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Feathers too sharp?

I've been DE shaving for a couple of months now and have been using a Parker with several different blades. I bought a Futur two weeks ago and the first time using it I put a Feather in it. Man did I cut & nick my chin area. I only had the Futur set on 1.5 then moved to 1.0. Well I changed the blade to a Gillette 7 O'Clock and got great shaves. Next I used the Red Personna and again got great shaves - no nicks, no cuts. I decided to try the Feather in my Parker to see if it made a difference and BAM! on the second pass a nice cut underneath my chin this morning.

I know I don't have the best techinique but only cut myself with the Feathers. Can the Feather just be too sharp for me? Also if I'm getting great shaves from the RP & Gillette should I even consider trying the Feathers in the future??
 
I get small nicks from feathers and haven't really from any other blades. That said they usually stop bleeding once I hit them with some cold water at the end of the shave, so no biggie. The larger issue is that Feathers seem to be a one-shot deal; I start noticing significant degradation of the edge about 2/3 of the way through the shave. Which makes sense; in order to put an edge that fine on the razor they have to be ground at a really shallow angle, which means they're prone to roll.
 
IMO feathers aren't "too sharp" but are incredibly unforgiving. Before picking up my Feather SS I used to use a HD. I used to be able to shave with a crystal blade and get DFS to BBS every time with little or no effort. I could get a BBS with feather blades but it would take twice as long due to me having to slow down and really pay attention to technique so to not get nics and cuts.
 
I ussed my first feather this morning and all I can say is WOW. This is the best shave I have ever had in 40+ years of shaving. I've been working my way through a sampler, and I tried a Zorrik earlier this week. What a difference.
 
I'd second both of the responses. I use feathers and get some good shaves from them in my DE89 and in my Red Tip. The problem I have is that I my shave just never seems quite as smooth as it does with another blade like an Iridium or 7'oclock. Also, after two shaves with a feather I seem to experience quite a bit of tugging and pulling.

Maybe it's my technique, maybe it is because the blade is sharp. I sort of just attribute it to different blades for different beards and techniques. The YMMV saying on here is something I've become a firm believer in. This is also the great thing about DE shaving in my opinion. You don't have to go the "one size fits all" if you don't want to. Or you could go with something like an HD with Red Personna / Super Iridium and have the sort of "fits almost all" category.
 
I need a very sharp blade for my beard and so the feathers do a great job for me. I made sure to wait a while till I tried the feather because I heard that cutting is common. Since my technique has vastly improved, it does not take me any extra time to use a feather and I don't cut myself!
Some people love them, others don't.
 
I don't patriculalry like Feathers myself. Cuts are not the problem for me, they just irritate my face much more than any other blade I have used and I have tried them in many different razors, Super Adjustable, Super Speed, Merkur 38C all with the same result. My favorite blade which I think is the best compromise between sharpness, smoothness, and longevity is the Super Iridiums. My next favorite would be the Wilkinson Swords/USA Personnas that I can get at Walmart for $1.79 a 10 pack.
 
Feathers are for those with good technique. Apparently I need a little more skill before going back to them in my Merkur 38M. That being said, a lot of people find mild razors paired with sharp blades to be a good combo. The Merkur HD is a fairly aggressive razor so it might work best with a less sharp blade for most people.
 
Congrats on the Futur, it's one of my favorite razors. The first time I used a Futur, I dialed it up all the way to 6 and to my surprise I found it much easier to shave because I didn't have to fight to find the right angle. You might want to try that just once to see how it goes. The Feather blade is the sharpest but not the smoothest blade available. Personna (Red Pack) is my favorite blade.
 
I don't want to "advise" so much as just share my story, since I'm pretty new to this as well.. But I bought a MerkurHD and a sample pack of blades. I tried every blade in the sample before the Feathers, basically because their reputation scared me silly. I thought I had found my keepers in the Personna Israeli Reds, and tried a Feather just to be thorough. Man, am I glad I did.. The last few shaves using the Feathers are the best I've had since I began this journey about a month ago. It just goes to show you how much of a role trial and error play in developing a regimen, and how it all boils down to what you prefer personally.
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
IMO feathers aren't "too sharp" but are incredibly unforgiving. Before picking up my Feather SS I used to use a HD. I used to be able to shave with a crystal blade and get DFS to BBS every time with little or no effort. I could get a BBS with feather blades but it would take twice as long due to me having to slow down and really pay attention to technique so to not get nics and cuts.

+1

I wish there was something sharper than a feather.

Have you tried Kai blades?
 
I would think that the sharper the blade, the better it is. After all it'll cut hair easily, right?

For feathers, just be a little more careful and use a little less pressure, and there shouldn't be problems. The razor should be like a feather across your face. You'll have to adjust your technique, and whether you want to go through the effort or not is up to you.

Personally I like iridiums but I'm not throwing my pack of feathers out just yet.
 
feathers are one of the best if not the best, but i would not put then in any ajustable razor there just to aggressive :thumbdown
 
I have just recently tried feathers. I have hesitated using them because of all of the discussion about how sharp they are. I have been wet shaving for many years so I think that my technique is fine. I decided to try the feathers that I have had for awhile and was very impressed. I got a great shave with no nicks, no runs and no errors. :001_rolle I think that it may be wise to wait until ones technique is solid before trying them. But the most important thing is that if they do not work for you, don't use them.

Enjoy your shaves,

Doug
 
I think the problem with Feathers is that they are not smooth. Feathers are very sharp, which is great, but they just cannot compete with Iridiums or red Personas for smoothness. I find that if I run each side of a Feather through a cork three times before use, this smoothes the blade out to the point where I can use it.
 
These threads are pretty interesting to me because I seem to have taken to Feathers like a duck to water. I found that because the Feathers are so sharp, it's easier for me to maintain correct technique and therefore I cut myself far less often; in fact, I've probably only had three or four weepers and maybe one nick in about a hundred or so shaves with Feathers.
 
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IMO feathers aren't "too sharp" but are incredibly unforgiving. Before picking up my Feather SS I used to use a HD. I used to be able to shave with a crystal blade and get DFS to BBS every time with little or no effort. I could get a BBS with feather blades but it would take twice as long due to me having to slow down and really pay attention to technique so to not get nics and cuts.

+1. The motto for feathers should be "sharp but unforgiving." I don't have a problem using them - but one mole on the side of my face doesn't like them! :001_rolle My only problem with them is that I can't get more than 2-3 shaves with them before they get dull (I have a tough beard) so they become expensive for a blade.
 
feathers are one of the best if not the best, but i would not put then in any ajustable razor there just to aggressive :thumbdown

I use Feathers in a SS Adjustable set to 9 and take it good and careful. Have just ordered another 50 blades. I guess each shavers face is unique in many ways.
 
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