In Praise of the Lowly Gem...

[paydepst]

I wanted to get a little conversation going in this forum with respect to this humble SE. The single edge razors with the possible exception of the Gem G Bar pretty much reside in the shadow of the DE razors and it's a bit unfair. My attention was first drawn to the Gem razors when I read Michael's (Leisureguy) entry in his blog about the experience of shaving with a G Bar. He said it gave him a grand shave and the design of the razor even facilitated a nice irritation free ATG pass. Looking at the pictures of it I thought even then that it was a smart looking razor and I resolved to go a-shopping for one. I also read somewhere that due to blade characteristics the single edge razor was as close to a straight razor shave as you could get. It made sense and I decided to go on the hunt.
I found my first G Bar rather quickly and it shaved like nobody's business. No nicks and no irritation. Prior to that only my trusty Regent Tech had managed that feat. I was impressed and I went looking for more. About this time I started hearing about the Gem Micromatic and the bad press it seems to inevitably attract. Because of that I dismissed it out of hand and for a long time I passed over the Micro thinking it an inferior razor somehow flawed in its design. This was a mistake. In my continuing quest for another G Bar I bought one as part of a Gem three pack from a good friend in Canada. I made some offhand remark about having the paramedics on standby in case I decided to shave with the Micro. My fellow shaver/razor purveyor messaged me back and told me to give the Micro a chance and that I might be surprised. Well I did and I was blown away by the quality of the shave. It was an open comb Micro too so I had the pleasure of it "singing" while the whiskers were shorn. My Regent Tech also does this and I confess it's a quality about the open combs I really like. I am now convinced that everyone that has had a bad experience with the Micro or any of the other Gem razors-barring any physical damage to the razor itself-is simply not holding them correctly assuming that your face is properly prepped of course.
You hold these razors almost but not quite flat against the skin. It should just barely graze the skin as you move it along your face. Due to the head geometry the angle of the blade relative to the face is very close to that of a straight as it relates to the face. The head design takes a wee bit of getting used to but it is not overly daunting. Take your time-you're not supposed to be in a hurry anyway-and you'll get used to it. The blades are the regular box cutter single edge blades but you might want to shop around for ones that are teflon or platinum coated otherwise you may have an untreated blade rusting away in your Gem.
The Ever Readys are their English equivalent. Doubtless there are other quality brands out there too. You've probably seen some of those early Gems that look a bit like mediaeval instruments of torture-you know kind of scary looking. Well, the head is on the same angle and they shave every bit as well as the modern versions. In fact I love my 1912 Ever Ready.
The good news is these razors are plentiful on Ebay and still going for affordable prices. They clean up a treat and they are a joy to shave with. I'll never not have at least one Gem in the rotation. In fact I went one week using nothing but Gems and not a weeper in sight.
My advice is to give these single edge oddities a try if you haven't already especially the much maligned Micromatic. Give them a go and you'll soon realise that the bad press is wholly undeserved. Plus it looks cool to shave with a razor that looks like a thumbscrew! :D

[moviemaniac]

Thanks very much, Mark, for this great review. Might have to get me one of 'em thumbscrews now :D

[Queen of Blades]

Wow! Very nice post!

Thanks Mark!

[qhsdoitall]

Another fine post that will require further reading. Good job. ::

[Leisureguy]

Good post. I guess I'll dig out a Micromatic and give it another go. It could have been bad technique the first time.

Have you tried the GEM blades from RazorandBrush (http://www.razorandbrush.com/barberiablade.html) (scroll to bottom)?

[paydepst]

Michael,
I typically pick mine up in the local Walgreens. I did like the Pellas you sent me a while back though.

[hyperwarp]

Oddly enough SWMBO found a long lost (like 30 year lost !!!!) Gem Micromatic (unknown date of mfg) last night & presented it to me for "cleaning" up.

After work this afternoon, using standard treatment like boiling water, alcohol, scrubbing bubbles & metal polish; I got it "cleaned up" real good.
A little brassing on the upper jaw but all in all it turned out nicely.

Put it in my shaver reserve cup along with a '67 Gillette TTO and had a nice evening shave with my Merkur HD.

Now I think I'll look around for some SE's and give it a try. Nice thread starter, Mark. Truly an off the beaten path topic & a worthy topic to boot.

[paydepst]

Due to their head design I think the Gems would also make an excellent ladies razor. The simple but elegant G bar is the one I would put forward as the most likely candidate.

[Tommynick]

Great post. I have been watching these on e-bay. They don't get bid up like the Gillettes. Which model would you recommend to start with?

[hyperwarp]

The "found" Micromatic is one of SWMBO's oldies. Have ordered GEM SE's from Giovanni & am gonna try it out on my face next week. SWMBO has been
using a Sensor for years & is happy with it so she hasn't decided whether she wants to bother with the GEM once again.

[Queen of Blades]

Great post. I have been watching these on e-bay. They don't get bid up like the Gillettes. Which model would you recommend to start with?

Welcome to The Shave Den, Tommynick!

