First SE razor?

[EclipseRedRing]

I have loads of vintage DEs and one SE, an English Ever Ready 1912. Note that 1912 is I think the year of patent and not of production as these were made for many years right up to the 50s. Used with Gem PTFE blades it is a smooth shaver and adds welcome variety to my routine. It requires a different technique to DE razor with the handle at a much steeper angle to the face in order to get the correct blade angle. The 1912 is very cheap indeed, mine was £5 in mint condition on the bay in the original bakelite case, and I had plenty from which to choose. Good luck.

 

[hillbillyreverend]

being someone who also requires a mild razor, I have tried an exhaustive amount of DE, AC, SE, and Injector razors/blade combos and can comment from a very broad experience.

By far the injectors offer some of the mildest and most excellent shaves, are very intuitive to use, and have a very low price entry point. That would be your best place to start and is where I ended my journey after about 6 years testing all other styles of blade/razor combos. I have sold off my entire razor collection in favor of injectors.

As per a prior recommendation, go with a model L, M(Adustable), N, or O(Clone) to start. The blades are 1:1 the same as AC blades, except they are shorter and you have a much smaller variety of only 4 blades(Yellow/Chinese Schick, Proline B20(requiring an empty injector cartridge to crossload but well worth the ffort), Twins(only for models L-O) and Personna.

If the L, N, or O are too mild, you can quickly jump up to a E/G model for a much more efficient shave.

If you are not satisfied with the shave from the injector, you can jump into the SE razors like the GEM Featherweight, G Bar, Push button, or Contour as those are the mildest of the normal SE razors taking GEM Blades.

After that step, comes the AC razors, but the blades are essentially the same as the injectors just longer and with more blade options(about 10 depending on the razor).

 

[1afc]

I have quite a stack of DE stuff and got a Gem 1912 to try.

I though open comb - going to be rough. Tried it and it was rough BUT I found out that was just the old Tweet blade.
I put a GEM 3 facet PTFE blade and MAGIC.

I thought with the open comb it would be quite close but also harsh but it was a BBC shave.

I can easily get a few weeks out of a blade and if someone said I had to only use a GEM 1912 and blade forever I would be quite happy.

I know the usual about "Your face may vary" but I certainly thing it is worth the effort to try.

 

[Jim99]

A Gem 1912 with a Gem/Personna blade is magic! It makes me wonder how DEs dominated the market.

 

[Jim99]

For under $20, anyone can find an excellent example of a Gem razor.

 

[Old Hippie]

You do have options! Probably finding an inexpensive vintage SE razor is easier with Gem and Gem-style (more broadly American Safety Razor) than with others. Probably next easiest to find are injector razors.

Depends on where you live, what you'll find. In the part of Canada where I live Gem was never a thing and you won't find one in an antique store unless they got it off a picker. But to be honest a razor that sells for $2.50-$30.00 isn't a huge draw for the pickers.

If you have access to a 3D printer and some skills, you can download and print up a TNNSER razor. They reportedly shave pretty well, and they take Gem blades.

O.H.

 

[Spang]

I would also recommend a vintage Gem razor as a starting point. Don't be deterred by some of the high asking prices on the auction sites; you can find a good Gem for under $20 if you look around. The Damaskeene, while a fine razor, has become a bit of a cult item and tends to sell for pretty high prices. Look instead for a Gem Junior, or any of the other 1912 designs. For that matter, except for the Open Comb Micromatic (not a good choice if you prefer a milder shave), anything marked by Gem or Ever Ready would get you started off on the right foot, and the price of admission is low.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I'd say one of the later Schick injectors would be a good SE starting point, or a Razorock Hawk, which is cheap but good and gives you a wider choice of blades. The Blackland Vector is a fantastic razor, but I'm not sure it's one you'd want to buy just to see if you like the AC format.
I've tried several Gem razors and wasn't very keen on any of them; maybe the one type of blade you can get for them in the UK insn't suited to my face.

 

[karacha]

I also vote vintage. I use "1912" razors and Schick Injector razors. Blades are readily available (I use Personna GEM and Chinese Schick AKA "Chick") and they are amazing shavers. If I had to pick one, I'd give a small advantage to Injectors, but you can't go wrong with either system. Since they are cheap - and you can still find some in mint condition too! - get some backups, just in case.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

I’m a bit blown away by how well my first shave with the Vector held up from last night. Stayed BBS for most of the day today even after shaving at night. If I had shaved in the morning like I usually prefer to, the shave would have been BBS until bedtime. Crazy close and comfortable shave, even closer than the General likely because of slightly more blade exposure.

I am also a straight razor user and the Vector shaves as close as a perfectly honed straight. I have been disappointed by a lot of razors by buying into the hype, including the Blackland Dart and Sabre not living up in my opinion, so I softened my expectations for the Vector. It exceeds them. OP, if you get a decent tax return you may want to consider one.

