|
Post by HoosierTrooper on May 31, 2012 16:32:39 GMT -6
Here's what I'm talking about. The two "Juniors" have different handles and the tab on the one on the left is smooth, while the one on the right is indented. The center non-Junior is identical in every way to the Junior on the right. This goes against the old belief that the tab on the Junior is smooth because here is one that is indented. Why did ASR stamp one Junior and not the other when they are identical?
|
|
ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
|
Post by ShadowsDad on May 31, 2012 20:10:51 GMT -6
mrraider, Yeah, we can get carried away, huh? :-)
|
|
|
Post by wchnu on Jun 1, 2012 3:14:46 GMT -6
mrraider, Yeah, we can get carried away, huh? :-) I havo NO idea what you are talking about.
|
|
RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
|
Post by RocketMan on Jun 1, 2012 19:40:25 GMT -6
mrraider, Yeah, we can get carried away, huh? :-) I havo NO idea what you are talking about.
|
|
RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
|
Post by RocketMan on Jun 1, 2012 20:49:39 GMT -6
That whole Junior not a Junior thing is indeed confusing. They used the name in 1911 when the 1912 style was first used, at least to the early 1940s when they were still selling the Baton handled Junior. And, all in between it would seem. There may be no logic to it all that we will ever realize. But never, ever, ever, carried away with it!!!
|
|
ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
|
Post by ShadowsDad on Jun 1, 2012 22:47:02 GMT -6
I suspect they were wild and free with "models" as the years advanced. Mixing and matching parts, to satisfy RAD of the day.
IMO, that explains the GEM '24 with it's hybrid parts.
We may never know what actually occurred, but they were us, so it's not too difficult to figure out. Bet that they didn't try to get folks to buy the latest model?
|
|
RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
|
Post by RocketMan on Jun 2, 2012 18:29:43 GMT -6
I do believe the only true Damaskeenes are the ones with the round, knurled handles and the Damaskeene blade warning/advertisement stamped on them don't you? They are the only ones in the old ads that call them by that name . . . . . I have been mulling this over ever since you wrote this comment HT and I can't think of anything else other than agreeing with you on it. They are indeed the true Damaskeene razors. I'm going with it from here on - the Damaskeenes are a 1912 patent head (open and closed comb versions) with the Damaskeene name stamped on the metal and the traditional knurled handles as well as the original 1911 release OC Damaskeene tube handle. It will certainly short cut the debate and it seems the proper way to go. Still thinking on that Gem Jr issue and they were certainly all over the map like folks here are saying. So - no logic to be found there. See what you started MrRaider - Good job!!
|
|
|
Post by razorx on Sept 1, 2012 8:41:42 GMT -6
Anyway, back to the Damaskeene. Here are three that I have that I believe represents the three era's that the Damaskeene was made. From L-R is the early open comb model, the most common one with the solid round, knurled handle in the center and the last one has a slightly different handle. The first two are stamped Gem Cutlery and the last one is stamped Gem Safety Razor Corp. This leads me to believe the last one in the pictures is probably one of the last Damaskeenes made because the name was changed from Gem Cutlery to Gem Safety Razor after the merger in 1919. As you can see in the third picture it has the beveled edge at the end of the top plate, while the earlier ones don't have it.
The beveled edge is seen on all of the 1912's made after the Damaskeene ad was dropped and replaced by the word GEM. Since I have a Damaskeene with the post 1919 merger Gem Safety Razor wording it leads me to believe that all of the non-Damaskeene 1912's we see were made no earlier than 1919-1920. Does that make sense? If I'm completely wrong on my ideas I'd really like to know. And if anyone can explain the stupid Junior designation on some of them I'd love to hear it. I've got the GEM Cutlery Damaskeene and also the post 1919 merger GEM Safety Razor Corp. Damaskeene.The handle is definitely different on the later version,seems to be thinner and the knurling smoother and more heavily plated. Here's where I'm confused,I haven't had these razors for long but my early impression is they don't seem to shave the same.The GEM Safety Razor Corp. version seems to be more mild and requires a more shallow shaving angle.
|
|
|
Post by razorx on Sept 2, 2012 20:49:57 GMT -6
I think I might have answered my own question,but these are the observations of a new SE shaver that has a lot to learn.
GEM Cutlery Damaskeene VS Post Merger GEM Razor Corp.Damaskeene
Hope y'all can confirm or deny any of this other stuff I think I'm seeing:
GEM Cutlery Version: Larger blade gap,shaves more aggressively.Distance between blade edge and comb looks 1/4 to 1/3 more to me.The post merger GEM Safety Razor Corp. version IMO is more mild.
GEM Cutlery Version is about 1/4 inch longer over all,stand the pre and post merger version next to each other and it's easy to see.
GEM Cutlery has the maltese cross shaped logo stamped on inside of case lid,GEM Safety Razor Corp has a metallic gold GEM logo glued to inside of case lid.
As far as the the beveled edge at the end of the top plate mentioned by HT....both my pre and post merger Damaskeene's have the bevel.Kind of confusing but as has been said,parts is parts.
The thing that interests me most is blade gap change between the 2 versions- Real or my imagination ?
|
|