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GEM Cutlery Company , Brooklyn NY
- Thread starter Hellas
- Start Date
Snuff
Well-Known Member
Ah such sweet shavers, not that I want to lure you into anything but just in case ...... 
History of SE razors:
1911-1912 Gem de Luxe
1912 Gem "Damaskeene" - the "Damaskeene"
1919 Gem "1912" - what we'd call the "1912"
1930 Gem Micromatic "Open Comb"
1940s? Gem "1912 Junior"
1941 Gem Micromatic "Clog Pruf"
1947 Gem "Flying Wing"
... thereafter, we get the Featherlight, Pushbutton, G-Bar & Contour/II models.
Unlike Gem, prior to the 1930s, Ever Ready did not use the "1912" style head. Their initial offerings were the Lather Catcher basket head on an a short sylindrical handle, then on the ASR style long handle. They were the "American Safety Razor Company" until "Ever Ready" was trademarked in 1923, so although I use the abbreviation "ER" below, they're not "Ever Ready" until 1923.
1911-1912 ER - lather catcher style/cylindrical handle
1912-1914 ER - lather catcher style head/ASR-style long handle
1914-1915 ER "1914" Marked "American Safety Razor Company New York" Patent Pending
1917-1919 ER "1914" Marked "Ever Ready" Patented March 24/14
1918 "Radio" Blade - just a point of interest being perhaps "Radio" predated "Ever Ready" on the razors that are marked "Radio"?
1919 ER Hinged Cap "Brooklyn New York USA" Patent Applied For
1923 "Ever Ready" trademarked
1925 ER "1914" & "1924" produced hereafter marked "Ever Ready"
1930 The Improved Ever Ready ("1912") - what we call the "1912" finally coming into common production (see above, regarding "Radio")
1930s "Star" - supercedes "Ever Ready" and duplicates "Gem" ("1912")
1933-1934 E-Bar - potentially earlier than the Gem offering of the same model?
... thereafter (1950s) Streamline, Featherlight, etc
So, when we intermingle the company timelines, we see than what we call the 1912 was the Damaskeene from 1912, the GEM from 1919, Ever Ready joining the show in 1930 and seceding to Star during that decade.
The 1914 was an ASR to being with, becoming Ever Ready after 1923 along with a new model, which we call the 1924 although that hinged cap had been in production since 1919. Therefore, we can see the pre-1924 "1924" as a rival to the GEM "1912" released in 1919.
Likewise, once the GEM Micromatics came to the field in 1930, Ever Ready picked up the old line "1912" while still being produced by Gem.
Putting it all together ...
1912 Gem Damaskeene (the "1912")
1914-1915 (ER) "1914" Marked "American Safety Razor Company New York" Patent Pending
1917-1919 (ER) "1914" Marked "Ever Ready" Patented March 24/14
1918 "Radio" trademark blade - just a point of interest being perhaps "Radio" predated "Ever Ready" on the razors that are marked "Radio"?
1919 Star became a subsiduary of ASR
1919 Gem "1912"
1919 (ER) Front Hinged Cap "Brooklyn New York USA" Patent Applied For (becomes the "1924")
1923 "Ever Ready" trademarked by ASR
1924 "GEM" trademark redesigned by ASR
1925 ER "1914" & "1924" produced hereafter marked "Ever Ready"
1930 Gem "Micromatic" (the Open Comb)
1930 The Improved Ever Ready ("1912") - what we call the Ever Ready "1912" finally coming into common production (see above, regarding "Radio")
1933 ER "E-Bar" - potentially earlier than the Gem offering of the same model? (Last use of "Ever Ready" in the US)
1930s "Star" - supercedes "Ever Ready" in the US (British market continues with "Every Ready") and duplicates "Gem" ("1912") ... perhaps simply becoming the "Junior"
1930s? Gem G-Bar (introduced after the cessation of the Ever Ready trademark in the US)
1940s? Gem "1912 Junior"
1941 Gem (Micromatic) "Clog Pruf"
1947 Gem (Micromatic) "Flying Wing"
1940s? (Late) ER "Streamline" (British - Ever Ready trademark picked up in Britain ... last used in US in 1933)
1950s ER Featherweight (British)
1950s Gem Featherweight/Pushbutton
1960s Gem Contour
1970s Gem Contour II
So, the Gem "1912" is only a 1912 if it's a Damaskeene, 1919 otherwise. An Ever Ready "1912" is actually a 1930 and Star "1912" were made from 1933. Radio "1912" continues to elude us.
Ever Ready "1914" is a 1914 if "patent pending", 1917-1919 otherwise.
Ever Ready "1924" is a not a 1924 if "patent applied for" which makes it actually a 1919.
