New Damaskeene/Junior/Type C Injector, questions

[Teppanyaki]

I read http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/324676-Gem-Damaskeene-Comparison and ended up buying what I think is a Damaskeene without the specific Damaskeene lettering inside the head (the far right razor with the lined handle). I went that route because I liked the lined handle more than the standard Damaskeene handle, and also in hopes that the threading would also take regular 1912 handles such as the ornate (it doesn't, by the way). I also now have a Gem Junior (it says Junior on the back of the head) and a Type C open comb Injector (mail was pretty good today!).



I'm pretty new to SE shaving, so I'm trying to figure out which 1912 variant works best for me and then get that one plated. I'm curious how my face will respond to a Damaskeene or a Junior compared to a standard 1912. I was also fiddling with the mechanism of the Injector and managed to load a blade without trying to.

My questions are:

1) For Damaskeenes, my understanding is that all "curved" heads shave similarly. Is that true? For quality of shave and friendliness to skin, I've read that Damaskeenes are similar or better than Juniors which are either the same or slightly friendlier than standard 1912's.

2) How the heck do you take apart (cleaning) and reload a Type C? Does water or lather getting inside the handle cause problems?

I'll be trying these out after cleaning/disinfecting (yes, I'm one of those people). I'm especially interested in seeing how the Injector shaves under my nose, because frankly the whole "push the nose all over the place and try to go WTG with the SE" doesn't work that well and XTG under my nose ends up giving me more scrapes and nicks than it's worth. Or I may just use a DE for under the nose trimming for that part.

Now all I need to do is get some thread resizing bits to get an ornate handle onto the Damaskeene head. And a passoff/the spacer thing with threading so I can use them on my DE's as well.

 

[Shutterbug57]

I don't have the answers to your questions, but am interested in them as well. One thing, however, don't SE handles have the male thread while DE handles have the female thread? This could make it difficult to mix/match the handles across type.

 

[TacticalPanda]

I don't know what I believe regarding Damaskeenes, Juniors, and 1912s other than YMMV to be honest. I sold my first Damaskeene because it didn't shave as well as my 1912. I now have an open comb Damaskeene that shaves better than my 1912. Don't go in with a pre-conceived notion, just shave with what shaves best or that you like the most.

 

[Teppanyaki]

One thing, however, don't SE handles have the male thread while DE handles have the female thread? This could make it difficult to mix/match the handles across type.

Nemo (I think) suggested a standoff (I'd forgotten the name and had to look it up) which is a cylinder with threading that can be used to connect a male ended SE handle to a male ended cap/baseplate of a DE (the standoff is female on both ends). There's probably a better way to phrase that.

I saw an open comb Damaskeene for sale but figured I'd try what I have first.

 

[Sled Dog]

2) How the heck do you take apart (cleaning) and reload a Type C? Does water or lather getting inside the handle cause problems?

Regarding the Type C..to reload it, there is a door on the bottom of the razor, not the one that says "blade" (that one is the injector that inserts a new blade in the head)
The other door pulls out and pivots down, inside the razor is a magazine that you pull out and load with blades.

These razors were made for a thicker blade than the modern Schick blades, I made the mistake of putting a modern blade on top of a stack of original blades and tried to inject the new blade into the head. This resulted in a jammed injector...which brings us to how to take it apart

I dont think this razor is meant to take apart for cleaning, but if you have to, or just want to see whats in there...
Remove the head, remove the two tiny screws at the bottom and bend those two tabs outward..the guts of the razor will now slide out (be carefull blades and bits can go shooting everywhere as they are spring loaded.

You will end up with a pile of parts like this...



I wont load blades in the magazine any more, I hand load a blade into the head. Because I am using the thinner modern blades, I had to slightly squeeze the head so that it was tight against the blade

Its a great shaver. good luck with it!!
Kevin

 

[Teppanyaki]

I wont load blades in the magazine any more, I hand load a blade into the head. Because I am using the thinner modern blades, I had to slightly squeeze the head so that it was tight against the blade

Thanks for the photo and advice! How do you hand load it? I'm hoping you say something like "Hold the cartridge next to the head and use the slider to push the blade out" and not "Grab the blade with your hand and push like heck while trying not to bleed" or similar!

Unless it shaves significantly differently from my other (non-Injector) razors I will probably use it for under-the-nose trimming or travel, or simply keep it as part of my collection (will probably end up with roughly 8 razors in my collection when all is said and done, and the extras sold or given away). The idea of hand loading isn't nearly as appealing as a SE or TTO (or a 3 piece), and $1 a blade is a lot more than either my stash of DE blades or the few SE packs that I currently have.