I stand corrected, then. I thought Gem was still selling a "lather catcher" in 1912 and advertising for the patent 1912 didn't appear unti a few years later.
-Clarke
-Clarke
Interest in the Gem
- Thread starter Danricgro
- Start date
i guess it falls to me to be the voice of dissent.
i want to like SE razors. i really do. not trusting myself with a straight, they represent the closest thing i can reasonably expect to a genuine straight razor shave...but after trying a g-bar, a 1912, an ever-ready and now a featherweight, i still cannot seem to manage a shave that is irritation and weeper free.
perhaps it's my angle, my technique, the growth pattern of my whiskers, but i cannot seem to get everything cooking. with a DE, it's no trouble at all. with an SE, it's a big bag of hurt.
this is one of those times when YMMV really does apply. i so want to enjoy these razors, but it's hard to justify the struggle when i have a cabinet full of great DE's. : (
i'd welcome any tips on angle, stretching, upper lip management...etc
i want to like SE razors. i really do. not trusting myself with a straight, they represent the closest thing i can reasonably expect to a genuine straight razor shave...but after trying a g-bar, a 1912, an ever-ready and now a featherweight, i still cannot seem to manage a shave that is irritation and weeper free.
perhaps it's my angle, my technique, the growth pattern of my whiskers, but i cannot seem to get everything cooking. with a DE, it's no trouble at all. with an SE, it's a big bag of hurt.
this is one of those times when YMMV really does apply. i so want to enjoy these razors, but it's hard to justify the struggle when i have a cabinet full of great DE's. : (
i'd welcome any tips on angle, stretching, upper lip management...etc
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
i guess it falls to me to be the voice of dissent.
i want to like SE razors. i really do. not trusting myself with a straight, they represent the closest thing i can reasonably expect to a genuine straight razor shave...but after trying a g-bar, a 1912, an ever-ready and now a featherweight, i still cannot seem to manage a shave that is irritation and weeper free.
perhaps it's my angle, my technique, the growth pattern of my whiskers, but i cannot seem to get everything cooking. with a DE, it's no trouble at all. with an SE, it's a big bag of hurt.
this is one of those times when YMMV really does apply. i so want to enjoy these razors, but it's hard to justify the struggle when i have a cabinet full of great DE's. : (
i'd welcome any tips on angle, stretching, upper lip management...etc
I had the same problem, what helped me was dedicating a week to the SE. It is different, but at the end I was won over. Watch the angle, go slow, no pressure. But it did take a week of sub-par shaves to get to BBS. The GEM Micromatic is my favorite
Some of the easiest razors to accumulate are GEMs. It seems like I don't even try and I buy one. You know, I see something I think looks nice going for $5 and I say what the heck, I'll throw $7 in. And I get it.
View attachment 109185
It's not a lot of GEMs, but I don't even use them!
-jim
View attachment 109185
It's not a lot of GEMs, but I don't even use them!
-jim
+1 on the week of SE! I have come across many razors that have been pretty rough shaving on the first several tries, but once I dedicate a week to their use, more often than not, I start to see great results. Every razor has a slightly different technique required to get BBS shaves, it can take some time to fine tune your skills for each one.
oh they were still selling lather catchers, but the gem deluxe actually came out in 1912.
so, an update...
i took the advice of my peers and decided to use the GEM for a week, fully expecting my face to be ripped up and hurting by the second day.
to prepare, i did something i have never done before. i lathered up the back of my hand and shaved it, varying the angle until i could feel exactly where the blade bit and where the harshness started.
for me, it was far less vertical than the illustrations in the GEM instructions. i'd say roughly 30 degrees off the face. at any rate, i got a decent shave and the next day i got a better one and so on.
needless to say, after so much frustration, this is a welcome improvement. i bought, or i should say, rebought a 1912 gem jr. so i can try shaving with something that feels a bit nicer than my featherweight
i'll also be busting out the lather catcher again. the shave this morning was easy, close and enjoyable...everything SE fans have been saying.
it feels great to finally get similar results
i took the advice of my peers and decided to use the GEM for a week, fully expecting my face to be ripped up and hurting by the second day.
to prepare, i did something i have never done before. i lathered up the back of my hand and shaved it, varying the angle until i could feel exactly where the blade bit and where the harshness started.
for me, it was far less vertical than the illustrations in the GEM instructions. i'd say roughly 30 degrees off the face. at any rate, i got a decent shave and the next day i got a better one and so on.
needless to say, after so much frustration, this is a welcome improvement. i bought, or i should say, rebought a 1912 gem jr. so i can try shaving with something that feels a bit nicer than my featherweight
i'll also be busting out the lather catcher again. the shave this morning was easy, close and enjoyable...everything SE fans have been saying.
it feels great to finally get similar results
I've been getting fantastic shaves with Treet SE blades from Rite Aid. I only get 3 good shaves with one, but it's cheaper and closer than a cartridge razor.
I recently bought a UK-made Ever Ready 1912 for 99p. It looks like it's in original condition.
It comes with vintage blades but I have ordered some modern GEM blades. As soon as it arrives, I'll give it a try.
It comes with vintage blades but I have ordered some modern GEM blades. As soon as it arrives, I'll give it a try.
After reading your post and some of the responses, I pulled out my Gem Jr. for today's shave. I had a couple of day's growth.
Usually, with my DE's and injectors, I go with 4 pass and touch up. With the Gem and the stiffer blade, 3 pass for BBS. A couple of weepers, nothing that my RazRock couldn't plug. Probably due to my technique.
I found it especially good ATG on my neck. I think the stiffer blade is less irritating here than a DE blade.
I may put this back into the main rotation.
Usually, with my DE's and injectors, I go with 4 pass and touch up. With the Gem and the stiffer blade, 3 pass for BBS. A couple of weepers, nothing that my RazRock couldn't plug. Probably due to my technique.
I found it especially good ATG on my neck. I think the stiffer blade is less irritating here than a DE blade.
I may put this back into the main rotation.
