I'm putting out the blade signal (think bat signal) to all the Denizens that have tried copious amounts of DE blades along with Feathers. As most here are familiar with I primarily use SEs, but I've had some really good results from a Slim (@9) loaded with a Feather. So I'm hoping to limit some of the superfluous blade sampling by sharing what does and doesn't work for me and putting that together with the experience that is abounding here at 'da Den. I will also be trying a Feather in a couple of my other DEs so that I can also see if the razor/blade combo is a significant variable for me or not. Keep in mind that I get great shaves with a Gem OCMM and that the Slim works best for me with the largest blade gap when set to 9. So here's where I stand at this point: Derby - lots of tugging and a very uncomfortable shave Merkur - a good bit of tugging but better than Derby Wilkinson Sword - smoother than either Derby or Merkur but still tugs and skips. Feather - glides smoothly across my face. Did leave me with some blood and burn, but I chalk that up to lack of use with DEs. My DE razors: Gillette Slim Gillette Knack Gillette Tech Merkur 33C DE blades I have sitting in a drawer that I haven't tried yet: Voskhod Astra SP Gillette Yellows Personna Red IPs (I think anyway) *I'll add any others that I can't think of at the moment when I look today at lunch* So, from your experiences (and yes I understand YMMV so no need to disclose that) I would like to know what blades you have found to be near Feather in terms of sharpness, yet may be a bit more forgiving and possibly hold an edge longer.
Voskhod, Rapira, Gillette (Yellow, Blue and Black) for me are almost as sharp, are more forgiving and last me at least one shave longer than Feather.
The Bolzano, Supermax Sunrise, SuperMax Super Platinum are sharp blades bordering on the sharpness of the Feather for me. They last longer.
What length of lifespan are we talking about here? Most people get 3-4 shaves max from a Feather, though I did just read a thread elsewhere where a guy got 26 shaves off of one. How many do you typically get from a Bolzano compared to a Feather?
When I tested both, I got 6 real good shaves from the Bolzano and only 2 real good shaves from the Feather. The Bolzano went 7 shaves, and the Feather had tremendous issues going past 2. I got 3 on the Feather, but barely.
The only blade I have tried that is near Feather in sharpness is the KAI. They aren't cheap and can be fairly hard to source, but they are the closest in my mind. All others are a step down. ***Edit*** It would be nice if they were more available as KAI USA looks to be the parent company of Kershaw.
Good point and I agree with you on lifespan as I get about 5-7 good shaves. Now with the 7 o'clock I lose count as it keeps going and going like the energizer bunny,well over a week !
Agreed. KAI is about the only other blade similar or the same as Feather. And both are made in Japan so it stands to reason... just something about the quality and sharpness of Japanese razor blades. From what I've read by the "old guys", Bolzano used to be on the same level as Feather and KAI blades until they stopped actually making them in Italy and moved their manufacture to Germany (different machinery?). I can not confirm or deny this since I wasn't wet shaving back when Bolzano blades were still made in Italy.
So I've officially set up my hardware for a Feather showdown. I got 3 more DE razors to add to the Slim & loaded them each with a fresh Feather. I'm leaving the Feather with 2 shaves on it in the Slim as I know how that one works & I want to see how long the blade will last. The other razors joining in on the fun are a Gillette Knack, Merkur Classic (33C), & Rivolia OC. As the Merkur was my first safety razor & I'm most familiar with it I will use it tomorrow. I did get serviceable shaves from the Merkur while using Merkur, Wilkinson Sword, & Derby blades but the constant tugging & pulling caused me to try SEs. The Feather/Slim combo has impressed me enough that I'm interested to see how it does in The Classic from Merkur. I hope all goes well & I can't wait to see how this blade performs in different razors.
I agree KAI is about the only blade similar in sharpness to feather's. Consider a Gillette blue, it is a sharp smooth blade, but it's no where near as sharp as feathers IMHO. It to me has less of a tendency to dig in. I have heard some good things about the Personna Med preps but I haven't tried them yet.
I have to go with the Voskhods. They may not be quite as sharp as the Feathers, but it also doesn't take a shave or two to break them in. Right out of the package the Voskhods, for me at least, are smooth and an absolute delight to shave with, while the Feather was spectacular after using it once or twice to break it in.
