Feather AC SS Adventure

**beisler** · 02-06-2012, 04:24 PM

My Feather Artist Club SS razor(lime green) arrived in the mail at 11:00 AM today.Amazing since I'm in Florida and it was shipped from L.A. on Saturday. I studied the Wiki on how to hold the razor and practiced without the blade
I went thru the Wiki again from top to bottom focusing on the proper grips. I have been reading everyones journals on here for the last 2 weeks and following the progress of Drip and Grip and Noah.(thanks again Noah)--At 4 PM
I told myself I was ready and I did my death walk to the bathroom.

SHAVE 1

I alternate 2 brushes every other day a Semouge LE Bristle 2 2011 (#91) and a Duke 3--Today was the Dukes turn
I used 5 drops of glycerin as a pre-shave and latherd up with Razorock xxx. Nervously I loaded the blade in the razor and began.---my first pass was crazy , holding the razor felt almost backhanded but I didn't cut myself.The second pass I relaxed more and acutally cut some hairs.I got 2 weepers which weren't bad but than I gouged my chin and stopped.
The neck actually wasn't bad which suprised me. all in all not bad.I am excited and feel I just need to get comfotable holding the razor..Sure is fun--can't wait for tomorrow. The chin area is going to be a problem because it took a looong time to stop bleeding--Styptics can only do so much--I told SWMBO to stock up on bandaids

**Bluebriz** · 02-06-2012, 04:59 PM

What type of blade did you use?

**beisler** · 02-06-2012, 05:06 PM

Kai mild--Forgot to put that in -I have a cobra classic and I have been using both Kai milds and feather pros and trying to decide which one I like more---Now I have to decide for the Feather AC too

Originally Posted by Bluebriz

What type of blade did you use?

**Alraz** · 02-06-2012, 05:08 PM

You can practice the grip of the razor when you are not shaving and change the position of the fingers, pressure, etc.

Al raz.

**beisler** · 02-06-2012, 05:18 PM

Thanks Al,thats what I'm doing right now lol---I think I found out my grip was wrong--I just studied the wiki and found out my finger position was wrong today(too late for my chin)

Originally Posted by Alraz

You can practice the grip of the razor when you are not shaving and change the position of the fingers, pressure, etc.

Al raz.

**Alraz** · 02-06-2012, 05:31 PM

It takes time to get everything in place, keep it up!!!

Al raz.

Originally Posted by beisler

Thanks Al,thats what I'm doing right now lol---I think I found out my grip was wrong--I just studied the wiki and found out my finger position was wrong today(too late for my chin)

**Bluebriz** · 02-06-2012, 05:59 PM

I don't know if this is the same for everyone, but I feel I need my lather to be a fair bit slicker using the Feather or Kai than I do with my DEs, I got a couple of bad cuts early on, and while i'm sure i'll get more cuts in the future, i'm pretty sure (never 100%) I won't cut myself again as badly as I did before. My lather was too dry for those types of razors, but with the same lather I had no issues with DEs or SEs.....

**beisler** · 02-06-2012, 06:05 PM

For right now I think I am going to use tallow based shave sticks and use glycerin for pre-shave

Originally Posted by Bluebriz

I don't know if this is the same for everyone, but I feel I need my lather to be a fair bit slicker using the Feather or Kai than I do with my DEs, I got a couple of bad cuts early on, and while i'm sure i'll get more cuts in the future, i'm pretty sure (never 100%) I won't cut myself again as badly as I did before. My lather was too dry for those types of razors, but with the same lather I had no issues with DEs or SEs.....

**Sullybob** · 02-06-2012, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by beisler

Kai mild--Forgot to put that in -I have a cobra classic and I have been using both Kai milds and feather pros and trying to decide which one I like more---Now I have to decide for the Feather AC too

Sorry for the hijack but which blade did you prefer in the Cobra?

**beisler** · 02-07-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Sullybob

Sorry for the hijack but which blade did you prefer in the Cobra?

