Is this a Damaskeene ?

[Galhatz]

Please help my ID this SE. I bought it on BST and the seller said it was a Damaskeene.
It reads:

USE ONLY WITH
GEM
DAMASKEENE
BLADES.
​

But it looks like a 1912 to my un-trained eye.

Here are of course the photos:


What do you think?

Btw, the head has a little tilt, how would you straight it up, if you think its a good idea.

Thanks!

 

[TheVez2]

Yes indeed. It is a 1912 damaskeene. You are correct on both counts.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

It is, and judging by the handle I'm going to guess that it's stamped Gem Cutlery on the back of the frame, which makes it an early model. The later models are stamped with Gem Safety Razor. I've had a couple that were a bit off plumb like that and have gently bent it a little so that it is straight. It's usually the area that the handle screws into that is bent.

 

[Galhatz]

Thanks guys.
Yes, it does read Gem Cutlery on the back.
Do the models differ in design?
In what years were the older model made?

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Most of the Gem Safety Razor models have a slightly different handle and a bevel at the end of the cover plate where it meets the blade, fairly minor differences. They were made from roughly 1914-15 or so up until around 1919-20 when they became the Gem Safety Razor Co.

 

[Galhatz]

Is there a difference between the '1912' razor often mentioned here and 1912 Damaskeene?

 

[MajorBurnz]

There was one pretty important difference between the different models - the shape of the top. Some had straight top caps that were beveled where they met the blade, others had a curved cap. I like the curved ones, and not the straight ones.

 

[TheVez2]

Yes but some Damaskeenes were straight and some were curved, and the regular 1912s came in both versions too. So it isn't a difference between 1912 and Damaskeene 1912.

 

[Kentos]

+1

I have a Damaskeene with a straight cover, and one with a curved one. I also have a curved 1912 and a straight 1912.

Yours is a Damaskeene for sure.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

In the patent application for the 1912 design the cover plate is described as being "convexly-concave", but for some reason after the 1919 merger with ASR Gem switched to the flat cover plate on most 1912's. I wonder if the Damaskeenes with the flat cover plates are some of the last ones they made before dropping the Damaskeene wording and were transitioning to the new style.

I agree with Yohann, I prefer the rounded versions as well.

 

[Galhatz]

Do you have pictures of both?
Btw, are there non•Damaskeene 1912 models?

 

[simon1]

I wonder if the Damaskeenes with the flat cover plates are some of the last ones they made before dropping the Damaskeene wording and were transitioning to the new style.

Tom, my Damaskeene has the flat cover plate but is marked Gem Cutlery Co. on the back. So...

That being said, I think I'll try my 1914 with the rounded cover plate in a bit...haven't used it in awhile.

 

[razorx]

Tom, my Damaskeene has the flat cover plate but is marked Gem Cutlery Co. on the back. So...

That being said, I think I'll try my 1914 with the rounded cover plate in a bit...haven't used it in awhile.

Pretty common,I think I have 4 that are the same as you described....

The 1914 is a big favorite of mine.

 

[Galhatz]

Just shaved with it after a long break. In fact, I only shaved with it twice in the past and it was ok, but a little rough.
My technique has improved since and I attribute it mainly to my recent experiments with straight razors.
What can I say, this razor is exceptional. I got with it a shave almost as good as I get with my Tradere SB which is my best tool so far.
With a bit more practice it might even de-throne the Tradere, anyway it is good to have variety.

 

[mos6502]

I also have a "Gem Cutlery" Damaskeene with the flat/bevelled top. TBH I don't think there is any real difference between the plain 1912s and the typical Damaskeenes. The head of the 1912 was revised some time after the Damaskeene was discontinued, but the older 1912s have an identical head to the Damaskeenes. The British 1912s seem to have used the older head until the end of production.

Here's a flat headed Damaskeene:

Here's a later 1912:

If you look closely, one of the ways to spot the older 1912s is the shape of the edge of the guard on the right and left sides. The bottom of the head where it attaches to the handle is also slightly different, amongst a few other very subtle differences.

 

[tubeandplate]

Pretty common,I think I have 4 that are the same as you described....

The 1914 is a big favorite of mine.

All right razorx and Tom.....


I'm new at these, so forgive my ignorance, but....


What is the difference between the 1912 and the 1914????

Is it more than just the pat. date stamped on it????



Chris

 

[HoosierTrooper]

All right razorx and Tom.....