Pivotal years seem to be 1912 (Gem Damaskeene "1912" begins), 1919 (Star brought into ASR, Gem "1912" begins & Ever Ready "1924" comes into pre-patent production), 1923 (Ever Ready brand goes full blown) and 1930 (Ever Ready "1912" begins).
The last Damaskeenes made after the 1919 merger are marked Gem Safety Razor, instead of Gem Cutlery and some have a bevelled edge on the cover plate.
Stoll Chrome Steel Single Edge Safety Razor. Wilbert Cutlery Co., Chicago, Illinois. Probably manufactured by Kampfe Bros., Brooklyn, NY. Stoll and Wilbert S C S razors were offered by Sears, Roebuck circa 1914-1926 and were similar to the Kampfe Star, Gem and Ever-Ready models
--------------------------
History of SE razors:
1911-1912 Gem de Luxe
1912 Gem "Damaskeene" - the "Damaskeene"
1919 Gem "1912" - what we'd call the "1912"
1930 Gem Micromatic "Open Comb"
1940s? Gem "1912 Junior"
1941 Gem Micromatic "Clog Pruf"
1947 Gem "Flying Wing"
... thereafter, we get the Featherlight, Pushbutton, G-Bar & Contour/II models.
Unlike Gem, prior to the 1930s, Ever Ready did not use the "1912" style head. Their initial offerings were the Lather Catcher basket head on an a short sylindrical handle, then on the ASR style long handle. They were the "American Safety Razor Company" until "Ever Ready" was trademarked in 1923, so although I use the abbreviation "ER" below, they're not "Ever Ready" until 1923.
1911-1912 ER - lather catcher style/cylindrical handle
1912-1914 ER - lather catcher style head/ASR-style long handle
1914-1915 ER "1914" Marked "American Safety Razor Company New York" Patent Pending
1917-1919 ER "1914" Marked "Ever Ready" Patented March 24/14
1918 "Radio" Blade - just a point of interest being perhaps "Radio" predated "Ever Ready" on the razors that are marked "Radio"?
1919 ER Hinged Cap "Brooklyn New York USA" Patent Applied For
1923 "Ever Ready" trademarked
1925 ER "1914" & "1924" produced hereafter marked "Ever Ready"
1930 The Improved Ever Ready ("1912") - what we call the "1912" finally coming into common production (see above, regarding "Radio")
1930s "Star" - supercedes "Ever Ready" and duplicates "Gem" ("1912")
1933-1934 E-Bar - potentially earlier than the Gem offering of the same model?
... thereafter (1950s) Streamline, Featherlight, etc
So, when we intermingle the company timelines, we see than what we call the 1912 was the Damaskeene from 1912, the GEM from 1919, Ever Ready joining the show in 1930 and seceding to Star during that decade.
The 1914 was an ASR to being with, becoming Ever Ready after 1923 along with a new model, which we call the 1924 although that hinged cap had been in production since 1919. Therefore, we can see the pre-1924 "1924" as a rival to the GEM "1912" released in 1919.
Likewise, once the GEM Micromatics came to the field in 1930, Ever Ready picked up the old line "1912" while still being produced by Gem.
Putting it all together ...
1912 Gem Damaskeene (the "1912")
1914-1915 (ER) "1914" Marked "American Safety Razor Company New York" Patent Pending
1917-1919 (ER) "1914" Marked "Ever Ready" Patented March 24/14
1918 "Radio" trademark blade - just a point of interest being perhaps "Radio" predated "Ever Ready" on the razors that are marked "Radio"?
1919 Star became a subsiduary of ASR
1919 Gem "1912"
1919 (ER) Front Hinged Cap "Brooklyn New York USA" Patent Applied For (becomes the "1924")
1923 "Ever Ready" trademarked by ASR
1924 "GEM" trademark redesigned by ASR
1925 ER "1914" & "1924" produced hereafter marked "Ever Ready"
1930 Gem "Micromatic" (the Open Comb)
1930 The Improved Ever Ready ("1912") - what we call the Ever Ready "1912" finally coming into common production (see above, regarding "Radio")
1933 ER "E-Bar" - potentially earlier than the Gem offering of the same model? (Last use of "Ever Ready" in the US)
1930s "Star" - supercedes "Ever Ready" in the US (British market continues with "Every Ready") and duplicates "Gem" ("1912") ... perhaps simply becoming the "Junior"
1930s? Gem G-Bar (introduced after the cessation of the Ever Ready trademark in the US)
1940s? Gem "1912 Junior"
1941 Gem (Micromatic) "Clog Pruf"
1947 Gem (Micromatic) "Flying Wing"
1940s? (Late) ER "Streamline" (British - Ever Ready trademark picked up in Britain ... last used in US in 1933)
1950s ER Featherweight (British)
1950s Gem Featherweight/Pushbutton
1960s Gem Contour
1970s Gem Contour II
So, the Gem "1912" is only a 1912 if it's a Damaskeene, 1919 otherwise. An Ever Ready "1912" is actually a 1930 and Star "1912" were made from 1933. Radio "1912" continues to elude us.
