I tried a Feather for the first time today in my Gillette adjustable and I don't feel I got any better of a shave than I do with the Derby.
worthwhile info on feathers some of the backstory: feather changed blade processes in 1988. The New ones come in a white plastic box with "platinum coated" written on the little cardboard insert, but not on the blade itself.
I just started shaving with safety razors about the same time I signed up for this forum, just a little before I signed up. Feathers are amazing for me, so maybe I'm the exception to the rule about them not being newb friendly. I DO get an occasional nick, but only because of a bump here or there. Great razors...I'm trying others a week at a time, but I may have found my favorite.
Ahhhh. A Feather in a Gold Tech. Wonderful combination for me. And never a nick! I find the Feather to be a very satisfactory blade. No corking for me. Obviously YMMV.
VERY light pressure, and using a certain angle. The paradoxical thing about these blades is that many people especially like how they work in the Merkur slant bar razor, which is pretty aggressive. By the way, here is Squire's detailed review of Feather blades, complete with microscope photos: http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28823
Depends on the razor...........and your technique. I like em in my 1940 SS and Sticky. Thats it. Derbys in everything else.
jeff - you sound like the perfect candidate for a blue tip. they keep the sharpness of the feather in perfect check for sensitive skin... i find that if i use them in any other razor (i have five; all vintage gillettes) that they get too aggressive.
Hi there Jeff, Well, you saw some pretty good members answers to your question, and I'd echo the thought about matching up the 'right' razor with a feather. I'd tried those blades in razors other than my fatboy, and they were just ok. No cuts, but I felt like the shave I got wasn't worth the longer time taken with being extra careful. Well, the fatboy tamed those blades, and I believe a lot of that has to do with how heavy that razor is, compared to a slim, superspeed, tech, and many others. With those other razors, I STILL needed to use a little pressure in spots on my jawline and chin. The fatboy eliminates that need, and the feather's sharp enough to cut using only the razor's weight. I like that, and it takes an important variable out of the picture. I don't have to worry about bearing down too much on a spot, with razor burn or even a nick as a possible result. All I do now is just kinda 'guide' the razor where it's supposed to go. Whew..........that'll do it for me. Martin Oh.....Jeff? No idea if you've used that combo, but if you wanna try out a fatboy for a little while, then pm me. Maybe set it about #2-3 and see what happens.
Do the Swedish Gillettes compare in sharpness to Feathers at all? I seem to be getting pretty great results with those too.
Hi there, I've used the swedes a lot in the past, and yeah, they're a nice blade. I'd alternate em with a feather, depending on my mood, but have since stopped using those gillettes. A while back, I saw a tip Gio wrote about a blade, and that others liked it too. It's called an Iridium, and those have replaced the swedes in my two blade rotation. Sharp as a swede, but even more forgiving. Smooth shaves right from the get go. I highly recommend em. Now, to compare a feather blade to any other of the 20-25 I've tried is easy. They are a different animal.........they cut differently...........even the grind is different than other blades. They will cut whiskers easier than any other blade I know of. For me, they are quite fun in the right razor, but good technique is crucial with this blade. Hope that helps, Martin
I have recently tried the fearsome, mighty, "Feather" blade. I was all set up with first aid supplies, styptic pencils, bandages, etc. Low and behold, loaded into my daily shaver a 1965 Slim-Adjustable, at my usual setting of 4. The blade worked great, smooooth, sharp, clean. on first pass. No irritation. pass 2 XTG excellent, again a great blade, no cuts, weepers, irritation, etc. I did not even have to do a ATG pass. Just a terrific shave. I have since bought 50 Feathers from "Pauldog". One of my favorite blades. I don't know what all the fuss is about. P.S. The "Iridium" blade is also fantastic. Steve
I used to draw some blood every time I used a Feather blade. It was worse using the Feather Portable razor with one of the blades that came with it. I was convinced that there was something wrong with both the razor and the blades. Then I learned about light pressure, and stopped the habits I had acquired from using cartridge razors.
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I put the feathers down for a while because I bought a large sample pack. But I picked them back up a couple days ago and tried a blade in my SS. It was great. No nicks, cuts, irritation, razor burn, etc. Even better, it slid right through my chin hair which I usually have to tug at with lesser blades. Right now theyre at the top with Irridiums and Astras.
Welcome to The Shave Den, Alex! Is this a particularly good thing to do for irritation associated with an aggressive blade like Feathers, or something you recommend for ALL shaves?
