This may send me down a never-ending rabbit trail with a new RAD but I'm considering trying an SE razor. I've looked at GEM, Ever-Ready & Star and like the look and reviews of the GEM Featherweight to take the plunge. Would this be a good choice? If not, what would be? I also understand that there are limited blade choices of either SS or carbon steel. Are either of these coated? I use vintage razors so I'm aware of all that goes into those. I also like mild-medium type razors such as the Gillette Fatboy, Slim Adjustable & Superspeeds. Any advice would be appreciated. PS, I'm also doing the "No Buy Until July", so this is just for research purposes only...............
I've only had experience with two so far, but based on your mild-med request, I would recommend a GEM bullet tip also known as a flying wing.
I have used a few SE's: GEM: MMOC, Damaskeen, 1912, 1914 Lather Catcher, Push Button, Featherweight and G-Bar The Featherweight and G-Bar are basically the same shave head with different handles and so they tend to give similar shaves, which most people consider mild. These two felt mildest to me also. EverReady: 1924 "shovelhead", ER Streamline (Streamlines many times came as cased sets with a stropper and look very much like a Gem 1912, but were made in the UK by EverReady in 1926. An American version made by Gem was known as the Jewel and is quite rare. I've never seen one, but a noticable difference between the 1912 and the Streamline/Jewel is the handle of the Streamline/Jewel is beefier. All the SE's I've tried gave pretty good shaves. My LEAST favorite SE's(gave me the worst irritation YMMV) was the MMOC. My MOST favorite were the ER Streamline and the ER 1924 "shovelhead". My advice get an ER 1924. The BEST blades I ever used"YMMV" is the Gem SS.
...I can't agree more. I didn't care for SE's until I used the 1924 shovelhead loaded with a GEM stainless blade. It provided a great shave.
My favourite se is the Gem micromatic open comb razor. With the right angle and a light touch you get a great comfortable shave. I found it easy to use but as with everything YMMV.
Middle of the road aggressiveness (a bit toward the milder end, true). For me it shaves barely more aggressively than the Featherweight and that's probably due to the weight of the all-metal body. Excellent balance in the hand and usually a superb finish, even 60+ years later. A totally effective SE (for me). Apart from that, the Damaskeene.
I went looking for SE razors and found Gem blades so why not buy a Gem razor? I liked the looks of the Gem Micromatic. My suggestion is to first find the blade and then get a razor that works with it.
All good suggestions so far. I would say that you might want to try an injector razor. I've tried DE's, SE's and injectors and am sold on the injector. Easy to use, great shaves and cheap to buy. What more could you ask for
At one time, I was also wondering which SE to get. I decided to go with all of them. Or at least every Gem, Ever Ready, Star and Treet. Now I am hunting slight differences in models (anyone have an extra blank back 1912? How about a gold bullet tip with a plastic knob?) and box variations. I love SEs. Obsessive, bad love. That being said and out the way, I am going to jump on board with the Flyweight/ Heavy Flat Top (G Bar) recommendations. They both shave great, and the only real choice comes down to how heavy you like your razor. The Pushbutton is also growing on me, and has a similar shave to the above mentioned. Plus, all three are cheap, and are found in good condition more often than bad. A pack of quality stainless blades may cost you more than a Flyweight, Pushbutton or HFT, so they are good starters. But if you want to spend the big bucks ($10-20), the Bullet Tip Micromatic is in my mind pretty mild, and a darn snazzy razor to boot.
The wife & I went to a few antique stores yesterday. She didn't find anything. However, I on the other hand found a Gem Feather Weight & a Gem Jr w/Bakelite handle in good shape. I just sanitized the FW as she was clean and shiny. The Jr so far has about 30 minutes of cleaning. Got the FW for $12 & the Jr for $4. Ordered a 10-pack of Gem stainless blades too. Both razors are shave ready and I'll try the FW when the blades arrive. Not too sure about the Jr........... I know I'm not supposed to buy anything new until July but the price and condition of both were excellent (IMO). Forgive this lapse as I'm back on the wagon............
The Jr is a lovely shaver. I have a video on the Jr and a Treet version of the same razor. The GEM Jr. is a 1912 head with a stubby bakelite handle. The 1912 is one of the most popular SEs, and is one of the first to be recommended to new shavers.
