Received Feather SS - no turning back now .

wquiles · Jan 25, 2013

I have a few more blades I want to try, but this is my starting journey into using a str8 razor:

I am probably trying the proguard first:

Although I have to agree with some who commented before about these blades - they don't "look" comfortable:

I will report back how it goes this weekend!

I need to remind myself two things:
- stretch skin, and
- no pressure, no pressure, no pressure .............

Will

Beatnik · Jan 25, 2013

Nice razor. I wish you the best of luck on your first straight razor shave! Remember to take your time and only shave the areas that you are comfortable with to start. Report back on your progress!

puros_bran · Jan 25, 2013

Slow and easy and you'll be fine. relax.. turn on some big band, take your time lathering, dry your hands your sweating... lol

dpmtherrien · Jan 25, 2013

I find the Feather SS to be a very nice straight. As for the Pro guard blades, its not so much. I think they can lead one into thinking that they'll be protected from any nicks or cuts. In reality I've found that they tend to cut even more, and I didn't like them at all. Of the two you pictured, the Kai milds will work the best for you IMHO. Just go slow and easy, and just shave the easy parts of your face first, the sideburn area, and your cheeks. Be sure to use almost no pressure at all.

Kentos · Jan 25, 2013

Good luck! :thumbup1:

The feathers are sharp so there is no need to use any pressure. If it seems to catch on the whiskers try adjusting the angle lower- almost flat seems best for my face. Think of just removing the lather from your face as opposed to trying to cut whiskers.
Short quick stroke may be better too, as opposed to slow sweeping strokes.

global_dev · Jan 25, 2013

that makes the blade look like the most open comb razor i have seen

wquiles · Jan 25, 2013

Thank you guys for the advice. I am really excited to try it out, but I also know that the blades are very sharp (and a little unforgiving), so I will take it easy and report back how things go :001_cool:

ladykate · Jan 25, 2013

I like the Guards very much. I ended up with a ton of them due to some trades a few months back. I was worried I wouldn't like them but fortunately, I was wrong. I still like the other blades, too.

As was said, the Guards are still sharp and can cut you but in my experience, they are very forgiving if you do your part. I often use them when camping since my prep and environment aren't ideal. I always take them on trips. I can do a quick shave in the hotel room and be out the door with no problem. They also last a long time (as do the other Feather blades).

BTW: Darn nice pictures of the blade and razor.

wquiles · Jan 25, 2013

ladykate said:
I like the Guards very much. I ended up with a ton of them due to some trades a few months back. I was worried I wouldn't like them but fortunately, I was wrong. I still like the other blades, too.

That is why I decided to buy one package of the Guards. Worst case I will trade them up.

ladykate said:
BTW: Darn nice pictures of the blade and razor.

Thanks man. I do a lot of projects, and I document them with pictures - seems to be a fairly universal language :blush:

shave/brush · Jan 25, 2013

Those are some great pictures. I'm glad you're trying this razor because I am thinking about buying the same one. I can't wait to hear how you make out. Good luck.

Tierdaen · Jan 25, 2013

Nice razor. I don't really know about the Pro-Guards. Don't be intimidated by the Feather. It's not a lightsaber, and you don't need to be paranoid about pressure or super-flat angles while using it. You may get a bit of irritation the first few times if you're bearing down to find the angle, but it's easy to resolve wit a little finesse and practice. I cut myself twice with mine because I was a distracted idiot and would have cut myself no matter what razor I was using.

Relax, enjoy it. It's not a tightrope. By the way, don't discount the Pro and Pro Super blades. The latter extends out a bit more from the holder and I found it gave a nicer shave with my technique.

As an aside...I should get the non-folding SS, but Rakuten stores aren't doing international shipping and American stores are charging a heavy premium ($120 vs $65-80 in Japan)

Snuff-Belgium · Jan 25, 2013

Hope you enjoy your SS. It's the most forgiving one out of the Feather range (but for me the one I like the least) and you should do fine. Good advice is already given on how to proceed so nothing much I can add. Personally the guard blades don't work for me, I get bad shaves but others get fantastic shaves so only way to find out is try them.

wquiles · Jan 26, 2013

Tried my new SS this morning - feedback from the first shave:
- I did 3x passes but I cheated a little and did not do ATG everywhere.

