrive before I tried the Gems. With 48 hours of stubble growth in place, I couldn't hold out any longer and decided to throw a CVS brand SE blade into the Micromatic last night.
After my usual prep, I started the first WTG reduction pass. The learning curve was very short for me, and I was able to get the proper angle down within the first few strokes. I noticed that the SE blade was giving me much more audible feedback than I'm used to with the DE's. After the first pass, I noticed that I had removed the stubble to a level that exceeds my typical first pass shave. Surprised, I decided to skip my second pass XTG routine and headed straight to an ATG pass. No problem. The Micromatic handled the remaining stubble well, and I was able to achieve a BBS shave after some touch up work to that second pass. The Micromatic felt much more agressive than my typical DE razor, so a light touch and proper technique are key. Those who are prone to razor burn will definitely want to use caution and try to reduce the number of passes made. That said, the Gems have worked their way into my current rotation and I am wanting to try other SE blades that may be of better quality than what I used last night. A Gem is an exceptional shave
After reading all of the hype about the Gem razors, I decided to stray from my normal merkur / gillette shave and give one a spin. I had acquired an old Micromatic some time ago, but was trying to hold out for my recently purchased 1912 to arrive before I tried the Gems. With 48 hours of stubble growth in place, I couldn't hold out any longer and decided to throw a CVS brand SE blade into the Micromatic last night.
After my usual prep, I started the first WTG reduction pass. The learning curve was very short for me, and I was able to get the proper angle down within the first few strokes. I noticed that the SE blade was giving me much more audible feedback than I'm used to with the DE's. After the first pass, I noticed that I had removed the stubble to a level that exceeds my typical first pass shave. Surprised, I decided to skip my second pass XTG routine and headed straight to an ATG pass. No problem. The Micromatic handled the remaining stubble well, and I was able to achieve a BBS shave after some touch up work to that second pass. The Micromatic felt much more agressive than my typical DE razor, so a light touch and proper technique are key. Those who are prone to razor burn will definitely want to use caution and try to reduce the number of passes made. That said, the Gems have worked their way into my current rotation and I am wanting to try other SE blades that may be of better quality than what I used last night. A Gem is an exceptional shave
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and here is my silver 1912 gem jr ornate handle near mint.
