Learning to shave with the Feather Artist Club

[Cheesepiece]

over the last few days I've shaved a couple of times with conventional straight razors and I have to say "can somebody please invent a shavette with a 3" blade and a proper feedback"

Like these?

Weck (1909 on)

What makes a shavette a straight razor? It's intention. It's design and designation. While many would categorise these as shavettes due to their removable blades and use of what is now designated a "shaper" blade, do understand that these razors were designed originally as face shavers and...

www.atgshaving.com

 

[NeilJ]

This morning I had my first shave with the SS and a Schick Proline and it was very very nice. I reminded me the Feather Pro from shave No 3 to No 7 or 8.

Reading through post on this thread and wondering why @wintoid gets on with Supers and I'm not particularly crazy about them, also why I did like Pros but @wintoid didn't like them, I came to the conclusion that @Wintoin's beard must be thicker than mine, hence the need for a sharper blade. If your beard is thick and you don't have a very sharp blade it feels like you are shaving with a blade that's had it, further more, you are more likely to get cuts, at least that's my experience with conventional straight razors.
I find the Supers too sharp for me and with that information in my head I can't enjoy the shave as much.... I feel a bit tense when shaving, having said that, I'll try to get used to it, just as a challenge

over the last few days I've shaved a couple of times with conventional straight razors and I have to say "can somebody please invent a shavette with a 3" blade and a proper feedback"

These are happy days, I'm really happy to shave with a number of DE, SE, SR and a shavette in my den and it has taken years to put together, it makes me think of the times when I felt that I'd never get a proper good enjoyable shave. Not everything is down to hardware, technique and skin getting used to the panishment, play probably a bigger role.

I was exactly the same using the Professional blade, I was on edge all the time and couldn’t enjoy the shave, Schicks all the way for me.

 

[Merkurologist]

Like these?

Weck (1909 on)

What makes a shavette a straight razor? It's intention. It's design and designation. While many would categorise these as shavettes due to their removable blades and use of what is now designated a "shaper" blade, do understand that these razors were designed originally as face shavers and...

www.atgshaving.com

Interesting ideas but I'd like to see something inspired on the DX or SS

I was exactly the same using the Professional blade, I was on edge all the time and couldn’t enjoy the shave, Schicks all the way for me.

Interesting, how many shaves did you have with the Pro?

 

[Zwilling]

Interesting ideas but I'd like to see something inspired on the DX or SS

Ah but these are themselves based on the sizings of Japanese razors, which generally range between 4-5.5cm in blade length - so basically between DE and AC size. You might be stuck with Wecks and Dovo shavettes with Tondeo blades for longer blade length for the foreseeable...

 

[NeilJ]

Interesting ideas but I'd like to see something inspired on the DX or SS




Interesting, how many shaves did you have with the Pro?

I started AC shaving with the Professional and maybe had 8-10 shaves out of it before I tried the Schick which I found noticeably smoother. I did find it got smoother after a few shaves, whereas the Schick is smooth for me straight from the off. I think I will run the Pro's through a cork a few time next time I use it. I tried a Pro on Saturday and it left me with irritation on my neck.

 

[UKRob]

over the last few days I've shaved a couple of times with conventional straight razors and I have to say "can somebody please invent a shavette with a 3" blade and a proper feedback"

I think the feedback you are referring to comes from the extreme hollow grinding on some straights - also referred to as singing razors. Further back, there was the ‘rattler’ grind - so called because the very thin blade conducted the sound of whiskers being cut. The geometry of Feather AC type blades is obviously not suited to transmitting sound, I’m guessing the blade would need to be a lot deeper (spine to edge) to achieve this. I’m pretty sure that people who used the old SE razors with Gem blades all said there was audible feedback - or perhaps chatter is the cause. So, if I’m right, what’s needed is a 3” version of the Gem blade and suitable shavette to hold it.

 

[Merkurologist]

I started AC shaving with the Professional and maybe had 8-10 shaves out of it before I tried the Schick which I found noticeably smoother. I did find it got smoother after a few shaves, whereas the Schick is smooth for me straight from the off. I think I will run the Pro's through a cork a few time next time I use it. I tried a Pro on Saturday and it left me with irritation on my neck.

That's my experience too.

 

[wintoid]

Day 80 - Feather Artist Club SS with Kai PINK mild (3)

I feel the same as with the previous shave. It shaves, I'm perfectly well shaven, but I didn't really enjoy it. No nicks or cuts. I just don't like the feel of this particular blade against my skin.

I was trying to avoid making lots of small strokes today, which is how I usually shave, going over the same bit several times. So my aim was to make longer strokes, and not to repeat them. Just a little bit of overlap between strokes. I wouldn't say it made any difference in terms of how close the shave was, so perhaps this is a tactic I should retain.

My current blade ranking, from favourite to least favourite goes as follows:

Kai Protouch MG
Feather Pro Super
Feather Proguard
Kai PINK mild
Schick Proline
Feather Professional

I think I only really like the top two, to be honest. It's obvious that most people wouldn't agree with my ranking as most don't seem to like the Super quite so much.

