Marcus Visits Feather Artist Club

[mjclark]

My good friend Matt has lent me his Feather AC so I can find out what all the fuss is about.

The first thing I noticed is how good it looks to the eye and feels in the hand.
The second thing I noticed is how shockingly sharp that Feather injector blade is.
If anything it's too sharp, surgical and unforgiving but the result was a fantastically efficient shave which was also a lot of fun

Unlike my experience with oversharp straights when I've finished them on diamond or lapping film and they are also harsh, the Professional blade was satisfyingly smooth but I did end up with some slight neck irritation.

I was also surprised at how fast I got stubble regrowth - although I felt BBS my beard was back in force next morning.

I've used Durham Duplex and half DE blade shavettes and the Feather AC is definitely much better for me than those (but not quite a match for the awesome devettes that have changed my shaving life).

I imagine it would be superb for travelling too.

So is Feather AC a match for my Bengall or even my Gold Dollar?
Ha ha - of course not

But is it a lot of really well made and good feeling super powerful shaving fun?
Most definitely!

The experience has made me want to try out a Cobra Classic and a Mongoose...
...and for sure I'll be visiting Feather Artist Club again real soon.

 

[Blix]

I love my Artist Club SS.

Yup, it just don't get any sharper, but still surprisingly smooth. A tad less forgiving than a regular straight as you noticed, but you get used to that after a few shaves.
I like the Captain Titan Mild blades for them.

 

[mjclark]

I love my Artist Club SS.

Yup, it just don't get any sharper, but still surprisingly smooth. A tad less forgiving than a regular straight as you noticed, but you get used to that after a few shaves.
I like the Captain Titan Mild blades for them.

So what are the differences between the various compatible blades? I'm guessing they're all excellent.

 

[Blix]

So what are the differences between the various compatible blades? I'm guessing they're all excellent.

In additions to the CaptainsI have the Feather Pro where the blade sticks out a tad further making them a bit more aggressive, the Captains are a tad more forgiving, but not a huge difference.
I have a pack of the Pro-Guards too, but haven't used them yet.

 

[Beadog]

Stubble doesn't return as quickly after you use the razor several times.

For me, the Feather DX razors are in the same class as a well honed extra hollow ground straight razor, and the R41/ATT H1 DE's for closeness and longevity of shaves.

The difference is that a Feather DX is harder to use at first, because one must respect that wickedly sharp edge.

 

[Rory1262]

I had a chance to use two of the non-folding Feather ACs on a recent tour -- they were a lot of fun.
For me at least, the non-folding handle is something I preferred to folding, based on my experience there with the Weck Sextoblade.
The Feather egronmics are very nice.

I enjoyed the level of focus that was needed.
Using Myrsol Emulsión as a pre-shave also helped.

 

[Usascot]

It's a great shavette.

I can't get my straight blades as sharp as the Feather Pro blades on my own. So, I tend to use the SS a lot.

 

[mjclark]

Yeah - I'll definitely persist and refine my technique, and it's good to hear that longer lasting shaves are on offer.

Although my first result was excellent I didn't feel as satisfied as with a straight or devette but after reading the comments in this thread and also remembering just how great the Feather AC feels in my hand, 36 hours on I'm keen to take it for another outing.

 

[Seraphim]

Feathers shave differently than a regular straight. ZERO pressure is key, or else weepers WILL be the result.

I have found yet the more you use the Feather exclusively, instead of in a rotation, the better the shaves will be. I once used mine for a month straight and got pretty handy with it. The only downside to that is lack of variety and things to hone.

 

[mjclark]

Feathers shave differently than a regular straight. ZERO pressure is key, or else weepers WILL be the result.

I have found yet the more you use the Feather exclusively, instead of in a rotation, the better the shaves will be. I once used mine for a month straight and got pretty handy with it. The only downside to that is lack of variety and things to hone.

Although I haven't yet enjoyed the Feather AC as much as my straights, there is something compelling about it - perhaps the sheer excellence of its modern design - that is making me want to shave with it again and again and again.

But I do like variety and maintaining my own edge - this is what makes the Rolls razor such a winner for me.

Perhaps Feather could introduce a "Pro-Hone" maintainable wedge injector blade...

 

[Lmarkow]

I just enjoyed my 19th shave on a single pro blade in my AC SS; great shave, but I miss the variety of regular straights.

 

[jay124]

I really enjoy using my Feather SS with the Pro Super blades. The Pro Super blades are a bit longer, and more aggressive, than the Pro blades. With the bump on the SS I find the Pro Super blades let me use a shallower angle and get a more comfortable shave. I'm currently not interested in the maintenance that goes along with a regular straight so the Feather AC is perfect.

 

[mjclark]

My second shave with the DX tonight, while our new Romanian lodger was showing me videos of his home town on a Samsung Galaxy (honestly!), and an awesome shave much more enjoyable than the first since I am now aware of the parameters of care that this ultramodern razor requires.

There's definitely something addictive about Feather Artist Club!