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Handle for Old Ever Readies and GEMs..?

As much as I like these old timers their handles are a tad too short for my taste.
I got an old Star handle that fits these particular razors just well. The originals I just keep as they are either too short or out of wood.

The problem, the Star handle is a bit ugly and the weight is nothing to write home about..
Any options around?
These are the ones that goes well with the ugly handle:

GEM Junior Bar (around 1907)
Gem Junior Bar (around 1911-1912)
1912 GEM Damaskeene
Ever-Ready 1914

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Check your threads, but IIRC, they should be 10-32. Ace Hardware has 1/2" long hex drive set screws in stainless. Grab a few of those, and adapt to your handle of choice. :cool:
 
Thanks. It was a while since I last posted. Are you supposed to post full image or thumbnails? I am sorry if the pics are all over.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
The thread pitch is usually the now-obsolete 8-24 thread. (Number 8 size, 24 threads to the inch.)

One option is to get a 6-32 screw about an inch long. It will fit down through the hole without messing up your threads. I've made wooden and metal handles with 6-32 holes tapped in them (used an insert for the wood) and they will hold the head securely.

Another option is to ask around about the thread adaptors one of our members makes occasionally. They're 8-24 on one end and 10-32 on the other. They will allow you to use any handle with standard 10-31 or 5mm X 0.8 threading. Note that Fatip uses a different pitch of 4.5mm X 1.0 if I remember correctly. It won't fit this scheme, but obviously you could make adaptors for it.

And yeah, guys used to just screw some 10-32 threaded rod into a handle and crank the other end into the razor head. Seems a little whomperjawed to mess up a century-old razor that has survived this long when non-invasive adaptation is so easy.

O.H.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Thanks fellows! An adapter 8-24 seems to be out if order as mentioned by Old Hippie. I guess this adapter solution is out of the question. I might find one here in Europe. Not sure .

One of our members here makes an adaptor. Try the search and see if you can turn it up. Alternatively I know that many machine parts companies have thread adaptors for sale. Google is your friend for that.

An 8-32 setscrew isn't going to help you. It'll just mess up the threads you have. If you're going to screw down from inside the head into the handle, then you need a 6-32 screw so it's small enough to fit through the hole without engaging with the 8-24 threads in it.

You could also use a small metric screw, and simply use the appropriate metric tap or metric thread insert to thread the handle. If you've not done that before you will have some fun exploring all the off-the-shelf options for non-destructively getting what you want.

O.H.
 
One of our members here makes an adaptor. Try the search and see if you can turn it up. Alternatively I know that many machine parts companies have thread adaptors for sale. Google is your friend for that.

An 8-32 setscrew isn't going to help you. It'll just mess up the threads you have. If you're going to screw down from inside the head into the handle, then you need a 6-32 screw so it's small enough to fit through the hole without engaging with the 8-24 threads in it.

You could also use a small metric screw, and simply use the appropriate metric tap or metric thread insert to thread the handle. If you've not done that before you will have some fun exploring all the off-the-shelf options for non-destructively getting what you want.

O.H.

Thank you for your kind reply. I will look for one for sure.
Taking this thread off-rail a bit. The early lather catchers are in my opinion rather mild. Tried to shim ’em but that led to nothing. Any success of making these early ones a tad more aggressive? These days I prefer the modern GEM blades.
 
One of our members here makes an adaptor. Try the search and see if you can turn it up. Alternatively I know that many machine parts companies have thread adaptors for sale. Google is your friend for that.

An 8-32 setscrew isn't going to help you. It'll just mess up the threads you have. If you're going to screw down from inside the head into the handle, then you need a 6-32 screw so it's small enough to fit through the hole without engaging with the 8-24 threads in it.

You could also use a small metric screw, and simply use the appropriate metric tap or metric thread insert to thread the handle. If you've not done that before you will have some fun exploring all the off-the-shelf options for non-destructively getting what you want.