Somewhere in a drawer I believe I have some Kai Captain Sharp blades, which I ought to try. I don't think I have any of the old Kamisori blades left. I also have some chinese blades that came with the cheapo FAC clone I bought, but I've never had the nerve to try them.

 

[Cheesepiece]

3 shaves in on the Kai Captain / Feather Pro Super combination.
Normally I'm a palm stropper but after injecting the blade prior to shave #1 I totally skipped my first step for some unknown reason. Incredibly sharp blade and not all that comfortable, I found myself getting all sorts of weeping cuts on my throat and around the Adams apple. The finish was a close and uncomfortable shave.
Shave #2. Palm strop and begin. Much of the same, though perhaps fewer weepers this time. Close and not too comfortable.
Shave #3. Palm strop and begin. Now this is more like it. A close and comfortable shave and other than the whole thing being marred by the fact I gave myself probably the second worst shaving cut I've had in my 8 years of wet shaving, it was a very good shave. I just happened to ruin it by slicing a piece of skin 2×2mm clean off my chin.

If this is what Feather Pro Supers are like I think I'll be thoroughly palm stropping before the first shave or even corking the blade. Shave #3 was good and only for user error it would have been a fantastic shave. I think the blades show great promise.
None of the audible feedback I've become accustomed to with my Weck / Dubl Duck replaceable blade straights but more than satisfying results.

 

[culcreuch]

I also have some chinese blades that came with the cheapo FAC clone I bought, but I've never had the nerve to try them.

I wouldn't bother with those. Not good at all

 

[UKRob]

3 shaves in on the Kai Captain / Feather Pro Super combination.
Normally I'm a palm stropper but after injecting the blade prior to shave #1 I totally skipped my first step for some unknown reason. Incredibly sharp blade and not all that comfortable, I found myself getting all sorts of weeping cuts on my throat and around the Adams apple. The finish was a close and uncomfortable shave.
Shave #2. Palm strop and begin. Much of the same, though perhaps fewer weepers this time. Close and not too comfortable.
Shave #3. Palm strop and begin. Now this is more like it. A close and comfortable shave and other than the whole thing being marred by the fact I gave myself probably the second worst shaving cut I've had in my 8 years of wet shaving, it was a very good shave. I just happened to ruin it by slicing a piece of skin 2×2mm clean off my chin.

If this is what Feather Pro Supers are like I think I'll be thoroughly palm stropping before the first shave or even corking the blade. Shave #3 was good and only for user error it would have been a fantastic shave. I think the blades show great promise.
None of the audible feedback I've become accustomed to with my Weck / Dubl Duck replaceable blade straights but more than satisfying results.

I’ve never palm stopped so dont know how effective it is - corking does seem to take the roughness off Feather blades, but have you considered using a leather strop? I’m assuming you have one as you seem to be an experienced straight shaver. Funnily enough, it’s never occurred to me to use a strop on a manufactured blade until now.

 

[Cheesepiece]

I’ve never palm stopped so dont know how effective it is - corking does seem to take the roughness off Feather blades, but have you considered using a leather strop? I’m assuming you have one as you seem to be an experienced straight shaver. Funnily enough, it’s never occurred to me to use a strop on a manufactured blade until now.

I no longer own a strop as I gave up my short-lived pursuit of true straight razors a long while ago, mainly due to honing and maintenance, more my lack of skill therein in fact.

I am an exclusive user of replaceable blade straights (Weck, etc.) and Artist Club type. I would class mysen as competent only. I'd not be likely to use the word experienced when referring to my own technique or skill. I'd leave that to the sort of boys who can grind solid steel into a shave ready sharp, or hone a nackered old blade back to life or even those who can recognise when to touch up an edge on stones, leather or linen.
I would say my shaves have plateaud somewhat and I'm at a point where I'm more than happy with the results I get and the method / technique (s) required (shaving only that is, not honing, stropping or anything else). This has taken a slow trajectory over a number of years but I'm more than happy I stuck with it.

The proper leather strop idea had never occurred to me either. Corking might be the way forward. We shall see how the palm stropping affects the next fresh Super. And I might switch to corking if it proves ineffective and look at strops once again if needs be.

 

[wintoid]

Day 81 - Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded (1)

God, why do I bother? From the first stroke until the end of the shave I was enjoying myself. With a fresh blade, of my favourite type, the whole experience is thoroughly rewarding. No scrapey-ness either.

Three passes WTG/XTG/ATG, no nicks, nice and close, super comfortable. I can find some small areas to criticise where it could be closer, but basically this is a top drawer shave. I am not sure there is a DE I enjoy shaving with more than this.

 

[Zwilling]

Day 81 - Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded (1)

God, why do I bother? From the first stroke until the end of the shave I was enjoying myself. With a fresh blade, of my favourite type, the whole experience is thoroughly rewarding. No scrapey-ness either.

Three passes WTG/XTG/ATG, no nicks, nice and close, super comfortable. I can find some small areas to criticise where it could be closer, but basically this is a top drawer shave. I am not sure there is a DE I enjoy shaving with more than this.

And just like that, reader, he was hooked.

 

[Ventastic]

And just like that, reader, he was hooked.

It depends. How long did the shave take @wintoid ?