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Gem Razor Models

Pic the Gem you like shaving with. Multiple choices allowed!

  • Gem lather catcher

    Votes: 44 17.5%
  • Gem Junior

    Votes: 65 25.9%
  • Gem 1912 Damaskeene

    Votes: 91 36.3%
  • Gem Mico Matic Clog proof

    Votes: 79 31.5%
  • Gem Micro Matic Bullet handle(Flying wing)

    Votes: 56 22.3%
  • Gem Micro Matic Open Comb

    Votes: 99 39.4%
  • Gem Push button

    Votes: 36 14.3%
  • Gem G-Bar

    Votes: 64 25.5%
  • Gem Feather Weight

    Votes: 43 17.1%
  • Gem Contour

    Votes: 9 3.6%

  • Total voters
    251
Through your wonderings searching information did you find any information on the Flying wing with the ivory plastic tip, @Twelvefret was asking information if it was produced early or later over at Micromatic Monday. I believe it was later and was a sales gimmick. If you are using a Gem there are some folks who talk about shaving with Gems on Micromatic monday, come join us.

Plausible speculation: Flying wings with the ivory plastic tip were most likely the last Gem Micromatic made as the factory started trying to use cheaper materials. The following model was indeed the Feather Weight with the almost all plastic handle and apart from the later all-metal G-Bar, all the following models (Push-Button, Contour) had their handles made mainly in plastic.

I surely have some Gems and Ever Ready. I need to tweak the rotation to have them on duty on Mondays :001_302:
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
GEM likely didn't respond, which, sadly, was one of the reasons for their demise ..
 
GEM likely didn't respond, which, sadly, was one of the reasons for their demise ..

There are many reasons, the following is one of them

"American Safety Razor's troubles began in 1969, when Philip Morris acquired the Miller Brewing Co., explained Peter A. Milone, ASR's vice president in charge of the international division. "Once Philip Morris obtained Miller, we knew it was all over for razor blades. We just did not fit into their highest priorities."
 
Gem really never went away. In the eighties, Gem was what Personna is nowadays.
By 1982, once on the verge of going under, American Safety Razor was tied with Schick for first place in the women's razor market and it also was the biggest manufacturer of private-label blades, supplying People's Drug Stores, Drug Fair and Safeway. Later expanded into the soap and candy (!) business.
Today is still alive and kicking, together with Personna, under the Accutec umbrella.
 
Very nice collection of Micromatics and all three of their different models. I looked at mine and they look the same texture and shine and mine are chromed. No doubt they tried different coatings and chrome seems a better choice to them(I like the shine), chrome is a very hard metal and will last longer. Micromatics also came with just brass and had a weak coating of gold also, they are built very well and will last for a long time as us users already know.
You could try comparing a Gillette side by side because they used Nickel in most if not all models of DE razors!

I compared, under a variety of lighting, my MMBT to year Y and F Gillette Superspeed TTOs, also to my nickel Fatip Piccolo and a nickel PAA DOC. I am calling it nickel plated, unless and until I can get ahold of some atomic beam counter thing-a-majig and prove otherwise.
 
I really enjoy the adds that are so important to us Gem owners who like to know what made people buy millions of these razors. Gem was way ahead in the twist to open (TTO) than Gillette by about 3 or 4 years until Gillette came out with their TTO models. The Peerless Micromatic Clog Pruf is the model I own and I'm really enjoying it.

Judging by my three Micromatics vs my two Superspeeds, the Gem TTO mechanisms are smoother and stronger by a significant margin. Two silo doors is an engineering challenge, as I guess Rockwell discovered.
 
Speaking of GEM TTO mechanisms. My bumpless GEM MMOC arrived yesterday. I had a question about the TTO.

Mine appears 2 and a little over 1/4 turns from locked to can't turn anymore open. The doors fully open a lot earlier than that though. Like almost a full turn or more before I hit the end of the ability to turn. The doors smoothly open though, not spring open. Normal?
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Speaking of GEM TTO mechanisms. My bumpless GEM MMOC arrived yesterday. I had a question about the TTO.

Mine appears 2 and a little over 1/4 turns from locked to can't turn anymore open. The doors fully open a lot earlier than that though. Like almost a full turn or more before I hit the end of the ability to turn. The doors smoothly open though, not spring open. Normal?
There is a rack and pinion mechanism inside the head with a spring on the end of the rack to help assist in the opening and closing of the head cap. I like to boil and clean with alcohol to free up any issues and apply a little lubricant (Gun oil...)afterwards and have never had issues yet. There are stops on the base plate to make sure that over reach of cap is not jeopardized also as the head tightens the blade and head slides forward. The cap on the Micromatics all slide forward towards the blade keepers when nearing the final tightening.(Genius idea of designer)

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More information on the inside of a Micromatic from another thread.GEM MicroMatic OC disassembly
 
There is a rack and pinion mechanism inside the head with a spring on the end of the rack to help assist in the opening and closing of the head cap. I like to boil and clean with alcohol to free up any issues and apply a little lubricant (Gun oil...)afterwards and have never had issues yet. There are stops on the base plate to make sure that over reach of cap is not jeopardized also as the head tightens the blade and head slides forward. The cap on the Micromatics all slide forward towards the blade keepers when nearing the final tightening.(Genius idea of designer)

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More information on the inside of a Micromatic from another thread.GEM MicroMatic OC disassembly

Thanks for the info. Boiling might be a bad idea for mine. See the MicroMatic Monday thread.
 
The elusive Ever-Ready "Natural Handle Razor Deluxe" AKA golden "E-Bar"
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If you like some luster, what about this gorgeous and uber-rare Golden Streamline Set
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Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
The elusive Ever-Ready "Natural Handle Razor Deluxe" AKA golden "E-Bar"
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If you like some luster, what about this gorgeous and uber-rare Golden Streamline Set
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A golden E-Bar very nice indeed, first time I have seen one.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I will add this photo every once in a while for newbies who are interested in GEM razors, if you look back far enough on this Thread each of the razors had a review if one catches your eye of appeal and lots of good information from others who have a lot historical knowledge & experience.
Final Gem review Jan21-2019 (2).jpg

Gem instruction manual (2).jpg Gem procedure (2).jpg Blade review Revision #5 Dec14-2018.jpg
Have some great GEM shaves!
 
I really can't decide on my favorite GEM.
I love my micromatics.
I love my damaskeene
I love my g bar and pushbutton...
They're all so great.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
I'm spotty, I love the MMOCs, and the Streamline. Appreciate the history of the old lather catchers. But the later models, GBar, Featherweight et al., don't shave that well for me & are here only because they are too cheap to sell plus they'll freak the boys out when they go through my effects ..
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Well I did something different this morning and had a show down with two MMOC's, one being bumpless and the other with the bumps. I Switched the same blade also into the two razors alternating to make the little show down even!
I used the bumpless on the stubborn whisker side and the other with bumps on not as ornery side. The conclusion like so many others have noticed not much if at all a difference. But audio feedback on the one with the bumps did seem louder in IMO.
Still a great razor either model and a nice shaver, thinking of buying a 100 blades in the near future because they are a bargin IMO at Connaughts.
comparing two MMOC (2).jpg razor bumps 2.jpg with bumps.jpg
Have some great GEM shaves!
 
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