- Very little bleeding. I got one very small nick, in between the left edge of the lip and my chin (for me a trouble area with my DE), and a second small one on my adam's apple. The first one was just poor maneuvering on my part (not being totally comfortable how to approach/handle the str8 razor) - the second was just me being a total idiot forgetting that I also cut myself there with my DE if I forget the move the skin first to the left and then to the right (my adam's apple is very pointy!).

- Somebody above said something about "cleaning/picking/scooping up the lather", and that is how it felt - it was very easy to actually gut the stubble, without actually trying hard at it.

- I am extremely left handed. I can't do anything with the right hand that requires fine motor control, so I used my left handed exclusively for both sides of my face (same as with my DE's). This is of course a self-impose challenge, but I will manage as I get more comfortable holding a str8 razor.

- I have not tried any other str8, but the SS was very forgiving on finding the angle from gliding between cutting and actually cutting. In fact it reminded me a mild DE in that regard.

- The SS gave me a lot of "felt" feedback, as well as a good amount of auditory feedback. I could easily tell if the angle was right or not, and I was able to tell when I was shaving or just scooping lather.

- I had a DE "loaded" just in case (Merkur Futur, with a Gillette Black), but things went so well that I did not have to use it. I never got in "trouble" to warrant using the DE.

- For the last two weeks I have been practicing with my Future more and more the concept of no pressure, and my shaves with the Futur actually improved. So then I used the SS this morning, I did the same, and it worked great.

- I had no trouble finding the angle to cut, BUT, the biggest trouble I found, and what took the most time, was trying to figure out how to hold the SS to maneuver around my face. Being my first time, holding the SS felt awkward - it was hard to figure out how to adjust the scales up, down, straight, where/how to put my fingers, etc., depending on where I was cutting. No mater how many videos I watched, this is a "hands-on only" lesson - clearly learning how to handle a str8 razor and changing the grip/angle as I go around my face will take me more a "lot" more time.

- Like most men, the stubble on my chin is harder/stiffer, so that took the most work/time. I got a DFN everywhere but there, but I did not want to push my luck, so I called a day. Yes, I could have touched up that small area with the DE, but it was more than good enough to head out (today was my son's first Pine Wood Derby - he won 1st place in his age group!).

- In these 5 months I have gotten very proficient with my DE, but I found today that a str8 is even more versatile. I loved with the str8 that I can just use the tip of the razor to get exactly where I need to go. You just can't do the same with a DE. I am totally sold on using the SS from now on.

- Since I had watched so many videos and mentally went through the steps I was going to follow, my first shave (including lathering and after shave) was about 20 minutes, which is longer than my typical 12-15 minutes with the DE. As I practice more, I expect that the overall time for 3x passes should be about the same.

- I only had two small areas where I had a little bit of razor rash, and it was only those areas near the chin where I was trying to get that DFS results I get with the DE. Still, that was far better than I expected. I honestly expected that shaving with a str8 would have been worst.

- I felt a little bit of tugging with these ProGuard blades, but being my first ever shave, it totally could have been my newbie handling of the SS. I will have to try a lot more shaves, and then compare to other blades before I can say anything good/bad about the ProGuard blades. I need to keep practicing with this blade while I learn to handle the SS better, before I will able to tell differences between blades.

- I was surprised how easily (sharp?) stubble is cut with the SS, even with so little pressure applied. To me the SS felt sharper than my DE's, and I feel that it was actually easier to shave with the SS than it has been with my various DE's over the last 5 months. But in my humble opinion, I would still not recommend starting with a str8 - the techniques, preparation, lathering, etc., are best learned with an easier razor (like a DE) so that one can concentrate on fewer variables.

- It is of course very early, but I can see how/why folks would use a str8 every single day. It was fun, more engaging, and I loved actually being able to literally see where the blade was cutting, unlike with a DE where the razor completely hides the area being shaved. With the str8 I can see, feel, and adjust accordingly. In fact those two small cuts I got, I got right during my first pass WTG - on the second pass (XTG) and last pass (ATG) I did not get any nicks/cuts (although as I said I did get a little razor burn).

