Feather blades....

Morrow

Morrow

Don't make this weird
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
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I've been shaving with my Gillette Super-Speed DE for about 3 months. The only blades I've used so far were bought at Walmart. I got pretty good results and decided to try out some other blades. I bought a sample pack of blades. The first ones I tried were the Feather blades. I just finished a week using only Feather blades. Ouch....I trashed my neck so bad almost everyday I used them. I thought it was my technique so I switched this morning to an Astra Platinum blade. The shave wasn't as smooth but more than acceptable and not a single cut. Is this common? I could still blame my technique but I didn't have the same problems with the Walmart blades or the Astra.
 
I can't shave with Feathers either, same thing with Derby. I get reasonable shaves with Astra blades, but I get my best shaves with Dorco blades. I was given a few Bic blades to try and found that I got a very smooth shave with them too, but I haven't found a Canadian retailer for them yet.

The thing with Feather blades is that they are so sharp that your tech needs to be spot on with them to have a comfortable shave, or you need a very mild razor if like myself your tech is a little off. I have been thinking of giving the Feathers another go, but in my Slim Adjustable turned down to 1.
 
Unless you have ultra sensitive skin, the feather blades are mostly just showing you that your doing something wrong. I don't use them often myself, but they do reveal flaws in your technique. Give it another try. Go slow, pay special attention to angle and weight and see if you get a better result.
 
I find matching feathers with the right razor is important. I can't get a decent shave with a feather blade in my Tech or Merkur slant, but put one in my Fatboy, adjust to 9, and it shaves like a dream.
 
Frank Raud said:
I find matching feathers with the right razor is important. I can't get a decent shave with a feather blade in my Tech or Merkur slant, but put one in my Fatboy, adjust to 9, and it shaves like a dream.
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I usually use Dorco's in my Fatbay but the past six days I have used feather with the razor set to six and OUCH!!! I will be going back to the Dorco.
 
It can be that your face gets used to a type of blade and your technique is matched to this. As others have pointed out, blades vary in performance due to types of razor.

Don't shave for a couple of days, this means the stubble is thicker yet firm and you can use a slower and more effective technique = closer shave and much less damage.

For preference, I won't use anything BUT Feather. Bic are OK but too variable, Derby rather weak, Merkur expensive and poor value, Gillette and something called Crystal were horrendous!

It's a very personal thing Jason, try stuff out but then stick to what suits you.

Regards, W
 
Thanks for the comments and advice everyone.

I'm still experimenting. I have no doubt the neck devastation I suffered while using the Feather blades is due to my technique. I'm also not completely comfortable with my razor. It just doesn't feel right so I'll likely be shopping for a new one.
 
Jason, I'm with willgoy: I only use Feather. They are so sharp, I get the feeling like there isn't even a blade in the razor at times. There's just no pulling.

I'd recommend grabbing a vintage long handled adjustable Gillette (Black Beauty). The shorter length Gillettes were awkward for me after using modern cartridge razors all my life.

I think I have much more control with the longer handle. The adjustable feature lets you really dial in what level of aggressiveness you like.

I've found that I'm moving up the scale and now use a 6 setting and am getting a smooth, comfortable shave every time.

Of course, every face is different. What works for one may not for another. Just keep experimenting until you find a combo that works for you.

Happy hunting.
 
A kind forumite had a long handled adjustable Gillette (Black Beauty) not being used and sent it to me. I've been using it with the Feather blades with great results. With the razor set to 6 I'm getting excellent shaves.....finally. :)
 
Got into DE razors over the holiday period. Started immediately on the platinum Feathers because I didn't feel like waiting. Yes, there was one day where I razor burned my face to the point where it became a glowing orb of radiant pain. Yes, small blemishes were removed in the same manner a skilled sushi chef produces paper-thin slices of fish. But my baby fresh face makes up for all of those things!

Other than that, I've improved my technique and usually only see a little blood here and there that disappears with the cold water rinse and leaves no marks or scabs after that.

Never going back to the overpriced robo-razors. Now to figure out the perfect preshave oil- my 50/50 Castor/Olive mix works well except it's too thick. How do you make your preshave oil more slippery??
 
Feather blades are the sharpest of the sharp (those Japanese know their slicing metals), I only use feather and am very happy with them but you do have to use a really light hand with them. I'd recommend you try them again just remember that they are sharper than you might be used to.
 
I'm actually still struggling with Feather blades. It's still hit or miss but getting better.
 
