Tell me about this GEM 1912 razor I just purchased for $4.99

[Psychtec]

Hello all,

Does this 1912 have a name? Can someone educate me with the history of this razor. What makes it different than other 1912’s?

Does anyone have this 1912? How does it shave? I just cleaned it and will use it tomorrow. I got it hoping the handle would fit my 1924 ER Shovel head. I am sad. It doesn’t.

Please educate me about my new purchase. I know 1912’s have “GEM” on the spine. This one doesn’t have that. The spine is usually flat. This one is curved. The closed comb teeth are usually not as pronounced. This one is very pronounced. The handle is usually hexagon, ornamental or smooth. This one has vertical lines.

 

[cvixx]

They cut your beard about as well as any Gem/Treet/EverSharp will. Just don’t use hardware store blades! Trust me, they may be great at cutting wood or fabric, but your face will look like a WW1 battlefield. If you decide you like a single edge blade, I buy mine, as well as injector blades, from Electron Microscopy Sciences. They carry scalpels and such.

 

[Buttercup]

Hello all,

Does this 1912 have a name? Can someone educate me with the history of this razor. What makes it different than other 1912’s?

Does anyone have this 1912? How does it shave? I just cleaned it and will use it tomorrow. I got it hoping the handle would fit my 1924 ER Shovel head. I am sad. It doesn’t.

Please educate me about my new purchase. I know 1912’s have “GEM” on the spine. This one doesn’t have that. The spine is usually flat. This one is curved. The closed comb teeth are usually not as pronounced. This one is very pronounced. The handle is usually hexagon, ornamental or smooth. This one has vertical lines.

My semi-educated guess is that this GEM 1912 was likely part of a travel set of some sort. The short, "squat" head was made to fit in a small case. I have a GEM 1912 in a small case. My razor does say "GEM" on the back. I have no idea what the official name would be, other than a GEM 1912 or sometimes referred to as a Squat Head. If you had a case then there might be a specific name for the set. You can search the forum for "squat head" and see what I'm talking about.

As far as how it shaves, you'll have to find out. I've got over a handful of different 1912 razors and they nearly all shave a bit differently. Sorry, not trying to cop out on an answer but it is the truth. Hope this helps and maybe someone else with more knowledge can offer up better information.

Good luck with the shave and enjoy you vintage SE journey!

 

[Alum Ladd]

Hello all,

Does this 1912 have a name? Can someone educate me with the history of this razor. What makes it different than other 1912’s?

Does anyone have this 1912? How does it shave? I just cleaned it and will use it tomorrow. I got it hoping the handle would fit my 1924 ER Shovel head. I am sad. It doesn’t.

Please educate me about my new purchase. I know 1912’s have “GEM” on the spine. This one doesn’t have that. The spine is usually flat. This one is curved. The closed comb teeth are usually not as pronounced. This one is very pronounced. The handle is usually hexagon, ornamental or smooth. This one has vertical lines.

Pretty much the sum of all B&B knowledge on the evolution of these razors and the rich variety of types can be found on this American Safety Razor Dating Chart - Gem, Ever Ready, Kampfe Star - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/american-safety-razor-dating-chart-gem-ever-ready-kampfe-star.566585/ thread.

Pretty sure you can ID it from this.

Good luck!

 

[Psychtec]

“squat head”

Never heard of. I will do as you suggested. Thank you for the start of a new journey. Much appreciated.

 

[kingfisher]

The last one is a shovelhead. The head cover opens up backwards. The shaving angle is a bit shallower than most Gem-style razors.

 

[Whiterook]

The last one is a shovelhead. The head cover opens up backwards. The shaving angle is a bit shallower than most Gem-style razors.

Yeah, an ER 1924 photo has been sneaked into the photos! Was this a test?

 

[NorthernSoul]

Yeah, an ER 1924 photo has been sneaked into the photos! Was this a test?

The OP said he was hoping the 1914 handle would fit the Shovelhead he already had, but the handles don't interchange.

 

[Psychtec]

I shaved with my $4.99 1912 GEM for the first time. I used a new PAL CS blade.

Wow

I shaved my face and then I shaved my head. This razor surprised me. It was mildly heavy. The handle was just the right length. It provided a firm grip. Not the best.

It provided a very close, very smooth, comfortable shave. Mildly aggressive. Finding the correct angle was automatic. I placed the head cap on my face. I adjusted the angle a little, until I felt hair being cut. I used short strokes with blade buffing like usual. It was very easy to use, like I have used it many times before. Very audible, which I prefer. Easy to tell when hair was being removed.

It felt very safe to use. At no time did I think I would nick or cut myself. During clean up when using Oxy Pad to sanitize, there was little to no stinging. Hours after shaving little to no skin irritation.

I am a 100% SE user. I do not use DE’s. I enjoy how SE blades shave, compared to DE blades. To me, SE blades provide a closer, smoother, more comfortable shave. I only use PAL CS and GEM PTFE SS blades. CS blades provide a more smooth, comfortable shave. SS blades provide the same shave, but last longer.

