I recently received my gold colored GEM featherweight from the bay for just $3... I have just gotten blades for it as well, and have not yet taken that first shave... I have looked around a bit but I still cannot find out when these things where made. Anybody have any info on these?
GEM Featherweight
- Thread starter Maul555
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I also have a Featherweight, one of my goto razors and it does a good job. I am no expert and somebody with more knowledge will chime in I hope. But I think it's from the 50's even early 60's. Don't take what I said as the gospel. I think you will enjoy the shave. Keep us posted.
Early 1950s.
Thanks Shave Cat
I found an older thread where Dave (generally regarded as the Gem expert) indicates the Featherweight, and G-Bar (which are very similiar, just the handle is different) were both produced in the 1950's.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=870479&postcount=19
The 1960's would have been towards the end of Gem production, and you would have seen the Push Button, and Contour models being sold then.
Hey John thanks for the link. I wish that GEM had a site like Gillette or even Schick which could localize build dates. In the past on the bay some vendors would have the push button units labeled as early to mid 70's. Be that as it may I think GEM's give a rock solid shave.
The Wiki says 1958-1963 for the Push Button Gem. I believe the Contour, and Contour II immediately followed, until production stopped in the 1970's.
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Push_Button
Gems are usually dated by looking at the time line for when ads first showed up for a given model, and when that model stopped being advertised/ a new model began being advertised; this is not a exact science, but does give a ballpark figure.
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I took my first shave with it this morning and it was noticably different than a DE. I could hear every hair being cut much more clearly, but I felt like I had to take more passes. It gave a much smoother shave along my neck but I dont think it cut as close there... I definatly did not feel like this thing wanted to take my face off though, which is good 
I took my first shave with it this morning and it was noticably different than a DE. I could hear every hair being cut much more clearly, but I felt like I had to take more passes. It gave a much smoother shave along my neck but I dont think it cut as close there... I definatly did not feel like this thing wanted to take my face off though, which is good
I've shaved with it twice, and liked it. The blade angle is much easier to figure out than with a DE. Nice shave.
I took my first shave with it this morning and it was noticably different than a DE. I could hear every hair being cut much more clearly, but I felt like I had to take more passes. It gave a much smoother shave along my neck but I dont think it cut as close there... I definatly did not feel like this thing wanted to take my face off though, which is good
I got okay shaves with it, but not as close as with my Gem Junior, about as good as the G-Bar, though. Will keep it around, but it won't be my main SE razor.
