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The Cult of Streamline - Streamline & Jewel owners

I would pay any price for one, it is my holy SE grail.
Not dated.....its a classic, that is why the Streamline fetches the biggest dollars in SE world.......

There are enough offerings of this overhyped razor on ebay, and if not today then tomorrow, they come up all the time.

It fetches the biggest dollars because the sellers smelled the hype, generated by threads like this.

Shave-wise I found nothing exceptional about this razor.
As a collector item, well, I don't collect stuff for the sake of collecting so I can't relate.
 
I have shaved and own most SE's and it is better than all of them. I have always said you can get an equal shave with other razors but for the shaving process. balance, and handle grip it was ahead of it's time in 1930 and still can hang with the best out there, SE or DE manufactured today. Overhyped, possibly but a lot of the hype is earned, great razor with the carbon blade.

There are enough offerings of this overhyped razor on ebay, and if not today then tomorrow, they come up all the time.

It fetches the biggest dollars because the sellers smelled the hype, generated by threads like this.

Shave-wise I found nothing exceptional about this razor.
As a collector item, well, I don't collect stuff for the sake of collecting so I can't relate.
 
There are enough offerings of this overhyped razor on ebay, and if not today then tomorrow, they come up all the time.

It fetches the biggest dollars because the sellers smelled the hype, generated by threads like this.

Shave-wise I found nothing exceptional about this razor.
As a collector item, well, I don't collect stuff for the sake of collecting so I can't relate.

A search of the BST will reveal that just a scant couple of years ago, a Streamline could barely fetch 40 bucks. Now you can't sniff one for less than a hundred.
Hype personified (or razorified)
 
Yes, overhyped dollar-wise, probably overhyped shave-quality-wise, but not overhyped looks-wise. I get great shaves from damaskenes, juniors, shovelheads, micromatics, etc. They all feel a bit different, but they all shave very close with ease. The Streamline does not shave any closer or any easier or any better, as far as I can tell.

BUT I think the streamline feels nicer in the hand, has more heft, looks better, and generally feels more substantial than the others. Worth all those extra bucks? Depends what you care about. Nobody's making anything better these days, IMO, and it is a classic. And they aren't making any more of them. I personally like the Deco design a whole lot, so paying more was worth it.

In a few months or years, when something else starts to get more hype, the price of the Streamline will probably drop. If you don't feel like paying a premium now, I'd recommend a shovelhead, which also feels substantial and has a great design.


A search of the BST will reveal that just a scant couple of years ago, a Streamline could barely fetch 40 bucks. Now you can't sniff one for less than a hundred.
Hype personified (or razorified)
 
That is his forte to sell his razors.....it works too.

I'm doing my best to match him...
$ImageUploadedByTapatalk1398527796.005622.jpg $ImageUploadedByTapatalk1398527815.304302.jpg

The metal case with the purple liner is real classy!
 
I have sold my British made Streamline Set.

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No doubt the Streamline is a beautiful looking razor and its Chrome finish is realy one of the best I have seen so far on any safety razors made in the past or nowadays. Most of the time my Streamline was bored and just hanging around in my display cabinet because the shaves were not as comfortable as with my British made Ever-Ready 1912. Which is truly my favourite SE razor.

To be honest selling that Streamline did not break my heart that much and I am still alive. :001_smile
 
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Antique Hoosier

“Aircooled”
[QUOTE........... selling that Streamline did not break my heart that much and I am still alive. :001_smile[/QUOTE]

I have never owned one but that quote is a great lesson.....many times we fear the World collapsing if we sold DEAR items...it just is not the case....I have sold some "things" I said I would never sell...Still alive too!
 
I haven't posted in this thread for a while, as I haven't had too much to add, but today I do...

I've been thinking for a while about what we call these razors. Streamlines, Jewels, Ambassadors; and then both Gem and Ever Ready. All the same razor, but different names. So how do we say which one is which? And what do we call the Gem variants?

I believe that there are the following variants in existence:
- The older style with the larger holes
- Ever Ready Ambassador - in different coloured cases
- Ever Ready Streamline - this is the white clam shell single razor case
- Ever Ready Strop Outfit - the white clamshell with the stropper
- Ever Ready Jewel - in the metal case with purple or red lining
- Ever Ready in larger metal case with brush and soap containers
- Gem in white clamshell
- Gem in larger white clamshell with stropper
- Ever Ready in brown case
- Ever Ready in larger brown case with stropper
- Gem in metal case (possibly???)

The Ambassadors are easy and uncontroversial.
So are the Ever Ready Streamlines.
The Ever Ready Jewel is discussed in and around post 871
$263899065.jpg

But...
I've never seen any proof as to why we generally call the Gems 'Jewels'.
The metal cased Ever Ready ones are Jewels. But the clamshelled ones are streamlines.
And it isn't clear that the Gem variant was commonly sold in the metal case.

So why do we call them Gem Jewels?
Is it because we are afraid to call them Gem Streamlines?

If only someone had one in its original shipper...

Well...

