Where would you say the Shovel Head ranks on it's aggressiveness. I looking at one to buy. Less than the MMOC, more than a GEM 1912?
Shovel Head Razor
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The shovel Head or 1924 is slightly more aggressive than the OCMM & way more aggressive than a GEM 1912...They can feel milder than they actually are because they are quite smooth and a lot more manoeuvrable...They are a lot easier to use than an OCMM and far more manoeuvrable than a 1912...Nice shavers Sir....
Billy
Billy
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- #3
Thanks Billy
You are welcome Sir...
Billy
Billy
The MMOC and the Ever-Ready 1924 are my 2 favorite razors in their respective categories. I rank them similar as to aggressiveness.
I rank them SLIGHTLY more aggressive than the Gem 1912, but not by much. Only you, your face, and your technique can be the ultimate judge.
One thing I like about the 1924 is the absence of the lather catcher hood, which makes it is very simple and easy to clean. Also one doesn't need to rinse it while shaving as often as other razors. The head seems to store the lather somewhat. On a historical note the 1924 was manufactured from 1919 to 1929. It first appeared in the Sears catalogue in 1924 and that name stuck.
I rank them SLIGHTLY more aggressive than the Gem 1912, but not by much. Only you, your face, and your technique can be the ultimate judge.
One thing I like about the 1924 is the absence of the lather catcher hood, which makes it is very simple and easy to clean. Also one doesn't need to rinse it while shaving as often as other razors. The head seems to store the lather somewhat. On a historical note the 1924 was manufactured from 1919 to 1929. It first appeared in the Sears catalogue in 1924 and that name stuck.
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Thanks Steve
Does the Ever Ready 1924 Shovel Head benefit from shimming the blade?
How would you shim a SE razor? I've never done it.
Now, using flat blade screw drivers and a good hard edge, like a metal ruler, open up the spine ...
... close it up and repeat a few times until it snaps:
Take your razor, say a 1912, and load in the half spine and the blade on top:
Voila! Shimmed!
You can do the same with, say a GEM Junior Bar, loading in the blade and then slipping the shim under:
Voila! Shimmed!
... that's how
Yes it does benefit from shimming in my experience...This replicates the shaving angle of the original stropping blade that had a thicker spine...
Billy
My own experience is that while I can feel a difference with a shim in a 1924, it is not nearly the same magnitude as with some other razors (lather catchers and Damaskeenes in particular). Since I can get a perfectly excellent shave with a 1924 without a shim, I generally don't bother.
This is very much a YMMV sort of thing.
--Bob
This is very much a YMMV sort of thing.
--Bob
Brother Scooby
I followed your instructions (it went well) and my Star 1912 SE razor is now shimmed and loaded with a fresh Gem blade waiting for tomorrow's shave. I'll be anxious to experience the results.
One question: Instead of pulling off the spine and splitting it for a shim, why not pull off the spine and shim the razor with the entire spineless blade. Or am I missing something?
I sit at your feet in the spirit of learning.
I followed your instructions (it went well) and my Star 1912 SE razor is now shimmed and loaded with a fresh Gem blade waiting for tomorrow's shave. I'll be anxious to experience the results.
One question: Instead of pulling off the spine and splitting it for a shim, why not pull off the spine and shim the razor with the entire spineless blade. Or am I missing something?
I sit at your feet in the spirit of learning.
All blades, vintage and modern, are the same thickness. The difference is in the thickness of the spine, which was much thicker on vintage blades. Since the blade is supported at the spine in most razors, changing the spine thickness changes blade angle. I recently got a digital caliper, so I can dazzle with numbers.
Modern Gem SS spine: .039
Gem Damaskeene spine: .063
Ever-Ready spine: .081 - (this is an Ever-Ready "Quality De Luxe" from about a century ago)
Thickness of the shim (half of a modern spine): .015
All numbers are thousandths of an inch (sorry, European guys).
So, if we subtract the difference between the vintage and modern spines, and divide by two (since we're only concerned with the side of the blade being supported) we get .012 for the Damaskeene blade and .021 for the ER blade. So adding a shim of .015 at least gets us in the ballpark.
Of course the vintage blades also used different steel and a different bevel on the edge, so it is still only an approximation.