[OldSaw]

I wish I could share your enthusiasm for the Gem. I have a Micromatic and it gives me terrible shaves. The angle is not the problem, it just doesn't work for me. However, I have not tried it since adding "corking" to my blade prep.

Maybe I'll give it another try.

[paydepst]

Great post. I have been watching these on e-bay. They don't get bid up like the Gillettes. Which model would you recommend to start with?


Gem G bar. Shaves great and looks cool. I won't sit for a portrait now without holding one. Makes me look quite regal. I'm even thinking of redoing the family crest. :D


Seriously the Gem G Bar is tip top. :signs021

[OldSaw]

OK, I broke out the Gem Micromatic again last night, corked a new blade and gave it a whirl. I will say this, it was much smoother with a corked blade, but still left much to be desired.

The first WTG pass was OK and reduced the beard quite nicely. The second pass, XTG, didn't gain much and I took a nick or two. By the third pass I didn't feel the beard was reduced enough to do ATG, so I used a diagonal stroke. Then I went for the ATG and gave up before wrecking my face. I finished with a 1948 SS.

I don't have a clue as to what the difference is with the G-bar, but the Micromatic is a no go for me.

And YES, I held the flat spot on my face the way your supposed to, otherwise I would have really massacred my face.

[paydepst]

OK, I broke out the Gem Micromatic again last night, corked a new blade and gave it a whirl. I will say this, it was much smoother with a corked blade, but still left much to be desired.

The first WTG pass was OK and reduced the beard quite nicely. The second pass, XTG, didn't gain much and I took a nick or two. By the third pass I didn't feel the beard was reduced enough to do ATG, so I used a diagonal stroke. Then I went for the ATG and gave up before wrecking my face. I finished with a 1948 SS.

I don't have a clue as to what the difference is with the G-bar, but the Micromatic is a no go for me.

And YES, I held the flat spot on my face the way your supposed to, otherwise I would have really massacred my face.

Interesting. Once I got the G Bar down (which almost forces you to hold it correctly) the Micro was no problem. I don't know what to tell you. Wish I had a suggestion to make as I like my Micros both open comb and closed bar.

What sort of pressure and speed were you using with the Micro particularly on the subsequent passes?

[Smedley]

It is almost impossible to buy a mixed lot of razors without getting a GEM, so I have a few. Have to get some blades for them and try them out. And try to avoid any cheese slicing action.

[Iacchus]

Let me tell you, I have tried 15 or so different DEs, and none shave me as well as my 1912 Ever-Ready single edge. That lil' guy does the job in half the time, with no irritation and leaving nothing but smooth skin behind it.
While I like my DEs, I am rapidly becoming a single edge convert.
I just picked up a Micromatic from ebay, and in a few days will get to see how well that works out for me.
I have often wondered why the single edgers get so little press on the shaving forums. I suppose it is for the best though. With such little notice, the prices should stay low for a while longer...

[Straight Arrow]

I'm a Gem fan and enjoy using my Featherweight and my Gem Junior very much. They provide very nice, close, comfortable shaves. Like many others, however, I still have not conquered the Micromatic. Every time I try it there is something uncomfortable and foreboding about it. I just can't finish a shave with it. It's a closed bar model. I also have an open comb Micromatic that I haven't used yet. You guys that like using the Micromatic...do you see a very big difference in the open comb as opposed to the closed bar?

[paydepst]

I'm a Gem fan and enjoy using my Featherweight and my Gem Junior very much. They provide very nice, close, comfortable shaves. Like many others, however, I still have not conquered the Micromatic. Every time I try it there is something uncomfortable and foreboding about it. I just can't finish a shave with it. It's a closed bar model. I also have an open comb Micromatic that I haven't used yet. You guys that like using the Micromatic...do you see a very big difference in the open comb as opposed to the closed bar?

Not really-speaking for myself that is. My open comb Micro does "sing" though whilst the closed bar doesn't. I rather like the singing razors. I've always used a light touch and moderate speed with the Micros and never had any problem. Of course I had used the G Bar for about a week straight before picking up the Micro so that probably helped too.

Iacchus I echo your plaudits of the 1912 Ever Ready. A great little razor. As an aside, I should add here that not all of the Ever Readys are English as some of them were made here in the USA as well. In my initial post I may have given the impression they were all made in England.

[Lucy7]

I was walking through my local Rite-Aid pharmacy and noticed Treet single edge blades. Given LeisureGuy's great reviews of Treets, that sure seems like it'd be one!

[Iacchus]

I was walking through my local Rite-Aid pharmacy and noticed Treet single edge blades. Given LeisureGuy's great reviews of Treets, that sure seems like it'd be one!

I use the treet single edges (get them from the grocer). They do a fine job for me, last 3 or 4 shaves.

[rick]

I was walking through my local Rite-Aid pharmacy and noticed Treet single edge blades. Given LeisureGuy's great reviews of Treets, that sure seems like it'd be one!

Rite-Aid, huh ??
I knows where to find me one of them :cool:

[OldSaw]

Interesting. Once I got the G Bar down (which almost forces you to hold it correctly) the Micro was no problem. I don't know what to tell you. Wish I had a suggestion to make as I like my Micros both open comb and closed bar.