O.H.
?? If you're tapping metric, you're changing the pitch, either way. The 8-32 is finer than the OEM 8-24, and so with a spiral tap (or on its own) it will simply do a reforming that will engage more surface.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Taking this thread off-rail a bit. The early lather catchers are in my opinion rather mild. Tried to shim ’em but that led to nothing. Any success of making these early ones a tad more aggressive? These days I prefer the modern GEM blades.

Many of the early lather catchers were designed with wedge blades in mind. I've also noticed that very early examples of Gem blades had a steel spine that had a profile similar to a wedge blade. Our modern Gem blades have a tightly crimped aluminum spine.

My speculation is that the early Gem blades were made to fit like wedge blades because older lather catchers needed something with a thick spine. Up until recently I had a Star LC that took wedges. I still have a Gem Jr. Bar which represents the end of the shift from wedges to replaceable blades.

There are Etsy merchants who 3D print a wedge adapter that will hold a modern Gem blade (I hear; never used them). There may also be cheap-to-free downloadable printer instructions on Thingiverse or another maker site, if you have or have access to a 3D printer.

Or more shims might be the answer.

O.H.
 
Hmm. In the recent years I did try to to shim ém with a one or two old PFTE blades with no success. More so and so was the result. Has anyone tried the adapters with more luck.?
I guess that should be the final answer.

Lastly- I want to have longer handles. Have quite a few around... I have certain (silverpated though) that fit the bill but are, well silverplated.. I want nickel the most.
@Rob72, so in your opinion would a 8-32 fit the bill? I sure would not to mess up the threads.
 
I use the wedge from Frugalshaver and it works well for me. I find that I don't have to despine the blade if I just use the base on my razor.
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I would suggest you contact B & B member GAW9576. He is the elusive B & B member that has or will make the aforementioned Gem adapters. Very reasonable, I bought 2.
 
Hmm. In the recent years I did try to to shim ém with a one or two old PFTE blades with no success. More so and so was the result. Has anyone tried the adapters with more luck.?
I guess that should be the final answer.

Lastly- I want to have longer handles. Have quite a few around... I have certain (silverpated though) that fit the bill but are, well silverplated.. I want nickel the most.
@Rob72, so in your opinion would a 8-32 fit the bill? I sure would not to mess up the threads.
As always, "there may be issues". My razor, my consequences, your razor...

I have refit under/oversized threads in brass, aluminum, stainless & carbon steels. Brass and aluminum generally benefit using the smallest next-finest pitch, as long as the original threads are just worn or you need to change fasteners for some reason.

Basically, you can use a single flute tap, but if the the threads are worn, it can be better to just run the finer thread bolt rather than a tap, so that metal is moved, not cut away. This makes for a more secure fit with the new fastener. You'll gain around 1/3 more thread surface, pressing the -24 pitch to -32, I'm guesstimating.

Now, having said all this, if you are keeping the razor and are dedicated to the longer handle(s), I would just run a 10-32 tap, get a 10-32 brass set screw, and use whatever modern handle you want. You have pure new threads & all the handle selection you want.
 
Thanks A LOT! Today I got the adapters and they solved my issue COMPLETELY. Fast shipping to Europe as well. I highly recomend @GAW9576 adapters. Finally I can ditch the ugly Star handle of mine and use my prefered DE handles. This has to be the best deal I had in years costing only a few pennies. GAW9576- my sincerest thanks goes to you!

I would suggest you contact B & B member GAW9576. He is the elusive B & B member that has or will make the aforementioned Gem adapters. Very reasonable, I bought 2.
 
Thanks A LOT! Today I got the adapters and they solved my issue COMPLETELY. Fast shipping to Europe as well. I highly recomend @GAW9576 adapters. Finally I can ditch the ugly Star handle of mine and use my prefered DE handles. This has to be the best deal I had in years costing only a few pennies. GAW9576- my sincerest thanks goes to you!

I look forward to seeing some pictures and I'm glad you like the adapters.
 
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