I was expecting to be underwhelmed with these blades but my experience was the exact opposite. I started working my way through my sample pack and these blades set the bar really high. I could barely feel it on my face, yet it sliced through even the coarsest hairs with minimal effort. I have gotten good shaves with Astra SPs but the Feather was just phenomenal. Hopefully it will now stand up to the test of time. The Astras start feeling pretty uncomfortable by the fourth shave so if the Feathers can make it to 3 good shaves, then there's a good chance that they might become my new blades unless something else in the sample pack blows me away.
Feathers (imho) are great blades for nmt 3 shaves. I find they dull quicker than anything else out there. I will add the disclaimer: YMMV
Interesting you mentioned my two favorite blades #1 Feather lasts me 4 shaves #2 Astra SP lasts me 5-6 shaves I use feathers 90% of the time, especially in my mild razors, glad you found that you liked them.
I only get 2 shaves with the feather blade, and it strange when these feather can't squeeze more than 2 shaves bummer. Lucky me I didn't order 100 blades of feather, since I went to shaver shop and I'd picked up one packet of 5 blades to try them out and I must say about feather
First blade I tried in my Edwin Jagger when I first started DE shaving. I found it very aggressive. I did not draw blood and got a close bbs shave but my skin tingled all day. I guess my technique was flawed so I will definitely revisit them. However I am liking Russian blades very much particularly Polsilver and Voshkod.
My fave, I almost use it exclusively, buy I have to start using the others in my den. Really the Japanese know how to make a sharp blade. I wonder how it compares with the Feather pro and super pro AC blades in terms of sharpness.
I get about 3 shaves from a Feather, but I've used some for 4 or 5 shaves. I can't really get more than that. I get about the same with Gillette Silver Blues. I put a Feather in the razor that I'm rotating in on the first shave. Never lets me down. I use Gillette Silver Blues for the rest of the rotation most of the time. Italian Barber has them on sale at about half-price. That makes them about $0.30 a blade. Great deal. Edit: typo on the price
I have just tried one again in a very mild Gilette Tech 4 and still got a boat load of irritation and razor burn and blood everywhere. That was using two fingers to hold the razor (which is a tiny aluminium thing) and the lightest of pressures. I guess it must be because my beard is not that thick but there is just no smoothness to the blade compared with the Russian stuff like Atra and Polsilver. I threw the remaining three blades in the trash (got a five pack with an EJDE89) and have sworn never again. I guess they are not for me!
Not bad but they seem to be a little rough on the first shave and then smooth out. Polsilver is smooth out of the gate. I have 40 or so Feather blades and won't buy any more.
Considering what you said about your beard being not thick while mine is like coarse sand paper. Maybe you should try something smoother like the polsilver or the Voskhods. If you didn't use any pressure then the angle was wrong or not maintained along the contours of your shaving area.
I recently tried my first feather as well and fell in love. I am 4-5 shaves in on one blade but I think it may only have one shave left in it if that. I bought a pack of 100 for $23 shipped.
I've just started my test of various blades - see photo. Feathers are in the sample pack but I have not got to them yet. So far I have used the Merkur and Astra SP. Merkur gave me a good first shave then a poor second - tossed it. The Astra SP was excellent - three excellent shaves. I would have used it for additional shaves but I want to get through the sample pack. As I shave every other day its going to take me awhile. Tomorrow I will try the Wilkinson (made in Germany). I got the sample pack from West Coast Shaving.
That's a great sample pack. I'm still working through my own sample pack as well and I have quite a few blades to go. I also have to order and try out many of the blades in your photo. The Astra SP was my first 100 pack and it is definitely an excellent blade. So far, only the Feather and 7 O'Clock SharpEdge are significantly better. If you have coarse facial hair, then I think that you will love those two blades.
I have what I would call a medium coarse beard. I going to get down to maybe the top 5 and then retry those to narrow it down so more. I use a Merkur 34c for each test but I am trying different soaps as well.
I was only able to get three shaves out of my two Feather samplers. The last one I just completed tonight and surprisingly enough, I got a close shave with only one weeper under my chin, and almost no irritation. But the first and second shaves, I tend to get weepers by the half dozen unless I use a less aggressive razor like the Weishi.
It's all in YMMV. I use the feather and I enjoy from shave 1 until the 3rd where I have to replace the blade. Yes it's a sharp blade and any liberties with it result in cuts. I use it with middle of the road aggressive razors.
This is my experience, too. I think they benefit from a little hand stropping to smooth them out, but they can bite if you are not careful. People on blood thinners might want to avoid them, or, be extra careful.
