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Is SR shaves are, on average, less irritating then Feather AC

Hi all,
In a recent thread 'Why a straight razor?'', couple of people, including me, noted that SR shaves are less irritating. I used Feather AC with Asylum, Cobra etc for many years. My beard is average, but I still need to shave every day, same with SR. I have alight touch and I usually have a very little irritation after SE shave, but with SR is virtually none, despite the fact I switched only 4 months ago, so my technique is far from perfect and I do make more passes trying to achieve BBS. Now my shaves with SR, in term of closeness, are 95% compari.g with SE. (I can't go ATG under the jaw line, since I need to shave horizontally, which is impossible with SR.), so I am just trying to do more passes.

As I mention, final results, literally zero redness/irritation.
Is it different grind/bevel or simply my SR are not as sharp as Feather AC.? So they are more easy on the skin? May be both sharpness and bevel geometry?
I only strop SRs not yet started with honing.

I start thinking may be I shouldn't try to achieve same degree of closeness that with AC? ( I thought to try the 'method' to make my SRs sharper) My shaves are perfectly fine for 24 hours, mane even 30, so if I can shave with SR each day, no irritation whatsoever then it's fine

Just wanted to know if it's only myself and just few more people, or this is a common thing( less irritation than AC and DE)
 
You will sneak up on comparable (and, eventually, better) closeness over time, as your technique subtly improves. And yes, try the 'method' pasted balsa strops for that extra-keen blade which should be a real jump in closeness and control.
 
I am sure I'll improve my technique with time and in a future I'll learn some sort of honing, 'method' or traditional. But I was wondering if one really need to have BBS every time? May be it's better to have 90% of BBS, but completely irritation free. Number of people mentioned that SR shaves are more .'comfortable', most likely because SR are in general less sharp then SE/DE.
 
Hi all,
In a recent thread 'Why a straight razor?'', couple of people, including me, noted that SR shaves are less irritating. I used Feather AC with Asylum, Cobra etc for many years. My beard is average, but I still need to shave every day, same with SR. I have alight touch and I usually have a very little irritation after SE shave, but with SR is virtually none, despite the fact I switched only 4 months ago, so my technique is far from perfect and I do make more passes trying to achieve BBS. Now my shaves with SR, in term of closeness, are 95% compari.g with SE. (I can't go ATG under the jaw line, since I need to shave horizontally, which is impossible with SR.), so I am just trying to do more passes.

As I mention, final results, literally zero redness/irritation.
Is it different grind/bevel or simply my SR are not as sharp as Feather AC.? So they are more easy on the skin? May be both sharpness and bevel geometry?
I only strop SRs not yet started with honing.

I start thinking may be I shouldn't try to achieve same degree of closeness that with AC? ( I thought to try the 'method' to make my SRs sharper) My shaves are perfectly fine for 24 hours, mane even 30, so if I can shave with SR each day, no irritation whatsoever then it's fine

Just wanted to know if it's only myself and just few more people, or this is a common thing( less irritation than AC and DE)

haven't really shaved with a shavette.

what I do know of SR's.......

as you go through the learning curve things get really good.

if you want to drop money on different finish stones or methods.......then you can learn the differences between them and make informed decisions according to your preferences. I personally spent at least a little time with each type of stone just so I could learn "the stone." I believe it is where I found comfort.

method/balsa feels different than a Cnat , Arks feel diiferent than the others, Jasper has some neat qualities, Jnats are a different animal too. there are no right or wrong paths........just learning and preferences.

camo
 
haven't really shaved with a shavette.

what I do know of SR's.......

as you go through the learning curve things get really good.

if you want to drop money on different finish stones or methods.......then you can learn the differences between them and make informed decisions according to your preferences. I personally spent at least a little time with each type of stone just so I could learn "the stone." I believe it is where I found comfort.

method/balsa feels different than a Cnat , Arks feel diiferent than the others, Jasper has some neat qualities, Jnats are a different animal too. there are no right or wrong paths........just learning and preferences.

camo
So which stones would you personally advocate for a beginner based on your experience with different stones?
 
Are you saying you are shaving with an AC razor or just the blades in a SE like the cobra? If you are talking about the AC shavette I don't find it any more irritating than my SRs, but I'm still very new to this. I have noticed that the angle is steeper for my AC SS because the geometry isn't exactly the same as a SR. This may cause a bit of scraping compared to an SR but I can't really tell the difference.
 
So which stones would you personally advocate for a beginner based on your experience with different stones?

for finishing stones......any of them. they all have a learning curve, you just have to be willing to work through it. equally important is understanding the character of each stone (i.e. black/surgical arks will get you to sharp but be prepared for 200 plus laps !!!! if not more)

I can not speak on coticules or other types of stones in this category. I have no desire to go down that rabbit hole.

camo
 
Are you saying you are shaving with an AC razor or just the blades in a SE like the cobra? If you are talking about the AC shavette I don't find it any more irritating than my SRs, but I'm still very new to this. I have noticed that the angle is steeper for my AC SS because the geometry isn't exactly the same as a SR. This may cause a bit of scraping compared to an SR but I can't really tell the difference.
I have been using Pro and Pro Super AC blades in a variety of razors, like Cobra Asylum RX, Mongoose etc. Never used Feather shavette or any other shavette. Considered once trying but then decided to go 'real' SR route.
 
