Feather Nightmare

**wess76** · 04-06-2006, 07:44 AM

I Just finished my first shave with my feather artist. I have tons of cuts and razor burn everywhere. I am not sure what the speed and length of my strokes need to be. I am having a particularly tough time in the neck area. Any suggestion on technique or just general helpfull suggestions. Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Wess

**AACJ** · 04-06-2006, 08:00 AM

First, let you nicks and cuts heal or you will keep opening them up, then start again.

Practice on your forearms and thighs. Go slow. I shaved mine bare after I shaved with my Feather after my first time shaving with it and got similar results as yours. I thought the razor was too agressive, but came to the conclusion that the razor is only as agressive as the operator of it. Light, smooth strokes, and pull your skin tight othewise it will bunch up and get cut.

Use the most lubricating shaving cream/soap you can find at first too.

Good Luck and let us know how it works out.

Originally Posted by wess76

I Just finished my first shave with my feather artist. I have tons of cuts and razor burn everywhere. I am not sure what the speed and length of my strokes need to be. I am having a particularly tough time in the neck area. Any suggestion on technique or just general helpfull suggestions. Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Wess

**wess76** · 04-06-2006, 08:10 AM

"Smooth strokes". I think that was the culprit. I was using very quick and short strokes. Thanks for the reply. Wess

**roughrider** · 04-06-2006, 02:31 PM

Be sure to check the angle of the blade.

**CraigK** · 04-07-2006, 06:34 PM

Just tried it out for the first time tonight. All and all the experience was not that bad, reminded me of the first time I used a DE. I got three or four nicks and I'm feeling some razor burn. I found my chin the most difficult and it still has quite a bit of stubble. I also noticed the blade wants a very slick surface to do its job, much more so than a DE. Soap would be on my face, maybe damp but not quite slick enough. After a re-lather it worked perfect. The soap might be drying out because I'm taking more time and precaution. I'll keep working on it.

CraigK

**KUJO** · 04-07-2006, 06:40 PM

As always gents, remember to give it only the lightest of touches in the beginning. As you calibrate your skins tolerance, you can apply more pressure.

I have found it very helpful to listen to the razor as I shear away. It gives me instant feedback on whether I'm tugging too hard or maybe have too much or too little angle.

**joel** · 04-11-2006, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by wess76

I Just finished my first shave with my feather artist. I have tons of cuts and razor burn everywhere. I am not sure what the speed and length of my strokes need to be. I am having a particularly tough time in the neck area. Any suggestion on technique or just general helpfull suggestions. Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Wess

I hear your pain.... the following is NOT for the weak at heart. These are some pics from my first few feather run-in's.....

After I got the hang of it, it provided superb shaves with zero irritation, but in my experience it is NOT like a standard straight razor, as I have NEVER had a problem with a "true" straight, but this feather kicked my ass 2 ways to Sunday the first week. Be VERY light, almost lay it totally flat, and take 'er easy and you'll hit the sweet spot.

**Kyle** · 04-11-2006, 09:17 AM

Yowsa! That looks more painful than getting kicked in the special place.

**wess76** · 04-11-2006, 09:42 AM

My goodness! I had a bad first shave but nothing compares to that disaster. Joel, I bet you had to lay off of that straight for a week or two. Man, I feel your pain. I took everybody's advice and my shaves have been getting better. Not great but better. All in all though, I think that I will really enjoy using the feather when I have time. Thanks for all the advice so far. Keep it light and lay it flat!!!!! Wess

**KUJO** · 04-11-2006, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by joel

I hear your pain.... the following is NOT for the weak at heart. These are some pics from my first few feather run-in's.....

Joel, you win this year's perseverance award. If a razor left me with a mug like that, I'd as soon have joined these guys:

http://beardcommunity.com/ (I think they're our bizarro-world counterparts)

**htownmmm** · 04-13-2006, 10:54 AM

I know one thing- if a straight can make your face look like that in the first week of usage, I'll be a DE man for life.

Marty

**Austin** · 04-13-2006, 11:21 AM

Joel, so how many pints of blood did red cross have to bring?

Dude, that totally looks like a massacre.

**obsessis** · 04-14-2006, 08:45 AM

I shaved with my feather for the first time the other day. I got a couple of nicks, worse than any small DE nick...I think you need to get a couple to figure out where the tough spots are....mine are along the jawline. I need to figure out exactly how to attack certain spots still.

I had a couple red spots in my shaving cream when I was starting my second pass.

**AACJ** · 04-14-2006, 09:00 AM

I usually get my nicks above my lip and on the front of my chin. My neck, cheeks and jaw line are the easiest to do, for me at least.

Obsesis,
How do you attack chin and above the lip?

**obsessis** · 04-15-2006, 08:58 AM

the moustache area i did on each side of my nose and did a lot of scraping from the top down in the middle. on the sides of the nose it seemed easier to go straight down.

i am still trying to determine how i attack the chin, and the underside of the chin/jaw on the right side. it is hard to handle the razor in those areas for me at this point.

**Flounder** · 04-22-2006, 02:04 PM

I switched from a mach 3 to a feather never touching a DE... I used the feather and had to get a transfusion.... so I now started with the DE.... maybe I'll go back to a strait in time... but the DE is so faster than the feather... I might be thinking about selling the feather tho... I gotta decide.

But good luck with the feather...

**AACJ** · 04-22-2006, 02:09 PM

I would suggest you keep the Feather or give it another go. How much pressure did you use? I find that the least amount of pressure works the best, try to shave just to remove the thin layer of shaving cream from your face and see what happens. Or at least do your cheeks and neck and leave the chin and upper lip for the DE, until you master the Feather.

Don't give up!!

Originally Posted by Flounder

I switched from a mach 3 to a feather never touching a DE... I used the feather and had to get a transfusion.... so I now started with the DE.... maybe I'll go back to a strait in time... but the DE is so faster than the feather... I might be thinking about selling the feather tho... I gotta decide.

But good luck with the feather...

**Jonnybc** · 04-22-2006, 02:51 PM

Ouch!!

I'm glad you can't get hold of those razors in England, I'd just have to get one!

Cheers
John

**roughrider** · 04-22-2006, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by AACJ

I usually get my nicks above my lip and on the front of my chin. My neck, cheeks and jaw line are the easiest to do, for me at least.

I'm totally the opposite.

**Steelforge** · 09-11-2007, 11:29 AM

Lol I just stumbled across this thread after missing it the first time around. I kinda wish I'd seen this before placing an order for a Feather Artist Club DX yesterday!!

Oh well, at least I have a years experience using straight razors so I'm hoping I have enough control to not lacerate myself too badly!