Originally posted Mar 29, 2013 on the Facebook Group The Big Shave https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebigshave/
SOTD Good Friday March 29th (my father would have been 89 today)
Saga of the Single Edge Razors Episode 4 of 5
The Gem MicroMatic Open Comb – Possibly the most aggressive SE Razor
Gem Personna SS Coated Blade (4th shave)
Omega 4p Professional Boars Hair Brush
Van Der Hagen Deluxe Soap with menthol infused glycerin added
Homemade Pre Shave Oil and Equate Cleansing Cream with Eucalyptus Oil
Witch Hazel with menthol
DFS but no where near BBS. 3+ passes and still needed work. I think either my beard was too tough due to no pre shave shower or the blade just lost it’s sharpness during the 4th shave. It wasn’t tuggy but just not efficient.
The video is 20 minutes long. My camera stopped at 20 minutes which I later found out is the limit of videos uploaded to FB. I recorded another 3 minutes closing but I won’t post that part. The shave was essentially over. I was just being too wordy about SE shaving today…sorry. My camera doesn’t have a time readout so I will need to rig some kind of timer to keep track of it in the future.
I hope you have enjoyed this series of SE shave videos as much as I have enjoyed doing them. I have learned a lot doing them back to back and comparing my different razors.
The final chapter will be later this weekend using the classic Gem 1912 with a new carbon steel uncoated blade. They haven’t worked well for me in the past, but it’s been several months.
3 Comments
Please get a working GEM Micromatic OC … check eBay and get one in very good shape for less than $25.
These MM OC are my go to razors for BBS shaves … yes it takes practice and concentration – for sure don't bounce it off your skin or you'll get a weeper!
I use my Merkur Slant for other days … DFS/BBS shaves.
Long Live The GEM Micromatic Open Comb!
Nice one ! I recently obtained what looks like an unused GEM G Bar from the USA…The GEM 1912 is wee…But this is even smaller….I am seriously impressed with the performance of this razor…It delivers a smooth clean irritation free shave, hugs and follows the contours of the face very nicely and even finds my hard to reach places in a whim….Its a bristle hunter in disguise…Interestedly…they are almost as rare to find in good condition as some of the earlier GEM razors……Wouldn't know why……Beautiful shaver !
DE blades one face and one head shave and OUT. SE blades use only TED PELLA TWO shaves and OUT.