Mastering the bloody GEM

[Zumkopf]

After I got reasonably good with the Gillette Slim, Fatboy and Tech, I decided to try the SEs. I've been trying a fancy-handle Ever-Ready (GEM 1912 clone), and getting some really close shaves, at the cost of not a few nicks. Not very painful, they don't even seem to scab, but bothersome. I think I figured out why. Some of you all may have figured this out a long time ago, but... two reasons. The blade angle, and the aural feedback.

First the blade angle. The GEM is a very nice shaver, but it is practically guaranteed to fool anyone who is used to a Gillette, or really any DE design. Both the handle to blade angle and the head to blade angle are very different. On a DE, the head radiuses away from the blade, so when properly used the "*** end" of the head is pretty high off your face. Not so on a GEM. Worse, the flat surface of the GEM head subtly leads you to believe the blade follows that flat surface. It doesn't. The GEM blade is about a 20 degree angle to the head surface. In other words, when you look at the razor, the blade is about 20 degrees steeper than your primary visual clue leads you to think it is. And the top shield leaves quite a bit of blade exposed.

The blade to handle angle is also very different. On a DE, the blade is perpendicular (90 degrees) to the handle; on a GEM, the blade is more like 60 degrees to the handle. So your arm/hand technique from your DE shave is next to useless for a GEM. And as noted, if you take your visual cues from the head itself, and unconsciously slip into your DE pattern, you may as well take a machete to your face, because you're holding the blade at about a 45 degree angle to the surface being cut I know I read somewhere (and it's right) that the correct way to determine a GEM blade angle is to start with the head flat on your face, then raise the back end until you hear the hairs being cut. And you WILL hear them being cut. The sound is unmistakeable, and very satisfying.

That leads to the aural feedback problem. As you raise the head angle, the sound of the hairs being cut gets louder. Thinking you're getting a better shave, you tend to raise the head angle pretty high. Before you know it, the razor sounds great, and away you go, the blade at a steep angle to your face.

At least that's what I found that *I* was doing wrong. I like the GEM, don't get me wrong. There's a mighty good shave inside that little thing. But it may take a while before your face resembles Aruba more than Anzio.

 

[Bertilak]

My first GEM shave was a disaster also but now I would never give it up for a DE.

You just need to go by feel and not over analyze it. I don't know if I can explain things verbally -- too left-side brain. Need right-side brain to shave!

One hint/clue -- keep the blade at a shallow angle and only tilt the handle far enough to get the feedback -- sound and feel.

Practice is the key to getting the best shave you can get!

 

[Klopstick]

The other trick about the Gem and Ever-Ready is the grip. That little necked- down portion is where you pinch with just your thumb and forefinger. The rest should just float lightly inside your other fingers. Keep the pinch tight enough (you have to hold on!), but the hand and wrist loose and relax so you don't end up with pressure on your face. Get that angle set, and let the multiple passes do the job. Leaving the head against your face as you do buffing strokes will respread the lather, if you need to clean up small areas. But above all, relax and don't hold that handle in a gorilla grip. That handle is small for a reason and it will balance beautifully if you just let it.

Glad to see you are coming to like your Ever-Ready.

 

[mdunn]

there certainly is a lot to love about the 1912

 

[Zumkopf]

The other trick about the Gem and Ever-Ready is the grip. That little necked- down portion is where you pinch with just your thumb and forefinger. The rest should just float lightly inside your other fingers. Keep the pinch tight enough (you have to hold on!), but the hand and wrist loose and relax so you don't end up with pressure on your face. Get that angle set, and let the multiple passes do the job. .... But above all, relax and don't hold that handle in a gorilla grip. That handle is small for a reason and it will balance beautifully if you just let it.

Glad to see you are coming to like your Ever-Ready.

Thanks, that *IS* new information. I was using the standard "dart/spoon" grip toward the end of the handle, which worked great for the Gillettes. I'll try it and report, or die trying

 

[Zumkopf]

The other trick about the Gem and Ever-Ready is the grip. That little necked- down portion is where you pinch with just your thumb and forefinger. The rest should just float lightly inside your other fingers. Keep the pinch tight enough (you have to hold on!), but the hand and wrist loose and relax so you don't end up with pressure on your face. Get that angle set, and let the multiple passes do the job. Leaving the head against your face as you do buffing strokes will respread the lather, if you need to clean up small areas. But above all, relax and don't hold that handle in a gorilla grip. That handle is small for a reason and it will balance beautifully if you just let it.

Glad to see you are coming to like your Ever-Ready.

Klopstick, I tried that grip this morning, and it made a surprisingly large difference. I think the secret (?) is simply that it's pretty hard to put too much pressure on the razor face with the thumb-forefinger pinch grip. I went two passes with nary a scratch.

Also, thanks for the tip about respreading the lather with the buffing motion! It worked a treat.

I'm still not ready to give up my DE's, but this SE is a nice piece of work. I'm going to try a genuine 1912 GEM Jr. next.

 

[NickedUp]

Yeah! I was quite surprised to find that gripping right next to the head was the way to go- I just happened upon that while trying with all my might to get a good shave from my 1912. (and nicking myself up mightily)

I LOVE LURVE LOOOORRVE SEs... I just did a 5-minute 2-pass shave with Kiss My Face lime, barely lathered, no brush (on a business trip) and got near-BBS with no irritation. Magic.

 

[Klopstick]

Zumkopf -
Glad the new grip worked for you

Now all you have to do is work on your J-stroke, slant stroke, and upcoming SE RAD. Get thee to the antique shops!

 

[Zumkopf]

I mean, they're so cheap at antique shops, and it'd be a shame if they went to some Philistine who didn't know what to do with them, or worse went into the dustbin , so... before I knew I'd been bitten, I already had/have:

1925 Ever-Ready (fancy handle, silver box)
Gem Jr. 1912
Gem Jr. with the wide brown bakelite handle
Micromatic clog-proof, gold, not mint but pretty damn close
5 straight Micromatics, including a mint one in its original 1930's packaging, a very nice one in its original Art Deco bakelite case (bought it for the case alone!), another very nice one in a 1930s (?) green bakelike case, and two beautiful refugees that came stag.

I figure I'll get a few more GEM shaves under my belt before trying any of the Gillette tricks with it. Besides, there's this really sweet GEM in its original silver case on the Bay...

 

[David6Eagle]

I also had problems with the 1912. Happened to read a recommendation for the Gem G bar, picked one up on ebay and fell in love. The longer handle and grooved bar guard give me an outstanding shave. I like SE shaving just as well as DE.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Never had a problem with the GEM's since I started using the Ted Pella blades. It gives a shave to rival the Barber Pole Slant Bar.