Thread: New to SE

I am a Straight shaver at heart but have decided to add an SE or two to my rotation for those days where I need to shave in a hurry and when traveling. I have purchased an old GEM 1912 as well as a GEM 'Junior' and was wondering if someone could tell me which SE blades are worth buying and where to buy them. I understand there is quite a variety..
Thanks in advance!

Being reasonably new to this forum I'll pass on the standard, and really great, piece of advice on DE blades. Get a sampler pack from Westcoastshaving.com and try them. It is an inexpensive way to try a wide variety of blades. Enjoy.

Have a look at this thread for discussion of blades for the SE razors.

Good blades make all the difference. You'll love your 1912!

I love my Gem 1912!
I use the Gem Personna blades from the local Walgreen's drug store.
I get up to 4 shaves per blade.

I've also tried several other versions of the 1912. (ever ready, junior, ect.) The origional Gem 1912 seems to just shave the smoothest for me.

John

Thanks, John
I have also ordered a few packs of Personna blades as they come well recommended!
Jeff

Originally Posted by Klopstick

Have a look at this thread for discussion of blades for the SE razors.

The "Ted Pella" blades discussed in that thread are the best blades.

The GEM Personna blades often available at the big chain drug stores are also good. Or get them from Amazon: Amazon.com: Gem Personna Single Edge Super Stainless Steel Blades with Used Blade Vault - 10 Pack: Health & Personal Care

Many of the GEM 1912/GEM Junior users, including me, thought those were the same blades as the Ted Pellas but someone on Badger and Blade has a high-powered microscope and posted pictures of the two and they are indeed different -- much to my surprise.

But the ones I link to at Amazon are the ones I started with before I bought a lot of 200 from Ted Pella and I honestly didn't notice a difference, although I never did a back-to-back comparison. It's been a few months since I switched to a straight so I never did go back and do a better comparison.

Thanks, Bob

I was also looking at the link in that thread and have just ordered 3 boxes of the Ted Pellas. It is then that I figured that they actually come with 200 blades.. oh well, I am set now for about 3 years with blades, I guess. Can I ask you how many shaves or passes you are getting out of each blade please?

In the meantime, I came accross another supplier here. They are not Ted Pella blades but still PFTE coated. Have not tried those blades yet but SE users active on another forum speak highly of them. I wanted to order one of those for trial as well but they are noticeably more expensive then the Ted Pellas.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Smoothy

They are not Ted Pella blades but still PFTE coated. Have not tried those blades yet but SE users active on another forum speak highly of them. I will also order a box of those and will compare them with the Ted Pellas.

Jeff

Already been done. They are exactly the same thing. Ted Pella is just a retailer as is Electron Microscopy Sciences.

Pellas are too agressive.

The Walgreens blades are all you will need. I have used both in Gems and Everreadys. UK and American versions. 1912 and later. I can truely say stay away from the Pellas. They are meant for sectioning specimens, not shaving. True you could buy an Enders Razor, but the only blades available are for cutting carpet. Would you use those?

The same for Feathers. Sharp as hell, but the company makes surgical supplies so they are too sharp.

Originally Posted by singlewedge

Pellas are too agressive.

Everyone can have their own opinion, but that one is in a minority, at least based on GEM/SE threads over on B&B and in my own experience.