Thanks to many of you Gem lovers, I converted to my 1912 Jr quite a while back and couldn't be happier. I've been capable of pulling up to 7 sometimes even 8 nice shaves out of the blades which is fantastic, and that's without having hand stropped or leather stropped. My problem is for some reason that first out of the package shave seems to be just brutal, lots of nicks, bit of razor burn. After the first and evens sometimes second shave, all evens out and I'll have the best shaves ever. I've tried pre stropping my blades to clean up the edge and have even passed it over my barber stone quick to clean them up but to no avail. I'm using the Gem PTFE SE blades. Anybody else with this issue?
Glad to hear you're enjoying the SE shaves. As for rough first shaves, it happens sometimes. I don't have that problem too often, but, as I said, it does happen on occasion.
Perhaps you could skip the first shave and go straight to the second? Seriously, no idea, never had that problem. I do tend to hand strop my SE blades before the first shave, but if I forget, it doesn't really make a noticeable difference. Anyway, you mentioned stropping them. The only other trick I can suggest, which is one I've read of but never tried, is corking the blade, drawing it through the top of a bottle cork. That's basically another form of stropping.
Very much enjoying the shaves, thanks to some of you SE lovers I pushed through the few rough shaves with my micromatic, then switched to the Jr. I love the Jr. now but I'm going to have another run at the micromatic now that I've tuned in the SE technique.
I'm only on my second blade (Gem PTFE Stainless) in an OCMM, but I notice the shaves getting smoother as the blade gets older. I have been hand stropping them between shaves. I am uber noobish when it comes to SE razors so take anything I say with a grain of salt.
I seem to remember something on edge creation. As the edge is ground, a lip or bead forms on the edge and must be removed as a last step for the finest edge. I doubt single edge producers consider shavers as a very large share of their market so removing the micro bead might not be considered worth the effort. Folks cutting wallpaper and scraping paint don't notice it so much and the 1st foot or so of wallpaper usually removes it.. Stropping for several strokes should work the bead back and forth enough to remove it and slicing cork will work as well, although I think slicing cork may cost you a shave. I may be way off base here Old brains are like a dropped binder.:happy102
That depends on the blade. Some of the blades that are purchased are specifically designed for laboratory work and need a fine edge. What blades are you using that start off so rough? Carbon, Stainless, coated stainless? The only blades that I recall being rough like that were carbon treet blades.
Corking may help. I wouldn't recommend using a cork though. When I've had the need to cork blades a simple Styrofoam peanut works well and doesn't dull the blade that much.
I'm using Gem's PTFE coated stainless blades. After that first shave they shave flawlessly. I've gotta shave tonight and it's going to be a new blade so I'll try stropping a little further to ensure a clean edge and if that's not it then I think I've got a cork around here somewhere....if not I know where there may be a corked bottle of scotch that needs uncorking and finishing...
