GEM CC: Another Smooth Shaver

[ackvil]

A few weeks ago I mentioned how I reacquainted myself with the EverReady 1924 razor and how smooth a shave I got from it.

I alternate DE and SE razors and shave with one razor four or five days in a row. This week the razor of choice was a GEM Micromatic CC razor.

I know there is a lot of love the the OC Micromatic but for me I never got a smooth shave from that model - close but not smooth. Well, this week it was the CC Micromatic's turn and once again I was amazed at how good a shave this GEM produces.

It may not be the best looking SE razor - my model is strictly user grade - but the shave it gave me all week was superlative.

 

[Xeno_basso]

This is the one referred to as the "bullet tip"?
I've also seen them with a plastic knob...are those cc or oc?

 

[ackvil]

This is the one referred to as the "bullet tip"?
I've also seen them with a plastic knob...are those cc or oc?

Yes, some refer them as the bullet tip.

Here is what the GEM OC looks like. You can readily see the difference between the combs.

 

[JaxJim]

Hey, Jim, just curious, what's your SE blade of choice? Thanks!


I agree that the CC Micromatics are an underrated razor, although I like the OC version as well.

 

[ackvil]

Jim, I have a stash of GEM PTFE blades that I got from EMS and Ted Pella.

 

[JaxJim]

Thanks-- I've been toying with picking up some PTFE coated blades (although the stainless steel GEMs I can get locally serve pretty well).

 

[MacDaddy]

This is the one referred to as the "bullet tip"?
I've also seen them with a plastic knob...are those cc or oc?

GEM also referred to it as the "Flying Wing." Unfortunately, most of Google's digitized publications from this era are still available in "Snippet Only" mode, but here's a relevant one from Volume 26 of The Progressive Grocer from 1947:

And yes, the plastic-knob models that you're thinking of were also this same type:

 

[amishmotorboat]

I prefer to call them 'bullet tips' because that covers all versions of this model. Some were produced without the 'guiding eye'.
There is also another 'closed comb' micromatic called the clog pruf.

 

[ackvil]

The Clog Pruf for me is an OK razor. However, mine is not as smooth a shaver as the CC.

 

[beisler]

Jim---I agree--I find the bullet-tip,flying wing,CC, or whatever name you want to use is closer and smoother than my clog-pruf

 

[Galhatz]

I found the clog-pruf to be slightly less aggressive than the bullet-tip. Both of them are truly excellent razors.

 

[Zagnut]

@Galhatz: I agree, I found the Clog-Pruf to be less aggressive (which is to say nick-prone) than the Bullet-Tip, but at the same time, the Clog-Pruf invariably gave me closer shaves.

Of course, neither gets as close as the MMOC or any 1912-style, but those razors need to be...er...practiced with.

 

[Cicatero]

GEM also referred to it as the "Flying Wing." Unfortunately, most of Google's digitized publications from this era are still available in "Snippet Only" mode, but here's a relevant one from Volume 26 of The Progressive Grocer from 1947:

And yes, the plastic-knob models that you're thinking of were also this same type:

1951 - Because of the Korean War, Zippo went back to making steel lighters which were chromed instead of being painted, as in WW2.

A lot of industries were scrambling to reduce their brass consumption during the Korean War.

 

[MacDaddy]

I found the clog-pruf to be slightly less aggressive than the bullet-tip. Both of them are truly excellent razors.

Wow! My experience is exactly the opposite, and I'd say by a significant margin. I find the Flying Wing to be much milder than either of the earlier two Micromatics, but especially the Clog-pruf. I really don't find myself going back to the Flying Wing much at all because of it. I find I lean much more to the OCMM or the Clog-pruf if I'm pulling out a Micromatic.

 

[Wingnut]

@Galhatz: I agree, I found the Clog-Pruf to be less aggressive (which is to say nick-prone) than the Bullet-Tip, but at the same time, the Clog-Pruf invariably gave me closer shaves.

Of course, neither gets as close as the MMOC or any 1912-style, but those razors need to be...er...practiced with.

Yeah, but to get a REALLY close shave, just forget about the razor and hold the blade in your hand...if the blade gets dull, just strop it on your tongue!!

 

[Zagnut]

Yeah, but to get a REALLY close shave, just forget about the razor and hold the blade in your hand...if the blade gets dull, just strop it on your tongue!!

Haha, once I iron out the kinks of my "mouth-lathering" technique, I won't need to buy expensive brushes and this whole "traditional shaving" thing actually will start to save money!

 

[Galhatz]

I have not tried all the 1912 models, but the two i have, Damaskeene and Ever Ready where milder and more intuitive for me than the bullet tip.

 

[retturn2blades]

I have both the GEM MM OC & the Clog Pruf. I get better results from the Clog Pruf. Never tried the Bullet tip.