Well, what it says in the thread title. I know that assigning a date, or even a decade, to a particular Gem razor can be darn near impossible. But when did they cease production completely?
I've been trying to find out when GEM quit making razors, but I'm having no luck. Anybody got any ideas?
Can't say for sure but this is Wiki-data: History The Kampfe brothers, who patented the first safety razor in the US, formed a manufacturing company in 1875. They make the "Star" razor. in 1898, an employee, Jerry Reichard, leaves to form the Gem Cutlery company, later renamed the Gem Safety Razor Company. This same employee -- the founder of Gem -- leaves again to form the Yankee company, which is soon renamed the Ever-Ready Company. Ever-Ready and Gem quickly re-merge as the American Safety Razor Company, in 1906. In 1919, they absorb the Star brand as well. The company purchases the PAL blade company in 1953. Philip Morris purchases the company in 1960. Philip Morris purchases Burma-Vita company (makers of Burma-Shave) in 1968. ASR bought the Burma-Shave brand from Philip Morris in 1979, after a management buyout of ASR from Philip Morris in 1976. I'd say about late 1970's or about 1980 would be my guess!
According to Waits Compendium the last of the GEM SE razors was the GEM Push Button razor of the 1950's. The last ASR SE was Star Cadet of the 1940's. ASR did make a DE into the 50's.
Thank you, especially for the reference to the Waits Compendium. I had never heard of it before, but because of your mentioning it, I went looking for it and found a downloadable version at lulu.com that I was able to purchase for $14.95. It's a great reference, and, according to the author, the downloadable version is the most current. I highly recommend it for folks interested in safety razors.
Thanks Possum! That's some great info. I just had the Wiki and speculation before but now, I'm even happier with my GEM's and Every Ready SE's knowing their approximate manufactured date. If my newest SE, a G-Bar was manufactured in the 50's, that would make it at least >50 years old!
They were available up to recently. GEMs, manufactured under ASR presumably, were available until fairly recently. My dad, who's elderly, has been using GEMs forever. He used to be able to order the plastic handled GEMs from an address on the back of the GEM blades package. He used to buy them that way until about 5 years ago or so, when they were finally discontinued. I found him a NOS GEM 1912 and a G-Bar when I started my wet shaving "adventures" about a year ago and he absolutely loves them better than the cheapo plastic handled GEMs he'd been using, with the 1912 being his favorite.
What about the Gem Contour and Contour II? Those were definitely made later than the 50's. The styling looks to be at leas 80's if not 90's. Pictures can be seen in this thread: (oops, not enough posts to add a link. Just search for Gem Contour) Does that mean Gem was around until at least the 80's or 90's? K.T.
The last time I saw a Contour 2 in a store was in 1994. However, if I sent $1 to the company, they would still supply one after the turn of the century. From what I have deduced after the war Gems were: Gem Micromatic Clog Pruf 1947-at least 1949 Gem Micromatic bullet tip 1947-c1954 Featherweight late 1940s until about 1958 G-bar 1950s-1958 Push Button 1958-63 Contour 1963-73? Contour II 1973-2000....
Interesting, when I had researched this out the last known year I found that Contour II razors were actively promoted by retail stores was 1980 so I always assumed they stopped making them not much longer after that.
