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Micromatic Monday

Micromatic Monday Approaches!!! Not too long ago I picked up a Yankee lather catcher for (what I thought at the time) was a very reasonable price (at least these days). Thinking about Tom (@HoosierTrooper ) and other veterans of the "earlier days" of this hobby, when you could find a $2 Double Ring in the wild and the proprietor would toss in a couple of complimentary "unidentified razor-like objects" like a Gem Zinn or Yankee lather catcher, since no one would pay the $0.50 price. I'm sure it wasn't THAT awesome....but that's how my jealous mind paints it.

Anyway, back to the Yankee. As the predecessor of Ever-Ready, which is one of our ASR brands, I figured I'd sneak it in for a GEMonday. My Yankee has a slight mechanical problem -- it originally had a push button type latch which held the clam-shell body together, and allowed you to open the body up (presumably for ease of cleaning?). So I was disappointed -- and annoyed with myself for not looking closely enough -- but the good news is that it's easy enough to "wire" the body closed, so the razor is completely usable....and I don't really see the need to flip it open for cleaning (although I could take the wire off, if I needed to).

I'm also going to use a different handle than it's "original". There's nothing wrong with the original, but honestly, the ultra-short Lather Catcher handles just aren't my favorite. I prefer something in the low to mid-80's (millimeters, that is), and I'm okay with going as high as 92mm (although that is starting to push the envelope for my preferences).
So true! I could usually find all kinds of stuff at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores but haven't found much of anything lately. A manager at a Goodwill store I frequent told me a couple years ago that they aren't putting many personal hygiene items on the sales floor any more. I think some antique stores have realized there is a market for vintage shaving equipment and are trying to capitalize on it. I saw a beat up old Tech with a nasty blade in it with a price tag of $45 on it setting out in the open at an antique store. I told the owner it was kind of dangerous with the blade in it since a kid or someone not familiar with it could get cut handling it so I offered to remove the blade. She declined, saying the vintage blade made it more valuable so I put it back and left.

Congratulations on the Yankee, truly a piece of art from the early days of SE's!
 
Micromatic Monday 5th SOTD
Cream Suezbana Aloe & Lavender
Brush Yaqi 24mm Sagrada Familia
Razor GEM Junior
Blade GEM Stainless 3rd (Stropped & was awesomely nice)
Post & Aftershaves Ice Water + Stirling Witchhazel MitA + Hyaluronic + Reuzel Wood & Spice
Very good lather from the cream today. Pleasant medium scent, thickly creamy and very slick...just beautiful!
Shave with razor paired with the blade was so smooth yet crisp, comfortable, and efficient. 3passes without issues for a mostly bbs result. The aftershaves were terrific! All in a very enjoyable session! Rating 9.8/10!
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Razor: GEM Micromatic Clog Pruf - Peerless (brass)1945
Blade: GEM (Personna) PTFE (4)
Brush: Dscosmetic - Green Handle Super Badger Fan (24mm)
Pre-Shave: Innisfree - Green Tea Foam Cleanser
Lather: Canada Shaving Soap - Unscented
Aftershave: Innisfree - Green Tea Balancing Skin EX (Toner)
Additional Care:
Innisfree - Green Tea Balancing Lotion EX
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My shave with the Clog Pruf went just fine. Quite an improvement over my last MMOC shave. I did noticed that this Peerless Clog Pruf gave very audible feedback which allowed me to get the razor as flat as I can and still hear it doing it’s job.
I got my BBS and my face is nice and smooth, but I’m still having my suspicions that this GEM PTFE might not have started off with the factory edge I’ve come to be used to. It’s either that or my switching between DE and SE is skewing my perception.
Anyway, I’m smooth and my skin feels soft with a nice matte finish.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
MMMonday, April 5th 2021

Razor: Gem Micromatic clog proof(Peerless model 17nib SB)- MFG 1945-46, excellent mid range, well built TTO, great results.
Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE(2) excellent blade, very sharp, great longevity, smooths out nicely + predictable.
Soap: Razorock Irsh country side- mild scent, excellent lather qualities. One of my slickest soaps offering good protection.
Brush: Yaqi rainbow 26mm brown whiskers, excellent lather generator, cloud like soft tips, great scrub + excellent lather painter.
The handle is a little larger than most but feels really nice in the hand ergonomically.
Pre shave: Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser + a dollop of Aloe Vera gel on the cleaned beard area.
Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG t pickups.
Post shave: Fine fresh Vetiver with witch hazel + a dollop of Nivea balm.
Results: CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + no weepers = :a17: Excellent shave with my Gem Peerless Micromatic Clog Pruf + a coated Gem blade.
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Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these Times!
 
