I have several single edge razors that I've picked up in lots on e-Bay. I had never thought about trying one of them until reading posts from the Gemocrats on here. I had my wife pick up a pack of single edge blades from the drug store tonight and I loaded it up in my GEM Junior. After showering I took it for a spin and completed three passes. It may have been the blades or it may have been the razor, but I wasn't crazy about it. I had a little bit of difficulty shaving under my nose and I didn't get as smooth of a shave as I am used to with my DE's. I may give it another shot, but the jury is still out on that.
Gem razors Might be the blades. Or your technique. Or...any number of things, I guess... I love love love my Gem's! I have previously posted about dumping my Gillette's and going to strictly SE's and cartridge razors. They are that good, at least to me. There is a recent post on technique with a Gem over on badger and blade. You might want to take a look at it. They recommend changing the angle with which you hold the razor. Hope it works for you. We need more Gemocrats! Jim
SE razors do take a different angle from DE. I've never used a GEM junior, but like DE razors, not all SEs shave the same. I really really like the GEM damaskene I got for my b-day. It shaves much better than my GEM featherweight. I'd recommend you try out another SE razor before you give up. And what blades are you using? There aren't a lot of SE brands out there, but there is at least one consistently not good brand. Some of the SE blades are carbon steel, which means they rust easily.
It took some practice and the Pella blades for me to be really happy with the SE. Yes, I still have trouble getting under my nose and the number of good shaves I can get from a SE blade is still a bit lacking, but I'm glad I didn't give up on them as a whole.
Patience will persevere! You can get awesome shaves with a SE and a Gem Jr. (if in good shape) should be a good choice to start with (I would avoid micromatics for now). Drugstores, groceries, etc... often re-brand blades so the name on the package may not be any help; however, look at the cardboard that was on the package the blades came in. Does it say blades made in Korea? Don't use those. Dorco in Korea makes DE blades that are usable by many, but I haven't heard of anyone who likes the Korean made SE blades. Also, make sure that those blades are intended for shaving. Similar blades are sold for paint scrapers and sometimes the people in the stores don't realize how different they are.
The razor is in great shape. It looks brand new. The blades are Treet brand. The box says they are made in Verona, VA by the American Safety Razor Co. The shave wasn't terrible, I'm just used to using sharper blades. My current go-to setup is a NEW razor with Feather blades.
I believe those Treets are a carbon steel blade. If you ask around, someone will have some Pella blades they can share with you or if you have CVS drugstores out where you are, you can pick up a 10 pack of the GEM stainless blades. The CVS brand is a relabeled package of those GEMs.
I've tried both the Treet and the Gem blades. Ditch the Treets, shave with the Gems. I get 'em at ShopRite.
OK. The next time I'm in town I will see if CVS has any GEM blades. I just don't know if I will be able to get used to shaving with something that reminds me more of a tiny clipboard than a razor.
I love the gold pushbutton Gem I got from the grab bag (along with 10 Pella blades) and I love it! It does require a different angle than any DE I've used, but I've gotten several terrific shaves with it. I'd put it on par with my Futur.
Glad to hear you have given SE shaving a try. Like you my first couple shaves were not the best for me but I soon learned that SE shaving can be a lot of fun and sometimes preferable to DE shaving. Couple questions. What type of razor are you using? You say a GEM Jr. Is it one of the more common 1912 model GEM Jr? You need to find GEM blades by Personna. These are the same as the preferred Ted Pella PTFE coated SE blades and seem to work best for most SE shavers (that is the Pellas or the GEM Personnas work best). I can't emphasize enough that you need good sharp blades for the SE. But unlike the DE blade, there just aren't too many on the market. As for your technique. SE shaving is quite different that DE technique. You need to keep the angle of the razor head closer to your face than with a DE. Begin with it almost touching your face and then move the top away from your face until you begin to get smoother results. Like DE shaving, you don't want to us too much pressure and you want to go slowly and use short strokes. As for getting around and under the nose, don't worry, as you gain more confidence with the SE razor you will find that you will be able to get it figured out. Good luck with the SE shaving. Don't just give up with it after a few shaves. Like DE shaving it takes some time to learn and you will find that SE shaving rivals DE shaving and will give you some of the closest shaves you can get and some fun to boot. Good Luck. And if you are looking for specific advise on SE shaving give The Origianal Safety a shot. A forum for enthusiasts of SE shaving
I keep trying the GEM, again tonight with an Open Comb Micromatic. Maybe I need to stay with it for a week or two, but I can't seem to get the results I achieve from an adjustable Schick or the Fat Boy. It shaves (as someone on another thread said) like a shovel under the nose, and was funny under the tip of the chin. On flat areas it was fine, but not as good as an injector. Blade was a GEM Pella, maybe beyond prime though. So let me know those SE tips eh?
The open comb micro matic is a beast unto it self... I would suggest getting a 1912 model. clog pruf.. feather weight g bar or most any other model to start with. Don't drop the SE because of bad results from the OCMM. The OC takes a lot of attention. needs to stay mostly flat against the face. Absolutely lightest pressure is a must. Under the nose go sideways . that is usually the best. AS for blades Pella's are the best.. but I use treets when I do not have the Pella's. Fuzzy
I've always had a rough time with GEMs as a whole. I want to like them, but they don't like me. I have 4 variations (1912, Featherweight, GBar, and Micromatic) and can't get a decent shave to save my life. Injectors on the other hand give a silky smooth shave for me.
WOW hate to hear that. I have always found that the SE is easier to shave with then the DE stuff. Fuzzy
I know I lack the technique, but have & have shaved with the 1912, G-Bar and a Featherweight. I think I just need some practice, but haven't devoted a week or two exclusively to the GEM. I get good results on the flats, just not practiced sufficiently on the less than flat areas I think
