Feather Stainless update shave.

**rockhammer** · 02-02-2012, 09:02 PM

Ok so I have been practcing here daily and I feel I have gotten the angle down with the feather and I feel I get a close shave but I still have the areas when I run my fingers againts the grain I feel stubble. Now I am not sure what BBS is supposed to feel like. I can not imagine that I am still doing this wrong. I can hear the blade run across the whiskers and I do get a good shave but not that perfect shave. I was at the honda dealership today and now I am looking at mens faces to see how close their shaves are. This guy had a super close shave I could not see a single whisker not even on his neck. I just wonder how the heck I can accomplish that. And I wonder if this feather has that ability or if I need something with more blade exposure. How long did it take those that have a feather to get a perfect shave? How about around the adams apple? I like the razor alot just not sure if it has the ability to BBS. Tonight I took my time I shaved for like 20 mins trying to get every little bit of stubble.

Cheers

**Evil Malkil** · 02-02-2012, 09:28 PM

I would suggest trying some different blades.

**rockhammer** · 02-02-2012, 09:33 PM

OH yea I was using feathers. I will try some others I have.

**kingping** · 02-02-2012, 10:02 PM

YMMV?
I have also spent both mental and shaving time around this issue. I've come to a kind of acceptance of the fact that I can achieve a BBS/DFS on 85%-90% of my shaving area, but there are some persistent, pesky, coriolis-growing spots where my skin there will never be smooth like the rest of "it." My cheeks, upper lip, jaw line, lower neck are all easily shaven. Under the jaw line however there are a few spots where the grow-direction swirl around, and even when I think I'm ATG there's a bit-o-the-stub still present. I'm OK with that. I'm learning. I don't think anyone but me notices. Also this is the case whether I'm using a straight razor or a DE.

More importantly, I believe there are diminishing returns when you work an area too much in pursuit of the "perfect shave." That's where I can irritate my skin, especially when I was less experienced and stubborn. I think that everyone has a unique hair dynamic to work with, and some folks are well positioned to BBS easily, and some less so.

I get the closes shaves of my life with "wet shaving" (don't like that term) and I enjoy the hell out of everything around it!

ps. I like trying different blades (and strait razors) and do tend to like the Feather DE blades a lot.

**rockhammer** · 02-02-2012, 10:12 PM

Kingpin what razor do you use? Is it aggressive?

**kingping** · 02-02-2012, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by rockhammer

Kingpin what razor do you use? Is it aggressive?

I kinda run the gamut, from super mellow EJd89bl to a Muhle R41. Also use a Mergress, a Weber, a couple of old Gillette three-piece razors, a Merkur 23c. Come next week I'll be trying a Fa Tip!

I tried single-edge but they don't speak to me. Fwiw I learned with straights first and then came to DE's, so I guess I have a different perspective on aggressiveness.

**Slipperyjoe** · 02-02-2012, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by rockhammer

I was at the honda dealership today and now I am looking at mens faces to see how close their shaves are.

Geez.. you got it baad! What you need to do is just let go of the desire for the bbs and become one with the universe. Just let the shave flow and all will come...

**rockhammer** · 02-02-2012, 11:35 PM

slippery Joe your right..

**ERVARGASNY** · 02-03-2012, 05:52 AM

Yeap, not everyone can get a BBS especially if there hair grows in all different Directions, They only way i could achive a BBS for sure was to shave ATG, sometimes i would get irritation and some times not when i would shave ATG, so what i started working on was just Doing a 3 pass WTG,XTG and XTG in the opposite direction, did this for about a month, Seems my face likes it and now Hair growth seems to be growing in direction i shave and my face has adjusted to that shave so much i get an excellent shave, Super close to BBS :o)

Now i only shave ATG when there is a special occasion :o)

Ohh and stop straing at Men

**The Soph Gent** · 02-03-2012, 06:06 AM

One of my first experiences was with a Muhle R89 and a feather. I did get BBS with minor irritation. I have been experimenting with many different razor/blade/soap combo's but only received BBS when I used..... are you ready for this....?

Sensitive skin soap.

Am still trying different blades but right now, for me, when I use Feathers with other soaps/creams, I get CCS but even with a Derby blade (with sensitive cream), I got BBS.

**Keyser S.** · 02-03-2012, 06:38 AM

I was in that same dealership last week. The "guy" doesn't shave, he got electrolisis (?) done last year.

I have a feather razor, I love it. But I'm still learning how to use. I find putting the razor perpendicular on a lot of areas on my face help. I've only used feathers with it, but I'm going to be using astras and med preps with it in the near future.

I'm leery of getting BBS shaves every day. I think that's where the irritation starts. So I'm fine with using it even though it's not BBS sometimes. I used a fat boy today on 6 today so saturday or sunday I'll be using the feather to give the skin some rest.

**kingfisher** · 02-03-2012, 07:43 AM

Some of those guys you see with perfect shaves don't really have much beard to begin with. I know some guys could lay off shaving for 3 days and they look about what I look like at 6 PM.

I think there are more important things to worry about than other guy's shaves.

