Made by the same company – American Safety Razor Company – as the GEMs, the Ever-Ready 1914 was called the 1914 due to the patent date. It is also sometimes referred to as the “little lather catcher”.The razor hinges at the rear of the head and closes with a metal leaf spring to hold the blade down. It has “lift here” imprinted on each side of the cap.

The 1914 uses standard GEM single-edge blades, but due to the fact that it was originally designed for blades without the cut-outs on the sides they don’t sit very secure until the lid is snapped shut.

The first time I tried my 1914, she bit me pretty badly, but the next time she behaved. I’m not sure if itwas a dud blade, or my improved technique, but for those who – like me – are more used to DE-razors extra care has to be taken with the angle of the razor. This time I got the best results when the top of the head was flat or almost flat against my skin.