A few months ago I bought a Cadet TTO-11 OC via shave-a-buck, and for some reason I haven’t gotten around to writing a review of it yet.. time to remedy that.

The Cadet TTO-11 OC is – as the name suggests, an Open Comb, Twists-To-Open razor made by the Indian razor manufacturer Cadet… and it’s a keeper. I was initially sceptical to the shortish handle – since I tend to prefer razors with long handles – but the balance is very good which makes for an easily manoeuvrable razor.

The open comb and head geometry makes it slightly more aggressive than my other Cadet TTO, but not by much. It’s an efficient axe for mowing down stubble, but at the same time great for touch-ups and polishing.

Overall it’s a keeper – and if you like Twist-To-Open or Open Comb razors, you could do a lot worse than getting a Cadet TTO-11

Manufactured by the American Safety Razor Company between the 1920’s to 1940’s, the GEM Micromatic is a all metal twist-to-open single edge (SE) razor. The model I have – thanks to a generous PIF from a fellow shaver – is a Micromatic Clog Pruf that was introduced ca. 1934.

The Micromatic takes standard GEM single edge blades, and like all TTO’s changing blades is a breeze – just drop them in and close the hatch

It is perhaps the best performer of my small selection of SE-razor, but like the GEM 1912 and the Ever-Ready 1914 extra care has to be taken with the angle of the razor. As with the other SE-razors I got the best results when the top of the head was flat or almost flat against my skin.

The Micromatic is made out of plated brass, as far as I can tell. While mine is assuredly ‘user grade’, the plating still allows for a smooth slide over the skin, meaning it’ll work well with pretty much any lather I have.

Can I recommend a Micromatic? Oh yes – I think it’ll makes for a very nice introduction to the world of single edge shaving, as long as you remember to watch the angle.

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.

 

The GEM 1912 – which came to me as part of a generous two razor PIF – is an early single-edge razor design offered by The American Safety Razor Company. According to my sources it was available from, presumably, 1912 until the 1920’s, when it was replaced as GEM’s premier razor by the Micromatic series of razors.

The head flips up via a notch on the back of the head, allowing for easy insertion or removal blades – although not as easy as the GEM Micromatic – but slightly easier than my Ever-Ready 1914.

It is a pretty solid performer, but for those who – like me – are more used to DE-razors extra care has to be taken with the angle of the razor. I got the best results when the top of the head was flat or almost flat against my skin.

The surface of the 1912 is pure brass with no plating – this makes it slide across the skin less easily than a plated razor, but picking the right lather negates that minor issue.
Can I recommend the GEM 1912? Yes; it’s a fun shave, but keep in mind that it’s – in my opinion – a little trickier to use than a ‘normal’ DE razor.

Quite a while ago I bought a couple of sampler packs of blades from my favourite Turkish webshop, and while I tried most of them early I sort of forgot about the rest until recently. Towards the bottom of the bag was a pair of Zaza – blades I could only find meagre information about online.

Bottom line? Not the smoothest in the world, not the sharpest either – but a very nice blend of smoothness, sharpness and longevity. A solid, if uninspired, contender for a fall-back blade… and one that seems like it might be hard to get more of. So far I only seen them for sale in my favourite Turkish webshop, and they are sold out…

Another of those previously unknown to me products from webshops in the far corners of the world… Derby Lavender Shave Cream at least is from a slightly more familiar brand – if by familiar you mean “have heard of before”. It is somewhat easier to find than the Dalan Cream I talked about previously, hence somewhat easier to find reviews online… but the two products are rather similar.

Overall the Derby makes an average lather, perhaps a bit above. It performs better than my glycerine soaps, but less so than my tallow pucks. It has a distinct lavender scent to it, and although it fades quickly it should last you for a three pass shave.

Decent slip and cushion, and okay as far as moisturising goes. Like most creams it’s really easy to whip up copious amounts of lather, and it don’t collapse between passes either. It’s a thirsty cream though, so for once the solution to any lather issues is to add more water, not more cream.

Overall a good choice if you want a cream and don’t want to spend too much – something for the traveller on a budget perhaps, or for your back-up den?