Thread: Gem in the wild.

Ya, I could have sent you a reft of those...free!

BTW, Mike is BADASS!

The Gem is called a 1912 pattern and is one of the best safeties ever made. Obviously, most of the examples you find in the field are much newer than that. I have no idea when they stopped making the 1912 but I suspect the 1930s at the latest. Some later Gem SEs had plastic handles and don't have the same feel in the hand.

Mike

Nice finds but that Gem will be an eye opener when you get around to shaving with it.

These are the blades to use in that GEM GEM by Personna Stainless Coated Single Edge Razor Blades . The Personna GEM stainless steel PTFE coated blades are the, and I hate to use the word, best blades I have used in my English GEM. Put one of those in her and you'll get a smooth close shave to rival what a straight razor can give you. You are in for a treat.

Bob

As an after though, the blades resemble the scraper blades sold in hardware stores but do not under any circumstances use those. They are definitely not made for shaving. Also when you do try that Gem the shaving angle is completely different to that of a DE. The Gem top cap should be almost flat to you face with very little gap, just like using a straight razor with a spine width gap. It is kind of like shaving with an Adze. I sent you a PM.

Bob

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Checking out razorbladesandmore.com as Richard suggested. Not a lot on eBay for them.

Around here, you can get Gem Stainless Steel single edge blades on the shaving aisle at Walgreens. If I recall correctly, they are about $5 for a dispenser of ten blades. They are not PTFE coated but are serviceable in a pinch. If you want to try the Gems out without making an order, this might be a good alternative.

Originally Posted by Demetrius

Around here, you can get Gem Stainless Steel single edge blades on the shaving aisle at Walgreens. If I recall correctly, they are about $5 for a dispenser of ten blades. They are not PTFE coated but are serviceable in a pinch. If you want to try the Gems out without making an order, this might be a good alternative.

I have tried them. The ones I bought, though stainless, had rust in the dispenser. Really bad blades!
Maybe QC has improved over a couple years. Try them and return them if they are crappy!
YMMV~Richard

Originally Posted by Demetrius

Around here, you can get Gem Stainless Steel single edge blades on the shaving aisle at Walgreens. If I recall correctly, they are about $5 for a dispenser of ten blades. They are not PTFE coated but are serviceable in a pinch. If you want to try the Gems out without making an order, this might be a good alternative.

I have not been able to walk into a store in Canada and find SE shaving blades but lots for scrapers at the hardware store. You basically have to order the SE blades in or you are sol.

Bob

Connaught Shaving in the UK is a very reliable source for quality SE blades. We can't buy them at all in Australia so are obliged to order them over the internet.

Originally Posted by Maladroit

Connaught Shaving in the UK is a very reliable source for quality SE blades. We can't buy them at all in Australia so are obliged to order them over the internet.

Glad to see we are not the only Colonials that have that problem in getting SE blades. At least we are in good company.

Bob