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First shave with an Eveready 1914 lather catcher

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So I got this razor off of eBay very inexpensively and it looked like it was in pretty decent shaving condition but when it arrived it was a mess. A thick buildup of soap scum. Lots of green spots all over the razor and a lot of rust. So after spending some time on getting it cleaned, sterilized and polished I think it cleaned up pretty good considering how bad it looked before. In fact it even smelled really bad. Wish I had done a before and after photo.

So I took it for a spin today with about 30hrs growth.
I was in a hurry so I figured I'd do just a two pass shave with a little buffing.

1st pass WTG it was very clear to me that this was a very efficient razor and I got the angle very quickly and had a very good 1sr pass.
2nd pass XTG ear to nose I got a little bit to confident and took much longer strokes an in turn probably got a little sloppy technique wise and got a nice weeper on my chin which if I'm going to get one that's usually the first place it will happen. So finished the pass and did a cold rinse.
Buffed up my neck cowlick and got a very nice DFS overall but BBS on most of my face from the chin up.
Next time I'll take my time and compare to my MMOC but so far I like this razor. Only thing is I wish it had a little longer heavier handle like some of my other Gems do.
Oh and the blade was on its 4th shave.
 

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Dear Dragon,

Congratulations on your 1914 razor. I like the 1914 Ever-Ready "Little Lather Catcher" razor a lot. To me the 1914 has an appearance and a feeling of refinement and sophistication that other SE razors from that era don't quite have.

On the downside, opening the door may pose a problem for an elderly person or for a person with an arthritic hand. And yes the handle is a little small, but I find one gets used to the handle and it's not really an issue.

The Ever-Ready 1914 razor was made from 1914 to 1929, so in theory this design has seen a lot of history, including WW1, the roaring 1920's, and Prohibition.

I would subjectively rate the major SE razors from the early 20th century in this descending order, and I stress the preferences are very slight:

1924 -- Easiest to load and easiest to clean the head. Most aggressive shaver.
1914 -- Sophistication, refinement, and elegance. Smooth shaver.
1912 -- Very good, but somewhat utilitarian in appearance and performance.
 
Dear Dragon,

Congratulations on your 1914 razor. I like the 1914 Ever-Ready "Little Lather Catcher" razor a lot. To me the 1914 has an appearance and a feeling of refinement and sophistication that other SE razors from that era don't quite have.

On the downside, opening the door may pose a problem for an elderly person or for a person with an arthritic hand. And yes the handle is a little small, but I find one gets used to the handle and it's not really an issue.

The Ever-Ready 1914 razor was made from 1914 to 1929, so in theory this design has seen a lot of history, including WW1, the roaring 1920's, and Prohibition.

I would subjectively rate the major SE razors from the early 20th century in this descending order, and I stress the preferences are very slight:

1924 -- Easiest to load and easiest to clean the head. Most aggressive shaver.
1914 -- Sophistication, refinement, and elegance. Smooth shaver.
1912 -- Very good, but somewhat utilitarian in appearance and performance.
I definitely think I'm going to really like shaving with razor once I get used to the handle and the razor itself. It feels different than my MMOC and1912. Yes the door is not the easiest to get open and in fact to be honest when I first took it out of the package it got shipped in not only did I think man this thing is a freaking mess and that guy must have posted an old picture of this razor cause it sure doesn't look that way now. Also I thought it was missing that little knob at the top of lets say a 1912 which you can just push down on to open of close. Then I put my glasses on and was ok there is no knob and figured out that the two little knobs or whatever you call them are how you lift up the cap. Once I did it a few times Ii got used to it. Now I'm going to have to do a shave comparison with the MMOC to see who would place 1st in the Gem collection.
An thanks for the info!
:thumbsup:
 
Congratulations, you just discovered the best shaving of the Gem blade types. I returned my Sabre because the 1914 beat it out hands down. I have a love/hate relationship with my 1914. I hate the snapping turtle top cap and how hard it is to open it. You have the small stops version which means you have to kind of hold the blade in place while trying to gently close the top cap. The later version has actual hooks like the 1912, making it considerably easier. The handle is something that you will get used to after a while. If you get into the Gem types from around that time, they will all come with small handles like that. Enjoy your razor. Comparing it to the MMOC is easy. Get a coin and flip it and that was the better shaver for that day. As often as I shave with both, I haven't come up with a clear winner yet.
 
Congratulations, you just discovered the best shaving of the Gem blade types. I returned my Sabre because the 1914 beat it out hands down. I have a love/hate relationship with my 1914. I hate the snapping turtle top cap and how hard it is to open it. You have the small stops version which means you have to kind of hold the blade in place while trying to gently close the top cap. The later version has actual hooks like the 1912, making it considerably easier. The handle is something that you will get used to after a while. If you get into the Gem types from around that time, they will all come with small handles like that. Enjoy your razor. Comparing it to the MMOC is easy. Get a coin and flip it and that was the better shaver for that day. As often as I shave with both, I haven't come up with a clear winner yet.
Wow it beat out your Sabre! I think that should be my my next comparison Sabre vs 1914.
All good info my friend. And I feel like I can do better with it on the next I shave.

Thanks again!
 
Thank you! They can be found for under $20 and may not be in mint condition like mine was but with a little cleaning and some metal polish you end up with a great little shaver.

Your razor looks great. Isn't it amazing that tools made so long ago still get the job done? I love vintage razors for this reason. They were just made better than many produced today. Not all, of course, there are exceptions, but they are few in number, and can be pricey.
 
Your razor looks great. Isn't it amazing that tools made so long ago still get the job done? I love vintage razors for this reason. They were just made better than many produced today. Not all, of course, there are exceptions, but they are few in number, and can be pricey.
Thank you!
Yes these are treasures from the past and like you said a lot of them were not only made better but are a lot more interesting looking than most modern day razors IMO. What's also awarding is when you get one that hasn't been cared for and in really bad shape like mine was and you are able to bring it back to where it not only looks better but makes a great daily shaver it's very satisfying.
 
Thank you!
Yes these are treasures from the past and like you said a lot of them were not only made better but are a lot more interesting looking than most modern day razors IMO. What's also awarding is when you get one that hasn't been cared for and in really bad shape like mine was and you are able to bring it back to where it not only looks better but makes a great daily shaver it's very satisfying.

Yes. :)
 
I just got one of these contraptions the other day. Glad to see they are still used.
Congrats Mark!
Did you use it yet?
If not it's a smooth shaver but don't get sloppy like I did because I got a little to confident, rushed my passes and ended up with a weeper.
 
Congrats Mark!
Did you use it yet?
If not it's a smooth shaver but don't get sloppy like I did because I got a little to confident, rushed my passes and ended up with a weeper.

No. Still need to clean it up, find blades, etc. Also got what I think is an Eveready type E. my first pair of SE's.
 
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