What sort of pressure and speed were you using with the Micro particularly on the subsequent passes?

Pressure was just enough to actually touch my face. Speed was half past slow.

I did give it another go last night and had a better experience. I left the same blade in and got a very smooth shave, however, a few nicks as well.

What I learned was that I really have to keep my skin stretched with this razor. I did a very good prep and noticed that as I shaved one of the things that really bugs me about the Gem is that the head creates a lot of drag and causes the skin to bunch up. I was using the best lather and pre-shave I have, so that wasn't the problem. I found the shave to feel a little irritating.

[paydepst]

Pressure was just enough to actually touch my face. Speed was half past slow.

I did give it another go last night and had a better experience. I left the same blade in and got a very smooth shave, however, a few nicks as well.

What I learned was that I really have to keep my skin stretched with this razor. I did a very good prep and noticed that as I shaved one of the things that really bugs me about the Gem is that the head creates a lot of drag and causes the skin to bunch up. I was using the best lather and pre-shave I have, so that wasn't the problem. I found the shave to feel a little irritating.

Dennis it could just be a case of the Micro simply not fitting your face if you follow me. For me the adjustables are like that and my experience with them mirrors yours with the Micros. The good news about that is now I don't have to spend 500 bucks for a cased 195! :D

[Tommynick]

I went to pick up my son at camp yesterday and did a bit of hunting on the way.
No G-bar, but I found a pushbutton, Featherweight, and an older Junior. Which one should I start with?

[qhsdoitall]

I went to pick up my son at camp yesterday and did a bit of hunting on the way.
No G-bar, but I found a pushbutton, Featherweight, and an older Junior. Which one should I start with?

Try the older Junior first.

[OldSaw]

Not wanting to waste the blade I had in the Micromatic I used it again today for the first pass only and the result was livable. I then finished with my 1948 SS. I have been using the SS for about a week now as a finishing tool and it has been working great. The blade really stays sharp since it is only used for the final approach, although today I used it for XTG and ATG figuring I would change the blade wether it needed it or not.

The Micromatic is a fine tool for my WTG passes. I just can't use it for XTG or ATG.

[hyperwarp]

Received my last blade order from IB on Saturday. Included in the package was a 5 pack of GEM SE's.

On Sunday night, loaded one into the "found" Gem Micromatic and proceeded to (Bad News) totally :obutcher my face:o!!! (Good News) got a BBS smooth result though.

Fact is, my face is :oso tore up:o, I had to shave with a freakin' :ashamed001Sensor:ashamed001 + Cremo-Cream tonight & maybe for the next few shaves too.:mad:

Besides the new to me razor & blade was also using a free sample of Body Shop cream. As far as the cream goes, :odidn't like it much:o. The lather while abundant just wasn't as meringuey as I like. So maybe it was the cream.

More good news, the Gem worked :droolreally really well around & under the old schnoozola & the chin:drool, so I may retain it for that use.

More bad news, for some reason (lack of knurling???) I found the Gem to be really hard to hold onto with wet soapy hands.

Before I just assign the Gem Micromatic to the :cool:Dracula's Razor:cool:
category am gonna wait a couple of weeks then try it again with a more familiar cream, but will switch to my Merkur mower at the :mad:1st drop of blood.:mad:

[TraderJoe]

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/TraderJoe_album/everready9.jpg

[Big Otis]

I enjoy the Gems too! I have a Junior, G-Bar and Micromatic. They all deliver a good, close shave. The mildest is the Jr, followed by the G-Bar and the Micro. The G-bar and the Micro are so close in how they shave as to be virtually identical.

I also think it's cool to shave with a device that scares the be-jeebers out of you the first time you look at it from the top with a blade in it.:eek:
Takes some nerve the first time, but these razors are worth trying. FWIW, I have a total of $6.67 invested in all 3 of my Gems.

[Queen of Blades]

Welcome to The Shave Den, Jeff!

[paydepst]

Trader Joe that's a fine Ever Ready razor you're advertising up there. Do you have one of your own to try?

Joanna when are you going to see the SE light and give one a try?

Big Otis would you not agree that if you hold the Gems correctly that you are virtually guaranteed a smooth, nick-free shave? I've been using SEs for awhile now and have yet to have a cut or weeper. I enjoy my DEs don't get me wrong but they will bite on occasion!

[Queen of Blades]

JoAnna when are you going to see the SE light and give one a try?


I've tried an injector. Didn't care for it.

I like my Gillette, and I don't suffer from RAD, or RBAD. :cool:

[paydepst]

I've tried an injector. Didn't care for it.

I like my Gillette, and I don't suffer from RAD, or RBAD. :cool:


Joanna an injector, while I do like and use them, cannot even begin to hold a candle to the SE shavers like the GEM. Food for thought is all I'm saying. :D

[Tommynick]

Today is day 3 with my "New" Gem Junior. First two days were great. A decent close shave with no nicks or cuts. I picked up some PAL blades at the Food Lion. How do the Gem and Pella compare? I will stay with the Junior for a bit and then try the Featherweight.