I am certainly odd here, but I always get a closer shave with a milder razor. Counter intuitive, but somehow true (for me). Most everyone else reports a closer shave with a more aggressive setup. For my face/technique/whiskers/karma (??) the milder results of the RIGS improves my shave.
Micromatic Monday
- Thread starter Twelvefret
- Start date
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
MMMonday, OCtober 17th 2022
Razor : Micromatic OC- Mfg 1939-41, mid to upper mid range, built to last and with good technique a person can receive some nice close shaves. I also used a RIGS spline shim for addition testing.
Blade : Gem Personna SS PTFE(7) very sharp, great longevity, smooths out nicely, predictable + safest razor blade to handle IMO.
Soap : Razorock XXX
- nice unique clean scent + excellent lather qualities.
Brush : Razorock Plissoft 24mm synthetic, excellent lather generator, cloud like soft tips, great splay scrubber + excellent lather painter. Used this brush a lot when I started traditional wet shaving.
Pre shave : (Dedicated Cashmere synthetic)Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser with a dollop of clear Aloe Vera on the cleaned beard area.
Prep : Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave : Razorock XXX AS with witch hazel + a dollop of CeraVe moisturizing lotion(scentless).
Results :CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + 1 chin weeper=
excellent shave with Gem MMOC with a Gem coated blade.
Have some great shaves!
Razor : Micromatic OC- Mfg 1939-41, mid to upper mid range, built to last and with good technique a person can receive some nice close shaves. I also used a RIGS spline shim for addition testing.
Blade : Gem Personna SS PTFE(7) very sharp, great longevity, smooths out nicely, predictable + safest razor blade to handle IMO.
Soap : Razorock XXX
- nice unique clean scent + excellent lather qualities.Brush : Razorock Plissoft 24mm synthetic, excellent lather generator, cloud like soft tips, great splay scrubber + excellent lather painter. Used this brush a lot when I started traditional wet shaving.
Pre shave : (Dedicated Cashmere synthetic)Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser with a dollop of clear Aloe Vera on the cleaned beard area.
Prep : Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave : Razorock XXX AS
with witch hazel + a dollop of CeraVe moisturizing lotion(scentless).Results :CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + 1 chin weeper=
excellent shave with Gem MMOC with a Gem coated blade.Have some great shaves!
I used a GEM holder today made by modern machining. Very smooth and efficient. The three piece design is very different from the vintage GEM holders.
Razor: Ever-Ready 1924 Green Bakelite Travel set
Blade: Pal Carbon Steel Gem-type blade
Brush: Rick Montalvo Grade A Silvertip Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Seaforth! Sea Spiced Lime
Aftershave: Shannon's 25th Street Lime splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
Blade: Pal Carbon Steel Gem-type blade
Brush: Rick Montalvo Grade A Silvertip Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Seaforth! Sea Spiced Lime
Aftershave: Shannon's 25th Street Lime splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
You can post here anytime with any ASR razor that holds a Gem blade other than on Micromatic Monday(we had a group hug to sort out some basic rules by Fred @Flintstone65 & @GAW9576 & @Tanuki and a few others who contributed some input idea's) who where over looking this thread. Like every great thread it had to start with a time allotment spot by @Twelvefret who started other great threads also. So the brands of razors are Gem, Ever-ready, Star, Treet, Radio.... can be used anytime of the week 365 days of the year.
Another great reference that was compiled by @mata_66 post #526 will also help in time chart for ASR razors as a excellent quick guide reference.
Gem Razor Models
I bid on that razor when it came up on eBay a few years back. I really wanted that one. Hoosier Trooper did a great write up on it too.www.badgerandblade.com
Enjoy your ASR shaves!
@Ron R is right, and thank you Ron and @Tanuki and everyone else for keeping this great thread going. I haven't been around much lately because I've been quite busy. That and my internet sucks. This site in particular loads excessively slow. Hopefully I can find a solution to that. I miss the conversations here. I'll try to check in more often even if I don't post much. Uploads seem to take even longer than downloads.
BMMOC/RIGS for me today. Corked GEM PTFE on shave 1 felt fairly aggressive, but I attribute that to the fresh blade, a very quick lather, and extra facial sensitivity after a vigorous seven mile hike this afternoon. Summer is hanging on and on.
