Thread: 1st GEM shave tonight. Nice!

Finally decided to throw caution to the wind and give the screaming cheap .99c GEM razor I got off eb@y a try. Threw in a Treet blade from RiteAid and used some C&E sandalwood soap with AOS preshave oil. Wow what a nice shave this thing gives! I figured it would be all rough and tumble but nothing of the sort! DEfinitely a different blade angle when cutting and it wants to keep that angle in a narrow window for good cutting. Not much burn either for my first time using it and that really impressed me how well it did. I can see where there is potential for weepers with it if one doesnt go lightly but dang that aint half bad. A bit more cutting noise but no skipping or chittering if its held the right way. Now that I've heard more about these Ted Pella PTFE coated blades I gotta give em try. I dont see many entries for SE shavers here but I have to say they are great.

Originally Posted by Cigarman2010

Finally decided to throw caution to the wind and give the screaming cheap .99c GEM razor I got off eb@y a try. Now that I've heard more about these Ted Pella PTFE coated blades I gotta give em try. I dont see many entries for SE shavers here but I have to say they are great.

I have recently been entering the world of SE razors myself. I was given a GEM Featherweight last year and I got a 1901 Lather Catcher for Christmas (I wanted an open comb razor...so I chose this one...lol). I mostly use DE razors (Muhle R106 is my go to). The shave I get form SE razors lasts longer than my DE shaves. I had a pack of the CVS blades, I think they were carbon steel and they tended to rust before I finished 1 shave . Since I live in Canada, SE blades are hard to come by and unlike DE blades...it's hard to find a seller that has reasonable shipping.

I recently purchased the GEM SS PTFE blades (10 pack)...I think they are the same as the ones Ted Pella sells...and they are great! I have only used one blade twice now, but when I was able to salvage a second shave out of my CVS blades...it was rough and terrible...but with the PTFE blades, the second shave was pretty much as smooth as the first .

Just got a 100pack of those coated SS blades from EMS today. I compared them to the Treet ones I found in my local RiteAid and the difference I saw was that out of the 3 facets they grind, the Treet ones had a larger second facet compared to the GEM PTFE SS. Tried one of the regular GEM blades from work made for box cutters. OUCH. Tugged like a bastard. Smooth shave tho Needless to say I wont be using those unless civilization collapses.

I also had the carbon blades rust in an instant when using them, i.e. next morning. Glad I had the gold coated shaver. I havent seen a lather-catcher but Im going to check one out now to see it. I agree they do make great shavers. I havent seen so much beard reduction on the first pass before. I suppose an Ever Ready from england is the next step in the collection.

Originally Posted by Cigarman2010

Tried one of the regular GEM blades from work made for box cutters. OUCH.

Hahaha...I couldn't wait for my blades to come so I did the same thing. I pretty much touched it to my face and threw the blade out and finished with my DE.

I don't have an Ever Ready, but have seen quite a few at a local antique store. I think they are better designed then the 1912 and later GEMS, as the GEM razors open from the front whereas the Ever Ready razors load the blades from the back. I like the lather catcher as the blade just gets snapped on to the top. Good luck on your search! I hope the 100 box works for you.

CigarMan2010,

For me the GEM/Ever-Readys' are the best shaving safety razors I have ever used

The 1912 & 1924 patterns are, for me, the best of the best !

I use the GEM PTFE coated blades, and for me, they shave excellently.

So good in fact that I stopped looking for othe SE baldes to try !

The Ted Pella code for these GEM PTFE coated is '121-3'. Found on page:

Dissection Tools, Scissors, Blades, Forceps, Scalpels, Spatulas

I get my GEM PTFE coated blades from ConnaughtShaving:

GEM Stainless Coated Single Edge Razor Blades

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Tried the PTFE coated blades last night. Very smooth indeed. They seemed Feather sharp with the way they cut. Needless to say with that kind of edge there were some weepers. Slap some aftershave on and ieeee. Definitely better than the box cutters. No comparison. Got to be careful with these as they will slice one's head off with clumsy technique.

I purchased my GEM blades from Connaught shaving also, as their shipping was by far the cheapest to Canada. I think when the 10 pack is almost through, I will be ordering the box of 100 from Connaught since SWMBO has stated I am not to by any blades from medical suppliers.

For me the Gem 1912 with pella blades sets the standard for safety razors. BBS in usually 2 passes. My biggest complaint with the GEM is that my face is clean and smooth for around 36 hours. The only other safety razor I've used that gives similar results is a vintage merkur slant.