Today's shave featured a Gem Jr. Parade with 4th use Meijer blade and a Schick Type B repeating razor with a new Proline B20. I haven't used this Schick much because the head was loose and would pivot during shaving. Tightening the screw didn't help. So yesterday I disassembled it and tightened the gap where it pivots. Success now it is very tight and doesn't move while shaving. I did most of the shave with the Schick and my wife shaved the back of my neck for me with the Gem. The Mer Shavings Fougere Orange lathered well with cold water on the SHD two band badger brush. A great shave altogether.
Well, I gave it a go this evening. It was a No Go. I think those Dollar Store blades would be good in a box cutter, no so much in a razor. I had it flat against my face with no pressure and I could feel every whisker being pulled out. I tried changing the angle a little to no avail. That's cool though, I think it may have cut a couple of hairs so now I can say I've used it. I going to order some good blades as I have another Gem coming and I'll give it another go.
GEMonday today, I haven't taken taken this one out of the rack for awhile and it performed nicely with a little help with prep and technique. Great shave! Razor : Gem Junior 1912 parade with the baton handle variant - Mfg 1943 Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE (3) Soap : Razorock Santa Maria del Fiore "Firenze" Brush : Yaqi wolf whiskers 24mm Pre-shave: Brush wash my face with CeraVe hand bar soap + a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel on beard area. Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 3. Post shave: Razorock Emperor with witch Hazel + Avon "True Gent" balm- very nice scent. Results : CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + no weepers = Have some great shaves!
You definitely want to be sure the blades are meant for shaving. Hope the next round goes better for you.
It was a Gemonday for me today. The Gem curved top squat head to be specific. Not sure if there is an official name for this razor but I really like the case it came in. I started with a 5th use Meijer SS blade however I switched midway to a new blade. I opted for Cold water and Mer Shavings fougere orange on SHD two band badger for lather.
Ever-Ready 1914 Little Lather Catcher Gem Stainless Blade Semogue Excelsior Boar Brush Victory Shaving Lemon-Lavender-Menthol Soap Dickinson's Witch Hazel w/Rose Aqua Velva Ice Blue After Shave
They were, I think they were just junk. I'll try 1 more before I use the rest in a scraper. I'll be ordering some Gem PTFE blades as today I got a Gem Micromatic I want to try.
Great GEMonday and Daily Double with a Weck Sextoblade and gold 1924 Ever-Ready Shovel Head. I am continuing to learn the "Ways of the Weck", and I'm not there yet, but I'm getting better, just need more experience. I had a very nice pass WTG with the Weck (still riding with training wheels...aka the guard), and then had a superb second XTG pass and subsequent clean-up pass with the ER. The soap was Haslinger's Schafmilch and lathered it with a new brush acquisition, Elite Razor's real stone "Arizona Jade" [Jadeite] sporting a 3-band High Mountain White knot. The final result was me talking to myself in the mirror...."man, that was a NICE shave!" Solid DFS with no blood, irritation or even post-shave sensitivity.
I've actually been having good shaves with the Meijer branded SS blades, however the Gem SS PTFE's are probably a notch better blade. I've never gotten discoloration on the Gem blades whereas the Meijer blades tarnish a bit during use. Just an observation worth noting. I got them on sale so for the price and convenience of picking them up I'm pretty happy.
Meijer is a large chain storeb at least in the Midwest. Sorry I forget they aren't national. Similar to a Walmart. Not sure what you have in your area.
I'm in South East Missouri and around here we have Walmart, CVS and walgreens. And a Dollar Store on every corner. LOL.
Hope you join in. Pictures are always encouraged but not absolutely necessary. And anything buy American Safety Razor is welcome any day of the week.