Gem Jewel + Stropping Set - Advice Sought

[Azback]

I posted this thread: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/240350-What-s-in-the-box the night I won the auction, now the wee beastie has arrived and following commenters advice have reposted to hopefully catch the eye of SE aficionados in the use and maintenance of this set.

I have NO experience with SE, and all I know of this set is that it is the "Gem" version of the Ever Ready Streamline strop set.

My first averted disaster was noticing the 5 pack of Gem single edge blades, that in my defense were in the shaving section of the pharmacy next to the Gillette fusions etc, have the word "scrapers" on them and do NOT appear to be intended for facial use!

 

[Pjotr]

.............My first averted disaster was noticing the 5 pack of Gem single edge blades, that in my defense were in the shaving section of the pharmacy next to the Gillette fusions etc, have the word "scrapers" on them and do NOT appear to be intended for facial use!

You did well. I actually used one of those and couldn't shave for three days after. Were they in a red pack? It shouldn't be allowed to actually stock them in the pharmacy section.

 

[spinyeel]

Nice set. Get yourself some Gem Stainless,Ted Pella PTFE coated,Treet carbon or Blue Star carbon blades and enjoy your shaves. Oh and don't use the Double Life blades in the case,they will have suffered considerable oxidation by now.

 

[Azback]

Nice set. Get yourself some Gem Stainless,Ted Pella PTFE coated,Treet carbon or Blue Star carbon blades and enjoy your shaves. Oh and don't use the Double Life blades in the case,they will have suffered considerable oxidation by now.

These? http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/dissect.htm#anchor1606431

 

[Azback]

You did well. I actually used one of those and couldn't shave for three days after. Were they in a red pack? It shouldn't be allowed to actually stock them in the pharmacy section.

Yep, that's them!

 

[Azback]

Oh, any trivia about the set it welcome too! I'm curious as to why they are comparatively rare. Every reference I can find to this set is usually first discussing the Ever Ready Streamline set.

 

[Azback]

Oh and don't use the Double Life blades in the case,they will have suffered considerable oxidation by now.

But I want to use it noooooooooooooooow! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

 

[ShavinBacon]

I am no expert on SE's but I will tell you what I think in regards to rarity. British Ever Readys are plentiful (well, not as much as American made ones) but the British made Gems are much rarer. I think they focused on the ER brand much more in Britain when they were making these razors. The same is true for the British made Gem 1912's which Australians have much better access to than us because they were a colony of Britain (or whatever term it is that escapes me right now-not trying to ruffle feathers. We were one once too!). Perhaps they already had a massive factory set up with the ER stamping presses and it would have cost too much to retool for the Gem's. It is an interesting question because they obviously had some manufacturing division set up. If anyone else knows for sure, I would love to hear it.

 

[Pjotr]

............they were a colony of Britain............

What do you mean..were! Half the currency still has a picture of QE on it,the Governor, her representative in Australia, can sack the duly elected government at the drop of a hat and at a recent referendum the vast majority of Australians elected to keep the British monarch as head of state. To all intent and purpose we still are a colony.

Yes there are a lot of British made razors here. Most you see here are the Ever Ready equivalant of GEMs or British made GEMs.

 

[Azback]

What do you mean..were! Half the currency still has a picture of QE on it,the Governor, her representative in Australia, can sack the duly elected government at the drop of a hat and at a recent referendum the vast majority of Australians elected to keep the British monarch as head of state. To all intent and purpose we still are a colony.

Yes there are a lot of British made razors here. Most you see here are the Ever Ready equivalant of GEMs or British made GEMs.

The local auction site in NZ is usually jam packed with Rolls and Valet razors, more than any other brand SE or DE. Difficult to find vintage DEs at all sometimes. Antique stores are the same with the added bonus of rusty, chipped, or sometimes snapped straights that are apparently "great for collectors or museums!" and worthy of a $35 price tag.


Anyway - back to the Gem! According to the B&B wiki: "The name "Jewel" was used for both the GEM and Ever Ready razors whereas it seems that the name "Steamline" was used only by Ever Ready for these razors. "

I can't find the reference now, but I read that the Gem Jewel, whether strop set or the single razor in the bakelite case I'm not sure, was only made in 1953 and 1958.

Confirm/deny?

 

[Pjotr]

........I can't find the reference now, but I read that the Gem Jewel, whether strop set or the single razor in the bakelite case I'm not sure, was only made in 1953 and 1958.

Confirm/deny?

Confirm. That's why what you've got is pretty rare. In DE land the equivalent would fetch 100s.