Feather a no go?

[britewhiteram]

true. I went 4 days last week without a shave, given the holiday and I was down sick for 2 days and just couldn't make myself stand long enough to shave. Next up in my rotation was a shave with a feather blade and Bigelow cream. Have had good shaves with a feather, but was worried about the amount of growth. No irritation, weepers, or any ill effects. Most likely just paid better attention to my prep and technique. Could be a different story next time out.

I get better shaves after waiting say 3-4 days between shaves than i do with only 1 day between shaves, they are closer, smoother and far less irritating, Im also one of the 2 and out type of guys, I have a fat stack of samplers left and I just tried a persona platinum(blue UK pack) and it was smoother than the feather, but no weepers, and my face is BBS!
I will give them a shot later on when I acquire more gear and my technique improves, but as for now I'm still in search of a good blade for me

IMHO the feather is just plain HARSH, and for me that just doesn't slice the mustard

[Omp]

I seem to fall into the camp of people who find the first shave with a new Feather blade is too rough. However, the 2nd is fantsastic. I've tended to throw blades after 2 or 3 uses but next time I will persevere with a Feather for a few more shaves and see how long it can maintain the performance it gives on it's second use.

[Vickers]

I think the Personna Med is twice the blade at half the irritation.

[turtle]

It all depends on what razor you are putting the blade in.

I can manage any blade in any razor but some people find that an extremely sharp blade like Feather, black Gillette, or super blues do better in milder razors like a tech, super adjustable, DE89, or progress.

If the blade seems too harsh, stop, grab a different razor, put the blade in it, and continue. Keep razor jumping until you find the razor that you like that blade in and stick with that combo. Don't try to force a bad combination on your face. Stop in mid shave and move on.

If you only have one razor, grab your wallet, head over to BST, and fix THAT problem right away

[jmdigmon]

I tried a Feather for the first time this morning, and it almost made me wish I hadn't pulled the trigger on some 100-packs of Astra SPs and 7 O'Clock Super Stainess (the winners of my many samples over the last 18 months). Glad I worked through a couple different razors and products before I tried Feathers--taking the time to work on technique and find what works led to an incredibly smooth and comfortable shave.

[Galhatz]

I used it first when I was new to DE and I used to apply way too much pressure so I thought they were not for me.
A month had passed and I tried them again the last 2 days and I found them to be awesome.

[Redstickjohn]

I have had three packs of Feathers in my closet for almost a year. I had to try them after reading all of the blogs on their superiority. Well, right when I got them, in almost mortal fear, I slapped one into my favorite Fatboy and hacked away. I cut myself in 4 or 5 different places. I put them away, probably never to be tried again. Since then I've tried Merkurs, Derbys, 7 o'clocks, Wilkensons, Lords, Personnas, Sharks, and finally settled on Astra SP's. I loved 'em. They were great. I had found my blade.

Well, my technique has certainly improved over the last year. I have much improved prep, use better soaps with much improved lather, and learned to let the razor's own weight do the work. I've also come across quite a collection of Aristocrats, and they've become my favorite razor, along with a slant. My most recent Aristocrat is a mid forties model replated in Rhodium--it is beautiful, and it shaves great.

Well, just a few minutes ago, just out of the blue, I decided to give a Feather another shot--in my new favorite Aristocrat. WOW! Absolutely the BEST BBS shave I ever achieved, with ZERO irritation and ZERO cuts or weepers. I SEE! I GET IT! I must admit I was very carefull, but the quality of the shave was magnificent. I can't believe I let these things sit around for over a year.

[Ray Todd]

I've been trying with Feathers off and on for several years. I can use them, but not in my most aggresive razors and only with my most protective soaps. I'm too stubborn to give up! When I get it just right, it's my closest shave. When I get it wrong.....I slice my face to ribbons and since they're so sharp the cuts don't hurt immediately and I don't realize what I've done until it's too late. I'll think how smooth they are, look down to grab my brush for the next pass and then look in the mirror only to see 4 or 5 little streams of blood all over my face!

