Feather SS AS-D1 / Learning Curve and Non Feather Blades

**bastimret** · 08-02-2012, 09:37 AM

*sigh* Alright. Guess I need to order some Veg now.

I made a shim this morning with a used Feather blade. Tossed it under my Med Prep in the AS-D1 (3rd time use) and went to town. Three passes with minimal cleanup along the jawline and I was done. Saved me from another 10 minutes of repeated spot buffing and J-hooking along the neck and jawline. So you've convinced me, maybe there is something to this. Open it up just enough and you still get a super smoove shave with just the right amount of effeciency. Gonna keep trying this out through next week, as not having to do umpteen billion passes along my neck/jawline to get those pesky hairs helped save on irritation and ultimately would help extend blade life. I'll change out to a Feather blade again over the weekend and then test out my new set of 7 O'Clock Blacks that I just got this week.

**JeffOlson** · 08-02-2012, 09:21 PM

I used a "shim sandwich" tonight: one shim below, and one shim above. Wow! The blade is really out there with that setup!

I got a good shave, but I think I'll stick to only one shim (below the blade) or none if I need a milder shave. It was a bit too aggressive for my taste.

**Predict** · 08-02-2012, 10:47 PM

Never tried a shim with this razor. Never needed one. I wonder if some of these razors are built to a slightly different tolerance. A lot of people say it's too mild, but some say it's great as is.

**bastimret** · 08-03-2012, 07:25 AM

I don't think it's too mild. The mildness is what I like about it as it gives such a great irritation free shave. My issue at the standard gap is lack of efficiency. Probably one in the same but I think a razor can still be mild and reasonably efficient. It's just not cutting enough hair even when doing multiple passes and buffs over the same area over and over again (standard gap). Though I still want to believe that it has more to do with not nailing the technique yet. But even with technique lacking, I would think that if I pass over the same area 10 times at various angles, one of them would eventually cut the hair, but yet I still end up with a lot of random hairs on my neck and jaw that just don't seem to get cut at the standard gap (as I mentioned a couple days ago).

Now, as a follow-up on shimming, I used a single lower shim again today but this time with a fresh Feather. Definitely a difference. Similar to yesterday it was 3 passes with a little cleanup, which was a good level of efficiency. However, even with just one shim that Feather blade was much more aggressive! The shave, while more efficient, did not seem as smooth as it did earlier in the week with just the fresh Feather. My guess is that shimming it is not allowing the top cap and bottom plate to hold the blade in place as firmly as it normally does, which is one of the best points of this razor's build. So it seems like you end up getting a lot more blade chatter, and boy could I feel it! Especially around the outer/upper lip area. Previously a new Feather cut through that area smoothly while the razor sang. Today though it felt more like I was shaving with a derby. Rough, tugging, and a couple small nicks resulted. Did not experience this yesterday though with my shimmed Med Prep. So it looks like this is going to take more experimenting. Going to let my face rest and shave Sat evening or Sunday with the Feather blade again, either in the AS-D1 or my Fatboy. Next week I'll experiment with the new set of 7 O'Clock Blacks that I recently received.

**JeffOlson** · 08-03-2012, 07:57 AM

Regarding shims, a couple of people here have recommended cutting off only the sharp edges, leaving most of the old blade intact. I tried this earlier in the week, and it resulted in a very stable cutting blade. No wobble, no skipping, no chatter. Just a slightly more aggressive shave. If your shim is not as wide as possible, you might try making another shim.

**bastimret** · 08-03-2012, 08:08 AM

That's what I did. The only portion of the full blade not matched by the shim is just the sharpened edges.

**bastimret** · 08-05-2012, 07:09 PM

Well, I shaved with a single shimmed Feather again this afternoon after 2 days. Same results, it took down a majority of the growth nice and smooth in two passes. But yet again, I simply could not get the remaining shortened stubble effectively around the neck and jawline after a couple cleanup attempts. Not wanting to irritate my face with 6 more passes to attempt to get a smoother shave, I dropped the blade in my Fatboy set to 1 and quickly cleaned up what the Feather kept leaving behind in one pass.

This thing is great at giving an effortless decent shave, but after a few weeks now I just can't get it to perform past that point without a billion passes that end up irritating my face, which goes against the whole point of this razor. I'm going to continue to try some different blades in it though. Tomorrow morning will be with a new 7 O'clock Black. Also have a Weber DLC on the way to see how it compares.

