GEMini will soon be upon us !

[Haggises]

Day 9 (echo, echo, echo.........)
The Ever Ready 1914, with a palm stropped GEM coated SS (thanks Arley!), a VDH/Portman Square Orange cream mix since it worked so well yesterday, and an SOC boar.

Lather went well again, but (as posted in other thread) this blade/razor combo was amazing!
Will be the first razor I revisit once I've gone 5 days with each razor (1924, Gbar, OCMM remaining).
Wow, just wow!

 

[brianw]

Still Hugging my Damaskeene !!!

 

[rockviper]

So far, so good. Nothing but SEs so far for GEMini.
Yesterday's shave was #7 with the 1912. Blade started tugging, so I will try a new one with today's shave.

 

[Azarius]

 

[rockviper]

First shave on a new GEM PTFE blade in the 1912. Have to say that this was a little rougher than the blade I just trashed after 7 shaves. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

 

[Haggises]

I found the PTFE to be a little rougher than the the non-coated at first. Yesterday I palm stropped and even forearm stropped before loading it it in - seemed to work beautifully for me.

 

[onefallinghope]

Razor: GEM Damaskeene
Blade: GEM PTFE SS (7 and done)
Brush: Semogue 1305
Soap: Uberlather of Proraso Red new formula, VDH Deluxe, and Glycerin
AS: Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum

View attachment 247472

 

[Haggises]

Day 10
ER 1914 with PTFE blade, Razorock and TGN silvertip
DFS but boy did I get too cocky after yesterday's perfect shave.....
the shaving gods do not like arrogance and make you pay for carelessness. Like trying to go ATG without XTG.
Feeling the burn a bit.

 

[rockviper]

First shave on a new GEM PTFE blade in the 1912. Have to say that this was a little rougher than the blade I just trashed after 7 shaves. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I found the PTFE to be a little rougher than the the non-coated at first. Yesterday I palm stropped and even forearm stropped before loading it it in - seemed to work beautifully for me.

After very unsatisfactory, rough WTG and XTG passes with this blade on its 2nd shave in the 1912, I noticed that there was very little gunk in the sink but lots of hair still on my chin. Decided to swap the blade out for another GEM PTFE and, lo and behold, nice and smooth and cutting hair like crazy. I'm relieved it was a bad blade and not a problem with SE shaving (only started this for GEMini).

 

[mikeschu]

OCMM with a Gem Stainless Blade (4), sample of Cella, Speick AS.

The OCMM made lots of noise and cut hairs, but for some reason did horribly going ATG and XTG. I was expecting a little more life out of SE blades than my Astra SPs. Touch-up pass with a Merkur 11C made my face practically BBS.

I binned this blade and may try another - I have a few Ted Pella PTFE's from Garry's Sample Shop and an unopened pack of carbons along with the remaining stainless blades.

 

[Haggises]

Day 11
1914 with PTFE blade, portman square orange cream/vdh/kmf mint for that extra dash of slick.
had fun with angles. Normal angle sounded loud and felt similar to the 1912s. With the blade at a shallower angle, got the quiet smooth shave back. Almost held like a micromatic.
more investigation required!
nice dfs.

 

[rockviper]

Okay, I'm confused..... but SWMBO could tell you that normal for me
Today's shave with the 1912 used the same blade as yesterday but the result was VERY different. Yesterday was a new GEM PTFE which provided a GREAT shave, but today there was all kinds if tugging and pulling and, after 3 passes, I actually had to revert to my DE to get a good result. I don't know why the last two blades are giving me so much problems compared to the first one which lasted for a full 7 shaves. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. *sigh*

 

[onefallinghope]

Okay, I'm confused..... but SWMBO could tell you that normal for me
Today's shave with the 1912 used the same blade as yesterday but the result was VERY different. Yesterday was a new GEM PTFE which provided a GREAT shave, but today there was all kinds if tugging and pulling and, after 3 passes, I actually had to revert to my DE to get a good result. I don't know why the last two blades are giving me so much problems compared to the first one which lasted for a full 7 shaves. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. *sigh*

not to question you, but how is your lather?

I find that I need a "wetter" lather with SE than I do with my DE's and if my lather is a little too dry it will feel like my blade is tugging. just a suggestion from my own personal experience.

 

[rockviper]

not to question you, but how is your lather?

I find that I need a "wetter" lather with SE than I do with my DE's and if my lather is a little too dry it will feel like my blade is tugging. just a suggestion from my own personal experience.

Lather is nice and slick; pretty consistent day to day and using the same soap. Not changing anything: same prep, brush, soap, razor, blade but getting different results. I was very surprised that the blade which worked so well yesterday appeared to be shot today on the 2nd shave.

 

[rockviper]

Swapped to a new blade after my problems yesterday and am happy to report a very nice shave.
Now I'm afraid of tomorrow's shave as my last two blades were dead for shave #2, which is VERY different than 7 shaves from my first blade.

 

[Haggises]

Day 12 and alls well1914 with 3rd shave on a ptfe blade. Gobs of Arko with a SOC boar. Nice smooth shave with the angle kept very shallow. DFS, no irriatation

 

[rockviper]

Another rough shave this morning with a GEM blade on its 2nd shave in the 1912. I hope to have another SE en route shortly as well as more blades. The feel of the 1912 seems to be so natural that there's no way I'm going to give up on SE shaving so fast.

 

[mikeschu]

Taking a break from GEMini as I received a Muhle Fibre Silvertip brush - I need to go to my default setup to get the lather right.

 

[Haggises]

Day 13 (yesterday)
Got 2 shaves in.
first with the 1914, PTFE blades, SOC boar and mounds of Razorock classic/VDH. This once I went from full beard to goatee and managed SAS only due to confusion.

Second evening shave, since I had quite a bit of stubble left.
Started on ER 1924 with a fresh GEM/Personna stainless. Portman Square orange cream/VDH needed some KMF mint for added slickness.
Got myself to somewhere around SAS/CCS land. Contrary to previous experience, this time the 1924 did not seem to be very efficient at all. I think the angles on all these vary enough that it's hard to get right after spending a few days on one type.

 

[rockviper]

Couldn't even get through the WTG pass with 1912 today before having to use the Slim. Hopefully these are just a few bad blades (although the first one was GREAT!). Will be popping in my last SE blade tomorrow and keeping my fingers crossed.