[rumoses]

I've tried a number of different blades, but like many of you have already mentioned, YMMV. I personally have never nicked myself, never had a weeper or felt any irritation of any kind from a feather. I like them so much that I'm intending to order a hundred or so, after I use up a few various singles I have. Or perhaps I'll do a PIF...

[cryhavoc]

Feathers are plenty sharp but too rough on my face. The only razor I can use one in is my Fat Handle Tech and after two shaves it is has to go. There are too many good blades out there to not use one that is kind to your skin. If it works run with it, if not revisit it later.

[man00ver]

Feather has given me a rough impression in many trials, but I used it in a Slant all last week and it was superb!!

[Omp]

I had a 3rd shave with the same Feather blade today. So far, every day has got smoother with less irritation. I did however, get a little nick from nowhere - it's like the feather has to have the last word on every shave. They have definitely earned a shot at day 4 of use.

[welshfellow]

It's a shame they are over priced because there are other blades that shave the same or better for 1/2 to a 1/3 of the price
Smithy

[Wildalaska]

It's a shame they are over priced because there are other blades that shave the same or better for 1/2 to a 1/3 of the price
Smithy

Guess that depends on your level of shaving expertise, I find, that after 40 plus years, that nothing shaves like a Feather, but as always YMMV

[CB1]

I tried my first Feather a few months after I started shaving with a DE. It was no where near as nice as my blade of choice (at the time), the red personna. I kept the pack of feathers and I tried again about half a year after starting. They still were not my cup of tea at that point. I gave the Feathers another try about a year in. Suddenly they worked like a charm. I believe that for me, I had to get my technique down even more (despite the fact that I thought that I already had good technique). Feathers have been in my blade rotation ever since. Hang onto them and give them another go later. They might just start working for you then.

I'm only 7 weeks into DE shaving and I already like the Feathers and Astra's. Do you think that after a year of improving angle and technique I will be able to use the 100 pack of Derby's I bought? I can't seem to use the Derby's at all.

[dharasick]

Feather has given me a rough impression in many trials, but I used it in a Slant all last week and it was superb!!

+1. Feather + Slant = Heaven.

[shaveitoff]

I've been trying them lately. I can get a fantastic shave in a Progress opened up to about 4. Definitely a sharp blade, but they dull fairly quickly in my experience. I like to really stretch the life of a blade, but with Feathers I can only a maximum one week out of them. The last couple of shaves get a bit rough. In future I will limit feathers to 4 or 5 shaves.

Despite their sharpness, I haven't nicked myself until the blade starts to get dull. Then I can get some weepers. I have very few cuts/scrapes/weepers/irritation with pretty much any blade I have tried - only the Feather at the end of its life.

[britewhiteram]

So now I'm curious.... I have a 55' blue-tip SS...... Im wondering if the feather and the blue-tip would work together?? if not My birthday is coming up and SWMBO is looking for a gift... im thinking Merkur slant..........

Im going to try the blue-tip tonight and get back with the results

[Blackbeard's Delight]

I have been working through my blade sampler pack and was planning to save the Feathers for last. I figured maybe I'd fall in love with some super-cheap brand and shave happily ever after. Or at least, by the time I used the Feathers, my technique would be all the more refined.

I went through three brands I wasn't too impressed with and I jumped right onto the Feathers. Yes, they are sharp. With all the blades I have used so far, I might need to get out the styptic once a week, maybe twice a week. I used the Feathers and it looked like I had been smooching porcupine. That when I was completely aware of their reputation, and shaved super light and gentle with it in my Aristocrat. It happened with EVERY SHAVE with that blade. I switched brands and back to no weepers.

The Feathers are back in the sampler bag... when I get back to them, I will have tried a whole lot of other brands and my technique will have improved, hopefully. And maybe I'll have another razor to try it out in.

Something cool about shaving with Japanese steel... I won't be giving up on Feathers just yet!

[britewhiteram]

Im not giving up so much as saying.... not now, not yet, I'm futher ahead with other blades which are still 1000x better than the cartridge crap i was using before