i was wondering how gem razors compare to d/e razors. how do they shave? how do they compare as far as ease of use when compared to a d/e razor. how aggressive are they? ive got an old with a black handle and i think a copper head and was just wondering if i should get it repaired or not
gem razors compared to gillette d/e razors
- Thread starter newwetsahver
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Just like DEs, SEs can range from very mild to fairly aggressive. Some find one or the other blade format to be superior, but I enjoy using either. What needs to be repaired on your razor?
Someone in the know should be around soon. It sounds like you have a push-button, which is one of the milder SE’s, and might be a safe introduction. Here is a Pushbutton on the far left, with the G-Bar in the middle, and a Shovel head on the right that I picked up a little over a week ago because of the condition of each.
Let's start with the blade. The Personna PTFE blade in a GEM razor is as sharp, smooth and rigid as you're going to get. It really is that good. The blade alone makes it worth using a GEM. And for me, a GEM rather than an Artist Club with the wider Proline blades.
Because of the larger size of the blade, GEMs look a bit like pieces of furniture. If you can get beyond that, you'll get a shave as good as anything in shaving. The ones to buy are the Micromatic Open Comb and Clog-Pruf and the GEM/Ever-Ready 1912. All very cheap which is a bit of a miracle. Clearly a lot were made and they're less collected than vintage Gillettes. But better for me and for others.
Because of the larger size of the blade, GEMs look a bit like pieces of furniture. If you can get beyond that, you'll get a shave as good as anything in shaving. The ones to buy are the Micromatic Open Comb and Clog-Pruf and the GEM/Ever-Ready 1912. All very cheap which is a bit of a miracle. Clearly a lot were made and they're less collected than vintage Gillettes. But better for me and for others.
I didn’t have any trouble going from a Gillette to a GEM Micromatic. GEM provided a pictorial guide for using these razors by laying the cap fully against the face.
The most important comfort factor when using GEM razors is the PTFE blade IMO.
GEM - Stainless Steel PTFE Coated - $0.50 each - Double Edge Razor Blade
I have found that I personally have trouble using SE razors. This is my fault not the razors fault. I keep falling back to the DE angle when using an SE razors and finish up scraping my face. The more I try to keep the correct angle on the SE the more I default back to the DE angle. Once you get the angle correct the shave should be excellent. The few passes that I actually did correctly did give me a close shave.
- Thread starter
- #7
i have the one in the pic that is on the very left of the pic you posted
The Push Button from Christmas 1958
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- #9
does anyone do restoration on them?
Usually a cleanup is all that is needed. Replating would cost more than finding another razor with good plating. Also don't know how it would work with the plastic parts.
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- #11
i just ment the head part, havent been able to open it, not sure if its stuck or im just not doing something right
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- #12
actually i just figured it out, this thing just needs some clean up know. maybe i'll give it a try one of these shaves
Glad to hear you got it open. Clean it up and take it for a spin, they're great shavers. Fairly mild,but able to get the job done.
- Thread starter
- #14
what type of blades do i use in this thing? are there many different types like there are for d/e's or is there one single blade everyone uses?
It’s my understanding that the Personna Gem blades that are coated are the only sensible choice due to superior performance.
Yep, Personna PTFE, nothing else. Many of us buy from Connaught in the UK. Good price for 100s and 200s.
You need a 3-faceted SE blade - the 2-faceted blades are used in scrapers. 3-faceted SE blades are sold in pharmacies and some grocery stores in the shaving section. Look for "Made in USA" on the store-branded blades; they are made by the successors to American Safety Razor at the only SE plant in the US in Verona, Va.
Drug store blades will not be PTFE (teflon) coated and will either be stainless steel or carbon steel. PTFE blades are marketed to the lab/medical field and are available from lab supply houses and some wetshaving suppliers like Connaughts. Those are the 3 US-made blade choices; branding is of little significance as they all come off the same production line.
Dorco SE blades are sold in some areas, look for Made in Korea on the package. The Dorco blades are not held in high regard.
Those are pretty much all the blade options available. The lack of a best-blade-for-me snipe hunt is one of the things I really like about the SE experience.
The Gem Pushbutton is a great razor. I consider it my GEM birth razor because I know it was introduced in 1958. It shaves me better than my other birth razors, the D1 Toggle and the D1 TV Special SuperSpeed.
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