Feather SS?

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by wquiles, Jan 21, 2013.

  1. oldtrout

    oldtrout Well-Known Member

    I'm still on the first blade (8 shaves). It's the Feather Pro Guard.
    I have the Feather Professionals too that I've been using in a Cobra.
    I haven't tried the KAIs yet, but plan to do so.
     
  2. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    If you want to try it, I would be more than happy to send you a PIF with a Kai Mild Guard so that you can compare with your DX. Send me a PM/email if interested :)
     
  3. oldtrout

    oldtrout Well-Known Member

    I've used the Feather AC for the last five days thanks to your thread.

    When I use a DE or the Cobra, my biggest trouble spot is right at the corners of my mouth. In order to achieve BBS in this area I usually encounter some razor burn with a DE. This mouth-corner area is a piece of cake with the AC.

    I now get almost as good results with the AC as with the Cobra and that's saying a lot. Better results in the mouth area for sure. I have more control with the AC. It just took me awhile to trust myself. This seems odd to me as I've been shaving for well over forty years...

    Bad news for me. I see some straights, hones, strops and such in my future.
     
  4. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I had the same exact situation/trouble with getting a close shave on the corners of my mouth, and like you, I also found out that the Feather lets gives me close and comfortable results, with no razor burn. I am still working on my chin, where the stubble is thicker, it still takes me a little longer there with the Feather than it did with the DE, but with practice it is getting better and better.
     
  5. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    Well, I had to try once more the Feather Light blades, so I try a new blade on the DX today. I was hoping that in the DX, since it allows for such a low angle of attack, that the shave would have been better than with the SS model, but no - I was wrong. The Light on the DX blade only worked well in the first pass (WTG), but barely when doing XTG, and simply terrible with the ATG/touch-ups, since you need to increase the angle too much for the blade to "bite" the stubble. The end result is razor burn [​IMG]

    So for me, there is no love on these Feather Light blades.
     
  6. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I am not done trying various blades yet, but so far this is the best combo I have found - the Feather DX with the KAI Mild Guard blades:
    [​IMG]

    Will
     
  7. oldtrout

    oldtrout Well-Known Member

    I can't believe it.

    I put in a new Feather Professional blade today and proceeded to nick my cheek. What an idiot! I was shooting for a nick-free year and I didn't make two months! What a loser... Better luck next year, dang it.
     
  8. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I also tried a Feather Pro on my DX today, and also got a couple of tiny nicks - nothing bad. The Feather Pro is definitely more aggressive than the KAI Mild Guard blade, but I did also get a closer shave with the Pro blade. I also read that the Pro blades get more "mellow" after a few uses, so maybe I just need more practice with the Pro blade :)
     
  9. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    Today I shaved with a traditional str8 - a Gold Dollar that I am using to learn to hone. It was not yet shave ready (about HTT2), but it worked to remove most of the stubble. I had to do the touch ups with the Feather DX/KAI Mild Guard (which was MUCH sharper). The Feather, even with a blade that has 4-5 uses was night and day sharper than the HHT2 GD, but now I have a reference point for comparison. It was a very good experience, so now I am ready to try again at honing/stropping until I achieve a higher level of sharpness.
    Back to the Feather "system". Today I got the Feather RG (non-folding). The RG is lighter (1.6 oz - same weight as the non-folding SS) than the folding DX (1.9 oz), but the balance is a lot more towards the head in the RG (again, similar to the way the non-folding SS felt). When you hold both razors at their respective balance point, the RG is clearly more head-heavy, in a good way. The RG feels and looks like a higher quality razor than the CJB (1.4 oz) I used earlier. Since I have to re-hone my Gold Dollar tonight anyway, I think I will try the RG tomorrow :)

    Here are some photos of them - the RG (being plated) is not as bright, and its surface finish is more "mate" than shinny:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. snuff

    snuff Well-Known Member

    Just like you no love here for the light blades, the reason for that is IMHO that the blade barely sticks out of the holder. I find that the RG models besides weight and balance have another difference, because of the coating they have less tendency to stick to the face when you use a small angle.
     
  11. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I tried the RG this morning with the same used KAI Mild Guard I used yesterday in the folding DX. Yes, I found the RG does not stick as much to the skin when using a small angle - not a night and day difference, but noticeable. The balance in the hand while shaving was excellent - I liked the RG better than I did the CJB. I look forward to trying it some more, as I rotate between it and the folding DX.
     
