Shave for Wednesday OCtober 5, 2016
Gem de Luxe
Pal Super blued carbon steel blade (1)
Whipped Dog synthetic brush
Chiseled Face Groomatorium Sherlock soap & aftershave
The Gem de Luxe was the very first Gem razor to use the classic 1912 design. Introduced in 1911, it does not have the 1912 patent marking, but simply "PAT" which I assume stands for Patent Pending. Nonetheless, it is unmistakably a 1912.
This set sold for $3.50 in 1911, around $80 in today's currency, so it was a high end item, possibly popular as a gift.
It is a surprisingly smooth shaver, less aggressive than the later 1912's. I like the carbon steel blades in these early razors, even though they have to be removed from the razor and dried immediately after shaving.
Today's shave was super smooth. The Gem de Luxe is not overly mild, but after using wedge blade razors for the last several days it felt like a pussycat. It made for a most pleasant effortless shave, close to BBS all over.
--Bob
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