Feathers

JugV2

JugV2

Simply boring.
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Feb 8, 2011
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Tasmania
So I am on my final lot of sample blades I got with my initial kit, and yesterday was the Day of the Feather.

It lives up to all claims; I didn't feel a need to "work" the blade at all (I'm looking at you, Gillette 7 O'Clock yellow). The angle was good - I am using a DE86 Jagger.

I got two cuts; both on the chin. I had a goatee but now have a moustache with a triangle bit below the lip. Working my way around that is pretty easy with a DE.

The cuts were a direct result of impatience.

The Feather only really required two passes and I am stoked with the result.
 
You have more balls than me, I am not ready to 'go there' yet.

Currently testing a number of blades. Lord SS have been a good, honest blade. Astra SS goes in the DE86 in the morning.
 
I just loaded a Feather into my DE Razor (godammit I wish my DE86L would hurry up and get here), used the pro-raso pre shave cream, TOBS sensitive skin and had a great shave, much better than the Derby I tried last night, the rest of the pack of them will be consigned to the recycling I think.

Was heading down the personna red path for a while there, but looks like the Featthers are a winner. I suppose it will all change once I get the new razor
 
Razormonsta said:
You have more balls than me, I am not ready to 'go there' yet.

Currently testing a number of blades. Lord SS have been a good, honest blade. Astra SS goes in the DE86 in the morning.
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I used the Feather today with the palmolive shaving stick too - got a fairly good face lather going. I know it's an inferior soap stick but for me it's more about technique at the moment than buying more soaps.

I want to be confident that when I do buy some decent stuff, I won't be wasting it trying to get it right.

So you haven't used Feather blades yet, razormonsta?
 
JugV2 said:
So you haven't used Feather blades yet, razormonsta?
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Not as yet, waiting for a holiday so I con't go into the office looking like I have gone 13 rounds with Edward Scissorhands...
 
That makes a top mental image!

Hey what's an SE blade?

Obviously single edge...I'm not sure if I have ever seen one though.
 
Yes, SE is single edge.

This means a few things. Probably the most common is an 'Injector' style blade and handle. This is a pre-cursor to the Atra cartridge system in a way. The handle holds a thin blade, and you 'inject' the new blade into the handle with the dispenser. The old blade then falls out the other side.

Most of the GEM's are single-edge too, you put a blade in that like the one you got at school to dissect your frog or possibly the bovine eye with.

It can also mean a Shavette - what is a open/straight razor handle with a facility to put a 'half' DE blade into. Sometimes you can get specific SE blades which are manufactured to snap in half. Some come as a single edge.

There is also modern Single Edge razors, probably the one of most not is the Cobra Classic. It has a blade only made by Cobra, and it is more of an Injector style blade.
 
Bahaha, sooks! :p Feathers aren't really that bad. They're definitely the sharpest I've been able to find info on, but really not anything to be 'scared' of. 'Respected' is a better term. I went from Derby, to Personna Red, to Feather. I did start off with them in the '52 Black Tip (since it's less aggressive compared to the Merkur 34C), but now my standard set up is the 34C and the Feather. Can do a 3 pass without concern.
 
Not sooking at all - I had a go quite fearlessly.

As for respecting them - being new to DE shaving I treat every blade with respect. It's when I grow contempt for a blade and use it carelessly that I figure I will get cut.
 
Just joshing :)

It's a good attitude to have. Traditional shaving rewards you much more for being patient, but then can punish you for trying to speed things up, or not devote your attention to it.

I do think all the hype about "oooooh you shouldn't go near Feathers, they'll skin you alive, blah blah blah" that you read about other places is a bit over the top though.
 
Well I don't care if I have to do three slow passes with my feather until I am more confident. I suspect people talk about them with fear because they go fast and end up with cuts. I nicked myself twice so far which was a direct result of rushing.
 
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Used a Dorco today. It's a good blade, gave a nice shave and no nicks. I did have a slight urge to apply more pressure but refrained.

I would keep these in rotation no problems.
 
Yeah, those Dorcos are totally smooth aren't they? I added pressure and sliced myself to shreds. Very comfortable shave and 10c US cents per blade before postage which was USD$4 for 300 blades which would make it about USD$0.117c/blade delivered if you bought 300 in a hit.
 
wow how good is that price.

I might think about buying a bunch of those, so far I am liking Feathers and Dorco the best.

Lots left to try of course.
 
I think I might have to sign up for a blade pack from the 'monsta!
I don't think I've tried Dorco's.....
 
JugV2 said:
That makes a top mental image!

Hey what's an SE blade?

Obviously single edge...I'm not sure if I have ever seen one though.
Click to expand...
Single edge are non flexible blades like the GEMs that come out in 1900s, (evolution of the wedge blade that was sharpened not disposable), and the schick that came out in the 1930s.
The GEMS are like a paint scraper size blade (or a squared off stanley blade), the schicks are like thicker, deeper cartridge razor blades that you can just change a blade rather than replace the whole cart/head assembly. Both are closer to traditional razors (like a straight) than the flexible DE blade is
 
Thought i'd jump in here and let you all know i tried a feather today for the first time (been DE'ing since about Feb).
As Jug found, there was really NO need to work the blade at all. I was being VERY light-handed and it was still taking off a heap of stubble on each pass.
Very little irritation too. First pass was great; N-S on cheeks, top lip and chin, E-W on jawline and neck.
Second pass; E-W where 1st pass was N-S and opposite W-E for jawline/neck.
Third-pass was a few touch ups of more E-W and a little ATG.
Came out VERY smooth considering how cautious i was being.
Two very small nicks that cleaned up with some witch hazel.

Could become a regular blade for me, along with 7OC Black, Astra and Dorco 301
 
My feather just raped me last night. I was rushing, and it has only been two days since my last shave (I usually only shave on Wednesday morning, but had a job interview Thursday so did it then instead. I just live with a hobo beard.) and possible tried to go to fast but I have razor burn city!

Usually my shave is pretty good. I seem to get burn rather than nicks now. And it gets suddenly worse when the blade is due for a change, but this one was only 2 shaves old.

Oh well. Speed kills folks!

Jamesh
 
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