- I was very worried about cutting myself under the nose, but I got a good shave there and on my upper lip with no cuts/nicks. However, I was not confident enough to try a pass ATG there. I also did not try a pass ATG right at the two joints between the upper and lower lip (leftmost and rightmost ends of the lips). Maybe later when I am more confident.

- Going ATG (up towards the nose) right under the lower lip was very easy with the SS.

I know it was just one shave, but I really loved it. I am most definitely, positively "hooked" on using a str8 :thumbup:

I am looking forward to trying it again tomorrow :biggrin1:

Will

ladykate · Jan 26, 2013

wquiles said:
- Going ATG (up towards the nose) right under the lower lip was very easy with the SS.

Will

I still can't do that very well and I've been using them for a long time. I settle for xtg under my nose and I seem to get BBS with no problem. ATG on my upper and lower lip is so slow that I just don't try.

sychodelix · Jan 26, 2013

Very nice! I'm very tempted to get one myself when I can afford it.

David in Boston · Jan 26, 2013

wquiles said:
Tried my new SS this morning - feedback from the first shave:
- I did 3x passes but I cheated a little and did not do ATG everywhere.

- Very little bleeding. I got one very small nick, in between the left edge of the lip and my chin (for me a trouble area with my DE), and a second small one on my adam's apple. The first one was just poor maneuvering on my part (not being totally comfortable how to approach/handle the str8 razor) - the second was just me being a total idiot forgetting that I also cut myself there with my DE if I forget the move the skin first to the left and then to the right (my adam's apple is very pointy!).

- Somebody above said something about "cleaning/picking/scooping up the lather", and that is how it felt - it was very easy to actually gut the stubble, without actually trying hard at it.

- I am extremely left handed. I can't do anything with the right hand that requires fine motor control, so I used my left handed exclusively for both sides of my face (same as with my DE's). This is of course a self-impose challenge, but I will manage as I get more comfortable holding a str8 razor.

- I have not tried any other str8, but the SS was very forgiving on finding the angle from gliding between cutting and actually cutting. In fact it reminded me a mild DE in that regard.

- The SS gave me a lot of "felt" feedback, as well as a good amount of auditory feedback. I could easily tell if the angle was right or not, and I was able to tell when I was shaving or just scooping lather.

- I had a DE "loaded" just in case (Merkur Futur, with a Gillette Black), but things went so well that I did not have to use it. I never got in "trouble" to warrant using the DE.

- For the last two weeks I have been practicing with my Future more and more the concept of no pressure, and my shaves with the Futur actually improved. So then I used the SS this morning, I did the same, and it worked great.

- I had no trouble finding the angle to cut, BUT, the biggest trouble I found, and what took the most time, was trying to figure out how to hold the SS to maneuver around my face. Being my first time, holding the SS felt awkward - it was hard to figure out how to adjust the scales up, down, straight, where/how to put my fingers, etc., depending on where I was cutting. No mater how many videos I watched, this is a "hands-on only" lesson - clearly learning how to handle a str8 razor and changing the grip/angle as I go around my face will take me more a "lot" more time.

- Like most men, the stubble on my chin is harder/stiffer, so that took the most work/time. I got a DFN everywhere but there, but I did not want to push my luck, so I called a day. Yes, I could have touched up that small area with the DE, but it was more than good enough to head out (today was my son's first Pine Wood Derby - he won 1st place in his age group!).

- In these 5 months I have gotten very proficient with my DE, but I found today that a str8 is even more versatile. I loved with the str8 that I can just use the tip of the razor to get exactly where I need to go. You just can't do the same with a DE. I am totally sold on using the SS from now on.

- Since I had watched so many videos and mentally went through the steps I was going to follow, my first shave (including lathering and after shave) was about 20 minutes, which is longer than my typical 12-15 minutes with the DE. As I practice more, I expect that the overall time for 3x passes should be about the same.

- I only had two small areas where I had a little bit of razor rash, and it was only those areas near the chin where I was trying to get that DFS results I get with the DE. Still, that was far better than I expected. I honestly expected that shaving with a str8 would have been worst.

