It looks like Jeffb has 3 gems for sale for $7 on the B/S/T forum right now. For some reason the pics aren't coming through for me so I can't tell which ones they are. But for $7 how bad can it be??? So if you want to take the SE plunge - no excuses.
first GEM 1912 shave made me a believer
- Thread starter drandall
- Start date
Be aware that the razor that instruction sheet is showing is a quite different model. It is the 1914 Ever-Ready which has the blade cap hinged at the front. It may or may not work best at exactly the same angle as the 1912 Gems.
Regards,
Tom
I have found that my 1912's actually do work very well at that angle. FWIW to anyone, I suggest starting out with the cap flat on the face like the other instructions show in the sticky, and then experiment by increasing (decreasing?) the angle to achieve the best result for you.
Strangely, with a 1912, I find that I can only shave well under my nose with a pretty much 90 degree angle, while I use about 30 or 45 degrees on the rest of my face.
This really is a case of starting out carefully, and then experimenting a bit and of course your mileage is guaranteed to vary.
the first front hinge ER actually appeared in england as the "new" set in 1909 if you can believe that. it appeared here sometime around 1924.
Here is the Ever Ready flip top that I picked up at a antique store. It has a very short handle, I suspect it was a part of a travel set.
I started out with a 1912. I used one for several years, until they stopped selling the blades at the local drug store. I have since moved on to different DE razors, as I now have several years worth of blades for them hoarded in my bathroom. But every now and then I will break out my first one, or any of the other clones of it I have and use it for a couple of days. And since the local drug store was bought out and is once again carrying the blades, I may end up doing so more often.
As for the angle, that illustration is pretty close to what I do. I also go to almost 90 degrees under my nose. You have to pay attention if you are used to DE razors, as the angle is different. I tried shaving with a 1912 after several months with other razors, and I was in a hurry. I regretted it. It looked like I had tried to shave with a broken beer bottle and a rabid weasel. It wasn't pretty. The next time through I actually slowed down and paid attention to the angle, and I was fine. I can normally get away with one pass with the grain for most of my face, and a second pass against it on my neck. That is less than my normal DE routine. They really are good razors.
-Mb
As for the angle, that illustration is pretty close to what I do. I also go to almost 90 degrees under my nose. You have to pay attention if you are used to DE razors, as the angle is different. I tried shaving with a 1912 after several months with other razors, and I was in a hurry. I regretted it. It looked like I had tried to shave with a broken beer bottle and a rabid weasel. It wasn't pretty. The next time through I actually slowed down and paid attention to the angle, and I was fine. I can normally get away with one pass with the grain for most of my face, and a second pass against it on my neck. That is less than my normal DE routine. They really are good razors.
-Mb
i love that handle style.
I do too. I just picked one of those up off the 'bay, my handle is 2.75 inches.
The razor came with an "Ever-Ready Automatic Stropping Machine" that I've not been able to figure out yet, and that gizmo has a rather short handle; it's just under 2.5 inches long and the pattern is different.
its sort of like an autostrop razor. go check out my video on using the autostrop and youll see how it works.
Will do thanks. Could you post or send me a link? I'd really like to see it.
In this case I actually have written instructions, but believe it or not, the instructions are for a different model of stopper. With another set, I have an unused leather belt for the same model Ever-Ready stropper. So here I am with two stroppers, one of which is a complete unused set, and a beautifully preserved set of instructions for a different model.
i edited my signature so when you click my name it takes you there.
Eureka! Wow. Thanks very much indeed!
What an idiot I am. I never thought to hang the strop. I just pulled it through the machine, and that meant that the blade always flipped the wrong way. Boy am I stunned.
I now have a new toy to play with! With a working stopper, I may never buy another SE blade again...
Be careful, once you click on the name there is no turning back! 
Hi Dave, just read this thread and again has peaked my interest.
I have a couple of GEM razors, an Ever Ready ( patented March 24, 1914 ) and a beautiful old silver plated Auto Strop razor that I haven't tried yet.
Oh...I see that my warning came too late!
Hi Dave, just read this thread and again has peaked my interest.
I have a couple of GEM razors, an Ever Ready ( patented March 24, 1914 ) and a beautiful old silver plated Auto Strop razor that I haven't tried yet.
Oh...I see that my warning came too late!
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