I stopped playing with those toy razors a while ago!
Single Edge vs Double Edge
- Thread starter ajpurchase
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- #22
Just won a GEM on ebay auction, any body have any tips on what blade I should start out with?
This is all I'll use, available from a variety of retailers,
GEM by Personna Stainless Coated Single Edge Razor Blades
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- #24
Thank you! I will give them a try, and report back my results on SE razors, blades, and etc.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
My thoughts on DE vs SE:
1) DE is cheaper and has better availability
2) I get great shaves with DE
3) Do I really need a point number 3?
3a) I do have SE razors, but ones that use hollow ground wedge blades, so I don't need to worry about the price and availability of blades, I just hone and strop as required. I'm not quite getting shaves as good as DE yet, but it's early days for me and I'm still learning and refining the kit.
1) DE is cheaper and has better availability
2) I get great shaves with DE
3) Do I really need a point number 3?
3a) I do have SE razors, but ones that use hollow ground wedge blades, so I don't need to worry about the price and availability of blades, I just hone and strop as required. I'm not quite getting shaves as good as DE yet, but it's early days for me and I'm still learning and refining the kit.
I ordered a sample from l
I disagree with #1 based on my expenditures.
#2 may be the result of a lack of similar experience you've had with DE type.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Location may well be a factor on price and availability. I can't recall seeing single edge blades in real world stores anywhere over here. As for price artist club blades seem to be about £1 each, which is considerably higher than DE.
I've got very limited experience on the hollow ground SEs, and in truth am still refining the refurbishment of the equipment. I need a fair bit more time to ensure both the kit and my handling are as good as they can be. Work in progress.
I haven't used any of the single edge disposable blade systems. I have tried a modified Gem blade in a Wilkinson Empire, but that doesn't really count. The gist of my points #2 & 3 was if SE is more expensive and harder to come by, and I get great shaves with DE, why bother with the higher priced lower availability systems?
GEM SS PTFE blades are about $.15 per blade from shipped from England to the US.
Schick Proline AC blades are $.37 per blade shipped from Japan to the US.
My limited experience with str8 razors tells me they're not as sharp as DE, GEM or the Schick Proline blades. I don't find the other AC blades(Kai and Feather) sharp at all.
I have 14 GEM SE's all of which were purchased from eBay.
Check the pictures and the verbal descriptions carefully. Do not hesitate to ask the vendor questions.
The GEM's are simple, well made and with minimum care can last a very long time, indeed.
But with dropping or careless handling or cleaning can have a drastically shortened life span.
Most that I have seen are usually in excellent condition.
Pay particular attention to the hooked tooth at each end of the comb.
"I stopped playing with those toy razors a while ago! 
"
I am glad to hear that.
It is time more adults like you got serious about SE razors.
Stop paying fortunes for Fusions and other
multi edge multi dollar plastic encased cartridge blades.
Now relax with your SE razor and enjoy life.
Cheers!
"I am glad to hear that.
It is time more adults like you got serious about SE razors.
Stop paying fortunes for Fusions and other
multi edge multi dollar plastic encased cartridge blades.
Now relax with your SE razor and enjoy life.
Cheers!
Well said, Mickeyobe. Most important are the blade stops being intact, which I've found to be more of a problem when buying injectors from the bay.
- Thread starter
- #32
So I recently received my first 3 SE razors in the mail. 2 GEM, and 1 eveready. I got my first shave with one of the GEM razors this morning. Great shave even though there was some razor burn, and 2 weepers. I have some technique to work on, so I’ll be sticking with the SE for about a month. I appreciate all the feedback pointing me in the right direction with these. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress both here and on my journal. Thanks again all.
So, on this thread, Micromatic Monday ,post #54 I post a couple of photos showing GEM instructions on using their razors. This helped me understand how they were designed to use. This will increase your positive results. Please join several of us as we use our GEM razors on Mondays.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Ah, SE razors.
This is a Schick L-3 injector. It's loaded with a Schick Injector 11 TWIN blade (from an eBay vendor). It is one great razor. Plus, the handle is the best of all handles in spite of looking weird. The razor is also called The Grip. Most of the L-3 razors I see on eBay look to be in good shape. Mine is in great shape. Shop for price and how it looks. As with any razor on eBay you want the vendor to say one of two things.
This is an open to clean Schick E-2. They're more difficult to find, and hard to identify. Also, people say they are inconsistent in that the shave from mine is wonderful, but another may shave in an entirely unacceptable manner. Mine is a great razor. The E-2 will not take a TWIN blade, but works great with a Schick Chick (Chinese Schick blade, easily found).
Other Type E razors are readily found. People say they're aggressive, but I have no idea why that is said. Mine is a great shaver.
I have several other injectors, but these two are my favorites. Different guys like different one. Joel @Johnnynroy has his favorites and uses them most of the time now I believe. Injectors are very easy to use once you figure them out which isn't hard.
With all SE razors (injectors and Artist Club) I have learned to shave steep. Either at the design angle (neutral angle) or steeper. Usually steeper.