**bkfist** · 02-03-2012, 08:40 AM

I'm with a few others here... Doesn't matter what DE I use, I can get 90% BBS, but there are a few areas I've learned to leave it like it is. I *can* get BBS in those areas, but at the cost of comfort.

Those same areas, on the other hand, I CAN get BBS w/o irritation with a regular straight, or a Feather DX straight. With the regular straight, however, I don't try for full BBS directly below my lower lip, as I'll inevitably end up with a nick there.... Not new to straights, been using them for 18 years.

I've simply learned which areas I'm going to leave DFS and which ones can go BBS depending on the razor.

My Go-To DE is the Feather AS-D1 with Feather blade. I personally don't think you are going to find a blade for the Feather AS that is going to be closer than a Feather blade. You might get AS close with a few, but I doubt any closer.

Two suggestions:

1. Make sure you have the right blade angle - lower than what you might be used to with other razors (more cap in contact with face, less guard bar)

2. Look up Mantic's video on youtube for J-Hooking. It might be under "advanced techniques" or such.

Good luck! :)

**Frosty** · 02-03-2012, 09:53 AM

I think there are two issues that need to be dissected here (1) how close a shave can a DE provide compared to a cartridge say; and (2) How much closer can a Feather AS go compared to another DE?

On 1- I may get flamed for this but here goes. A DE razor will never be able to get close a shave as a Mach 3 in a one off contest and that's largely because the cartridge razor pulls stubble from below the skin line. The Mach shave will look good the first day you do it but use it every day and within a few days you'll find the skin becoming irritated etc. I know this from experience, and I'm sure you and many others must've experienced this too. What tends to happen is that one has to skip shaving days (like I used to) or suffer the irritation in silence. The DE on the other hand may not be able to deliver the closeness you might achieve with a Mach but will provide consistently good daily shaves. Over the last two years I've been shaving with a DE, I don't think I've ever skipped a day of shaving because I had to rest my skin (I have skipped cos of laziness and being away etc, but never to avoid skin irritation)

Now on 2, as to the Feather razor performance - i would argue that it is no better or worse than any other good razor. It is not a panacea to achieving a BBS. It won't necessarily give you a closer shave than an EJ or a Merkur say. That will depend on various factors- the topography of your face, your technique, prep, lather, razor blade etc and even then it will vary from day to day. What I have noticed however is that the Feather provides one of the most comfortable, irritation/razor burn free shave I've ever had. Yes it may not always give a BBS, but it provides excellent and comfortable results.

Enjoy them and the BBSs will come

**rockhammer** · 02-07-2012, 01:47 PM

Thank you so much for all the replies. I have shaved about seven times with the razor now and I can say I am getting better and better and I really like that I do not get irritation as with other razors. I am very happy with this purchase.
Thank you once again.

**thIs6Nly** · 02-07-2012, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Frosty

I may get flamed for this but here goes. A DE razor will never be able to get close a shave as a Mach 3 in a one off contest and that's largely because the cartridge razor pulls stubble from below the skin line. The Mach shave will look good the first day you do it but use it every day and within a few days you'll find the skin becoming irritated etc. I know this from experience, and I'm sure you and many others must've experienced this too. What tends to happen is that one has to skip shaving days (like I used to) or suffer the irritation in silence. The DE on the other hand may not be able to deliver the closeness you might achieve with a Mach but will provide consistently good daily shaves. Over the last two years I've been shaving with a DE, I don't think I've ever skipped a day of shaving because I had to rest my skin (I have skipped cos of laziness and being away etc, but never to avoid skin irritation)

+1 As I said in another thread this morning, "Just back from a weekend in El Paso. Took the Simpson Case, La Toja stick, and a Trac II. I realize it's the thing to do here to slam cartridges, but I can get a BBS shave with a cart blindfolded with one-hand tied behind my back. No technique necessary. That doesn't mean I'm going to PIF my Feather. I'm just saying that a cart is Shaving for Dummies."

**ERVARGASNY** · 02-07-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by ERVARGASNY

Ohh and stop staring at Men

Glad your getting the hang of the AS D-1 ;o)

**Copierguy** · 02-07-2012, 05:49 PM

Have you ever heard the expression "Less is more."? That is how I get my best shaves with the Feather / Feather combo.
When I get to those problem areas below the jaw line I make sure I barely feel the cap and hardly feel the blade edge. I can buff as long as it takes till those swirls are mowed down without irritation. Remember the job is to cut hair and not scrape skin.

May you only know close yet comfortable shaves.

**rockhammer** · 02-07-2012, 07:08 PM

Ok shaved this afternoon and I hit the elusive BBS. Yes wooohoo. I think I am just obsessive compulsive probably why I bought this razor in the first place. I am very happy I did. Sometimes I wish my stubble would grow right back after I am done just to shave again. Crazy huh?

**kingfisher** · 02-07-2012, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by rockhammer

Ok shaved this afternoon and I hit the elusive BBS. Yes wooohoo. I think I am just obsessive compulsive probably why I bought this razor in the first place. I am very happy I did. Sometimes I wish my stubble would grow right back after I am done just to shave again. Crazy huh?

Sounds pretty normal to me.