GEMs vs AC

[albsat]

I am curios to know how many shaves do members here get usually from a gem blade and from an ac one?

I have read that Gems are like De, can go up 7 or 10 for some users.
But the AC blades are a bit mysterious. Some say 5, some up to 15.

I wish I could respond to this curiosity by myself, but I don' have a gem razor or one that uses ac, at present.

 

[shave/brush]

I am curios to know how many shaves do members here get usually from a gem blade and from an ac one?
I have read that Gems are like De, can go up 7 or 10 for some users.
But the AC blades are a bit mysterious. Some say 5, some up to 15.
I wish I could respond to this curiosity by myself, but I don' have a gem razor or one that uses ac, at present.

I get about 6 shaves from a Gem and they are not nearly as smooth or as sharp as the AC type. I can get 18 shaves from a Feather Pro AC blade and the last shave is smoother than the first shave with the GEM. I got rid of my GEM razors.
Why don't you just buy an AC type razor and find out for yourself? Pick up a GEM also while you're at it.

 

[muzichead]

Minimum 20 shaves with a Proline in my SS General...

 

[kingfisher]

I get about 7 shaves from a GEM blade.

A Schick Proline seems only to last about the same when I use it in my Colonial General, but when I use in a Feather SS (open blade, kamisori-style shavette) I am currently on shave 14 and it is still sharp and smooth.

 

[cryhavoc]

I get about 15-20 shaves on a GEM PTFE blade, nowhere near that with a GEM Carbon blade.

 

[jaro 101969]

I was using my GEM Bullet tip right before I received my Hawk and General. I don't understand the whole AC hype at all. Was not impressed with the AC blade, I used Feather pro, pro Super, and Kai Mild pink. Either GEM or AC blades provides an irritation free BBS shave, but neither are a match for a DE, they are actually less efficient. DE blades are best(smoother, more efficient), then comes Schick blades, then GEM blades, then AC blades.

The width of the AC blade is no real bonus. It benefits some areas but hurts other areas. E-W, W-E on my neck is not flat and I benefit from a narrower blade. Real tricky with a AC blade.

The AC blades are about as efficient as Derby or Shark DE blades, which are at the bottom of the barrel for me. GEM blades are a step up.

I have thought of getting a hawk razor. How was it? I really want one i think, i'm just worried about wasting my money if it's no good...

 

[jaro 101969]

Steve, I've got many Gem blade razors, including the 1907 Lather Catcher, British 1912, 1914 Little Lather Catcher, 1924 Shovelhead, and MicroMatic Open Comb, among others. The MMOC is my favorite, although I like all of the ones I mentioned. Given the cost of entry, I heartily recommend trying an MMOC, just for sport.

P.S. If you decide to take the plunge, let me know and I'll send you a few Gem PTFE blades from Ted Pella...

I cant seem to find any blades that work with my gem junior. Every blade i buy seems soooo dull. I went to CVS and got their se blades and those things dont even seem like they would cut a wet paper bag !!!! What blades do you suggest? I even tried hand stropping them and it didnt help...

 

[Twelvefret]

I cant seem to find any blades that work with my gem junior. Every blade i buy seems soooo dull. I went to CVS and got their se blades and those things dont even seem like they would cut a wet paper bag !!!! What blades do you suggest? I even tried hand stropping them and it didnt help...

GEM - Stainless Steel PTFE Coated - $0.50 each - Double Edge Razor Blade

 

[les24preludes]

I get about 6 shaves from a Gem and they are not nearly as smooth or as sharp as the AC type. I can get 18 shaves from a Feather Pro AC blade and the last shave is smoother than the first shave with the GEM. I got rid of my GEM razors.

I had the opposite experience. The GEM PTFE blade was sharper than the Prolines in my SE1. Sold off the AC and stayed with GEM. Mind, I prefer DE blades like Nacet and GSB in my R41. AC razors are too wide for me under the chin - hard to manoeuvre in all directions.

 

[rabidus]

I have thought of getting a hawk razor. How was it? I really want one i think, i'm just worried about wasting my money if it's no good...

When I bought the Hawk V1, I found it to be trash with Feather or Kai blades and got rid of it. It took a lot of work to achieve BBS results. I got rid of the Hawk before I learned about Schick Proline blades which are much sharper than Feather or Kai blades.