- I felt a little bit of tugging with these ProGuard blades, but being my first ever shave, it totally could have been my newbie handling of the SS. I will have to try a lot more shaves, and then compare to other blades before I can say anything good/bad about the ProGuard blades. I need to keep practicing with this blade while I learn to handle the SS better, before I will able to tell differences between blades.

- I was surprised how easily (sharp?) stubble is cut with the SS, even with so little pressure applied. To me the SS felt sharper than my DE's, and I feel that it was actually easier to shave with the SS than it has been with my various DE's over the last 5 months. But in my humble opinion, I would still not recommend starting with a str8 - the techniques, preparation, lathering, etc., are best learned with an easier razor (like a DE) so that one can concentrate on fewer variables.

- It is of course very early, but I can see how/why folks would use a str8 every single day. It was fun, more engaging, and I loved actually being able to literally see where the blade was cutting, unlike with a DE where the razor completely hides the area being shaved. With the str8 I can see, feel, and adjust accordingly. In fact those two small cuts I got, I got right during my first pass WTG - on the second pass (XTG) and last pass (ATG) I did not get any nicks/cuts (although as I said I did get a little razor burn).

- I was very worried about cutting myself under the nose, but I got a good shave there and on my upper lip with no cuts/nicks. However, I was not confident enough to try a pass ATG there. I also did not try a pass ATG right at the two joints between the upper and lower lip (leftmost and rightmost ends of the lips). Maybe later when I am more confident.

- Going ATG (up towards the nose) right under the lower lip was very easy with the SS.

I know it was just one shave, but I really loved it. I am most definitely, positively "hooked" on using a str8

I am looking forward to trying it again tomorrow

Will

Will, I'm thinking about trying a Feathers SS in the future. I just want to tell you what a great write up you did. It was very helpful. Hopefully some months from now I give this straight razor gig a try. Thanks again.

wquiles · Jan 26, 2013

ladykate said:
I still can't do that very well and I've been using them for a long time. I settle for xtg under my nose and I seem to get BBS with no problem. ATG on my upper and lower lip is so slow that I just don't try.

It was below the lower lip, what I found it easy. In between my upper lip and nose it was a lot of work, and I only did WTG and XTG. I am not even close to begin considering ATG on my upper lip :blink:

Kentos · Jan 26, 2013

Nice! Imagine how good the shave will be in 3 months!

Shantytownbrown · Jan 26, 2013

I got my SS yesterday as well, and took it for a ride this afternoon...my experience level is just about the same as yours, and had a similar experience with my SS with a few diffences:
1. used the Pros that came with
2. only did one pass, then did my finish with my redtip Super speed

other than that, i agree with you, its all about learning to hold, grip, maneuver, i was thinking the same as i was shaving...
I did some quick short stokes and came away with more irritation than with my developed DE technique but less than I expected..only a few "biopsies" were performed today, and my one neck mole was not sent to the pathology lab!..my R41 gave me more trouble the first go around, but i have learned to like that razor more than i expected...so this is going to be a fun journey...!

hope your journey is a safe one too!

wquiles · Jan 26, 2013

David in Boston said:
Will, I'm thinking about trying a Feathers SS in the future. I just want to tell you what a great write up you did. It was very helpful. Hopefully some months from now I give this straight razor gig a try. Thanks again.

You are welcome. The advice in this forum and the videos on youtube are invaluable :thumbup:

Kentos said:
Nice! Imagine how good the shave will be in 3 months!

I am still a total newbie, but I look forward to doing this better :blush:

Shantytownbrown said:
... but i have learned to like that razor more than i expected...so this is going to be a fun journey...!

Same here. I was pleasantly surprised today, but I still have a lot to learn :001_cool:

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Received Feather SS - no turning back now .

wquiles

Beatnik

puros_bran

dpmtherrien

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.

global_dev

wquiles

ladykate

wquiles

shave/brush

Tierdaen

Snuff-Belgium

wquiles

ladykate

sychodelix

David in Boston

wquiles

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.

Shantytownbrown

wquiles

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