After I determine which razor is the best for me in the Feather shave-off I will either be using the Gillette Yellows or Voskhods next. After those 2 I'm going to try a Personna Red and finish up with an Astra SP.
I haven't tried the Yellows, but I really liked the Personnas, for me they were similar to the Voskhods, but maybe not quite as smooth. It has been a while since I've used one though. I am also a fan of the Astras. I haven't used these in a while either, but before the Voskhods these were my go to blades.
Aloha! An old thread, but just in case someone Googles this and wants another take on this subject; I just spent three months with an ULTRA-BUSY schedule, where I could only get up, shave quickly and get out of the house. My Straight Razors were put aside, as was 99 percent of my "accessories" for wet shaving. I used Feather blades and compared them every other day to Voskhod, Bolzano, and others. Here is the bottom line. First and foremost what kind of razor do you use and what is the BLADE REVEAL? Second, are you personally an AGGRESSIVE shaver or a MILD shaver? How much PRESSURE do you exert when shaving and are you careful or quick? These two factors are ultra important. As important as which blade you choose. I have two styles of shaving. Rushing/hurry and Casual/slow. When I have the time, I take my time. When I'm stressed and have to get out of the house, I am a bit careless and tend to push the razor and blade. Razors are different. A razor with a MILD reveal (small blade gap) will be more mild with a very sharp blade like a Feather, but a very aggressive razor (big blade reveal) will be very harsh with a very sharp blade. Now, combine an aggressive razor with a very sharp blade and a rushed person that is pushing the blade, and you have a recipe for disaster. You get the point. Combinations of factors influence which blade YOU think is best for you. A lot depends on your skin, your beard, your pre-shave prep and the combination of blade sharpness and blade reveal. I find that Feather blades work extremely well in a very mild fixed blade reveal razor like the Edwin Jagger DE-89 or the Merkur 34c. These two razors have very mild fixed blade reveals (non adjustable). When you put in a super sharp blade like a Feather, you have a far less chance of cuts, nicks and razor burn. UNLESS you push the razor like crazy and rush the shave. Then you may still run into trouble. I also find that putting a Feather blade in an adjustable razor like the Merkur Futur and opening up that blade reveal to a wide gap can lead to a lot of bad razor burn with a Feather blade. Yet a Voskhod does better when presented with an aggressive blade reveal. So my conclusion is that for me, Feather is STILL the top blade in a mild blade reveal razor like the Merkur 34c or the Jagger DE89. Voskhod is a better blade in an adjustable razor if you are going for a more aggressive blade reveal. Bolzano balances the two. I find that Bolzano blades are nearly as sharp as Feather (thus work well in a mild blade reveal razor), but seem to be more forgiving in a more aggressive razor with adjustable blade reveal. If I had to come off of feather, I'd go with Bolzano. If I was a guy that for whatever reason wanted a very aggressive razor with a big blade reveal (or an adjustable razor where I'm tempted to open up that blade reveal), Voskhod would be my blade. Personna, Gillette, Viking, Astra and others run the gamut between these blades on my sking and beard, but the top three for me are Feather, Bolzano and Voskhod. YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY. We are all different, use different razors, have different preparations and have different skin/beard and shaving styles. Find a blade that works for you right out of the box. I personally believe that "corking" a Feather blade is ridiculous. Why dull a perfectly good blade to try and "Break it in"? You have something off kilter in your shaving recipe if you feel you have to cork a Feather blade before first use. Use a razor with a smaller blade reveal, change your soap/cream/prep, use less pressure when shaving and take your time OR use a different blade. Don't waste time corking a blade. Just experiment until you find a blade/razor combo that suits your shaving style and skin/beard type. Here is my verdict: FEATHER #1 (Best in Mild reveal razors like Jagger DE89. Not Optimum for aggressive razors on my skin/beard) Bolzano #2 (Best in Mild reveal OR Adjustable more aggressive razors like Merkur Futur. Best "All-Around" blade for me) Voskhod #3 (Best in More aggressive razors. Not Optimum for mild reveal razors on my skin/beard) Mahalo! -Zip
