The Single Edge Gang

merelymoe, are the Personna hair shaper blades readily available? I don't think I've ever seen them before.

merelymoe, are the Personna hair shaper blades readily available? I don't think I've ever seen them before.

They are on Amazon. There are spined ones and some that are similar to injector blades (injector doesn't have a stem though

As whiteboy_cannon stated, the Personna hair shaper blades are available on Amazon.  Amazon also carries less expensive hair shaper blades called Diane Polymer coated blades and Ted Pella also has a few surgical prep blades that look like they will work with the Weck razor.  I have not tried the Diane nor the Ted Pella blades.  I went with the Personna hair shapers solely based on the very limited online blade reviews for the Weck that I could find.

Thanks guys! That is an interesting razor that I would like to try. I believe I saw that bakerbarber posted in the acquisitions thread that he was able to find one too.

The Ted Pella blades are just rebranded personna

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oldschoolsteel, sorry, I'm not Sharpspine, but maybe I'll do. there is a razor affectionately known as a shovelhead, aka the EverReady '24. The 1912s are not like the Shovelhead as they are both based on different patents. But they do use the same blade. To equate the word shovelhead and 1912 is just confusing and might have people think that a 1912 is a Shovelhead, which it isn't. Yeah, I know it can be confusing, but it's just naming conventions. Then there is the ER '14 "little Lather Catcher". Why is it anymore or less a little lather catcher than any other razor of that general shape? Again, it's just naming.

I've never tried to use a despined blade in a GEM 1912, ER' '24 or '14 or any other razor that is made for a spined blade because the spine is part of the equation that makes the razor work. Not only is the blade held from the sides, top,  and front, but from the rear as well. As the top closes on every SE razor I've ever encountered that uses a spine backed blade there is a spring or the cap itself that pushes the blade forward and locks it into place. Removing the spine might work, but the blade wouldn't be positioned correctly since it would affect the fore and aft dimension. It might also prematurely wear out the mechanism since the spine is aluminum today and quite soft. The blade is steel and many of the old parts it rubs against at the rear is soft, so the blade wouldn't be damaged. But the part in the head that pushes the blade forward rubs against it and would sustain any damage. The spine is there for a reason if the razor is designed for a spine. I have a dim memory of someone using a despined blade in razors not designed for them and it worked, but it has never struck me as being a good idea.

Some razors work fine w/o a spine in place. Off the top of my head the Valet VC-1 is one such razor.

I see your point. The term "shovelhead" is a nickname given to the 1919-1933 front hinged Gem SE (Eveready and Radio also). It is truly different from the "1912" style heads that were used on the previous Demaskeene and later models. Even though the Shovelhead" term was only a nickname, it was never used in official naming of any of the razors. For me to lump them all together under the same name would be an over-generalization or categorization that would lead to further confusion.

After your response I went and inspected my 1912 headed Gem and you are correct in that the top-cap spring does make contact with the spine and has a dual role in pushing down and forward on the spine, keeping the whole blade seated in the "ears". You do have a point that the spine made of aluminum would be easier on this spring. So having a despined blade in the 1912 head has the POTENTIAL for razor damage.

That said, using a despined blade would subject the razor to different blade tolerances making the spring/blade contact possibly irrelevant or less than normal.

The purpose of the despined question revolved around the Personna blade shown in the video I mention that was posted by SharpSpine. Have you watched it? If I could find others that have used this blade in particular with success, and I could find a source for them, I wouldnt mind trying them in my Gem. I havent heard it mentioned by any others on any forums or vendors, and wanted to know if it is only paint scraper quality or would give quality shaves. Here is the video I refer to, and the blade I ask about makes an appearance at the 3:45 mark.

http://www.personnablades.com/Videos.asp...KOGmofQ5FM

Thanks guys! That is an interesting razor that I would like to try. I believe I saw that bakerbarber posted in the acquisitions thread that he was able to find one too.

It's amazing too.

Think I'll mention my favorite single edge razor (and possibly my overall favorite razor) in my collection, the Weck Surgical Prep Single Edge Razor:



I searched for a LONG time to get my grubby little fingers on it and it was well worth the search.  It's a ridiculously simple function-over-form design (take heed razor designers who want to create a modern GEM razor), with no moving parts and one piece construction.  The razor is all stainless steel too for autoclave purposes.  I've used the Personna Hair Shaper blades with this thing and the shaves are amazing.  Incredibly smooth and very efficient.  My only two "complaints" (and they are very minor) are that you cannot change the handle on this razor (although to me it's well balanced as is) and the head width is considerable, making for some strategic angling in certain areas like the jaw line.

Well worth a spin if you can find one.

The thing shaves very nice and smooth. The head is low profile and although it's a very wide blade I've found that the end can be used instead of the entire length and width at once. The blades have muted corners so I can use the ends like a butter knife and cut with the outer half of an inch or so in tight spots.

I am really glad I got mine.

I've been considering getting the shavettes that also take the same blades and have the comb guard like the Sextoblade for example.

I've been considering getting the shavettes that also take the same blades and have the comb guard like the Sextoblade for example.

Me too! Been eyeing the Personna Classic Hair Shaper (a stainless shavette for under $15!). Let me know if you pull the trigger on the shavette and what the shave is like. I find these blades are much better performers than all but the pro super Feather AC blades.

OSS, the video that came up was only 40 some odd seconds long. So I didn't see what you referred to. But if it doesn't have a spine it won't go into my vintage razors unless the razor is designed not to have a spine, as in the Valet. I won't have hard steel wearing my vintage razors in places they were never designed to tolerate that sort of wear.

I may not get "out much" anymore to guide folks, but I've been doing this for awhile and every once in awhile I check in to see if the "kids" (definitely not a put down) are on track. I'm glad to see that the work I put in has born fruit. That was my intention. Some things I'll do and some things I won't and I'm very cautious with razors that aren't made anymore. I value them too highly.

Nice Weck Razor BTW. If it'll handle a Feather SE or GEM (spined or despined) blade securely I'd use it. It'd be no worse than this SEvette made from an OCMM that was missing the front stops. Might want to take the edge off of the corners of a sharp blade though for use in the Weck. I left the corners of the comb on the OCMM so that I wouldn't need to modify blades.

[Image: DSC04269_zpsbbkyxkqj.jpg]

Actually the OCMM SEvette is a quite nice shave; very close and no more difficult to use than any other aggressive razor. It's just technique, the razor just holds the blade and a comb just limits the depth of cut if ones technique is missing. It's just a mind game that one comes to grips with. BTW, the razor shown was made from a razor that wasn't fixable so if it hadn't worked nothing was lost. Sharpspine will definitely recognize that particular razor.

I'm telling you that if you can get a blade into the Weck, and it ignores the comb, it can still be used as long as the blade is held rigidly. Just get rid of the sharp corners on the blade. Employ the same technique you would with any aggressive razor. You're either ready or you're not. You'll know.

Before you ask, no the SEvette is not a joke. It's real and it gives a fine shave in my hand and a few other folks hands. I think I may have posted about it here when the idea was fairly new and I had just learned of it and made my own.

Well, I didn't intend to kill the thread.