Thread: Did you ever try an antique GEM Micromatic blade?

My latest razor came with a pair of GEM blades that I find very good-looking. They have an attractive spine and nice circular tool marks. One is clearly not sharp, the other one might be sharp enough, maaaaybe...... but I think I feel a slight irregularity/dullness at one end of the blade. Maybe it can be stropped out or something.
Ever tried one of these? Are they stainless or carbon?

No, I have not used vintage SE blades of any brand because there is a far better modern Stainless steel PTFE coated blade easily available. You could almost bet that if the vintage GEM blade was stainless it would say so on it. Makers made a big advertising deal out of marking blades as stainless steel.

Bob

On the advertising part; I was thinking the same thing. "Stainless" was a big deal back in the day.

Interestingly, I can now give some insight into this myself

I found a sealed pack of old Gem Micromatic blades. Tried shaving with one blade, and well, it works but did not cut as smoothly as modern blades. There is something I like about it though; it did not have the aggressiveness that modern blades often have. It is of course possible that the edge is slightly corroded from being so old.

A little palm-stropping works great on Gem blades.
That razor with some more modern blades will deliver an astounding shave, FME.
Every time I get a nice one, I give it to a friend and never get it back.

Time to hunt down another!

It has a nice case too

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

It has a nice case too

My thoughts and experience is I am used to a light touch.
Most of the 'trapdoor' DE/s need pressure to get the right angle for safe, smooth shaves.

The Gem-types are dependent upon your mastering the angle as the edge area is quite narrow in razors such as the Micromatic vs DE blades.
The blades are thicker and stiffer than DE blades.
Different way of shaving. I like them!

I've tried an old SE GEM blade to no good end .. maybe me, maybe that particular blade, all you can do is try ..

My dad used to have an SE. It was one.of the first razors I shaved with almost 45 years ago. That was probably the last time I used one though.

Ive had a few in the past. Good shaves with a new blade. As said, its just figuring the angle and it shaves well.