April 5th: MMM Shave

GEM MMOC / Personna GEM (3rd)
Tabac Original / 30mm Tuxedo
Tabac Original Splash
Tabac Original Balm

Results: Wow, that was a great shave, performing the standard 3 pass shave, taking my time, on 3-4 days growth. The MMOC mows through multiple days growth with ease. End result, perfect BBS.
 
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Razor: Gem Feather Weight Deluxe
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE Stainless Steel Blade
Brush: Rick Montalvo Grade A Silvertip Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Razorock Mudder Focker
Aftershave: Shannon's 25th Street Lime splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
Imperial Leather Talcum Powder
 
Have taken some time off from BBB and Monday is usually a skip day for me but...

GEM flying wing (w/guiding eye)
GEM PTFE (5th use)
WCS Beacon black synth
Proraso Red (tub)
Finished with a cold rinse, Thayers WH, and Clubman VIBR.

Great DFS shave. Since recommitting to figuring out the Damaskeen, I had a bit of a splurge picking up a 1st gen Featherweight, the Flying wing, and an ER 1914...tending to use them on days where I have more time but all excellent performers! :001_smile
 
Hello All! First GEMonday shave for me in over a month due to the FFFMM. I have missed my GEMs and of course you.

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GEM Damaskeen / GEM Personna SS PTFE
Mojo Handcrafts
Tabac, Tabac, Tabac

Thankfully I hadn't entirely forgotten proper technique for a GEM. A very nice shave from a very nice razor. Wonderful to be back.
 
Star, E-R, Gem Monday

>Kampfe Improved Star for pass 1
>E-R 1914 little lather catcher to hit the detailing on pass 2 and touch up. I wanted greater accuracy than I have yet mastered with the full blown Star lather catcher.
>Gem stainless blade (4). I am starting to doubt there is any PTFE on this one. It came included with a vintage razor lot. No pedigree.
>prepped with a Palmolive stick
>lathered copiously with mentholated Palmolive cream. I was craving the cool!
>E-R lucite vintage knot boar
>Badger blend AS - Lucky Old Man, as per dmshaver
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Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
SE SOTD, Tue, April 6th 2021, A.S.R shave today.

Razor: Everready 1914- Mfg 1914-17, one of the best mid range razors that uses a Gem blade, great audio feedback, excellent results with this razor 95%> of the time. Easy razor to work the face + no blade tap overhang.
Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE (2) excellent blade, great longevity, smooths out nicely and very predictable.
Soap: Razorock Irish country side, excellent soap, mild scent + excellent lather qualities.
Brush: Yaqi Lucky dice 26 mm tuxedo knot, excellent lather generator, cloud like soft tips + great scrubber + excellent painter and the handle is great for large handed folks.
Pre shave: Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser + a dollop of clear Aloe Vera Gel on cleaned beard area.
Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave: Razorock XXX with witch hazel + a dollop of Nivea balm.
Results: CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + 1 chin weeper= :a17:Excellent shave with my ER 1914 + coated Gem blade.

SE SOTD, April 6th 2021.jpg


Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these times!
 
I am starting to doubt there is any PTFE on this one. It came included with a vintage razor lot. No pedigree.
Same as the one I’m using now. I have a bunch of freebies included by vendors with vintage razor purchases. The vendors say they are PTFE, but who’s to know as GEM (Personna) don’t place any markings on the blade.
 

Flintstone65

Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
I'm late posting my GEMonday shave; but here is the "Yankee". The software was Petrichor from B&M and the Yaqi Familia Sagrada brush (not pictured). The blade was a broken-in GEM SS PTFE.

The shave was a decent CCS-DFS-BBS, especially given the condition of the Yankee. Not only is the button gone which holds the clam shell closed (I replaced it with a black twisty-tie.....classy, right?); but the side clips are broken and fixed into place. They should have a spring movement which allows you to push up with your finger when you're loading the blade, but these are likely to never move again, so the blade goes in rather roughly. On the plus side, the blade is fairly locked in, once it's in place and the back clip is up. Last comment is that the best looking and feeling handle for this razor is not it's original short-and-stubby one, but rather the elegant craftsmanship of @camoloc.
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As you can see this ol' Yankee has definitely seen a few shaves -- and perhaps had some rough travels. But this Yank can still hold a blade and remove some whiskers....oh, and the razor still shaves really well too. ;)
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
Missed Monday, but I used a glow-in-the-dark slant razor, so it was a different good. Had the Micromatic on deck for today and it was smooth and close.

Hoping to be able to use the mahogany-scented soap without irritation soon. Then I can have Mentholated Micromatic Mogno Mondays.
 
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