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  • GEM Days 11b/14: Heavy Flat Tops, or G and E-Bars – Wed 27 Nov 2024

    • Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
    • Razor: GEM Heavy Flat Top a.k.a. the G-Bar
    • Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
    • Lather: Imaginary Authors – Telegrama
    • Post Shave: Imaginary Authors – Telegrama

    Nice Telegrama shave with the shiny G-Bar.

    This was shave 22 of my run through all 14 generations of GEM-style razors:

    1. 1906-1953: GEM 1912/Star Cadet/Junior/Damaskeene
    2. 1914-1927: 1914
    3. 1924-1933: 1924 Shovelhead
    4. 1930-1932: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1 (Bumpless baseplate)
    5. 1932-1941: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2 (double-edge Micromatic GEM blades)
    6. 1940-1943: Micromatic Clog-Pruf
    7. 1945-1946: Micromatic Clog-Pruf Peerless
    8. 1947-1950: Micromatic Flying Wing/Bullet Tip, with guiding eye until 1948, with plastic knob in the last year
    9. 1949-1953: GEM Jewel/Streamline/Ambassador (The beginning of the end IMHO)
    10. 1950: New GEM Feather Weight, renamed to "Slim-V Flat Top" in 1953, British version sold as "Natural Angle" by Ever-Ready
    1. 1955-1958: GEM V-Slim "Heavy Flat Top" (G-Bar, shiny chrome), New V Natural Angle Heavy Flat Top (E-Bar, less shiny nickel) ← We are here
    1. 1958-1965: Push Button
    2. 1965-1973: Contour
    3. 1973-1979: Contour II (The last GEM razor)

    • Thanks for the series! It's really quite interesting to see how they went with their designs - judging just by looks and mechanisms, I'd have thought the Flying Wing was the last GEM razor ever produced. However, this G-Bar looks very great - combines the clamp mechanism w/ a solid handle that has nice knurling. Kinda gets me in the mood for vintage razor hunting again 😄

      • judging just by looks and mechanisms, I'd have thought the Flying Wing was the last GEM razor ever produced.

        Totally, right?

        combines the clamp mechanism w/ a solid handle that has nice knurling.

        Both the streamline and the G-Bar fit that description, and I think I prefer the Streamline between the two.

        Kinda gets me in the mood for vintage razor hunting again 😄

        I'm also happy to loan you a bunch of you want to try before you buy.

        • Yeah, I thought the TTO/Butterfly mechanism was something that only came to be way later. Both the MMOC that I got from you as well as my Flying Wing are such solid razors.

          I can see your point in the Streamline. Definitely looks really solid too. There's just something I really like about the G/E-Bar razors' conic handle shape. Kinda makes it look like a knife handle and I dig that. Weird, I know 😅

          Thanks for your offer - I might get back to you once the postal service Christmas chaos here in Germany is over!

    • I have a G-Bar. I think I've used it maybe twice. I don't think I understand how to use it as I've not enjoyed either of the shaves I've done. Have any tips for me?

      • I'm not sure, just the usual, really. Wet lather, light pressure, and listen for the feedback. It is on the milder side, so you'll need to get the angle right (rather flat), and once you do, it's a great shave IMO

27 comments