First Single Edge Shave

[ShaverAZ]

Well, not including several years of Schick injector shaves.
I bought a couple of lots of junk razors in order to get a couple of razors I needed for parts. In with the junk was a Gem Featherweight, G-Bar and a Micromatic. I also got a sample of 4 Gem PTFE blades.
I loaded up the Featherweight, whipped up some Shannon's Indigo Oud. The first pass was relatively smooth, but by the 2nd pass it was scritchy and tuggy.I got a BBS shave after switching over to an Old Type with a 5x GSB. I have samples of other blades, including a couple of carbon blades, so I'll try again later.
So far, I'm not impressed.
Which Gem models are the favorites?

 

[thombrogan]

The GEM Micromatic Open Comb is my favorite GEM razor.

 

[Flintstone65]

Hmmm, the Featherweight is a favorite of mine, as is the Micromatic; but I would be suspicious of your sample PTFE blades. I can get a solid 10 three-pass shaves (usually closer to 15), without experiencing a tugging. Now usually the first shave with a PTFE blade can be "harsh" (not tuggy, but almost overly sharp), so I guess I would definitely recommend another try with that blade, as well as trying a different PTFE blade.

I will also confess that injectors nose ahead of my GEMs in my den when I'm reaching for a razor, but I usually prefer a GEM shave to a DE shave. All of this is, of course, a personal preference thing.

 

[ShaverAZ]

Hmmm, the Featherweight is a favorite of mine, as is the Micromatic; but I would be suspicious of your sample PTFE blades. I can get a solid 10 three-pass shaves (usually closer to 15), without experiencing a tugging. Now usually the first shave with a PTFE blade can be "harsh" (not tuggy, but almost overly sharp), so I guess I would definitely recommend another try with that blade, as well as trying a different PTFE blade.

I will also confess that injectors nose ahead of my GEMs in my den when I'm reaching for a razor, but I usually prefer a GEM shave to a DE shave. All of this is, of course, a personal preference thing.

I got the samples from Ted Pella upon recommendation that they were smooth & long-lived. I also have more samples of stainless & carbon blades on the way to me.

I got the rest of my razors in the mail & will try the Micromatic tonite to see if it does any better. than yesterdays' Featherweight did.

Has anyoe tried stropping a blade to see if it lasts for a few more shaves?