The Gem Didn't Do it For Me

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by jay_gatz, Sep 4, 2021.

  1. jay_gatz

    jay_gatz Well-Known Member

    So I picked up a gold Gem Pushbutton, have shaved a few times with it, and it's not doing it for me. Just feels like shaving with a snow shovel or something. I can get as close as with a Gillette or Schick, but ironically by the end of the day I feel much more stubble than when I use a Gilette. Wasn't Gems big advertisement something about don't get 5 o'clock shadow? Maybe I need to give it more time.
     
    Jayaruh, Ron R, Enrico and 3 others like this.
  2. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    That is one of the mildest Gems made. You might want to try a Micromatic series razor. They gear great shaves.
     
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  3. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Same here. I posted the same sentiment some years ago but was told I'm just using that razor wrong.

    Tom's right, but may I also suggest a 1924, or a Damaskene.
     
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  4. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    2 excellent choices.
     
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  5. GatorJoe

    GatorJoe Well-Known Member

    Suggest Clog Pruf too.
     
  6. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    I never had much luck with the push button, but I love the Clog Pruf and also the 1924. That said, maybe it isn't for you.

    You can put it away in a box and give it another try in 6 months. See if anything has changed for you.

    There are many different paths to the same destination, a close comfortable irritation-free shave.

    Find one that works for you and enjoy it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2021
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  7. SharptoothC

    SharptoothC I bite..........

    The Clog Pruf and Damaskene are the GEMs for me. Love them. Pushbutton did not do it for me either.

    Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
     
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  8. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    The GEM MicroMatic Clog Pruf - the gold one with 17 teeth on the guard bar, the nickel Clog Pruf has 12 teeth - is definitely my favorite SE and ranks in the top 5 out of all of my razors, SE, DE and injector.
     
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  9. Ron R

    Ron R Well-Known Member

    Hello Jody, Gem Called that model the "Peerless" on one of forums folks wanted to know where the name came from and I looked it up months ago in a dictionary,
    adjective
    "having no equal; matchless; unrivaled." I have to agree it is not overly aggressive for a mid range & gives good results with a Gem PTFE blade.
     
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  10. Ron R

    Ron R Well-Known Member

    I had to do a small modification to my push top cap because it was lose from the E-BAY owner, at first I was skeptical of it but a year later testing & using it every once in a while it will perform very well. Set it aside and revisit later but don't get rid of it quite yet. Make sure you are using a modern Gem Personna SS PTFE blade, older blades lose sharpness over decades IMO.
    Gem Mfg changed the aggression of their razors by altering the top cap IMO from myself measuring a lot of the different models of base plates. They also changed aggression on certain model on the thickness and placement of blade stops (same results just a different approach to aggression instead of gap raising like in Gillette adjustable's).

    (L) Gem G bar.........................................(C) 1st generation Gem Feather weight....................(R) Gem Push button( people wanted milder razors so they used this top cap on later models.
    GEM head comparrisons (2).jpg

    (L) Featherweight 2nd generation model Mfg 1953-54 Fatter top cap ..................................(R) 1st generation 1950-52 slimmer top cap(favorite Featherweight)
    GEM Cap Styles 2 (2).JPG
    Have some great shaves!
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2021
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  11. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    The 17 tooth one is actually raw brass with no plating. Those 2 razors are night and day different shavers. the MKI Clog Pruf with 12 teeth is fairly mild, the MKII with 17 teeth is much more efficient without being overly aggressive. The MKII as it turns out was a redesign that was put onto market at the end of WWII replacing the MKI version. It only lasted about a year before the Clog Pruf was replaced by the guiding eye (the one with a dot on the cap) bullet tip Micromatic.

    I personally think the MKII Clog Pruf is one of the best SE razors out there and still a bargain in terms of what you get for what you are paying besides it's performance. Those razors and all the Micromatics are built like tanks.
     
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  12. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Maybe they had two different variants of the Peerless, one gold and one brass? Mine is definitely gold-plated.
     
  13. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    I need to find one. May go shopping on the bay if I can’t find one in the wild.
     
  14. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I'd have to see it before commenting. Far as I know they never made the MKII in gold plate. The brass ones are what you always find for the MKII Clog Prufs when looking around on ebay and other internet sites.
     
    twhite likes this.
  15. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    They still come for cheap on ebay in the under $2o range with shipping. Not much of a market for the Clog Prufs outside SE razor shaving enthusiasts. Sellers don't make the distinction either between the 2 so you need to look at all Clog Pruf listings and count the teeth on the guard to know for sure which one they are selling.
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2021
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  16. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    The Peerless moniker originally was used to designate the 2 variations of the Clog Pruf because the MKII version was known to have been sold in a set called a Peerless which the other wasn't. What wasn't known is if they were sold concurrently or not then. It was assumed that the Peerless set was a special version of the Clog Pruf. It was later proven that that wasn't the case and they weren't sold concurrently with the one designated as a Peerless really being a redesign like the Gillette flare tip Super Speed being a redesign and successor to the original Super Speed design.
     
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  17. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    I'm pretty sure this is ridiculously thin gold wash.[​IMG]

    Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
     
    twhite likes this.
  18. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Looks like brass to me right down to the green brass rot which shouldn't be present on the teeth if it is gold plate.
     
  19. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Posted pics in the August Haul thread:
    https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-haul-august-2021.65789/page-13#post-1992431

    High polished, shiny, bright yellow gold plating on it. Granted ASR was known for thin plating and most of the examples that show up on eBay have been well used and plating worn, but it's definitely plated. I've seen some that looked like there was even some lacquer over the plating.
     
  20. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I'd also be more than happy to let you borrow mine if you want to try it.
     
    twhite likes this.

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