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GEM Days 12a/14: Push That Button – One Last Hurrah – Thu 28 Nov 2024
- Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
- Razor: GEM Push-Button
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
- Lather: Abbate Y La Mantia – Koké
- Post Shave: Abbate Y La Mantia – Koké
- Fragrance: House of Mammoth/Noble Otter/Declaration Grooming – Cerberus
This is shave 23 of my run through all 14 generations of GEM-style razors, and I have reached the Push-Button, one more attempt at doing something clever.
The Push-Button
One word: “plastics”. The loss of the Micromatic mechanism seems to have sat wrong with ASR’s engineers, and with the Push-Button they brought out one more mechanism that keeps your fingers away from any sharp edges as you open and close the top cap.
So, did GEM catch lightning in a bottle again like they did with the Micromatic? Well, the overall usability is similar, but the plastic sliding button does not look as durable as the venerable Micromatic mechanism, in particular the minuscule contact line where a short arc of a plastic cylinder pushes the back of the brass head in a sliding contact.
In terms of geometry, the Push-Button remains very close to the G/E-Bar and the Ever-Ready Featherweight (not the GEM Featherweight). The similarities with the G-Bar extend also to the handle shape.
And the base plate seems to have retained the same geometry as well, but they have changed the grooves of the safety bar from vertical to horizontal “to set up tough whiskers for closer shaving”.
Given the historical context, a then modern plastic mechanism possibly didn’t have the negative connotation low-cost plastic parts have nowadays, or this was supposed to be a low-cost razor. It’s interesting to note that this Push-Button and the 11 years older Flying Wing were both sold at USD 1, which adjusted for inflation is a price reduction of about 24%.
The shave
Like all the GEM razors with the Flying Wing head shape, the Push-Button is a good shaver. The cheap-looking mechanism doesn’t impact the shave and once the top cap is closed, the blade is clamped as well as with the previous GEMs. I really enjoy the hard soap base that Koké comes in, and I had a comfy and close shave without any issues. Cerberus is always a nice finish for this scent.
Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!
The timeline
1906-1953: GEM 1912/Star Cadet/Junior/Damaskeene1914-1927: 19141924-1933: 1924 Shovelhead1930-1932: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1 (Bumpless baseplate)1932-1941: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2 (double-edge Micromatic GEM blades)1940-1943: Micromatic Clog-Pruf1945-1946: Micromatic Clog-Pruf Peerless1947-1950: Micromatic Flying Wing/Bullet Tip, with guiding eye until 1948, with plastic knob in the last year1949-1953: GEM Jewel/Streamline/Ambassador (The beginning of the end IMHO)1950: New GEM Feather Weight, renamed to “Slim-V Flat Top” in 1953, British version sold as “Natural Angle” by Ever-Ready1955-1958: GEM V-Slim “Heavy Flat Top” (G-Bar, shiny chrome), New V Natural Angle Heavy Flat Top (E-Bar, less shiny nickel)- 1958-1965: Push Button ← We are here
- 1965-1973: Contour
- 1973-1979: Contour II (The last GEM razor)
Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!
Thank you!
November 28, 2024
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Brush: AP Shave Co Summer 28mm G5C
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Blade Holder: Tatara Muramasa (setting: 3)
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Blade: Gillette Nacet (8)
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Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap
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Aftershave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Splash
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Talc: Yardley Gold
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
Enjoy your holiday if you celebrate today!
“Hygge is a Danish concept which conveys a sense of comfort and togetherness”
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November 28, 2024
- Brush: Chisel & Hound “Rob’s Finest” w/25mm Paragon Synthetic
- Razor: GEM Pushbutton
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (4)
- Lather: Chiseled Face - Bespoke #1 - Soap
- Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. - Frankie & Myrna - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Goodfellow & Co. - Face Lotion - Kelp & Sea Mineral
- Fragrance: Barrister & Mann - Lavanille - EdP
I really like Bespoke #1. I should give away all the soaps that are just sorta mid to make room for scents like this. (I only have a sample for now)
I was looking at my aftershaves trying to decide if I had anything in the same ballpark to pair with the soap, and I picked Frankie & Myrna. I’m looking at the scent notes of Bespoke #1 now and Frankincense in Myrrh are both in there, so I nailed it.