I'm new at these, so forgive my ignorance, but....


What is the difference between the 1912 and the 1914????

Is it more than just the pat. date stamped on it????



Chris

The 1914 Ever-Ready is opened by grasping the cover plate with the thumb and forefinger and basically pulling it open, whereas the 1912 is opened by depressing a tab at the back of the cover plate. The '14 will have the words LIFT HERE imprinted on each edge of the cover plate.

Here's a couple pictures of two of my '14's. The older one is on the left, it was made until around 1920-21 when it was replaced by the one on the right. The later ones had better blades stops and a smooth hexagon handle.

 

[tubeandplate]

Thanks, Tom.

I've been reading through a lot of threads here on these, and trying to figure out the models, dates, differences, etc...

It's a bit confusing at first, but I think I'm grasping some of it.


My questions now are:


* Do the 1914's have the curved blade covers or are they a mixed bag of both styles?

*Are all 1914's branded "Ever Ready" and say "Lift Here"?

*Are all the 1914's the "shovel head" reverse (from the earlier Gems rear opening cover) hinged tops?

*Are the earlier 1914's the only ones to have the smaller front blade stops?


Then, on the earlier Gems.....

*How can you tell when you don't have blade handy or from a picture when a Gem takes the earlier style (not available now) "wedge" blades?

*Are all the wood handles ones the wedge blade type?

* I assume a wedge blade head will NOT accept a modern spined normal SE blade....????



As if I'm not asking enough questions:


*What is a G-bar????

*Is a Streamline basically a 1914 head with a later Star DE style handle?????



I know I'm wearing you out....thanks for any answers.....


Chris

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I'll give it a shot, so here goes.


* Do the 1914's have the curved blade covers or are they a mixed bag of both styles? - All curved.
*Are all 1914's branded "Ever Ready" and say "Lift Here"?- Yes to both.

*Are all the 1914's the "shovel head" reverse (from the earlier Gems rear opening cover) hinged tops?- I think you have a couple models mixed up here. The 1914 is hinged at the rear of the frame just like the 1912. The model that replaced it is usually called the 1924, and somehow picked up the unfortunate nickname Shovel Head.The 1924 ER is hinged at the front, by the comb-guard, and has a small tab at the back of the frame to push up with your thumb to open it.

*Are the earlier 1914's the only ones to have the smaller front blade stops?-Yes. When they came out with the smooth hexagon handle the blade stops were made bigger.


Then, on the earlier Gems.....

*How can you tell when you don't have blade handy or from a picture when a Gem takes the earlier style (not available now) "wedge" blades?-Some of the really early ones didn't have blade stops.

*Are all the wood handles ones the wedge blade type?-No, some of them were built for use with the newer style blades.

* I assume a wedge blade head will NOT accept a modern spined normal SE blade....????- No, some of them will work with modern blades.



As if I'm not asking enough questions:


*What is a G-bar????- That is the nickname given to the razor that came out around 1950, it is all chrome and has a G inside a circle on the handle. Some advertisements called it the Heavy Flat Top, but the cases never had that name on it.

*Is a Streamline basically a 1914 head with a later Star DE style handle?????-No, the frame of the Streamline more closely resembles the 1912 in appearance and function. The handle does resemble the Star DE quite a bit.

 

[tubeandplate]

Tom-


Thanks so much for humoring me and going through all that.

I think I'm starting to get the main models in the family straight.

I was a bit confused becuase I thought "24" might have been a mistaken bastardization of the "March 24, 1914" patent date on the "14"'s.


Was there a patent date in 1924 which is the reason "we" call the front hinged one the "24"?


Got it on the G-bar too, now.

The G bar looks kind of like the button one, right? I guess they both are the last models in the 50's, other than the Featherweight?


Do you have any idea about the little DE Star 3 piece? It looks like a Gillette Old Style that has some tabs on the alignment pins to help align a modern blade....made me wonder when they started making that one....seems a little odd that they would "conceed" to what I suppose was market pressure to do a DE razor that accepted Gillette's blades and system instead of their own....

...or is that little DE 3 piece from a different company named Star?


I also finally got the obvious today looking at some pictures...the 1912 has the thumbtab on the back of the hinged top cover, the 1914 doesn't.

I'm slow, but I'm catching on...I think.


Thanks for your patience.


I think I'll be giving you a reason to do the happy dance in a week or two........



Chris