I'm sure the Hawk would've performed much better with Proline blades as all of the other AC razors I've used did.

I've used the SS ATT SE1/Proline pretty exclusively for the past two years.

If it wasn't for the Schick Proline blade, I wouldn't be using AC razors at all, Feather and Kai blades don't come close.

 

[rabidus]

I cant seem to find any blades that work with my gem junior. Every blade i buy seems soooo dull. I went to CVS and got their se blades and those things dont even seem like they would cut a wet paper bag !!!! What blades do you suggest? I even tried hand stropping them and it didnt help...

CVS blades are Carbon steel. Try the ones from Walgreen's, they're uncoated stainless Steel. Coated stainless steel are favored here and are my favorite.

 

[shave/brush]

I second the Walgreen's blades. They are my favorite GEM blades. But I still feel there is nothing sharper than the A/C blade format. By a long shot they are the sharpest blades.

 

[jaro 101969]

CVS blades are Carbon steel. Try the ones from Walgreen's, they're uncoated stainless Steel. Coated stainless steel are favored here and are my favorite.

Walgreens all around me are out...

 

[jaro 101969]

I second the Walgreen's blades. They are my favorite GEM blades. But I still feel there is nothing sharper than the A/C blade format. By a long shot they are the sharpest blades.

Im wanting to try an ac thats shaped like the traditional t bar razors.

 

[Ron R]

I use 3 razor blade systems, DE -Mainly Gillette & Razorock razors, SE -GEM mainly & Eveready razors that I have a couple of and of course SE Schick and the width of the blades are very similar & shaves are usually excellent. Most of these 3 blade type manufactures have been around for over 100 yrs and have excellent blades. The A/C system is also excellent and I do not own any yet but fellow B&B folks enjoy them and "word of mouth" is good enough for me. Extra width for the A/C blades more than likely comes from their big customers "Barbershops world wide" that use straight razor blade insert systems and they were able to incorporate this system into A/C SE razors also that are popular.
I like my 3 known razor blade systems that have and still being used by millions of peoples world wide and some day I might venture into AC system.


Have some great shaves!

 

[Chandu]

I have thought of getting a hawk razor. How was it? I really want one i think, i'm just worried about wasting my money if it's no good...

I like my Hawk V2 a lot. I got the aluminum and like the weight or rather lack thereof. It doesn't feel clunky to me like the latest stainless monsters do.

 

[rabidus]

Walgreens all around me are out...

The Walgreen's website shows where they are in stock. I have about 5 or so stores between my house and job.

I don't use those though, I ordered the PTFE coated SS blades in bulk.

 

[garyg]

I use 3 razor blade systems, DE -Mainly Gillette & Razorock razors, SE -GEM mainly & Eveready razors that I have a couple of and of course SE Schick and the width of the blades are very similar & shaves are usually excellent. Most of these 3 blade type manufactures have been around for over 100 yrs and have excellent blades. The A/C system is also excellent and I do not own any yet but fellow B&B folks enjoy them and "word of mouth" is good enough for me. Extra width for the A/C blades more than likely comes from their big customers "Barbershops world wide" that use straight razor blade insert systems and they were able to incorporate this system into A/C SE razors also that are popular.
I like my 3 known razor blade systems that have and still being used by millions of peoples world wide and some day I might venture into AC system.
View attachment 1004953

Have some great shaves!

Good point - the AC's are really designed for shavettes & hair shapers, I think their use as shaving razors is just a nice sidelight. And wider, well, unless you have a really large face, the longer blade just gets in the way at certain angles, and is of no practical advantage otherwise.

I use a shavette style razor, but reach for that far less than an Injector, SE or DE.

 

[jaro 101969]

The Walgreen's website shows where they are in stock. I have about 5 or so stores between my house and job.

I don't use those though, I ordered the PTFE coated SS blades in bulk.

They are out of stock within about 200 to 250 miles from me.

 

[jaro 101969]

I like my Hawk V2 a lot. I got the aluminum and like the weight or rather lack thereof. It doesn't feel clunky to me like the latest stainless monsters do.

thanks