Behold the Gem Streamline:

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$IMG_7361b.jpg
 
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A couple more pictures:

$IMG_7362.jpg$IMG_7363.jpg

It seems to have been used once and put away, it still has four of the original blades (the fifth was in the razor when I got it).

Interestingly, inside the clamshell was a set of instructions.
But they aren't what I expected, they're the standard British Gem instructions from the 1912 range.

$IMG_7364.jpg

So either the booklet isn't original to this set (which I doubt), or they couldn't be bothered printing a Gem specific version of the streamline instructions for the Gem variant!
 

mswofford

Rest in Peace
duanek; In addition to your extensive list above I have an Ever Ready Streamline stropper set in a black case in the style of the brown stropper case. I have not seen another. Does anyone else have one in a black case?
 
A pic of my Streamline.
Fantastic shave, and a true joy to see and hold, and of course use.
Not a set, and no case ... just an Every/Any-Day Ever-Ready.
:001_smile

$IMG_0116.jpg
 
duanek; In addition to your extensive list above I have an Ever Ready Streamline stropper set in a black case in the style of the brown stropper case. I have not seen another. Does anyone else have one in a black case?


Is there a photo anywhere on B & B of your Black cased set ? I would love to see it
 
When I first saw the link to this thread in the "INFO POST" sticky at the top of the SE forum, my first question was, "What's a Streamline?" So, I started reading - all 47 pages!

By about page 4 I am thinking, "I must have one of these."

I continued to read and started searching. I quickly found while they are not really rare, they are not really common, either, and good specimens fetch a premium price. I also found that they were more likely to be found on the UK ebay (duh!), which meant paying for shipping from England, and even worse, waiting. After a couple of weeks of being routinely outbid, looking at overpriced BIN's in poor condition, and general frustration, I got lucky and stumbled across one in a retail outlet at a reasonable price (more or less).

So now I am the proud owner of a 2nd generation stropper set in near-mint condition. The case is perfect, except for some of the paint being worn off the letters.

$sl1.JPG

The original strop (or at least a genuine Ever Ready one) is present, as are both blade banks.

$sl2.JPG

The plating on these is simply gorgeous, and this one is no exception, with no visible wear anywhere. There were even a couple of vintage blades in one of the banks.

$sl3.JPG

The only flaw in this set is a couple of gouges in the strop, apparently caused by someone Unclear on the Concept.

$sl4.JPG

Here the small cutouts and slots in the guard can be seen, indicating that this is the newer version. I have learned a LOT in this thread.

$sl5.JPG

Okay, it's beautiful, but how does it shave? Opinions seem to vary, from "Best shave I've ever had!" "Incredible!" "It changed my life!" to those less enamored: "Over-hyped." "Okay." "No better than (insert your favorite SE here)."

After a week of shaves, I have to put myself in the fanboy section. It is agressive yet at the same time incredibly smooth. It is also the loudest razor I own, fairly singing as it mows down whiskers. This, together with the excellent handle and great balance, make finding the perfect angle easy and intuitive.

It is the heaviest SE that I own, weighing in at just over 3 ounces. For comparison, a 1912 with the chain handle is 2.45 oz, and a Micromatic OC is 2.35 oz. I think that this extra heft contributes to the smoothness.

I'm extremely happy to be joining this cult. Now all I have to do is find one of the older models . . .and maybe a Gem Jewel. :thumbup:

--Bob
 
After a long lay off due to my admiration with slants, I tried my newest Streamline/Jewel today. (GEM PTFE Blade and RL Safari soap. Also B&B Essentials Boar brush.). Wow! Have I missed these amazing shaves. Maybe it's just me, but shaving with one is just so intuitive. So easy for me. I really enjoyed it. Just a great BBS shave.
I just had to share this as it's been far too long since I've enjoyed these great razors.
 
After a long lay off due to my admiration with slants, I tried my newest Streamline/Jewel today. (GEM PTFE Blade and RL Safari soap. Also B&B Essentials Boar brush.). Wow! Have I missed these amazing shaves. Maybe it's just me, but shaving with one is just so intuitive. So easy for me. I really enjoyed it. Just a great BBS shave.
I just had to share this as it's been far too long since I've enjoyed these great razors.

Good stuff, the SE razors in general seem much more intuitive, I have been enjoying the three SE razors I have lately for the majority of my shaves, they are all excellent: C.V. Heljestrand, Ever-Ready Streamline, and Ever-Ready Shovel Head.

If you have to choose between your favorite slant razor or SE razor, which would it be...?
 
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Good stuff, the SE razors in general seem much more intuitive, I have been enjoying the three SE razors I have lately for the majority of my shaves, they are all excellent: C.V. Heljestrand, Ever-Ready Streamline, and GEM Shovel Head.

If you have to choose between your favorite slant razor or SE razor, which would it be...?
Easy question. Best shaves ever were with my Streamlines and Jewels. (Though, I am of the mind equal shaves in quality can be had with the GEM OCMM and GEM Damaskeene OC & CC.).
I love shaving with slants, but if I could only pick one razor for the rest of my days, it would be one of the Jewels/Streamlines.
 
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