My 1st Single Edge GEM Shave

[mullard]

I ordered some 1960s Double Edge blades off the internet a year or so ago and the seller included this GEM razor for free. I ordered some Personna GEM blades. I used it for the first time and received excellent results. I applied little pressure and let the razor’s weight do most of the work. I also tried to maintain a steep angle similar to the angle of a straight razor. It took me longer than with my DE razor, but the results were excellent. I shaved with 3 passes...with the grain, and twice across the grain in different directions. Can someone tell me what model my GEM razor is? How does it compare to the Micromatic GEMs? Had I not received this razor as a surprise gift with the purchase of some DE blades, I doubt I would have ever purchased one. I really enjoyed using it! See below pictures.

Thanks, Mullard

 

[jmudrick]

Simply known as a Gem 1912. Give a Micromatic a try , they're cheap enough you have not much to lose. I enjoy them all.

 

[Twelvefret]

That's a nice one. Congratulations.

 

[ajkel64]

It is in good condition. Congratulations.

 

[les24preludes]

As said, this is a 1912. In the UK it was made in large numbers by Ever Ready.

As it stands, the Micromatic Open Comb and Clog-Pruf are in my opinion better to shave with. However, and it's a very big "but", the 1912 with a larger and heavier modern handle becomes a wholly better razor. At least as good to use as the Micromatics. You haven't experienced the full potential of the 1912 unless and until you put a nice modern handle on it. You will need a thread to insert into the handle and then screw into the head. In the UK the 2BA thread works perfectly. In the USA I'm presuming a 10-32 thread works though I've only used the 2BA myself. Sawing the head off a screw is an easy way of doing this. Here's some new handles to illustrate:

 

[mullard]

Interesting. Thank you for the information.

 

[rodmonster]

Hey Mullard,

Am I to understand from your name and image that you are a tube guy? Vacuum tubes and vintage razors are a great combination. I have several hundred tubes at home and my preferred amplifier uses 300B tubes. One of my joys in life is showing my beautiful, glowing amplifiers to friends. In this age of high powered, miniaturized electronics, the sound generated by my 12 watts/channel is glorious.

 

[Twelvefret]

Hey Mullard,

Am I to understand from your name and image that you are a tube guy? Vacuum tubes and vintage razors are a great combination. I have several hundred tubes at home and my preferred amplifier uses 300B tubes. One of my joys in life is showing my beautiful, glowing amplifiers to friends. In this age of high powered, miniaturized electronics, the sound generated by my 12 watts/channel is glorious.

@rivieraranch sells tubes and razors.

 

[les24preludes]

Hey Mullard,

Am I to understand from your name and image that you are a tube guy? Vacuum tubes and vintage razors are a great combination. I have several hundred tubes at home and my preferred amplifier uses 300B tubes. One of my joys in life is showing my beautiful, glowing amplifiers to friends. In this age of high powered, miniaturized electronics, the sound generated by my 12 watts/channel is glorious.

Another tube amp builder here! I go way back further than Mullard and build with the early directly heated tubes - 26, 01A, 10Y, 2a3, 300b.... I use some very advanced electronics in the power supplies, though, plus a lot of chokes.

 

[rodmonster]

Another tube amp builder here! I go way back further than Mullard and build with the early directly heated tubes - 26, 01A, 10Y, 2a3, 300b.... I use some very advanced electronics in the power supplies, though, plus a lot of chokes.

You are way ahead of me. I don't build but I have owned different tube amplifiers for almost 30 years beginning with Conrad Johnson and now, Wavelength Audio. It is not that I am against progress, but that with progress there is always something gained and something lost. There is something beautiful about a GEM razor that a Gillette Fusion cannot touch. And where is the magic in a transistor?

 

[rodmonster]

@rivieraranch sells tubes and razors.

And he is from South Florida like me. I should contact him.

 

[discerningbev]

@mullard Completely agree with you. Shaved with my first GEM razor last week and had the best and closest shave I have ever had besides a straight razor. I used a GEM 1912 and it was the closest thing to a straight razor I have used. Good Stuff!!!

 

[Norman Gunston]

I have an Ever Ready 1912 - wow does it shave me close.
I've found that Ted Pella blades work best for me with this razor.
Wish you many happy shaves, @mullard.
Oh - and more power to the valve-heads above. Love that warm musical sound that they generate.

 

[Deacon Frank]

You know, I can never get the blade to line up straight. Every time I snap the cap down onto the blade, it goes crooked.

 

[Fat Larry]

I just had my first Gem shave, with a razor that looks the same as yours. Gotta say i'm impressed. It gave me one of the closest shaves i've ever had on the first go. No weepers or nicks, just some mild irritation. Couldn't get the damn thing under my nose though.

Very different to a DE and even the injector i also tried for the first time recently.

 

[Twelvefret]

I just had my first Gem shave, with a razor that looks the same as yours. Gotta say i'm impressed. It gave me one of the closest shaves i've ever had on the first go. No weepers or nicks, just some mild irritation. Couldn't get the damn thing under my nose though.

Very different to a DE and even the injector i also tried for the first time recently.

GEM recommended a horizontal stroke under the nose.

 

[mullard]

I have now shaved several times with the GEM. I must say that I am impressed with the shave and the comparison to the angle of a straight razor. I have found that I still prefer to shave around the nose area with a safety razor.

In regards to vintage vacuum tubes, yes I am a fan of the warm organic tone that is provided by vintage vacuum tubes.

 

[discerningbev]

I have now shaved several times with the GEM. I must say that I am impressed with the shave and the comparison to the angle of a straight razor. I have found that I still prefer to shave around the nose area with a safety razor.

In regards to vintage vacuum tubes, yes I am a fan of the warm organic tone that is provided by vintage vacuum tubes.

@mullard I think because of the vertical angle of the blade and the thickness and rigidness of the GEM blade it is the closest thing to a straight razor shave you can get. Agree with you!!

 

[Twelvefret]

@mullard I think because of the vertical angle of the blade and the thickness and rigidness of the GEM blade it is the closest thing to a straight razor shave you can get. Agree with you!!

I have often credited the MMOC as a primer for using s shavette and later a SR.

 

[mullard]

I have really enjoyed using the GEM razor. I like a mild shaver as I prefer the Edwin Jagger DE89 over just about every DE razor I have tried which has been several over the years with the Merkur HD being a close 2nd. I wouldn’t mind picking up one of the Micromatic GEM models or some other type of single edge razor, but if I do I would stear towards a milder shaver than an agressive shaver. I am not sure where the 1912 model I currently have falls as far as the aggressiveness of the razor compared to other single edge GEMs or single edge razors in general. Thanks, Mullard