Another new GEM razor from Rocnel

The SE-G has landed!

With the razor in hand I can now fully understand how the blade is secured and why no blade stops are necessary. Rather than blade stops, the head is designed with a spine stop. I still need to experiment with the Feather blade since there is no spine. I presume that the setscrew will hold the blade in place. With the GEM though, there is practically no wiggle room front to back so no significant blade exposure issues like I was concerned with initially.

I will update on this thread with my experience over the next week. First shave will be in the morning.

Brian, one thing I'd be interested in is how obtrusive the blade is at the rear, where the spine is exposed.  When I shave, I tend to be a bit on the freewheeling side when maneuvering around my face and neck (J-hook, etc.) with razors I am comfortable with and one of the things I look for is a razor/blade combination that A) won't scratch me and even more importantly B) that won't catch in my small hoop earring and pull on it.  While the latter is not a concern for many, it is for me.

Freddy, I'll definitely keep that in mind when I use it tomorrow. From holding it in hand I would think your concerns are valid.

Interesting!

Brian, I'd like to know if it's vocal. You know me and that requirement. The louder the better.

Will keep you informed Brian! Something tells me that it might sing.

Very cool SharpSpine! Let us know how it compares to the Sabre.

Very cool SharpSpine! Let us know how it compares to the Sabre.

Will do Jeff.

• Rocnel SE-G •
• GEM PTFE (1) •
• Plisson synth •
• Barrister's Reserve Cool •

While I don't find this razor easy on the eyes, I must admit that it is a workhorse. The SE-G easily wiped away 3 days of growth in 2 passes plus some minor touch-ups; no nicks or weepers. There was some very minor irritation which most likely was the result of my tinkering with the angles.

To my eyes the razor looks unbalanced. Surprisingly though, it felt quite comfortable in use. It was easy to find the best angle and maintain it all along my face & neck. Keeping the head of the razor on my skin is what worked best for me. As soon as I would drop the handle and raise the head off my skin I would start to feel the blade edge much more.

I would call the shave smooth but with some aggressive feel. Bringing the head of the razor off of the skin greatly amps up the harshness of the shave. With the head flat you can still feel the blade some, but the cutting action is much smoother. While I'm not a fan of having the spine of the blade exposed, I think there is a benefit to it. The head of the razor is smaller so there is less metal to drag across your skin. Perhaps this aids in the smoothness of the shave. Freddy, I did feel the back corner of the spine on my ear lobe a couple times so I would not advise this razor for you.

I now look forward to seeing how this mid-aggressive razor performs on back to back days. It's clear how well it does on a lot of growth so I hope it remains efficient yet gentle enough to be a daily driver. Not as aggressive as an OCMM, but more so than the Clog Pruf. It is not a completely quiet shaver ShadowsDad, nor is it a singer. So far, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Thanks, Brian (SharpSpine).  This definitely doesn't sound like it is for me and not just because of the earring problem (though that pretty much makes it a non-starter).  The aggresive nature you describe, while not as bad as the OCMM, isn't something I really need.  From the way each of us has described our beard types in the past, that would probably do you more good than me.

Yesterday, I used my 1907 Ever-Ready lather catcher and this morning it was the 1912 GEM Damaskeene and in both cases the shaves were irritation free and BBS.  Even though each of these razors is more than 100 years old, the shaves I get from them are incomparable as far as PTFE blade type razors go.  I don't need the extra weight of stainless steel to control the no pressure aspect of my shave.  For some reason, as far as newer razors go, I have noticed more innovation and improvements in artist club SE razors and DE razors, but that could just be me and my expectations.

Again, Brian, thanks for taking into account my specific concerns abut this Roncel.

Thanks for the feedback Brian. Sounds like a good razor for some, but I'm a feedback junkie as you well know; if I had one that had an amp' I'd be very happy. Thanks for taking the hit for the team.