I have been using Pro and Pro Super AC blades in a variety of razors, like Cobra Asylum RX, Mongoose etc. Never used Feather shavette or any other shavette. Considered once trying but then decided to go 'real' SR route.

In that case, it's hard to compare because much of the irritation you'll get comes from the method of shaving and not the blade itself. I would say that the blade itself is no more irritating than an SR blade, but rather the razor is the issue. SR shaving really cuts down on both the blade scraping the skin and pulling the hairs rather than cutting. These are the two factors that contribute to irritation.
 
I have no irritation with a Feather AC RG. Extremely close, and don't have to shave everyday, or even every other day, the Feather blades and good technique do a phenomenal job.
 
Irritation IMO can result from pressure, i.e. not just cutting the whiskers but scraping skin in the process, or from other technique issues, like poor angles, or even the lack of taut skin. In practice, it's easier for me to irritate myself with a safety razor than a SR. Perhaps with a SR I'm just more acutely aware of the pressure. IDK if it's that the safety bar by pressing my skin down some in advance of the cutting edge encourages me to press down a bit(?). With Feather AC blades in a straight style holder I don't get any more irritation than a traditional SR. Each Feather AC holder style DX, SS, RG, Kai varieties, feels a bit different in use. Though the shaves all feel a little different, irritation wise, no more or less with those than my SRs. Also, the SRs I have also each feel a little different in use from each other. When you put the same Feather AC blade into one of the many safety holders out there it becomes a much different shave for me, more akin to a Schick or Gem-type shave than a SR shave.
 
Irritation IMO can result from pressure, i.e. not just cutting the whiskers but scraping skin in the process, or from other technique issues, like poor angles, or even the lack of taut skin. In practice, it's easier for me to irritate myself with a safety razor than a SR. Perhaps with a SR I'm just more acutely aware of the pressure. IDK if it's that the safety bar by pressing my skin down some in advance of the cutting edge encourages me to press down a bit(?). With Feather AC blades in a straight style holder I don't get any more irritation than a traditional SR. Each Feather AC holder style DX, SS, RG, Kai varieties, feels a bit different in use. Though the shaves all feel a little different, irritation wise, no more or less with those than my SRs. Also, the SRs I have also each feel a little different in use from each other. When you put the same Feather AC blade into one of the many safety holders out there it becomes a much different shave for me, more akin to a Schick or Gem-type shave than a SR shave.
Thanks for your reply. I don't own any Feather Shavette , will be interested to try, just to compare with SR. (I just can't get why they are so damned expensive).
 
In that case, it's hard to compare because much of the irritation you'll get comes from the method of shaving and not the blade itself. I would say that the blade itself is no more irritating than an SR blade, but rather the razor is the issue. SR shaving really cuts down on both the blade scraping the skin and pulling the hairs rather than cutting. These are the two factors that contribute to irritation.
Hi, thanks for you reply. I thoght edge geometry namely bevel/angle of AC blade is different from SR, but may be it's really not a factor or a very minor one.
 
Thanks for your reply. I don't own any Feather Shavette , will be interested to try, just to compare with SR. (I just can't get why they are so damned expensive).
Try one of these holders budget holders, they're just fine and low cost. I have one ad it shaves fine with a good blade. But, the Chinese blades they sell with the holders were not great: 9.94US $ 50% OFF|Japanese Feather Razor Vintage Manual Change Blade Shaving Razor Retro Folding Knife Holder Men Shaving Barber Tools G1105|Razor| - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000332489816.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1bc61299B1IwKI&algo_pvid=85bfd858-4857-4b47-9497-ad70effa81d1&algo_exp_id=85bfd858-4857-4b47-9497-ad70effa81d1-0
 
Hi, thanks for you reply. I thoght edge geometry namely bevel/angle of AC blade is different from SR, but may be it's really not a factor or a very minor one.

You are correct, Feather AC blades use a triple grind so they have three bevels, while we only set one bevel for a straight razor. I don't think that will affect the amount of irritation though.
 
May be it's better to have 90% of BBS, but completely irritation free. Number of people mentioned that SR shaves are more .'comfortable', most likely because SR are in general less sharp then SE/DE.

My skin does not like ATG shaves on a regular basis, so most of the time I only do a two-pass WTG and XTG shave. It gives me excellent results, not BBS, but close and no irritation. Nobody, apart from you will know the difference. When I am working, I will shave in the evening taking my time with no rush. I don't have dark beard, so my shaves are good enough not to have visible stubble through the day.

