Lather Catchers

[somebody]

I just scored these 3. Can anyone identify, or tell me anything about them?
Can any be used with a SE blade?
Are any candidates for replating? If so, with what?

 

[somebody]

one more photo of the one on the far right

 

[jkingrph]

I think the Jr can be used with a single edge Gem blade, as for the others try one and see if it holds snugly. If it holds it shold be ok, that's what I do with mine. Only one requires a wedge blade, two others can go either way and seems to be a Gem blade only.

Replate if you wish, your call. I have one replated and it looks great and shaves good.

 

[MacDaddy]

The Ever-Ready and Gem Junior Bar can both take modern SE blades, but the Eagle Improved takes a smaller than standard sized blade. You could play around with cutting and re-spining a standard blade maybe -- I'll check the width on one of mine and see if the blade's a different width as well as shorter -- but it would probably be more trouble than it's worth.

The Gem Junior Bar is actually my personal favorite SE -- very simple and very nimble.

All three are originally nickel plated, if you end up replating any of them and want to stay original.

 

[MacDaddy]

Just checked the Eagle Improved, and modern blades will fit side to side, but you'd have to shorten them by a quarter of an inch or so in order to get the rear stop to hold them in place.

 

[somebody]

Thanks MacDaddy

Just checked the Eagle Improved, and modern blades will fit side to side, but you'd have to shorten them by a quarter of an inch or so in order to get the rear stop to hold them in place.

 

[Azarius]

Nice score...if you are looking to replate any of those, Dave (closecut61) has a lot of experience plating them. You can see some of his work in gallery upload by clicking here, including some Lather Catchers.

 

[somebody]

Nice score...if you are looking to replate any of those, Dave (closecut61) has a lot of experience plating them. You can see some of his work in gallery upload by clicking here, including some Lather Catchers.

I just checked. He does very nice work. Not sure whether to proceed based on these handles. Not sure they are complete or are in good enough shape.

 

[Azarius]

Hey Adam,

I am actually of this mind set: Purchase a user quality razor like you did, use it for a while, see if you like it, if you do, go shopping for one that has already been replated. Dave has SE's available from time to time, just send him a PM. I think you may be surprised on how reasonable that he is.

I have not seen too many of the Eagle Improved's around, I bet that would look sweet replated in bright nickel.

 

[somebody]

Hey Adam,

I am actually of this mind set: Purchase a user quality razor like you did, use it for a while, see if you like it, if you do, go shopping for one that has already been replated. Dave has SE's available from time to time, just send him a PM. I think you may be surprised on how reasonable that he is.

I have not seen too many of the Eagle Improved's around, I bet that would look sweet replated in bright nickel.

I PM'd him

 

[alex2363]

Very good info as always Porter, the New Improved had various sets, ! is a Black lid snap case and gold letters, razor in nickel finish. There is a Traveler Complete Outfit , case has snap flap closure, Eagle in diamond in the lid, strop handle and card board blade containers SHRP and DULL, TTO brush and Williams shave stick. The Eagle de Luxe Single edge rib back blade, 2 piece tube handle and blade holder for stropping, lather Catcher mairked "the eaglw above em all" black snap case purple lining, gold letters, nickel finish head and metal pressed or knurled handle.

 

[amishmotorboat]

Hmmm. It sure looks like your Gem Junior Bar razor was called the Gem Jr. Damaskeene, so that Damaskeene case the vendor had belongs to your razor.

 

[MacDaddy]

Hmmm. It sure looks like your Gem Junior Bar razor was called the Gem Jr. Damaskeene, so that Damaskeene case the vendor had belongs to your razor.

That kind of frame predates the Damaskeene blades by a few years, but with that particular style handle you're probably right.

 

[amishmotorboat]

That kind of frame predates the Damaskeene blades by a few years, but with that particular style handle you're probably right.

Isn't that the same one from the ad you posted? The frames look identical to me.

 

[MacDaddy]

Isn't that the same one from the ad you posted? The frames look identical to me.

It is, but the same frame was used farther back than the Damaskeene. I just posted another ad in that Damaskeene thread showing the same frame in a set from 1908, which is around the time that the bar was added. The Damaskeene blades didn't come out until around 1910 or 1911, I believe.

I think that this long, thin one-piece handle was specific to those Damaskeene sets, though.

 

[amishmotorboat]

It is, but the same frame was used farther back than the Damaskeene. I just posted another ad in that Damaskeene thread showing the same frame in a set from 1908, which is around the time that the bar was added. The Damaskeene blades didn't come out until around 1910 or 1911, I believe.

I think that this long, thin one-piece handle was specific to those Damaskeene sets, though.

Well, I was reasoning that this particular one did come in that case, because the same vendor had that case with a regular 1912 in it.

Here is the original thread that showed the pic of what the vendor had.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/290111-OH-MAN!-The-razor-finding-gods-were-with-me-today!-WooooHoooo!-PIC-HEAVY?highlight=damaskeene


edit: I guess the case is different. The snap closure is different.

 

[MacDaddy]

Well, I was reasoning that this particular one did come in that case, because the same vendor had that case with a regular 1912 in it.

Here is the original thread that showed the pic of what the vendor had.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...y!-WooooHoooo!-PIC-HEAVY?highlight=damaskeene

Ah! Gotcha. I missed Somebody's follow-up in that thread and didn't realize these were those same razors. One interesting thing, though... If you look at the badge on the case headliner, you can see that the Gem Junior version of the set says "Gem Junior" on the ribbon, and the 1912-style one says "Gem Razor."

I don't know how hard and fast that line would have been, but the case that this seller had also said "Gem Razor":

 

[amishmotorboat]

Ah! Gotcha. I missed Somebody's follow-up in that thread and didn't realize these were those same razors. One interesting thing, though... If you look at the badge on the case headliner, you can see that the Gem Junior version of the set says "Gem Junior" on the ribbon, and the 1912-style one says "Gem Razor."

View attachment 243168

I don't know how hard and fast that line would have been, but the case that this seller had also said "Gem Razor":

Awesome catch!
So, does this mean that the case definitely does not go with that razor?

 

[MacDaddy]

So, does this mean that the case definitely does not go with that razor?

I would really hesitate to say anything definite. There's another difference about that case, though. It looks like it has a slot for a single blade built into it there on the left side, that neither of the other two examples above have. If that's true, then it probably came with a metal sleeve to hold the extra blades, since it doesn't look like the spring-loaded dispenser could have fit.

I also noticed another thing in those other photos from that same seller: The head that's in the celluloid GEM case looks an awful lot like it has the curved top of the 1912-style Damaskeene.

 

[alex2363]

It is, but the same frame was used farther back than the Damaskeene. I just posted another ad in that Damaskeene thread showing the same frame in a set from 1908, which is around the time that the bar was added. The Damaskeene blades didn't come out until around 1910 or 1911, I believe.

I think that this long, thin one-piece handle was specific to those Damaskeene sets, though.

it came out 1911-12.