Ever Ready vs. Damaskeene SE Face-off
Prep: Hot shower
Pre: Proraso pre-shave - sensitive
Soap: Speick stick grated into tub
Bowl: Woodhead Large Pedestal
Brush: MÜHLE Kosmo silvertip synthetic
LHS Razor: 1912 Ever Ready SE + Cadet handle
RHS Razor: 1912 Gem Damaskeene SE
Blade: Gem (1) x2
After: Speick Active AS, Body Shop Arber ASB
Time to compare my newly acquired US Gem Damaskeene with my very similar English Ever Ready 1912 SE. I used the Gem on the right hand side of my face and the ER on the left side. Both loaded with a fresh Gem blade and I even switched blades on the third pass just to confirm there wasn't a difference between the blades. The ER had a bit of an advantage because it has a larger DE handle fitted.
Quite different feel from each razor. The ER felt more aggressive and gave more feedback but still smooth. The Gem felt mild and the razor only seemed to cut if exactly the right angle was used, a bit annoying really, but it did feel really safe as a wrong angle didn't bite.
Results were surprising. I expected the ER to have given a much closer shave but in fact there was almost no difference between the two sides, maybe a slightly closer shave from the ER but very difficult to distinguish. No irritation from either razor.
Looking at the razors close up the ER does have more blade exposure (due to the slightly narrower top plate) and hence the greater feedback feel and sound. The ER seems to have the blade edge slightly higher off the comb and so more aggressive and able to cut at a wider angle range.
Overall, so far, I prefer the ER as it's more fun to use and gives more feedback, but time will tell.
Shave on and on,