  12. What are your thoughts on the feel of the grip between the two razors? I've never seen/held either one in-the-flesh; does the difference in grips affect your technique or the way you "attack" your shave?
     
  13. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    For me, hands down, the Japanese style handle in the RG is a lot more ergonomic than the folding in the DX. The grip/ergonomics of the RG Japanese style handle do help by providing more holding possibilities/angles/approaches. The material used in the RG is grippy (unlike the CJB which is a little bit more slippery).

    You can shave as well with the folding DX, but "I" find it easier with the Japanese style handle.
     
  14. Larry Stephenson

    Larry Stephenson Active Member

    If you'd like to go the straight razor route (it sounds like that's what you want, and probably will eventually do), go ahead with it. Nothing wrong with finishing/touching up with another blade that you're more comfortable with, just don't rely on the backup for long; keep pushing the curve and learning how to handle those areas you're initially uncomfortable with. Straights will not only give you amazing shaves, but great satisfaction.

    I'll bet you evetually try it all! Jump in with both feet; I suggest straights because that's the route I took and you seem to want to. Even if you don't stay with it (I use DE some days) it's a satisfying skill to gain experience with, and it improves your DE shaves, at least it did for me.
     
  15. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I have now tried 4x different traditional str8 razors over the last week. All properly honed (one being a Gold Dollar that I honed - the others have been honed before I got them on loan), and all pass the HTT. Although I can certainly shave with them, besides not being as sharp as the Feather and thus taking more time/passes to get a DFS, the one aspect that I face (no pun intended) every time is that for me, the length of the blade (point to heel) on these traditional str8 razors feels too long. After using both the shorter Feather and the traditional str8 blade length, I personally prefer the shorter blade length.

    The one thing I liked about the traditional str8 razors, is that because they are not quite as sharp, they tend to give me a little bit less irritation/razor burn - they are a little bit more "pleasant" to shave with. So there is a compromise.

    I will report back once I finish the GD shorty (photo below - the edge is about 2.3") and see how that works out, as perhaps a razor to use on weekends:
    [​IMG]
     
  16. MikekiM

    MikekiM Well-Known Member

    I've posted in another thread as well.. sorry for repeating myself.

    I am using the Feather AC RG folding and the CJB non-folding and though the CJB is only $35 it's far more comfortable than the folding Feather. I'll be adding more non-folding versions for sure. I've used the ProGuards and Kai Milds.. both are great. Haven't ventured into the Pro blades yet.. My muscle memory needs a lot of tuning before I am prepared to tackle them.

    The balance of the non-folding CJB is just about perfect. I've always struggled with which way the scales should point, and how best to hold the folding str8's, but the non-folding version is quite intuitive.

    The two razors compared.. Whether or not you've had a chance to hold a Feather, you wouldn't pick up a CJB and think it's a cheap copy. It's solid and well balanced. It's one drawback, at least on the version I have, is that the jaws don't open as wide or as easily as the Feather's so loading is a bit more challenging. But the up-side of that is they clamp really tight, which is a good thing for the shave experience.

    My most challenging spots are just under my cheek bones. I've lost about 40lbs in the last year and my cheeks have hollowed a bit. Getting in there, with the CJB or a DE, even with a skin stretch or puffed cheeks, seems to be a real challenge. Wish I could shave three or four times a day.

    Click the pic for more images of both...
    [​IMG]
     
  17. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    I am like you, in that the Japanese style just feels "right" :)

    I also had the CJB, and now the RG (Japanese style handle), and I find the RG even better, with more grip (the material in the RG is better/nicer/softer), so if you get a chance, try to try one ;)
     
    MikekiM likes this.
  18. MikekiM

    MikekiM Well-Known Member

    I plan to go Feather at some point.. I am torn though. I like the idea of the SS, but don't like the lines of the handles. The Dx line is likely my next stop if I continue to enjoy the CJB.
     
  19. wquiles

    wquiles Active Member

    Assuming you mean the Japanese style handles, yes, the handles in the RG/DX are definitely nicer than on the CJB. I found the CJB slippery, but not so much with the RG that I have/use today.
     
  20. MikekiM

    MikekiM Well-Known Member

    Question about the handles...

    I am considering the non folding Dx to replace/augment the CJB, but want to be sure that the newer SS isn't the better option. I've shaved with the CJB on and off for a few week using the ProGuard blades. I want to step up to a better balanced and constructed non folding. The Dx or the SS? How do the handles of these two compare? I understand the SS is a soft silicone rubber.. How about the Dx?
     

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