Question about Gem blades

The individual blades look the same as the ones I have, just not the box. I would still suggest trying them in a different razor before giving up on them all together.

That's the re-order code on my Ted Pella blades.

Why not try a milder SE razor as a first one, and not take such a plunge into the deep end of the pool as a SE noob? Unless you need the $ for something I'd hold onto it; you might come to enjoy it, but to start in SE razors I'd get a Featherweight. It would be mid-aggressive in the DE world and that's about as mild as SE razors get in easy to find SE razors and Featherweights are everywhere.

Lipripper660, I hate to see you give up single edge blades.  You don't have the correct Gem blades.  The model that so many love and have had good luck with are the Personna Gems. You have the Gems, not the Personna Gems.

Here is what I figured out.  Gem has two models of single edge ptfe coated stainless steel blades.  One is branded Gem and the other is branded Personna Gem.  If the blades you have came from Ted Pella, the only explanation that makes sense to me is that they got the other model the last time they re-ordered.  I say this because they only sell one model, and what was shipped were the Personna Gems, which isn't what you have.

I purchased mine from Ted Pella.  Here is what the packaging looks like for the correct blades, the 'Personna GEMs', identified by the number 62-0178:




This is what the other model looks like, which is the one you have.  Notice that they are GEMs, but not the Personna GEMs.



The best deal on the correct blades is from Connaught, and an earlier post has a link.

Bull Goose also has them:

https://bullgooseshaving.com/products/pe...ack-of-100

I wouldn't buy them from anyone other that Connaught or Bullgoose.  It's too confusing and there are online providers we all love that seem to have been confused by them.

Lipripper660, I hate to see you give up single edge blades.  You don't have the correct Gem blades.  The model that so many love and have had good luck with are the Personna Gems.  You have the Gems, not the Personna Gems.

Here is what I figured out.  Gem has two models of single edge ptfe coated stainless steel blades.  One is branded Gem and the other is branded Personna Gem.  If the blades you have came from Ted Pella, the only explanation that makes sense to me is that they got the other model the last time they re-ordered.  I say this because they only sell one model, and what was shipped were the Personna Gems, which isn't what you have.

I purchased mine from Ted Pella.  Here is what the packaging looks like for the correct blades, the 'Personna GEMs', identified by the number 62-0178:




This is what the other model looks like, which is the one you have.  Notice that they are GEMs, but not the Personna GEMs.



The best deal on the correct blades is from Connaught, and an earlier post has a link.

Bull Goose also has them:

https://bullgooseshaving.com/products/pe...ack-of-100

I wouldn't buy them from anyone other that Connaught or Bullgoose.  It's too confusing and there are online providers we all love that seem to have been confused by them.

Perfect! Thanks. I'll order tonight.

Lipripper660, I hate to see you give up single edge blades.  You don't have the correct Gem blades.  The model that so many love and have had good luck with are the Personna Gems.  You have the Gems, not the Personna Gems.

Here is what I figured out.  Gem has two models of single edge ptfe coated stainless steel blades.  One is branded Gem and the other is branded Personna Gem.  If the blades you have came from Ted Pella, the only explanation that makes sense to me is that they got the other model the last time they re-ordered.  I say this because they only sell one model, and what was shipped were the Personna Gems, which isn't what you have.

I purchased mine from Ted Pella.  Here is what the packaging looks like for the correct blades, the 'Personna GEMs', identified by the number 62-0178:




This is what the other model looks like, which is the one you have.  Notice that they are GEMs, but not the Personna GEMs.



The best deal on the correct blades is from Connaught, and an earlier post has a link.

Bull Goose also has them:

https://bullgooseshaving.com/products/pe...ack-of-100

I wouldn't buy them from anyone other that Connaught or Bullgoose.  It's too confusing and there are online providers we all love that seem to have been confused by them.

Those are the same blades packaged two different ways. It seems TP switched over to the standard Personna packaging at some point. But they are identical blades, both made by Personna GEM.

'660, closely examine exactly where the blade is "on" the stops.

Yesterday I removed my blade to slice away some calloused skin and reinstalled it into the OCMM. Today I went to shave and the shave was extremely harsh. I knew my lather was excellent, and I didn't do enough with the bare blade to affect it. So then the light bulb went off. I checked the blade and instead of it being behind the stops one side was over the stop. It's a microscopic difference, but it makes a huge difference in the shave. I even watched the blade as the head closed on it and it was still wrong.

Re: the Personna packaging... yup same blades just different packaging.

Check the box for an edge thickness. GEM shaving blades have a thickness of 0.09mm and "scraper" blades have a thickness of 0.10mm. It may not seem a lot but it really makes a HUGE difference in edge feel and durability.

An industrial scraper blade being thicker would probably feel extremely tuggy instead of cutting clean through. A shaving blade would dull extremely quickly if used to scrape even light acrylic paint off glass. I know because I have an old PTFE blade I use to clean my glass practice plate for airbrush painting...


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Not just the thickness (which I believe is .012" on the scraper blades), but more importantly, the way the edge is ground. The shaving/medical/scientific ones are a 3-facet edge and the scraper blades are 2-facet.

Another way to tell the difference, besides looking for the thickness and # of facets, is that the packaging (and sometimes the spine) usually says "heavy duty" for the scraper blades.

Lipripper660,

The GEM Micromatic OC is just like all the other GEM's - a true gem.
Just keep it flat against your skin and you will get as good a shave as ever you have had.

I find that almost any blade that will fit the razor will do an excellent job EXCEPT that Carbon torture thing.

As Dinah used to sing: "Happy shaves to you."

Wow! The difference a good blade makes. As the original post states my experience with Gem PTFE coated blades was not enjoyable. Tuggy as a worn out Derby. You gents inspired me and yes, I have a new pack of PTFE Personna Gems headed my way but as an experiment to discover if my Gems would shave or if I'd have to get a night-stocking job at Walmart to use up my box cutters, I pulled a blade out of the MIDDLE of the box and BOOM, sharp as can be. Two passes was all I needed to clean up and wow does that Micromatic have blade exposure. Had to remember to not text and shave! Thanks gentlemen! I'm not ready to purge my DEs yet but the Gem is getting a lot of mileage. I now know this box may have a dud or two Amongst the GEMS.

These are them good sir

Those blades aren't meant for shaving, they are used in window scrapers. Get some Gem blades from a local drugstore in your area like Walgreen's. They are located in the shaving aisle.

Clayton

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