--Bob
Modern Gem SS spine: .039
Gem Damaskeene spine: .063
Ever-Ready spine: .081 - (this is an Ever-Ready "Quality De Luxe" from about a century ago)
Thickness of the shim (half of a modern spine): .015
All numbers are thousandths of an inch (sorry, European guys).
So, if we subtract the difference between the vintage and modern spines, and divide by two (since we're only concerned with the side of the blade being supported) we get .012 for the Damaskeene blade and .021 for the ER blade. So adding a shim of .015 at least gets us in the ballpark.
Of course the vintage blades also used different steel and a different bevel on the edge, so it is still only an approximation.
--Bob
Bob has went into the measurement stuff as well and if not better than I could express it ....But to answer your question...If you use a full spine in particular razors you have the gap between the two sides of the spine to deal with...Out by a mile Sir...Which is the width of the blade plus the two edges of the spine...Hope that makes sense...You are essentially back to where you started...
Billy
Billy
All blades, vintage and modern, are the same thickness. The difference is in the thickness of the spine, which was much thicker on vintage blades. Since the blade is supported at the spine in most razors, changing the spine thickness changes blade angle. I recently got a digital caliper, so I can dazzle with numbers.
Modern Gem SS spine: .039
Gem Damaskeene spine: .063
Ever-Ready spine: .081 - (this is an Ever-Ready "Quality De Luxe" from about a century ago)
Thickness of the shim (half of a modern spine): .015
All numbers are thousandths of an inch (sorry, European guys).
So, if we subtract the difference between the vintage and modern spines, and divide by two (since we're only concerned with the side of the blade being supported) we get .012 for the Damaskeene blade and .021 for the ER blade. So adding a shim of .015 at least gets us in the ballpark.
Of course the vintage blades also used different steel and a different bevel on the edge, so it is still only an approximation.
--Bob
Mr. Spiderman,
Excellent, understood, and thanx!
In your first sentence I think you meant, but didn't say, SE blades. Modern DE blades definitely are thinner.
I would like to get an inexpensive but accurate measuring instrument to measure gaps and thicknesses related to razors and blades. Any suggestions? What do I ask for, and where do I go?
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My comments were meant to be taken in the context of the thread - this is, after all, the SE forum. DE blades are thinner, injector blades are thicker, but we were discussing shimming traditional single edge blades.
I'm using a very inexpensive digital vernier caliper. These are offered on ebay by numerous vendors for around $15 w/shipping included.
I wasn't expecting much considering the price, but it is made of hardened stainless steel and has a nice heft in the hand. I tested it by measuring some feeler gauges and it seems to be quite accurate. It can do inside, outside or hole measurements and can read out in inches or mm. It even came with a nifty plastic case and a spare battery.
It is more than accurate enough for measuring knots and lofts on shaving brushes, which is the primary purpose I had in mind when I bought it.
Just go to eBay and search for "6" 150mm Stainless Digital Vernier Caliper."
--Bob
I'm using a very inexpensive digital vernier caliper. These are offered on ebay by numerous vendors for around $15 w/shipping included.
I wasn't expecting much considering the price, but it is made of hardened stainless steel and has a nice heft in the hand. I tested it by measuring some feeler gauges and it seems to be quite accurate. It can do inside, outside or hole measurements and can read out in inches or mm. It even came with a nifty plastic case and a spare battery.
It is more than accurate enough for measuring knots and lofts on shaving brushes, which is the primary purpose I had in mind when I bought it.
Just go to eBay and search for "6" 150mm Stainless Digital Vernier Caliper."
--Bob
Thanks for the info about the digital caliper.
And "touché" regarding this is a SE razor forum, so its reasonable to believe you were discussing SE blades.
And "touché" regarding this is a SE razor forum, so its reasonable to believe you were discussing SE blades.
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YMMV, but for me the MMOC is just a tad bit more aggressive than the 1924 model, both really provide an efficient aggressive no nonsense shave. I find that using them you have to keep your technique in check at all times. Both the MMOC and 1924 are considerably aggressive compared to the 1912 (another favorite of mine).
The shovel Head or 1924 is slightly more aggressive than the OCMM & way more aggressive than a GEM 1912...They can feel milder than they actually are because they are quite smooth and a lot more manoeuvrable...They are a lot easier to use than an OCMM and far more manoeuvrable than a 1912...Nice shavers Sir....
Billy
+1 well said Scooby
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