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  • November 27, 2024 -- WestMan Wednesday

    • Brush: Wald Stratos Haunter 29mm A1
    • Blade Holder: Gillette Slim Aristocrat H4 (setting: 5)
    • Blade: Gillette Nacet (6)
    • Lather: WestMan Shaving - Alma - Soap
    • Aftershave: WestMan Shaving - Alma - Aftershave Balm
    • Talc: Yardley Gold
       
      2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

    Rose, musk, oud. Great way to start the day!

  • 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.

    • 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

  • November 27, 2024 -- Black Watchday

    • Brush: Wald Nimbus Bloodline 27mm J3
    • Blade Holder: Blackland Razors Blackbird Ti
    • Blade: Gillette Nacet (7)
    • Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Soap
    • Aftershave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Aftershave
    • Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Eau de Toilette
    • Talc: Yardley Classic
       
      2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

    The combination of the Blackbird and Black Watch is hard to beat. A luxurious SLS.

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

    • Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
    • Razor: Ever-Ready Natural Angle Heavy Flat Top a.k.a the E-Bar
    • Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
    • Lather: Declaration Grooming – Peaches + Scream
    • Post Shave: Ariana and Evans – Peach & Cognac
    • Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Saint Julep

    This is shave 21 of my run through all 14 generations of GEM-style razors, and I have reached the E-Bar/G-bar, or Heavy Flat Tops, or the better-made Featherweight

    The E-Bar/G-Bar

    The Heavy Flat Top is to the Featherweight what the Streamline is to the 1912: It's the same razor, but built heavier and arguably prettier, except that they only changed the handle this time around. They retain the 1912 style mechanism, the Micromatic Flying Wing base plate-geometry, but they ditch the hollow plastic handle for a heavy cast handle (I'm guessing brass, given the weight?). The GEM version (a.k.a. G-Bar) has a shiny bluish-bright chrome-plating, while the Ever-Ready (a.k.a. E-Bar) has a duller yellow-tint nickel plating.

    The two versions of this razor were packaged in almost identical display cases.

    Compared to yesterday's Featherweights it is visible that both the British and the American Version have the same head this time around, and it's the one of the Ever-Ready Featherweight, with the lower outline of the top cap and the thicker base plate (as befits the name Heavy Flat Top).

    I don't know whether the GEM version was produced at much higher volumes, but nowadays, the G-Bar version can be found relatively easily while the E-Bar is rarer than a Streamline in my experience. I have referred to them as Elusive-Bar in my vintage safety razor self help group with u/EldrormR, u/Semaj3000 and u/VisceralWatch and it took me a long time watching eBay to source one.

    The shave

    Perfect boozy shave with Peaches + Scream, Peach & Cognac, and the E(lusive)-Bar. This razor has a nice heft to it and the little hook at the end of the handle is a surprisingly nice touch and gives a strong feeling of control when resting the tip of the ring finger on it. The head being identical to the Ever-Ready Featherweight's, this thing is an efficient and intuitive razor (the "Natural" Angle in the name isn't all marketing speak).

    The timeline

    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
    2. 1958-1965: Push Button
    3. 1965-1973: Contour
    4. 1973-1979: Contour II (The last GEM razor)
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