Last week I tried something different on my day off, a one-pass shave. I tried it when I started out, but had patches of stubble left. Didn't like the result. Turns out that I developed a habit of not making an effort with my first pass, just mowed down the majority of the whiskers, relying on my second pass to catch the rest. When I made an effort with my first pass, making a conscious decision not to do a second pass, I got a good result, probably better than any cartridge shaves I was happy with before. Post shave feel was very similar to a two-pass shave, the only difference was that the whiskers came back sooner than usual. It will probably not be good enough to last me through the next day.

If I did not enjoy the shaving experience so much I would have stuck to a single pass shave, my skin seemed to love it.
 
If you hone your own razors you can adjust the characteristics of each edge. I can get my SR as sharp as any AC style blade, but do you want to. A 7/8 razor with that edge can be a challenge. Different edges for different grinds for different circumstances.
Lately i have been liking my jnat edges finished on a light slurry. Skin friendly, but sharp enough. I still have a love hate relationship with my coticules.
 
I can’t speak to the feather ac having not used one myself.I have used the feather DE blades..I don’t think the lack of irritation is due to any less sharpness of the edge.In fact I get more irritation from a less sharp edge.

I think it’s the angle that causes most of the irritation.A DE SE or even a shavette(to a lesser degree)Is at a much more extreme angle.Where the straight razor is almost flat against the skin…Maybe it’s flawed…But I have noticed less irritation with straights and have always attributed it to the less severe angle to the skin(as well as lighter pressure)
 
My skin does not like ATG shaves on a regular basis, so most of the time I only do a two-pass WTG and XTG shave. It gives me excellent results, not BBS, but close and no irritation. Nobody, apart from you will know the difference. When I am working, I will shave in the evening taking my time with no rush. I don't have dark beard, so my shaves are good enough not to have visible stubble through the day.

Last week I tried something different on my day off, a one-pass shave. I tried it when I started out, but had patches of stubble left. Didn't like the result. Turns out that I developed a habit of not making an effort with my first pass, just mowed down the majority of the whiskers, relying on my second pass to catch the rest. When I made an effort with my first pass, making a conscious decision not to do a second pass, I got a good result, probably better than any cartridge shaves I was happy with before. Post shave feel was very similar to a two-pass shave, the only difference was that the whiskers came back sooner than usual. It will probably not be good enough to last me through the next day.

If I did not enjoy the shaving experience so much I would have stuck to a single pass shave, my skin seemed to love it.
+1 for evening shave! Especially with the straight when you really don't want to rush.
Unfortunately I have couple of problems;
1. Laziness and procrastination:)
2. While I don't have a very thick beard, I have to shave every day. If I shave evening, morning/before noon it's fine.
But afternoon, I start 'feeling' it particularry on the neck, where it starts rubbing against shirt color, especially if the shave wasn't BBS ( neck is particularry difficult for me with SR, since it's impossible to do ATG, in my case horizontal path from East to West) Evening it doesn't only 'feels', but doesn't look good, so if I have a meeting evening, previous evening shave is 'no go'. Otherwise, relaxed evening SR shave would be ideal. But now, I can shave with SR reasonably fast, not as fast as with Asylum RX, but reasonable, so mornings are sort of OK.
And if I am in real rush, I fall back to Asulym, sometimes even to cartridge( very rarely) , I am ashamed to admit. I also have cartridge, shaving gel in my car, just in case.
P.S. BTW regarding car shaving, I saw many times, people use electric shavers in a car, when waiting in traffic jams. But I also saw , on a couple of occasions, folks using cartridges. One time it was really close, a car next to me. I thought it's actually possible, since these new cartridges ha a gel patch built in.
 
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steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Hi all,
In a recent thread 'Why a straight razor?'', couple of people, including me, noted that SR shaves are less irritating. I used Feather AC with Asylum, Cobra etc for many years. My beard is average, but I still need to shave every day, same with SR. I have alight touch and I usually have a very little irritation after SE shave, but with SR is virtually none, despite the fact I switched only 4 months ago, so my technique is far from perfect and I do make more passes trying to achieve BBS. Now my shaves with SR, in term of closeness, are 95% compari.g with SE. (I can't go ATG under the jaw line, since I need to shave horizontally, which is impossible with SR.), so I am just trying to do more passes.

As I mention, final results, literally zero redness/irritation.
Is it different grind/bevel or simply my SR are not as sharp as Feather AC.? So they are more easy on the skin? May be both sharpness and bevel geometry?
I only strop SRs not yet started with honing.

I start thinking may be I shouldn't try to achieve same degree of closeness that with AC? ( I thought to try the 'method' to make my SRs sharper) My shaves are perfectly fine for 24 hours, mane even 30, so if I can shave with SR each day, no irritation whatsoever then it's fine

Just wanted to know if it's only myself and just few more people, or this is a common thing( less irritation than AC and DE)
I have never used an AC but do use a Parker shavette from time to time and haven’t experienced any irritation from it and neither do I from a traditional straight razor.
 
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