 

[RowanN]

I learned to shave with GEM razors with the Micromatic Flying Wing aka Bullet Tip, in my opinion the mildest of the Micromatics. The MM series has a great TTO mechanism, maybe the best in shaving. Ebay has many on offer and to a lesser extent Etsy. I have always looked very carefully at the photos and avoided purchasing anything with poor photos, when I have gone cheap, 80% success rate. So be prepared to kiss a frog now and then but good deals can be had at the lower end

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I am not a big fan of vintage razors; I sort of get the appeal for some, but I am partial to new razors. My recommendation is to start with the RazoRock Hawk. It's inexpensive and largely foolproof. If, on the other hand, you have money to spend, I would buy a Vector. No, I haven't used one, but I've only ever heard good things about it, and it's the razor I most want to buy. In between the two is the Classic Shaving Enoch. I do have one of those and have been using it daily for the past several weeks. I get closer shaves than the Hawk and prefer the more substantial feel of a stainless steel Enoch compared to the aluminum. Hawk. (The Enoch, however, is a bit fiddly when it comes to blade loading.)

 

[soda]

I am not a big fan of vintage razors; I sort of get the appeal for some, but I am partial to new razors. My recommendation is to start with the RazoRock Hawk. It's inexpensive and largely foolproof. If, on the other hand, you have money to spend, I would buy a Vector. No, I haven't used one, but I've only ever heard good things about it, and it's the razor I most want to buy. In between the two is the Classic Shaving Enoch. I do have one of those and have been using it daily for the past several weeks. I get closer shaves than the Hawk and prefer the more substantial feel of a stainless steel Enoch compared to the aluminum. Hawk. (The Enoch, however, is a bit fiddly when it comes to blade loading.)

Thanks, I'm leaning towards a modern version of a SE because of availability.

I know many of you have recommended buying off eBay, but seriously most sellers want to charge more for shipping than the razor is worth (I'm in Canada). I've been looking at eBay and Etsy, and it's the shipping that's killing me. Even within Canada, people want to charge $15+. I've been searching for over a week, and I've found no deals. Maybe I'm just cheap.

If anyone is looking to thin the herd, I'm willing to pay a reasonable price for a razor and shipping. I'm looking at you Jim99. Haha.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

Thanks, I'm leaning towards a modern version of a SE because of availability.

I know many of you have recommended buying off eBay, but seriously most sellers want to charge more for shipping than the razor is worth (I'm in Canada). I've been looking at eBay and Etsy, and it's the shipping that's killing me. Even within Canada, people want to charge $15+. I've been searching for over a week, and I've found no deals. Maybe I'm just cheap.

If anyone is looking to thin the herd, I'm willing to pay a reasonable price for a razor and shipping. I'm looking at you Jim99. Haha.

If I’m not mistaken, Italian Barber is in Canada so shipping costs should be very reasonable. Give the RazoRock Hawk a try. I think it’s about $30 plus shipping. It’s aluminum so it’s quite lightweight, but it’s a pleasure to use and produces consistently close and comfortable shaves.

Edit: I just checked and shipping to my son in Ontario is $8.

 

[Jim99]

Thanks, I'm leaning towards a modern version of a SE because of availability.

I know many of you have recommended buying off eBay, but seriously most sellers want to charge more for shipping than the razor is worth (I'm in Canada). I've been looking at eBay and Etsy, and it's the shipping that's killing me. Even within Canada, people want to charge $15+. I've been searching for over a week, and I've found no deals. Maybe I'm just cheap.

If anyone is looking to thin the herd, I'm willing to pay a reasonable price for a razor and shipping. I'm looking at you Jim99. Haha.

Hey @soda , what province and city do you live in?

 

[soda]

Hey @soda , what province and city do you live in?

Jim, I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

 

[Jim99]

Jim, I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

$12.85 USD for shipping from NJ for an 8 ounce box.

 

[santamariasteve]

So many options, but only one face. That is an eternal problem in shavedom.

Maybe a type G, I, J, or L Schick injector razor would be a good razor for you?

 

[soda]

$12.85 USD for shipping from NJ for an 8 ounce box.

I could afford that!

 

[Rustyshackelford]

My vote is the Gem G Bar. Beautiful styling, simplistic and mild yet effective.

I went into a shirt rabbit hole a about 2 months ago with Gem SE razors and tried 4 different versions. Overall I like the G Bar best. The featherweight was not bad but it didn’t excite me in any significant way. I also have two mircromatics, a clogpruf and a bullet tip. Of the two micromatics the bullet tip ismy preference. These razors have a thicker blade and can be a little more aggressive than you may realize during the shave. Nothing to be concerned about, just ease into using these razors slowly until you acclimate andtime your technique.

In my short venture down this rabbit hole, I found myself quickly satisfied with the razors I acquired and no longer feel the need to expand my experiences with SE. I am very happy with my G Bar and bullet tip micromatic.