Its early in my cobra and feather AC usage but so far I have to say I am in the minority but I have to say the Feather Pro--
I will continue to use both though until I buy more

**Kentos** · 02-06-2012, 07:15 PM

Hey, just take out the blade and practice skimming the lather off with the empty Feather. Works great, and Ill PIF you some Disney Princess bandaids if you run out :)

**beisler** · 02-07-2012, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Kentos

Hey, just take out the blade and practice skimming the lather off with the empty Feather. Works great, and Ill PIF you some Disney Princess bandaids if you run out :)

Thank Kent-lol

**beisler** · 02-07-2012, 01:58 PM

SHAVE#2

Feather AC SS with Kai Mild(2)
Semouge LE 2011 Brisltle 2
Trumpers GFT with added glyceryn (4 drops)
Floid Sandolar pre-shave oil

Pass 1--I went WTG and immediatly upon placing the blade on the cheek got a weeper.I finished this pass
with no further incident but felt like I didn't cut any hair

Pass 2- I went WTG and felt this pass was alot smoother and cut hairs. The neck area suprisingly was better shaved than
my cheeks.I got 1 weeper on my other cheek

Pass 3--I tried XTG on my neck only and it went well.The chin area I tried streching but it wasn't effective enough.Under
my nose I got a weeper when the blade touched down on my skin

Overall feeling---- I was way more comfortable holding the blade as I practiced it alot last night without the blade in
the razor (thanks Kent)The angle of the blade is and will be a matter of trial and error (right now its in the error stage)
I got all my weepers right when I touched the blade to my skin,not actually during the strokes,so I will have to watch that.
Overall the shave was not close at all but I am not worried about that at all either.I know it will come with practice and if I don't run out of blood I will practice every day.

**dpmtherrien** · 02-07-2012, 02:57 PM

Barry:

Don't get hung up on what others do. Take their advice and help, but remember that you've got to find your own best way of holding that straight. Whatever works best for you is your own right way. Same goes for blades. Try them all and find your own best one(s).

I hold my straights the way that is most comfortable for me. At times I've tried using a more traditional hold, only to find that it really doesn't fit me, so I go back to what works for me.

**Bluebriz** · 02-07-2012, 03:21 PM

One suggestion, if you're cutting yourself as soon as the blade touches your skin, it sounds like you're touching your face blade first, when what might be better (it works for me) is laying the razor flat against the face and then increasing the angle slightly until you find the correct cutting angle. For me, using the non-folding Feather AC SS, with a Kai Mild blade, that angle is very small and not far off being flat against my skin.

**beisler** · 02-07-2012, 03:39 PM

Thanks that makes sense to me

Originally Posted by Bluebriz

One suggestion, if you're cutting yourself as soon as the blade touches your skin, it sounds like you're touching your face blade first, when what might be better (it works for me) is laying the razor flat against the face and then increasing the angle slightly until you find the correct cutting angle. For me, using the non-folding Feather AC SS, with a Kai Mild blade, that angle is very small and not far off being flat against my skin.

**Bluebriz** · 02-08-2012, 03:46 AM

Let us know how it goes once you've healed up and are ready to try again.

**Brent** · 02-08-2012, 10:43 AM

Not bad at all for just starting out. Since you're using a Feather they have a bit less margin of error vs. traditional straights.

How is your skin stretching? Bluebriz gives some good advice - in addition, I find if I don't stretch the skin enough I tend to get cut and have weepers more easily.

**beisler** · 02-08-2012, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Brent

Not bad at all for just starting out. Since you're using a Feather they have a bit less margin of error vs. traditional straights.

How is your skin stretching? Bluebriz gives some good advice - in addition, I find if I don't stretch the skin enough I tend to get cut and have weepers more easily.

Brent----My skin stretching is a work in progress.I need to get better at it.I also feel I'm rushing too much.I am going in for shave #3 in 10 minutes and will try to remember everything I need to do

**beisler** · 02-08-2012, 03:42 PM

SHAVE #3

Kai Mild blade(3)

I made a point before I started to slow down and remember to strech my skin as best as I could-GO SLOW I told myself and no pressure and very shallow angle.Also I made a wetter lather with Spieck stick than I normally would with a DE. I used glyceryn as a pre-shave and made sure my face was really hydrated well

Pass 1--I shaved WTG nice and slow on left cheek,switched hands and did right cheek-no blood--Repeated with neck area streching skin --no blood---I am now excited---did lip and chin very slowly--no blood

Pass 2--I went XTG using both hands and remembering to stretch skin(its not perfect yet) and shaved whole face again with no blood--I'm pysched now

Pass 3-I went XTG again with a little more diaganol angle on my neck--no blood-I started on my lip going XTG and the razor
skipped or jumped or whatever it did and slammed into my skin--BLOOD--- I shut the shave down

Observation on shave #3---Very happy with this shave( even though my styptic pencil is getting smaller)
I only had the one cut with no weepers---My cheeks were DFS my neck barely SAS and my chin and bloody lip feel like the razor didn't even touch them--workand learning to be done--All in all a big improvement with this shave----I do not have to think anymore about holding the razor and can concentrate more on the angle I am using-can't wait till tomorrows shave