Precisely. The General doesn't need blade stops. A GEM razor does, in my opinion. Some people are obviously using this razor and enjoy it. I don't have the time to be that careful with my morning shave. The blade edges can and will bite you without a moment's notice.
Rocnel SE-G Reviews?
- Thread starter pbrmhl
- Start date
Picking up on an old thread...I got mine yesterday and look forward to trying it. As a Christmas gift, I didn't really have much input but fortunately my wife has good taste and uncanny intuition.
- Thread starter
- #43
Let us know what you think. I need to pull out my Rocnel soon...
The SE-G is my go to razor when I have a lot of growth and I use it for 1 pass, then change to something else.
The first time I used it out of the box it cut me very badly behind the right ear so next time I used it, I was extra cautious and the shave went fine. It's an aggressive razor though on par with the R41 if one can compare unequals.
The first time I used it out of the box it cut me very badly behind the right ear so next time I used it, I was extra cautious and the shave went fine. It's an aggressive razor though on par with the R41 if one can compare unequals.
I've had nothing but problems so far. Razor came to me as a Christmas present from my wife without any blades. I went online to buy some only to discover that it would cost $3.75 in shipping to receive $5 worth of blades unless I want to wait and add to a larger order later (which I don't because I want to shave with it now). Through a thread on another forum I came to learn that ASR/Gem makes private label blades for CVS. Earlier today I was able to pick up a 10 pack of what I think are carbon steel (uncoated) blades. When I returned home with them, I did a little online research about how to load the razor and gave it a try. Problem 1 - the blade did not load evenly despite my best efforts. One side has significantly more exposure than the other. Problem 2 - when I threaded the handle onto the screw, it bottomed out, leaving a significant portion of the screw visible (not at all what I was expecting from a $230 razor, even one made in Turkey). I removed and rethreaded the handle several times with the same result. Problem 3 - after calling it quits for fear of damaging the razor and unthreading the head, I discovered that the set screw is now "stuck" in the handle. Buyer beware.
After a few exploratory one pass shaves, I attempted a full 3 pass shave (WTG, XTG, ATG) with the SE-G and I'm glad to say I accomplished it without blood letting or any other calamity. It's an efficient and relatively smooth razor, but demands attention. I do prefer it to other mild (not as efficient) razors, as I hate to go over spots multible times to get anything done, also an inefficient razor urges me to exert more pressure which is something I don't want to get into the habit of doing. It's a razor I'm glad I bought and intend to keep on using it.
I have read that older, thicker gem blades are not compatible with the narrow slot of the SE-G. Is it possible that you were using one of these blades?
When I first got mine, it was a bit of a pain trying to pass through a Gem blade. Once I managed it, subsequent blades gave me no problems.
- Thread starter
- #49
Bringing this thread back to life...
I've been using my R41 2011 daily over the last week. Nice shaves, but not as close as I usually get. I'm not sure why. Ah, the mysteries of shaving...
Today, I went back to the Rocnel SE-G, which I've been focusing on over the last month or so. I love the steampunk look, and the weight and balance of the razor, but love the shave even better. I was able today to get a much closer shave today than yesterday's shave with my R41. If I'm not careful, I can create mild irritation on my neck, but a few days in a row allow my hand to train itself to avoid the irritation. I've had no problem loading a blade, or with the absence of blade stops. I also enjoy the Sabre L2, which is smoother and easier to use, but can't get as close a shave with it. The Rocnel, on the other hand, rivals my most efficient Gem blade razors (including the MMOC), DEs and AC blade razors.
I'm surprised this razor doesn't get more attention, although I acknowledge it's a pricey beast (and extremely well made).
I've been using my R41 2011 daily over the last week. Nice shaves, but not as close as I usually get. I'm not sure why. Ah, the mysteries of shaving...
Today, I went back to the Rocnel SE-G, which I've been focusing on over the last month or so. I love the steampunk look, and the weight and balance of the razor, but love the shave even better. I was able today to get a much closer shave today than yesterday's shave with my R41. If I'm not careful, I can create mild irritation on my neck, but a few days in a row allow my hand to train itself to avoid the irritation. I've had no problem loading a blade, or with the absence of blade stops. I also enjoy the Sabre L2, which is smoother and easier to use, but can't get as close a shave with it. The Rocnel, on the other hand, rivals my most efficient Gem blade razors (including the MMOC), DEs and AC blade razors.
I'm surprised this razor doesn't get more attention, although I acknowledge it's a pricey beast (and extremely well made).
I'm allso soprised the SE-G is not talked about any more in the forums. I agree it's an efficient Gem razor that need watching all the time but it does deliver. When I have more than 4 days growth, it's the one I reach for.
I like the looks also and the absence of blade stops just makes it a little more difficult, but easily loaded.
First shave with it a long time ago, it gace me a nasty cut on the side of the neck, but after a few uses I now feel confident it will deliver no matter what.
I like the looks also and the absence of blade stops just makes it a little more difficult, but easily loaded.
First shave with it a long time ago, it gace me a nasty cut on the side of the neck, but after a few uses I now feel confident it will deliver no matter what.
Does anyone else have experiences with the SE-G to report? About a year ago (see earlier post), I received my first SE-G as a Christmas present and my problems are well documented. Shortly thereafter, I sent it back and received a replacement from Phil at BullGoose. Since then I enjoyed using the razor tremendously and it's in a five razor regular rotation. Is it finicky? Absolutely. But when used well, it's one of the finest shaving instruments I own. The carbon steel GEM blades don't hold up well for very long (2 to 3 shaves max) and I haven't tried the coated ones yet, but the razor works well for me. A tip for others also using the carbon steel blades - I dunk mine in a small jar of 90% rubbing alcohol to displace the water to inhibit rusting. I still get some (not exactly sure why) but much, much less than if I rinse and rack.
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