At any rate, it was a very close shave with no issues beyond the enhanced blade feel.
B&B site performance has been a bit erratic for me lately too. Slow loads, error messages, and strange page layouts that resolve with a reload. Inconsistent, but sometimes pretty troublesome.
As for your being quite busy, I hope it is a good busy!
Another Micromatic Monday Tuesday shave. I was happily halfway through yesterday’s shave with my Tech and oops! It’s Micromatic Monday! Oh well, I’ll just trade it for Tech Tuesday.
Last shave with my Little Lather Catcher and Gem blade (#8 use) was a little rough, so I was eager to get back to my Gem 1912 series (And of course, the RIGS Shim) and give it a stropping with my recently purchased Stag Sharpener on the blade. It was a much more satisfying shave today! A DFS rating.
Last shave with my Little Lather Catcher and Gem blade (#8 use) was a little rough, so I was eager to get back to my Gem 1912 series (And of course, the RIGS Shim) and give it a stropping with my recently purchased Stag Sharpener on the blade. It was a much more satisfying shave today! A DFS rating.
Attachments
Homeschooling 3 kids and working 2 part time jobs plus taking care of projects around my own house. Mostly good busy.
I recently purchased a Stag while passing through South Dakota. I would love to see the contents of your Sharp Facts leaflet.
Did yours come with the leather strop and Crown hone?
I decided to go ahead and post the pictures of the pamphlet here since it may be of historical interest to some. I am intrigued with the seeming competition between the early honorable blade advocates (particularly Gem) and Gillette, who insisted on disposing spent blades. (The beginning of the disposable razor, as far as I know.) Then, as now, consumers were divided, but it seems there was a very large contingent of people who wanted to hone and strop blades, as indicated by the success of some stroppable razor systems and aftermarket (honoring and) stropping devices like Allegro and Twinplex. Eventually the disposable contingent became the clear majority.
That should be “honable blade advocates,” although in my way of thinking “honorable” also seems appropriate.
Mine came bare bones:
I wasn't certain whether it was for safety blades or wedge blades. In fact I had to stare at it a bit in the vintage shop before I decided it was a honing tool.
Mine looks like it saw plenty of use. Thanks for posting the leaflet. I will give the Stag a whirl.
I’m guessing it could be used for either, but the leaflet definitely addresses the disposable blades issue (at that time mainly Gillette?). As my orginal picture shows, I have also used it to hone razor knife blades.
Posting Yesterday's shave of the day late.
British Ever-ready Peerless 1912, Rubberset 400 with Zenith baor reknot and Mer Shavings donkey's milk Orange Fougère finished off with a splash of Lucky Tiger.
British Ever-ready Peerless 1912, Rubberset 400 with Zenith baor reknot and Mer Shavings donkey's milk Orange Fougère finished off with a splash of Lucky Tiger.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
MMMonday, Trick or Treet week, Daily Double, OCtober 24th 2022.
Razor : Gillette New long comb(Canadian variant) with a Yaqi orange brass chromed handle I won in a sale raffle, Mfg 1930's when Gillette's new blade design was introduced, mid range, works ok with no drama. This type of carbon blade was used when the first New Gillette razors where first introduced. Worked OK with no drama.
Razor: Gem Micromatic OC button less- Mfg 1930-32 for this model, upper mid range, built to last, mainly used today for my touch ups to see how my 1st experience with a carbon blade would be like. Very enjoyable different shave experience today.
Blade : Treet carbon blade(1) 1st use of a DE carbon blade in 5 years of shaving, sharp & smooth. Not sure on longevity yet.
Treet was part of the umbrella of companies that was part of the American Safety Razor Corporation and was sold off many years later because of market blade changes in the Western world.
Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE, very sharp, excellent longevity, smooths out nicely, predictable + safest blade to handle.
Soap : Speick stick- nice mild spicy scent with excellent lather qualities. I like this soap slightly better than my Tabac soap . Great enjoyable thick rich excellent lather protection.
Brush : Yaqi "Red Zebra" 26mm snow leopard synthetic knot, excellent lather generator, luxury heavenly cloud like soft tips, gentle splay scrubber + excellent lather painter.