Ever Ready "1914" is a 1914 if "patent pending", 1917-1919 otherwise.
Ever Ready "1924" is a not a 1924 if "patent applied for" which makes it actually a 1919.
Pivotal years seem to be 1912 (Gem Damaskeene "1912" begins), 1919 (Star brought into ASR, Gem "1912" begins & Ever Ready "1924" comes into pre-patent production), 1923 (Ever Ready brand goes full blown) and 1930 (Ever Ready "1912" begins).
The last Damaskeenes made after the 1919 merger are marked Gem Safety Razor, instead of Gem Cutlery and some have a bevelled edge on the cover plate.
Stoll Chrome Steel Single Edge Safety Razor. Wilbert Cutlery Co., Chicago, Illinois. Probably manufactured by Kampfe Bros., Brooklyn, NY. Stoll and Wilbert S C S razors were offered by Sears, Roebuck circa 1914-1926 and were similar to the Kampfe Star, Gem and Ever-Ready models
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Hellas
Blade Whisperer
Don't shave with that razor! If you do, yo will then be looking for a 1912, 1914, 1924, and Damaskeene. After that, there are the ones that uses wedge blades.
too late. Tried it today.
Ah such sweet shavers, not that I want to lure you into anything but just in case ......
that looks much to complicate and to much for me. However, the first shave was quite mild, although not the closest one. I think that’s the total different handling and angle than DE-Razor. Anyway I don’t think that it will make make straights obsolet
Hellas
Blade Whisperer
done, and you are totally right. It’s not „riding the cap“, but sliding the cap. Indeed great sound and close and comfortable shave. Although the „five o‘clock shadow“ comes earlier than with most of my other razors. But as I’m in Homeoffice now. Who cares. Fine enough for staying home
sɐǝɹpu∀
Well-Known Member
True. Or without proper attribution.
The chart was made by user mata_66 of the B&B forum:
American Safety Razor Dating Chart - Gem, Ever Ready, Kampfe Star
This "gem" (pun intended) is taken directly from the 1947 World Series Official program. Maybe the first Flying Wing advertisement ever: Another 1947 funny ad: Earliest I find is March 1947. The big rollout is beginning of April (start of baseball season :-) )
www.badgerandblade.com
TobyC
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I didn't actually know who put that together.True. Or without proper attribution.
The chart was made by user mata_66 of the B&B forum:
American Safety Razor Dating Chart - Gem, Ever Ready, Kampfe Star
This "gem" (pun intended) is taken directly from the 1947 World Series Official program. Maybe the first Flying Wing advertisement ever: Another 1947 funny ad: Earliest I find is March 1947. The big rollout is beginning of April (start of baseball season :-) )
TobyC
Well-Known Member
I actually was wanting to delete that post, but there wasn't a delete option, so I left the period.
sɐǝɹpu∀
Well-Known Member
The guy is far too humble and doesn't ask for attribution.Thank you! I didn't actually know who put that together.
I'm less humble and think my "ASR timeline" is an interesting proof of concept mostly based on the above chart (far from complete)
Last edited by a moderator:
Jayaruh
Well-Known Member
Back in 2018, I got a Damaskeene razor and a Damaskeene OC base plate in a lot of shaving stuff. I used the cap and handle of the Damaskeene with the OC base plate to make an OC Damaskeene.
The remaining Damaskeene head did not go to waste. It is marked Gem Cutlery, New York. I made a new handle for it patterned after the Darwin handle. It is now my Open Faced Damaskeene Frankenrazor. I am planning on using it for next Monday to Friday's shaves.
The remaining Damaskeene head did not go to waste. It is marked Gem Cutlery, New York. I made a new handle for it patterned after the Darwin handle. It is now my Open Faced Damaskeene Frankenrazor. I am planning on using it for next Monday to Friday's shaves.
slantman
Well-Known Member
New name for Gem blades is Accu Tech Pro. But don't buy the commerical type used in scrapers. The shaving blades are stainless steel with aluminum backing and are coated.
rdgwoodwinds.com
AccuTec Pro Razor Blades (formerly GEM Razor Blades)
The GEM razor blades that we know well and have used for many years have been rebranded! As of the most recent shipment (October 2023), GEM razor blades will now be under the name AccuTec Pro Premium. These are the same blades with a different name. We've included photos of the new packaging vs...
rdgwoodwinds.com