My newest AC razor is this Hawk which I bought NIB on the BST. Mine is an older model in DLC SS. I don't know anything about all the Hawk models, but mine is an easy shaver. The only difference between AC blades and most injector blades is AC blades are longer and injector blades are shorter.
Injectors are a bit easier to use in my opinion as compared with AC razors, but neither are a big deal.
SS Colonial General. See how wide it is?
ATT SE2 (plus the SE1 baseplate). Again, check the razor's width.
Artist Club blades were invented to use in a straight razor (of sorts) with a replaceable blade. The blade was appropriated for use in safety razors designed to use it. Thus all AC razors are modern.
I have several GEM and E-R razors but don't use them. I've not tried 'em enough to say I don't like them, but they are I think much more difficult to use than my injectors.
However, almost all razors are probably harder to use than my injectors.
Don't get me wrong. I have a number of DE razors, too, and use them a lot. I go through spells I guess. Some DE razors are much harder to use than injectors and some are maybe not appreciably harder. Examples: My best Old Type (on a handle from a Fat Handle Tech) and my Fatip Mk1 Grande.
I have no idea what razors of any type would be like for anybody but me. There is very little agreement about razors. One thing most people who know what they're talking about agree on is that injectors are easy to shave with.
Should you get into injectors or AC razors or GEM razors? I have no idea. If you want to, do a lot of homework.
All SE razors very rigidly hold their very thick and rigid blade.
Happy shaves,
Jim
This is a Schick L-3 injector. It's loaded with a Schick Injector 11 TWIN blade (from an eBay vendor). It is one great razor. Plus, the handle is the best of all handles in spite of looking weird. The razor is also called The Grip. Most of the L-3 razors I see on eBay look to be in good shape. Mine is in great shape. Shop for price and how it looks. As with any razor on eBay you want the vendor to say one of two things.
- Returns are accepted.
- The razor works as it should or is in good mechanical condition.
This is an open to clean Schick E-2. They're more difficult to find, and hard to identify. Also, people say they are inconsistent in that the shave from mine is wonderful, but another may shave in an entirely unacceptable manner. Mine is a great razor. The E-2 will not take a TWIN blade, but works great with a Schick Chick (Chinese Schick blade, easily found).
Other Type E razors are readily found. People say they're aggressive, but I have no idea why that is said. Mine is a great shaver.
I have several other injectors, but these two are my favorites. Different guys like different one. Joel @Johnnynroy has his favorites and uses them most of the time now I believe. Injectors are very easy to use once you figure them out which isn't hard.
With all SE razors (injectors and Artist Club) I have learned to shave steep. Either at the design angle (neutral angle) or steeper. Usually steeper.
My newest AC razor is this Hawk which I bought NIB on the BST. Mine is an older model in DLC SS. I don't know anything about all the Hawk models, but mine is an easy shaver. The only difference between AC blades and most injector blades is AC blades are longer and injector blades are shorter.
Injectors are a bit easier to use in my opinion as compared with AC razors, but neither are a big deal.
SS Colonial General. See how wide it is?
ATT SE2 (plus the SE1 baseplate). Again, check the razor's width.
Artist Club blades were invented to use in a straight razor (of sorts) with a replaceable blade. The blade was appropriated for use in safety razors designed to use it. Thus all AC razors are modern.
I have several GEM and E-R razors but don't use them. I've not tried 'em enough to say I don't like them, but they are I think much more difficult to use than my injectors.
However, almost all razors are probably harder to use than my injectors.
Don't get me wrong. I have a number of DE razors, too, and use them a lot. I go through spells I guess. Some DE razors are much harder to use than injectors and some are maybe not appreciably harder. Examples: My best Old Type (on a handle from a Fat Handle Tech) and my Fatip Mk1 Grande.
I have no idea what razors of any type would be like for anybody but me. There is very little agreement about razors. One thing most people who know what they're talking about agree on is that injectors are easy to shave with.
Should you get into injectors or AC razors or GEM razors? I have no idea. If you want to, do a lot of homework.
All SE razors very rigidly hold their very thick and rigid blade.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Not all GEM and E-R razors shave this way. Do homework. Be careful.
See what I mean?
Happy shaves,
Jim
I agree with much that Jim posted. I've found an opening E2 that is as good as any razor I have ever used. The GEM are nice, but more of a challenge and less consistent in result. The Golden 500 is so good it's boring.
The Grip looks like something Björn Borg would have shaved with.
I believe that's the only one with those instructions!
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I believe you're right, but I'm no expert.
Chan,
That is an Ever-Ready razor, an ancestor of the GEM. I am not familiar with it.
Is it not possible that some alterations were made when GEM took control?
It looks very much like a GEM Junior but there is a distinct difference in the Head. The GEM is hinged at the back (widest part). The Ever-Ready is hinged at the narrowest (comb part}.
I have 13 GEMs and they are all hinged at or very near the wide part of the head.
The GEM is opened by pressing a projecting tab at the centre back of the head.
It looks like the Ever-Ready is opened by grasping the two sides of the head.
Mickey
