GEM Days 5a/14: second generation GEM Micromatic Open Comb - HOLD FLAT AGAINST FACE - Thu 21 Nov 2024

• Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb (second generation, hold flat against face)
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Satsuma
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Satsuma
• Fragrance: Acqua di Parma – Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri

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This is shave 9 of my run through all 14 generations of GEM-style razors, and I have reached the second generation MMOC, firmly in the golden age of safety razor manufacture.

The second generation Micromatic Open Comb and Double Edge GEM blades (tagging u/Marquis90)

The first generation MMOC brought with it the new Micromatic blade format, and some prescient engineers at ASR must have had this next step already planned, when they decided to add the lateral cut-outs.

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The Micromatic mechanism aligns the edge with the blade stops by engaging with the lateral cut-outs of the blades unlike all previous GEM-style razors which push on the spine instead. So, if the spine isn’t used to push against anymore, why even have a spine? Well, the spine also slightly props up the blade, giving it an angle w.r.t the base plate (it rests on the thicker spine and on the base plate near the comb instead of lying flat), but the second generation MMOC cuts this dependency. The SOTD picture shows two open MMOCs at the bottom, a brass first generation the left and a chrome plated second generation in the right. You can see that the second generation adds two protruding bumps to the base plate which lift the blade like the spine would. As a result, the second generation MMOC and all subsequent Micromatics can use spineless and standard GEM Micromatic blades.

And if the blade doesn’t need a spine, you might as well put a second edge on it. At the bottom of the SOTD picture, you can see the original GEM Micromatic single edge blades that were sold with the first generation MMOC, and on the right the then new Doubledge (not a typo) Micromatic blades sold with the second generation.

Double edged GEM blades have the obvious advantage that they would be cheaper to manufacture and would last twice as long and I don’t know why they fell back out of fashion, but I will speculate about it when we reach the Jewel/Streamline or the beginning of the decline of the GEM-style razor.

The shave

This MMOC has a fun

“HOLD FLAT
AGAINST FACE”

engraving on the top cap and it’s good advice. The set of Stirling Satsuma is brand new and I bought it to replace Nordost based on advice by u/OnionMiasma, and I really enjoy it. Bright orange juice with a touch of spices, it’s a real delight.

I had Djunior smell it and we went “mhmm, like the orange (he used the Croatian word for the colour, not for the fruit) ice cream!” I need to get that kid to eat more fruit apparently 😅

Thanks Onion for the recommendation!

The timeline

1. 1906-1953: GEM 1912/Star Cadet/Junior/Damaskeene
   • FLS
   • SLS
2. 1914-1927: 1914
   • FLS
   • SLS
3. 1924-1933: 1924 Shovelhead
   • FLS
   • SLS
4. 1930-1932: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1 (Bumpless baseplate)
   • FLS
   • SLS
5. 1932-1941: Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2 (double-edge Micromatic GEM blades) ← We are here
6. 1940-1943: Micromatic Clog-Pruf
7. 1945-1946: Micromatic Clog-Pruf Peerless
8. 1947-1950: Micromatic Flying Wing/Bullet Tip, with guiding eye until 1948, with plastic knob in the last year
9. 1949-1953: GEM Jewel/Streamline/Ambassador (The beginning of the end IMHO)
10. 1950: New GEM Feather Weight, renamed to “Slim-V Flat Top” in 1953, British version sold as “Natural Angle” by Ever-Ready
11. 1955-1958: GEM V-Slim “Heavy Flat Top” (G-Bar, shiny chrome), New V Natural Angle Heavy Flat Top (E-Bar, less shiny nickel)
12. 1958-1965: Push Button
13. 1965-1973: Contour
14. 1973-1979: Countour II (The last GEM razor)