Following along with @djundjila@sub.wetshaving.social’s NovGEMber, today is Pushbutton day. This was my first GEM razor and although I prefer some other GEMs at this point, this one still shaves really well.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I should give away all the soaps that are just sorta mid to make room for scents like this.
I often think this, but I never do anything about it :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Following along with @djundjila@sub.wetshaving.social’s NovGEMber,
🍻
I should give away all the soaps that are just sorta mid to make room for scents like this.
But what if that obscure soap I’m giving anyway is needed for my LG roster 😱?
November 28, 2024
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Brush: Wald Nimbus Chryselephantine 29mm A1 Fan
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Blade Holder: Gillette NEW SC
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Blade: Gillette Nacet (9)
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Lather: The Cajun Blade - Wild Oud - Soap
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Aftershave: WestMan Shaving - Alma - Aftershave Balm
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
This has been a very relaxed day. Almost forgot the SLS. It would have been easy to skip, but I always enjoy them when I do them.
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GEM Days 12b/14: Push That Button – Thu 28 Nov 2024
- Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
- Razor: GEM Push-Button
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
- Lather: Capt. Fawcett’s – Fig, Olive and Bay Rum
- Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – B Cubed
Solid shave with Capt. Fawcett’s and the Push-Button. These mild modern GEMs are really good autopilot razors. Mild, efficient, intuitive.
This was shave 24 of my run through all 14 generations of GEM-style razors:
1906-1953: GEM 1912/Star Cadet/Junior/Damaskeene1914-1927: 19141924-1933: 1924 Shovelhead1930-1932: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1 (Bumpless baseplate)1932-1941: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2 (double-edge Micromatic GEM blades)1940-1943: Micromatic Clog-Pruf1945-1946: Micromatic Clog-Pruf Peerless1947-1950: Micromatic Flying Wing/Bullet Tip, with guiding eye until 1948, with plastic knob in the last year1949-1953: GEM Jewel/Streamline/Ambassador (The beginning of the end IMHO)1950: New GEM Feather Weight, renamed to “Slim-V Flat Top” in 1953, British version sold as “Natural Angle” by Ever-Ready1955-1958: GEM V-Slim “Heavy Flat Top” (G-Bar, shiny chrome), New V Natural Angle Heavy Flat Top (E-Bar, less shiny nickel)- 1958-1965: Push Button ← We are here
- 1965-1973: Contour
- 1973-1979: Contour II (The last GEM razor)
Love the wooden soap tub. Very old-school.
Not the best choice of material, though. The soap and water really dries it out, and i think I’ve oiled it with linseed oil once per two or three uses😂
Is that an issue with all wooden bowl containers? I’m surprised by your experience but have none of my own.
This is my only wooden bowl, so I’m not sure, but I’d assume so. Unless there is a layer of paint or lacquer, or the wood is otherwise stabilised.
Thursday, November 28, 2024: FLS
- Brush: Zenith - B21 boar
- Razor: Merkur - 34C
- Blade: Van Der Hagen - Stainless (2)
- Lather: Stirling - Autumn GLory
- Post: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm
- Post: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber Aftershave splash
- Frag: Stirling - Stirling Gentleman EdT
A quick shave this morning while my niece and nephew were tearing around the house. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate, I’m grateful for this community and the wealth of knowledge and experience you all share!
Thursday, November 28, 2024: SLS
- Brush: Yaqi - Sagrada Familia 24mm Synthetic
- Razor: Merkur - 34C
- Blade: Van Der Hagen - Stainless (3)
- Lather: Stirling - Sandpiper
- Post: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber Aftershave splash
- Post: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm
A comfortable two-pass luxury shave to cap off Thanksgiving. It was a good day spending time with family. It’s so wild watching my niece and nephew get older.
