I've come to the defense of Gem razors in a couple of other threads and just thought I would open my own regarding them. The single edge razors with the possible exception of the Gem G Bar pretty much reside in the shadow of the DE razors and it's a bit unfair. My attention was first drawn to the Gem razors when I read Michael's (Leisureguy) entry in his blog about the experience of shaving with a G Bar. He said it gave him a grand shave and the design of the razor even facilitated a nice irritation free ATG pass. Looking at the pictures of it I thought even then that it was a smart looking razor and I resolved to go a-shopping for one. I also read somewhere that due to blade characteristics the single edge razor was as close to a straight razor shave as you could get. It made sense and I decided to go on the hunt.
I found my first G Bar rather quickly and it shaved like nobody's business. No nicks and no irritation. Prior to that only my trusty Regent Tech had managed that feat. I was impressed and I went looking for more. About this time I started hearing about the Gem Micromatic and the bad press it seems to inevitably attract. Because of that I dismissed it out of hand and for a long time I passed over the Micro thinking it an inferior razor somehow flawed in its design. This was a mistake. In my continuing quest for another G Bar I bought one as part of a Gem three pack from my good friend Alfred (Barbarosa). I made some offhand remark about having the paramedics on standby in case I decided to shave with the Micro. Alfred messaged me back and told me to give the Micro a chance and that I might be surprised. Well I did and I was blown away by the quality of the shave. It was an open comb Micro too so I had the pleasure of it "singing" while the whiskers were shorn. My Regent Tech also does this and I confess it's a quality about the open combs I really like. I am now convinced that everyone that has had a bad experience with the Micro or any of the other Gem razors-barring any physical damage to the razor itself-is simply not holding them correctly assuming that your face is properly prepped of course.
You hold these razors almost but not quite flat against the skin. It should just barely graze the skin as you move it along your face. Due to the head geometry the angle of the blade relative to the face is very close to that of a straight as it relates to the face. The head design takes a wee bit of getting used to but it is not overly daunting. Take your time-you're not supposed to be in a hurry anyway-and you'll get used to it. The blades are the regular box cutter single edge blades but you might want to shop around for ones that are teflon or platinum coated otherwise you may have an untreated blade rusting away in your Gem.
The Ever Readys are their English equivalent. Doubtless there are other quality brands out there too. You've probably seen some of those early Gems that look a bit like mediaeval instrumants of torture-you know kind of scary looking. Well, the head is on the same angle and they shave every bit as well as the modern versions.
The good news is these razors are plentiful on Ebay and still going for affordable prices. They clean up a treat and they are a joy to shave with. I'll never not have at least one Gem in the rotation. In fact I went one week using nothing but Gems and not a weeper in sight.
My advice is to give these single edge oddities a try if you haven't already especially the much maligned Micromatic. Give them a try and you'll soon realise that the bad press is wholly undeserved.
I found my first G Bar rather quickly and it shaved like nobody's business. No nicks and no irritation. Prior to that only my trusty Regent Tech had managed that feat. I was impressed and I went looking for more. About this time I started hearing about the Gem Micromatic and the bad press it seems to inevitably attract. Because of that I dismissed it out of hand and for a long time I passed over the Micro thinking it an inferior razor somehow flawed in its design. This was a mistake. In my continuing quest for another G Bar I bought one as part of a Gem three pack from my good friend Alfred (Barbarosa). I made some offhand remark about having the paramedics on standby in case I decided to shave with the Micro. Alfred messaged me back and told me to give the Micro a chance and that I might be surprised. Well I did and I was blown away by the quality of the shave. It was an open comb Micro too so I had the pleasure of it "singing" while the whiskers were shorn. My Regent Tech also does this and I confess it's a quality about the open combs I really like. I am now convinced that everyone that has had a bad experience with the Micro or any of the other Gem razors-barring any physical damage to the razor itself-is simply not holding them correctly assuming that your face is properly prepped of course.
You hold these razors almost but not quite flat against the skin. It should just barely graze the skin as you move it along your face. Due to the head geometry the angle of the blade relative to the face is very close to that of a straight as it relates to the face. The head design takes a wee bit of getting used to but it is not overly daunting. Take your time-you're not supposed to be in a hurry anyway-and you'll get used to it. The blades are the regular box cutter single edge blades but you might want to shop around for ones that are teflon or platinum coated otherwise you may have an untreated blade rusting away in your Gem.
The Ever Readys are their English equivalent. Doubtless there are other quality brands out there too. You've probably seen some of those early Gems that look a bit like mediaeval instrumants of torture-you know kind of scary looking. Well, the head is on the same angle and they shave every bit as well as the modern versions.
The good news is these razors are plentiful on Ebay and still going for affordable prices. They clean up a treat and they are a joy to shave with. I'll never not have at least one Gem in the rotation. In fact I went one week using nothing but Gems and not a weeper in sight.
My advice is to give these single edge oddities a try if you haven't already especially the much maligned Micromatic. Give them a try and you'll soon realise that the bad press is wholly undeserved.
