Week of 1912?

**MrGuy** · 04-07-2009, 05:59 PM

OK guys, I love my Micromatics. They are, for me, the best razors in my collection. I started with a bullet tip and honed my SE technique with open combs before trying out the other offerings GEM has made over the years. I guess I never really gave the others a fair chance. A shave here with a Featherweight, a shave there with a G-bar... So I've decided to give the much loved 1912 model a full week of shaves to possibly "re-learn" some technique. Right now they just fall a little short of the Micromatics. Always a little too much blood, never quite BBS, but there must be something good about these razors, right?

I'll start the journey in the morning with a Damaskeene 1912 and a new Ted Pella blade. I'll keep you updated... unless the shaves start going too good, I might keep that to myself

**Bushranger** · 04-07-2009, 06:42 PM

Looking forward to reading your experiences with it. I'm about to step into this myself.

**pablo_h** · 04-07-2009, 08:53 PM

I started yesterday with a damaskeene 1912 and a Gem blade and I'm going to stick with that for a week as well.

**MrGuy** · 04-07-2009, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by pablo_h

I started yesterday with a damaskeene 1912 and a Gem blade and I'm going to stick with that for a week as well.

Alright! Looks like I'll have a little company on my journey

**Bushranger** · 04-08-2009, 12:38 AM

yes, but unlike yourself, this will be my first SE shave....i guess proceed with caution?

**pablo_h** · 04-08-2009, 01:30 AM

Hey, I've only tried it for the first time yesterday!
It went well, way better than my first DE shave. I found it very hard to get any weepers or cuts. I had a bit of irritation, but shaving with a SE seemed very easy, easier than DE.

**spinyeel** · 04-08-2009, 01:50 AM

Solidarity Brothers

Gem's and their single edge mates have been overlooked for way too long.

Thanks to Dave and his cohorts these humble razors are finally getting the respect they deserve.

Gillette always seem to get all the glory.

,But not for long I feel,the number of satisfied users is increasing by the minute.

**Bushranger** · 04-08-2009, 02:34 AM

yes....the surge is coming (buy all the SE while u can!) Looking forward to the blades. Thanks spinyeel. With luck I will get them by Friday's post. Dave, thanks for the referral.

**MrGuy** · 04-08-2009, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by Bushranger

yes, but unlike yourself, this will be my first SE shave....i guess proceed with caution?

Hey Bushranger, as I mentioned in my first post I've been getting outstanding shaves with Micromatics for a long time. I wrote up some of what I learned over in this thread. I would think that the majority of suggestions apply to the 1912 as well, but as I've found the 1912 models just don't seem to work as well for me there must be some differences in technique.
I can't speak for him, but based on many others' posts Dave seems more than willing to help guide guys with all things SE, especially the 1912 models. Heck, if I hadn't started down the SE road before I found B&B, I might have tossed out the Micromatics too

**ambrose** · 04-08-2009, 04:50 AM

You should have invited people to join you in a week ok 1912 gem shaving.

Keep us posted

**MrGuy** · 04-08-2009, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by ambrose

You should have invited people to join you in a week ok 1912 gem shaving.

Keep us posted

Oh man, sorry guys. I'll do that now.
Anyone can join me! Join in when ever you feel like starting. Make it a week of 1912 shaves and feel free to post here. After this, just to be fair, I think I'll do a week of Micromatic, see who's as crazy as me

Maybe I'll give a little heads up before that one, this was kind of a spur of the moment thing

Just got done with shave one. Pretty standard 1912 shave for me. A little bloody on the neck, a little tiny bit of all over irritation. I'm going to credit that to the new Ted Pella blade, which for me is always a little rough in shave one. Other than that it seems to have been a little smoother than usual, still not quite as good as a Micromatic, but better than the last time I used a 1912.

**Bertilak** · 04-08-2009, 06:19 AM

My go-to razor has been a GEM 1912 for a few weeks now.

I am training myself on a straight but always use the GEM to finish up the final ATG pass while I develop my straight technique.

I expect a GEM will always be part of my kit, at least for days when I am in a hurry or just for a change now and then. In the near term it is still a necessity.

I have the attached 1900/1901 Gem Junior Bar in the mail. I hope it shaves as well as the 1912!

**ambrose** · 04-08-2009, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by MrGuy

Oh man, sorry guys. I'll do that now.
Anyone can join me! Join in when ever you feel like starting. Make it a week of 1912 shaves and feel free to post here. After this, just to be fair, I think I'll do a week of Micromatic, see who's as crazy as me

Maybe I'll give a little heads up before that one, this was kind of a spur of the moment thing

Just got done with shave one. Pretty standard 1912 shave for me. A little bloody on the neck, a little tiny bit of all over irritation. I'm going to credit that to the new Ted Pella blade, which for me is always a little rough in shave one. Other than that it seems to have been a little smoother than usual, still not quite as good as a Micromatic, but better than the last time I used a 1912.

Great im in, Today will be my silver 1912 gem jr ornate handle loaded with a gem persona. Lather will be DR Harris lavender lathered up with my rooney 1/3.

No cuts or irritation only super clean DFS. These gems require an added technique, which includes an ultra light pressure and an almost flat against the skin angle.

My first shaves were very bad, I had poor technique with this razor and I also had some bad blades.

Once you find the correct angle great shaves await.

May I recommend you to try a Gem Persona. These are the best I have used so far. Closely followed by the Gem PTFE coated.

**ambrose** · 04-08-2009, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by Robert Paulsen

My go-to razor has been a GEM 1912 for a few weeks now.

I am training myself on a straight but always use the GEM to finish up the final ATG pass while I develop my straight technique.

I expect a GEM will always be part of my kit, at least for days when I am in a hurry or just for a change now and then. In the near term it is still a necessity.

I have the attached 1900/1901 Gem Junior Bar in the mail. I hope it shaves as well as the 1912!

AHHHH SO IT WAS YOU

Im only kidding friend

and Thank you again for the Gem PTFE blades.

**Bertilak** · 04-08-2009, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by ambrose

AHHHH SO IT WAS YOU

Im only kidding friend

and Thank you again for the Gem PTFE blades.

U R welcome on the blades. I hope they work well for you.

Were you also bidding on that GEM Junior Bar? If so I don't think you could have outbid me.

It was one of those things I was willing to pay much more than its intrinsic value (if there is such a thing) so had in a pretty high max bid. (I'm too embarrassed to revel it.) The way I figured it, I won't be spending much more on DE razors so I can work on getting just one or two razors that I really want, and they will of course be in the GEM family.

Anyway, the last two DEs I really wanted went for about $300 -- out of my comfort zone!

**D.Irving79** · 04-08-2009, 08:21 AM

wow, this is awesome

**pablo_h** · 04-08-2009, 08:45 AM

Perseverence pays off hey?
It's great for us new guys, heaps of cheap razors (when compared to DE prices), but probably not so great for collectors that have been going for a while like you

I have quite the swag I've found in the past couple of weeks, mainly GEMs, but a few ever readys. I'm only buying the cased pat 1912 and other old types though!

You still haven't spilled the beans on why my pat 1912 razor had "GEM Cultery Co" on it.

Got any answers for my question RE: blades ?
edit: asked here : http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...t=81038&page=2
two questions that is, any history on the SE blade.
And does my sample pack suck as they all appear to be the same.