**bastimret** · 08-08-2012, 08:14 AM

The 7 O'clock seemed to perform about as well as the Feather. The feather cut smoother at first, but as most have seen it quickly dulls down after a shave or two and starts to get snaggy. The 7 Oclock Black seemed more consistent in its shave quality over multiple shaves, though it was not quite as smooth when getting to more agressive angles of XTG/ATG. Still pretty good blade though.

So I put the AS-D1 down this week and picked up my new Weber DLC yesterday for a spin with the 7 Oclock Blacks. So far, it's a nice, mild, smooth shave with just the right amount of agressiveness added to get me that increase in effectiveness I was missing with the AS-D1. Jawline is coming up clean-shaven after a three-pass shave and I'm now applying aftershave by the time my wife gets out of her shower in the morning. With the AS-D1, I was usually still lathering problematic areas trying to whack down some stubborn stubble for the umpteenth time when she would finish. Going to try a Feather in it once I've gotten 3 shaves with hte 7 Oclock in.

Not giving up on the Feather yet, I'm too stuborn. I love the look and feel of the razor. It cuts so damn smoothly due to how firmly it's gripping the blade that the whiskers just seem to fall off into the sink. I just wish I could somehow crank up the effeciency on it so it doesn't leave behind so much stubble along my jaw. Maybe cold-water shaving with it would help. It would reduce the puffyness of the skin from the hot-shower and lather and might allow the AS-D1 to cut further down the hair.

**alohakid** · 08-08-2012, 01:38 PM

I'm getting very good results with the AS-D1 ; better than when I started this thread .
I think adding a good pre-shave soap has helped .
I just started cold-water shaving and while it's too early to say if the shave is closer , I can say it is totally irritation free . I will continue .

**bastimret** · 08-09-2012, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by alohakid

I'm getting very good results with the AS-D1 ; better than when I started this thread .
I think adding a good pre-shave soap has helped .
I just started cold-water shaving and while it's too early to say if the shave is closer , I can say it is totally irritation free . I will continue .

Glad to hear you are getting good results now! Have you been using it consistently since your first post? What # of passes is it taking for an X quality shave now?

I'm very interested to hear your results with the cold water. I'm still going to be testing a few more blades in the Weber first, but once I get back to a regular rotation, I'm definitly going to give this a go with the AS-D1.

**alohakid** · 08-09-2012, 07:28 PM

I've always gotten good results but now better .
I've been using the AS-D1 in rotation with the Merkur 38 C Barber Pole and Gillette Guard .
3 passes with AS-D1 and very minor clean up gives a near BBS .
Aftershave is Witch hazel that's been stored in the fridge .
I'm now a cold-water convert .
I'm getting near BBS and NO irritation .
And my skin is visibly much healthier .

**bastimret** · 08-10-2012, 06:53 AM

So I did the cold water this morning with the AS-D1 and a fresh Feather blade. Also used QCS Iced Key Lime. IT was a nice shave, I really liked using the cold water given the hot weather here in Savannah and the hot shower my wife likes to take in the morning. Not sure if it reduced irritation, as this is such a smooth shaver to begin with.

I think it may have improved efficency some with the AS-D1. I seem to have gotten a decent shave, with more stubble removed in some previously problematic places, in 3 passes plus cleanup. Still not as clean as I'd like though. But man I love how damn smooth the cutting action is on this thing after having used a dfifferent razor for the past week. You can go ATG all day and not feel a single tug or pull with a good blade. You barely feel it cutting as you hear the smooth scritch of the blade. Upper lip? No problem, smooth comfy shave even ATG. I just really wish I could get a closer shave with it though. Still too much stubble for my tastes left along jawline and neck. No way I could get an all around BSS with it, it seems. Visibly good shave? Sure. But I'm not a 2-pass and call it good shaver. At least not yet. I still desire a closer shave, probably because I'm used to it having used an electric razor for years.

**JeffOlson** · 08-10-2012, 08:05 AM

^ I am still trying with a DE razor to match the closeness of my Braun electric. I have used four different DEs since beginning "traditional wet shaving" earlier this year, but none of them have been able to match the BBS shave of the Braun (in just five minutes, no less). Still, I much prefer shaving with my Feather AS-D1, over the Braun, over the other DEs I have used, and over a Gillette Fusion ProGlide (which also gives me very good shaves with a new cartridge).

This morning, I had another really good shave with my AS-D1. I used a Feather blades with two shims beneath it. Four passes. Better than DFS. BBS in most places. Very smooth and comfortable!