CS: 3 face/head shaves, 2 pass face shave, 1 pass head shave

SS: 3-5 face/head shaved, 2 pass face shave, 1 pass head shave

Before today I owned only one razor type, the 1924 ER Shovel head.

After today this GEM 1912 will be my daily driver. Sorry, Shovel head, you are now a back up.

The 1912 was challenging to clean compared to my 1924. That alone will cause me to use my Shovel head a few times weekly.

I would recommend this 1912 to both the new and experienced.

 

[Psychtec]

We’re all 1912 GEM razors manufactured in 1912?

I know the patent was 1912.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

We’re all 1912 GEM razors manufactured in 1912?

I know the patent was 1912.

No, they were made well into the 1940’s. The Ever-Ready version didn’t come out until 1930.

 

[Psychtec]

HoosierTrooper

Thank you very much.

Three questions:

1. I noticed the 1912 came out with several different handles.

Is there significance in the different handles?

2.Can you narrow down the year my handle was made?

3. Most 1912’s have the word GEM on the spine.

What is the significance of mine not having it on the spine?

 

[HoosierTrooper]

HoosierTrooper

Thank you very much.

Three questions:

1. I noticed the 1912 came out with several different handles.

Is there significance in the different handles?

2.Can you narrow down the year my handle was made?

3. Most 1912’s have the word GEM on the spine.

What is the significance of mine not having it on the spine?

No idea why they had various handles, my guess it was just a way to give customers some variety. Yours was made sometime in the 20’s, ASR was coming out with different cased models pretty frequently during that time and a lot of them were small, presumably travel models. I have several of the smaller ones like yours, my guess is there just wasn’t enough room to stamp GEM on the back of the frame. Here are a couple of mine, they’re identical except for the handles, round cover plates with no bezel like the early Damaskeene models but no warning/advertisement inside the frame to use only Damaskeene blades.

 

[Psychtec]

Please advice.

Is there a way to fit the head of my 1912 GEM with the handles of my other two razors, a 1924 Shovel head and a 1912 GEM Jr? They share the same handle threads.

The threads of the 1912 handle is too small to fit either.

I thought all of the 1912, GEM, Ever ready handles were all interchangeable with the various heads. I was incorrect.

I would like to use the Bakelite parade wide handle on the 1912. It is my go to handle.

Is their an “adapter” I can purchase to screw into the Bakelite handle that would than screw into the head of the 1912?

Would, Ace Hardware or a place like that have something like that? Would it be expensive?

I have had my 1912 for over a week, now. It is my daily driver. The head is fantastic. The handle is not my favorite. The Bakelite handle is my favorite.

 

[Psychtec]

No idea why they had various handles, my guess it was just a way to give customers some variety. Yours was made sometime in the 20’s, ASR was coming out with different cased models pretty frequently during that time and a lot of them were small, presumably travel models. I have several of the smaller ones like yours, my guess is there just wasn’t enough room to stamp GEM on the back of the frame. Here are a couple of mine, they’re identical except for the handles, round cover plates with no bezel like the early Damaskeene models but no warning/advertisement inside the frame to use only Damaskeene blades.

View attachment 1701168View attachment 1701169

You are a wealth of information.
Thank you for your response. Everything you said my sense, like usual.

Those are very nice examples of 1912 GEM’s. I hope you enjoy the way they shave as much as I do.
After about a week of use, my 1924 was demoted to backup. The 1912 is now my daily driver.

 

[Whiterook]

Is their an “adapter” I can purchase to screw into the Bakelite handle that would than screw into the head of the 1912?

Contact @GAW9576 who has made handle adapters for me in the past

 

[Frito Ray]

Well no one has said anything so far so…

$4.99... you sir officially suck!

 

[Tanuki]

Well no one has said anything so far so…

$4.99... you sir officially suck!

In my experience the $5 to $10 1912s are out there in the vintage stores, waiting for buyers.

 

[Tanuki]

@Psychtec , so the 1912 squat head is your favorite and you find the head significantly different from your 1912 with the Bakelite baton handle?

The threads on my squat head 1912 match the threads on my 1912 Damaskeenes. They also interchange pretty well with my two 1914 Little Lather Catchers. The squat head is marked Gem on the back.

All my other 1912s (Gem, E-R, English E-R, Star, Treet, Gem Junior) interchange. The handles have various metal finishes and 'knurlings', and include three Bakelite batons and one skinny Bakelite.

The 1924 Shovelheads have their own thread dimension, but they all seem to interchange with each other.

Also, my @GAW9576 adapter fits the convention 1912s, not the squat head, Damaskeenes, 1914s, or 1924s.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Well no one has said anything so far so…

$4.99... you sir officially suck!

I'm going to presume you said this as insult humor.

It's difficult to measure whether a comment is insult humor or meant as an insult on the Internet.

Please exercise discretion.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.