Gentlemen:
A couple of years ago, my wife was visiting her family in Pittsburgh and I had to stay home because of work demands. She was gone for about a week. While she was there she visited a couple of antique shops, and she bought me a GEM Jr and brought it home for me (yes, I know, she's a keeper!).
When I saw it, my first thought after being thankful for a wife that thought of me while away, was "What an ugly razor!" It has a bronze-colored head and a thick, hollow black plastic handle, as many of you know.
When I loaded a blade in it to give it a try, I was a bit concerned that the tabs that hold the blade don't actually cover the sharp corners of the GEM blade. (I had previously had a bad experience with a modern GEM-style razor, getting scratched/cut by the corner of the blade during a shave.) So, I gingerly fired it up for a single shave; I actually can't remember if I finished an entire shave with it or not. After that I put it into a drawer with all my other razors and it sat there completely ignored until last week, when on a whim I pulled it out to give it another try.
In the interim, I learned to shave with a straight razor, so I learned a trick that made me feel more comfortable about the exposed corners; I dulled the corners on my mirror. Then I loaded up the ugly duckling and took it for a spin. I was very surprised to find that this was a really nice shaver!
It's quite mild. I think it may even have negative blade exposure, but I'm not entirely sure about that. But, it shaves quite nicely. The handle, though ugly, is ergonomic and really works. After two passes, I had a nice, close, comfortable shave. I have used it for three shaves since and it continues to deliver. It's comfortable in the hand, easy to use, mild but efficient enough to do the job in two passes (which is my norm). Really, nothing not to like about this razor except for its looks.
And you know, the looks are growing on me, too. Sometimes when a razor performs well, it's other deficiencies fade into the background.
Any other fans of the GEM Jr?
A couple of years ago, my wife was visiting her family in Pittsburgh and I had to stay home because of work demands. She was gone for about a week. While she was there she visited a couple of antique shops, and she bought me a GEM Jr and brought it home for me (yes, I know, she's a keeper!).
When I saw it, my first thought after being thankful for a wife that thought of me while away, was "What an ugly razor!" It has a bronze-colored head and a thick, hollow black plastic handle, as many of you know.
When I loaded a blade in it to give it a try, I was a bit concerned that the tabs that hold the blade don't actually cover the sharp corners of the GEM blade. (I had previously had a bad experience with a modern GEM-style razor, getting scratched/cut by the corner of the blade during a shave.) So, I gingerly fired it up for a single shave; I actually can't remember if I finished an entire shave with it or not. After that I put it into a drawer with all my other razors and it sat there completely ignored until last week, when on a whim I pulled it out to give it another try.
In the interim, I learned to shave with a straight razor, so I learned a trick that made me feel more comfortable about the exposed corners; I dulled the corners on my mirror. Then I loaded up the ugly duckling and took it for a spin. I was very surprised to find that this was a really nice shaver!
It's quite mild. I think it may even have negative blade exposure, but I'm not entirely sure about that. But, it shaves quite nicely. The handle, though ugly, is ergonomic and really works. After two passes, I had a nice, close, comfortable shave. I have used it for three shaves since and it continues to deliver. It's comfortable in the hand, easy to use, mild but efficient enough to do the job in two passes (which is my norm). Really, nothing not to like about this razor except for its looks.
And you know, the looks are growing on me, too. Sometimes when a razor performs well, it's other deficiencies fade into the background.
Any other fans of the GEM Jr?
