Gem Featherweight Question

I went on a trip recently and took a Gem Featherweight along.  The razor, empty of a blade, is solid with tight closure.

But when I put a modern Gem PTFE blade in it, the head rattles and the blade seems loose.  It doesn't affect the shave, as the blade stays in place up against the blade stops.  But I'm not sure how, and the rattling and seeming looseness didn't seem right.

Do they all "do that"?  Or do I have one with a flawed closing mechanism?  More specifically, when you put a blade in your Gem Featherweight, does the blade rattle in the head?

I shaved with a Featherweight yesterday. In my case, no, the blade doesn't rattle in the head. It seats perfectly.

First, I'm no longer a gem guy, so take this with a grain of salt, but I've had gem razors that rattled slightly. As long as the blade was seated securely it didn't seem to be a big deal.

Not mine either, I'm glad to say.

The original GEM blades were noticeable thicker than the modern one. I have a similar experience with my EverReady 1914 - blade seems loose, yet is secured.

It shouldn't do that, you need to check carefully to see whether just the cover is loose, or blade and cover. With a blade installed, the tab that sticks up through the cover should no longer touch the cover, only the back of the blade. The only reason it goes through the cap is to move it out of the way for blade insertion, it doesn't keep the cover closed. The springs that stick out like wings under the back corners of the cover are what keeps it closed. As long as the blade is held securely, you're fine, you don't even need the cover.

This shows the gap between the little tab and the cover when a blade is installed.


.

(06-22-2018, 08:14 AM)WegianWarrior Wrote: The original GEM blades were noticeable thicker than the modern one. I have a similar experience with my EverReady 1914 - blade seems loose, yet is secured.

Ding ding ding!

I tried a vintage Gem blade in the same razor, and no rattle.

It shaves just fine with a modern Gem blade, but with the vintage Gem blade, everything snugs up completely and noiselessly.