**alohakid** · 08-10-2012, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by bastimret

So I did the cold water this morning with the AS-D1 and a fresh Feather blade. Also used QCS Iced Key Lime. IT was a nice shave, I really liked using the cold water given the hot weather here in Savannah and the hot shower my wife likes to take in the morning. Not sure if it reduced irritation, as this is such a smooth shaver to begin with.

I think it may have improved efficency some with the AS-D1. I seem to have gotten a decent shave, with more stubble removed in some previously problematic places, in 3 passes plus cleanup. Still not as clean as I'd like though. But man I love how damn smooth the cutting action is on this thing after having used a dfifferent razor for the past week. You can go ATG all day and not feel a single tug or pull with a good blade. You barely feel it cutting as you hear the smooth scritch of the blade. Upper lip? No problem, smooth comfy shave even ATG. I just really wish I could get a closer shave with it though. Still too much stubble for my tastes left along jawline and neck. No way I could get an all around BSS with it, it seems. Visibly good shave? Sure. But I'm not a 2-pass and call it good shaver. At least not yet. I still desire a closer shave, probably because I'm used to it having used an electric razor for years.

La Toja Magno Classic Black Spanish Glycerin Soap used as a pre-shave gives me an even slicker , smoother shave .
I hand lather and hand apply leaving wet on my face before face lathering Martin de Candre scented soap with a brush .

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**bastimret** · 08-10-2012, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by JeffOlson

^ I am still trying with a DE razor to match the closeness of my Braun electric. I have used four different DEs since beginning "traditional wet shaving" earlier this year, but none of them have been able to match the BBS shave of the Braun (in just five minutes, no less). Still, I much prefer shaving with my Feather AS-D1, over the Braun, over the other DEs I have used, and over a Gillette Fusion ProGlide (which also gives me very good shaves with a new cartridge).

This morning, I had another really good shave with my AS-D1. I used a Feather blades with two shims beneath it. Four passes. Better than DFS. BBS in most places. Very smooth and comfortable!

Ok, makes me feel a bit better. 10+ years with the Braun have left me spoiled I guess. Shave on the way to work and have a BSS with no irritation every day.

I'll give shimming another shot, along with some more cold water shaving. Not ready to throw in the towel yet. Fat Boy is my go to when I want a more aggressive, last me 2 day shave. But I like shaving every day during the week, so I really want the AS-D1 to be my everyday shaver. Right now though, the Weber DLC is giving it a run for the money due to the increased efficency. But nothing can touch the smoothness of the Feather's cutting action which is why it's still in the race. The way it clamps down that blade so securely, there's no room for it to rattle and it simply slices effortlessly through the hairs.

Originally Posted by alohakid

La Toja Magno Classic Black Spanish Glycerin Soap used as a pre-shave gives me an even slicker , smoother shave .
I hand lather and hand apply leaving wet on my face before face lathering Martin de Candre scented soap with a brush .

Do you apply and leave on under your lather, or do you rinse it off fully before lathering up? I do this with my MRGLO (leave some on).

**alohakid** · 08-10-2012, 11:56 AM

...leave it on .
I'm sure your getting the same benefits with MRGLO .
I would use that but the lime oil irritates my skin .

**alohakid** · 08-11-2012, 09:31 AM

very good shave with Kai blade this morning .
Brush was a custom loft Vie-Long 13071 .

**bastimret** · 08-11-2012, 07:52 PM

switched to my fatboy for today shave. Wanted a more aggressive closer shave for going out. coldwater shave again though, felt great and results were nice and smooth with no irritation and one small nick. Will be attempting the feather with two shims on Monday.

**alohakid** · 08-12-2012, 06:59 AM

Smoove Sunday Shave :

Pre-Shave : Neutrogena® Naturals Face & Body Bar
Brush : Thater 4125/0 3 band silvertips
Razor : Feather AS-D1 with Gillette Platinum !
Soap : Martin de Candre scented
After shave : T.N. Dickinson's Witch hazel (kept in fridge)

**bastimret** · 08-13-2012, 05:50 AM

Today's results were very good. Warm shower and face wash, no pre-shave MRGLO as I just forgot to this morning, face lathered some CF Lime cream with a Duke 2 and cold water and did three passes and a bit of buffing. Wanted to try two shims, but didn't have time to make a second this morning. Will try that tomorrow to see if I can bump it up just a bit more to get these last few straggling wiskers that seem to get missed. Overall though a very good shave today.

I think it's going to be a tough competition between this and the Weber now around which I keep as my everyday shaver.