Feathers are my personal favorites... but they are expensive.... as DE blades go anyhow. It's about five cents per shave using Feathers (contrast to $1-2 per shave with multiblade cartridges).
 
morrowj_98 said:
....The only blades I've used so far were bought at Walmart. I got pretty good results and decided to try out some other blades. .... I could still blame my technique but I didn't have the same problems with the Walmart blades or the Astra.
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I am curious as to what brand of Walmart blades you were using. I used the Personna blades from Walmart for quite a while and thought them some of the best blades I ever used. Then the Walmarts around here switched to Wilkinson and I find shaving with them to be like plucking out hairs one by one with a tweezers. But shaving does seem to be very much a YMMV activity.
 
If you do not be real careful and go REAL SLOW then the feather blades will act like it came from a bird of prey to your face.

I use only feather but I do not shave every day. My advice is GO SLOW.

I do get small nicks but mostly always in the same places. And being my memory is very short I forget those places at times. But I am getting better at it.

As for any other blades I have tried I am with the person that said "like plucking you whiskers one at a time with tweezers. Though not that bad i get the least to no pulling or even feeling of a blade even being there with feathers. Just feels like I am passing the top of the head of my razor over my face. Now you do have to prepare well. And all that is -- is heat and more heat. Either from the shower or placing a cloth that just soaked in the hottest water you can stand. I do want to try the oil first method some day though.

I bought the standard mekur short handled razor. Cannot remember the name of it but it is HEAVY and and I believe the most common short handled one used.

By the way it has been about six to eight months that I went away from the plastic gold they have to lock up at walmart. And they just leave my neck looking like I just had a bad reaction from some wicked plant in the outdoors or someting. With the new razor and modest price of feather blades My neck never looks like that any more. The key is HOT, SLOW, AND KNOWING WHERE THE BUMPS AND DIFICULT CREASES ARE ON YOUR FACE.

This I can say. I am nover going back to those blades they now have to lock up because they are so expensive and do not better if not worse than the first two bladed ones. If I do leave/forget to bring my razor on a trip or vacation I buy the disposible razors that some you can get for a buck per pack of what ever they put in there. And they shave OK. Better than the four or do thay have five blades now. Where are they going to stop. 15 micro blades or something.

And I am not even going to check my spelling this time. Takes to long and I think the message gets across anyway. I am a bad speller and my grammer sucks also. So be it. :rolleyes: On another note. I am not new to DEB shaving. That is what I learned on and used throughout my airforce days. Somehow that evil plastic stuff got into my shaving supplies one day.

cajun
 
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Several months ago, I got a variety pack - feather, astra, merkur, gillete, bic, dorco, derby, crystal, shark. I can't tell any difference between any of them, except the ones from Israel (crystal, I think) keep their edge 2 - 3 times longer than the others. In terms of the shave, they all pretty much are the same for me.

So after the pack is done, I'm sticking with the crystals just for that reason.
 
sodak said:
Several months ago, I got a variety pack - feather, astra, merkur, gillete, bic, dorco, derby, crystal, shark. I can't tell any difference between any of them, except the ones from Israel (crystal, I think) keep their edge 2 - 3 times longer than the others. In terms of the shave, they all pretty much are the same for me.

So after the pack is done, I'm sticking with the crystals just for that reason.
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Red rips my face up even after giving them a try recently, thats almost a year of DE shaving under my belt
Blue works for me, but I still find they can be rough for me
Green never a problem, any razor, good prep, bad prep, they just work for my face:thumbup:

The others I haven't tried yet:o
 
It is amazing how much of a difference the blade alone can make. I do suspect a lot of it has to do with preparation, technique, razor settings, etc.
No blade has cut me up more than the feathers but I also feel like they may have the most potential if I can just find the right method.
Currently using Astra and they work fine with very few nicks but I just don't feel like I'm getting real impressive shaves with them.
Tried Merkur, Bic, Feather, Astra, Dorco 300 and 301, Red Persona and Derby so far and all seem like they have the potential to be great if I get used to one. Still have some Sharks to try out.
Not sure what I'm going to settle on yet but I won't rule out the feathers until I absolutely determine I can't use them without butchering myself.
 
hoopster said:
It is amazing how much of a difference the blade alone can make. I do suspect a lot of it has to do with preparation, technique, razor settings, etc.
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I'm finding that my prep and technique vary so much, it's almost impossible for me to see any difference, I need to be really unhurried (which is rare) to take my time with these. Until then, I think my technique (or lack thereof) is the biggest variable, for me, anyway. YMMV.
 
sodak said:
I'm finding that my prep and technique vary so much, it's almost impossible for me to see any difference, I need to be really unhurried (which is rare) to take my time with these. Until then, I think my technique (or lack thereof) is the biggest variable, for me, anyway. YMMV.
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Without a doubt I find the same thing true for me. I'm trying to eliminate variables but it's hard, every shave is different, I guess I should just embrace the differences.
Sometimes when in the shower I like to take my wife's hair conditioner and leave it on my face for a minute or so. That really seems to help.
 
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