Pre shave : (Dedicated Cashmere synthetic)Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser with a dollop of clear Aloe Vera on the cleaned beard area.
Prep : Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG(carbon) + ATG(carbon) + pickups (Gem Stainless).
Post shave : Razorock King Louis AS with witch hazel + a dollop of CeraVe moisturizing lotion(scentless).
Results :CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + no weepers= Excellent shave with my Gillette New long comb + MMOC with a carbon Treet blade + a coated Gem blade.
Have some great shaves!
Razor : Gillette New long comb(Canadian variant) with a Yaqi orange brass chromed handle I won in a sale raffle, Mfg 1930's when Gillette's new blade design was introduced, mid range, works ok with no drama. This type of carbon blade was used when the first New Gillette razors where first introduced. Worked OK with no drama.
Razor: Gem Micromatic OC button less- Mfg 1930-32 for this model, upper mid range, built to last, mainly used today for my touch ups to see how my 1st experience with a carbon blade would be like. Very enjoyable different shave experience today.
Blade : Treet carbon blade(1) 1st use of a DE carbon blade in 5 years of shaving, sharp & smooth. Not sure on longevity yet.
Treet was part of the umbrella of companies that was part of the American Safety Razor Corporation and was sold off many years later because of market blade changes in the Western world.
Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE, very sharp, excellent longevity, smooths out nicely, predictable + safest blade to handle.
Soap : Speick stick- nice mild spicy scent with excellent lather qualities. I like this soap slightly better than my Tabac soap . Great enjoyable thick rich excellent lather protection.
Brush : Yaqi "Red Zebra" 26mm snow leopard synthetic knot
, excellent lather generator, luxury heavenly cloud like soft tips, gentle splay scrubber + excellent lather painter.Pre shave : (Dedicated Cashmere synthetic)Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser with a dollop of clear Aloe Vera on the cleaned beard area.
Prep : Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG(carbon) + ATG(carbon) + pickups (Gem Stainless).
Post shave : Razorock King Louis AS with witch hazel + a dollop of CeraVe moisturizing lotion(scentless).
Results :CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + no weepers=
Excellent shave with my Gillette New long comb + MMOC with a carbon Treet blade + a coated Gem blade.Have some great shaves!
Razor: Treet Baton Handle, black with red cap
Blade: Pal Carbon Steel Gem-type blade
Brush: Jayaruh #429 White Rook in two-band badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Seaforth! Sea Spiced Lime
Aftershave: Shannon's 25th Street Lime splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
Blade: Pal Carbon Steel Gem-type blade
Brush: Jayaruh #429 White Rook in two-band badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Seaforth! Sea Spiced Lime
Aftershave: Shannon's 25th Street Lime splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented
I had a fantastic shave with the Gem Jr Bar today. This is one of the best razors ever made. Very smooth and still very efficient.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
I have to agree with you Greg on the Gem Jr bar, new blade it just a joy to use I have found also. Closed comb is No1 in my books.
Another Gem Jr. (1912) shave for me. I had a better shave this week on the 10th outing. I attribute it to two things.
1. A good stropping with my Stag sharpener; and
2. More focus on technique. I learned the last couple of weeks with my Tech to lighten up even more in the No Pressure area, apparently I am in the negative numbers now. Also, remember I am not shaving with my Tech, so no slightly angled passes. The Gem seems to especially sensitive to the violation of either of these.
In the middle of my first pass I noticed my Rigs Shim had fallen out. Not properly rigged?
I decided to save it for the final extra passes over the chin area. I was careful not to swish or shake the razor too much, I rinsed it under the faucet between passes to avoid losing it again. Maybe I’ll resort to tape as recommended by its maker.
1. A good stropping with my Stag sharpener; and
2. More focus on technique. I learned the last couple of weeks with my Tech to lighten up even more in the No Pressure area, apparently I am in the negative numbers now. Also, remember I am not shaving with my Tech, so no slightly angled passes. The Gem seems to especially sensitive to the violation of either of these.
In the middle of my first pass I noticed my Rigs Shim had fallen out. Not properly rigged?
I decided to save it for the final extra passes over the chin area. I was careful not to swish or shake the razor too much, I rinsed it under the faucet between passes to avoid losing it again. Maybe I’ll resort to tape as recommended by its maker.
