Was Given One Feather Blade To Try! What To Expect???

You may want to consider giving the Vikings Sword blades a try. They are also made at the Personna plant in Israel. I use them now and honestly prefer them over the Astra SP's.

 

I have a lot of experience with Feather blades. The first and last shave are the worst (1 + 5); shaves 2-4 are always the smoothest for me. I have since graduated to Personna Med Preps and will never go back. My best advice is to give some different blades a try and you'll soon discover which works best for your face.

 

Your not the first to complain about that first shave on a new Feather blade. I don't understand why someone (not you, as you have given them up) would "suffer" through a tough first shave just to get to the next two (seems three shaves and out is the average). If one shaves every day, that's two, sometimes three, lousy shaves every week!

 

I suggest that Feather users strop the blade before first shave, using an old piece of denim. It works.

 

Leather works too. I do thirty laps per edge, and it takes less than a minute to do.

 

Hi,
Well, with the Crystals I don't have to strop and get a smooth shave.

I will probably try the Astra's next but so far I'm happy still with the Crystals and don't really see myself buying any Feathers!!!

 

That all sounds like too much work.

 

Feathers were one of those blades that I had to shelve for a time, then try again before appreciating. I do not have the first shave issue, but they are definitely 3 and out for me.

I had originally intended on buying 100, but it's looking less likely now. In the meantime, have found several other brands that work just as well for me, but are significantly less expensive...

 

It is. I timed it and did the math and at 5 seconds per shave, if you shave every day, you're wasting 30 minutes per year. True.


I hand strop every blade before every shave.

 

Steve, you are ridiculous.

 

Hi,
To be fair, I would strop a SE but not a DE!

 

I would agree, having to strop a DE blade, which is only good for 3 uses, is a bit much. As for a SE, I strop my straight razor before and after use. But that's reserved for my relaxing Sunday shave.

 

No Feathers for me ever again. I suffered carnage a couple of years ago.

 

It's really a very small difference that sometimes is enhanced by the razor but most often it simply, I believe, is what blade you believe works best for you.

 

Hi,
Well...I decided to try an Astra in the morning as that will give me info on three top rated blades!

This is interesting that these razor blades can be so different feeling in the same razor???

I also feel the Merkur 38C HD is a good yardstick to use as it is well liked and respected!

Modern blade, modern razor!

 

Hi,
Well, Jusr tried the Astra and I'm very impressed!!!

No burn of any kind,VERY smooth (to me) and just a nice experience!

So nice that I will have to try them head up against the Crystal to see which I like best.

I also have a BlueBird for tomorrow!

 

Hi,
I talked some more with the Gentleman that gave me the Feather Blade (and the others)
I told him that I thought the blade was somewhat aggressive and he agreed!
Here's the story.
He Said, that Feather makes their own razor to go with the Feather Blade and that the razor is VERY mild so they made the blade more aggressive???
Makes sense to me and of course this is the Japanese we are talking about so might be true!
I'm going to use a Blue Bird Blade tomorrow and see how that is!

 

Of Safety Razors and Blades - Aggressive or Mild, Sharp or Smooth - A General Overview
http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/of-safety-razors-and-blades-aggressive-or-mild-sharp-or-smooth-a-general-overview.37813/

 

I don't like Feather blades, either. I LOVE them.

I toss a blade after two shaves and can't discern any difference between the first and second shave. I have a light beard. I use a very light touch and let the weight of the razor do the work. I use them in a handful of different DE razors, and they work well in all of them for me.

Just another example of YMMV.