Slant_Fan
Über Member
Years ago I tried the Gem single edge razors and didn't care for them. I loved the Schick back in the 1970s. At that time, I had been shaving since the early '60s I preferred them to the Gillette DEs. Something about the geometry of the head that lent itself to smooth and comfortable shaves. Then the Gillette Good News disposables came out and I spent 20+ years with those twin blades doing one ATG pass and calling it good. Lathering with a badger brush I had bought at Hoffritz in the early '70s with a bar of face soap in the palm of my hand.
Then in 2007 I came to the shaving forums through a friend and found myself back to the Gillette DEs where I had began. Here I was nearly 60 years old and found that I didn't even know how to shave ! Well through the forums I learned to shave correctly with DEs, straights, and recently picked up the SE again. This time the Mongoose, and the Above The Tie SE-1. These take the Feather Pro, and Super Pro single edge blades that also work in their Artist Club straight razor.
Wonderful shaves with wicked sharp blades that last and last. I still prefer DEs to SEs, but it is nice to have the option to broaden ones horizons. As far as the Gem type SEs, I still haven't found those to be agreeable to me. Even with the Ted Pella coated blades. They are just not sharp enough, and being narrower than the aforementioned Feather type, they require more passes. Hard to fathom why Above the Tie, and Blackbird are coming out with modern SEs that use these blades, but as always, YMMV, and that is why God created apples and oranges.
Then in 2007 I came to the shaving forums through a friend and found myself back to the Gillette DEs where I had began. Here I was nearly 60 years old and found that I didn't even know how to shave ! Well through the forums I learned to shave correctly with DEs, straights, and recently picked up the SE again. This time the Mongoose, and the Above The Tie SE-1. These take the Feather Pro, and Super Pro single edge blades that also work in their Artist Club straight razor.
Wonderful shaves with wicked sharp blades that last and last. I still prefer DEs to SEs, but it is nice to have the option to broaden ones horizons. As far as the Gem type SEs, I still haven't found those to be agreeable to me. Even with the Ted Pella coated blades. They are just not sharp enough, and being narrower than the aforementioned Feather type, they require more passes. Hard to fathom why Above the Tie, and Blackbird are coming out with modern SEs that use these blades, but as always, YMMV, and that is why God created apples and oranges.