Item Description
(A discussion thread can be found HERE)
Much has been written (much of it polarizing) about this new offering from Feather and I've already shared my initial impressions. Now that I've shaved with it for a week, I thought a more in-depth review would be helpful.
Many of my friends on the board know I prefer heavy and so-called "aggressive" razors. My daily DE shavers include cooncatbob Bull Mastiffs with NEW or NEW Deluxe heads, Gillette Aristocrats #15 and #21 and a Gillette Big Fellow. But I'm also a big fan of great design and craftsmanship and for this reason alone, I purchased the Feather All-Stainless.
Immediately after opening the vendor's shipping box, I could tell this was no ordinary modern razor. Like so many things our Japanese friends design, the razor's packaging impresses before the razor is even seen. Handsome cardboard cladding surrounds a beautifully crafted wood box in which the razor resides. The razor itself rests in a supportive bed of die-cut foam where a pack of Feather Hi-Stainless blades is also found. Everything I saw at this point oozed quality and craftsmanship, all before I had even removed the razor!
The Razor
The first thing that struck me was its weight. At about 90g, this is no lightweight and it feels wonderful in your hand with very good balance. At every glance, fine craftsmanship abounds and quickly sets this razor apart from any other modern razor I've seen, with the exception of the PILS DE. The razor is made from matte-finished stainless steel that gives off a gorgeous silvery hue that will surprise those who are accustomed to the chrome and nickel finishes so common to other razors. Feather must have invested a lot of money into the production tooling for this razor as every surface and detail is impeccable and without flaw. The handle knurling is deep and exact - one of the best I've used. The cap and base castings are beautiful and include intricate detailing that adds to its handsome design (and likely its function). The only milled surface would appear to be the top of the base plate, which I assume was done to help control the blade gap. This is one of those razors that is fun to just admire and appreciate.
The Shave
Here's where much of the board chatter has centered, in particular because of its three-piece design and similarity to the famous (and mild mannered) Gillette Tech. I'd been using and enjoying Super Iridiums, so I passed on using one of the included Feathers. The first few strokes were so smooth, I first thought the Feather might in fact be the dreaded "mild" shaver that so many predicted. But as I continued, my two days of growth was slicing off with ease and with no irritation. Ah, but how about closeness? Here, the most important test for me is the effectiveness of the razor when shaving XTG and ATG. The Feather passed this test wonderfully and as effectively as any of my regular razors. DFS with two passes (WTG + XTG) and only minor touch-ups. The same setup on my next two shaves yielded the same results.
For my fourth try, I decided to split the shave between the Feather and my Gillette ball-end Tech. It had been some time since I had shaved with a Tech and although a good shaver, I was always unimpressed with how much work was required to achieve a close shave. However, for this purpose the comparison makes sense. WTG strokes with each razor yielded roughly the same result with the edge going to the Feather for its smoothness. XTG and ATG is where the results diverged. As mentioned, the Feather again performed well and easily gave me DFS. But the Tech required multiple passes to achieve the same and I stopped when I felt irritation creeping in. Some of this might be attributed to the weight difference, some to being "out of practice" with the Tech. I was already impressed with the Feather's smoothness, but I also suspected there was a difference in blade gap or exposure.
I inserted used blades in each and measured the blade gap of the Tech at just over .020" [.50mm] (the closest increment in my gage set) which would be consistent with the Wiki's gap of .022" [.56mm]. The Feather comfortably accepted a .025" [.63mm] gage and would probably accept a bit more. This would put the Feather's blade gap in the same range as a Gillette Aristocrat, a Gillette Adjustable set at "3" or a Merkur. Having used all of these at one time or another, this "feels" about right: none possess much "bite" but all are nice shavers.
My fifth shave was with the Feather alone, only now with a Gillette 7O'Clock Yellow. Same smooth results. For my sixth shave and on a member's suggestion, I shaved with my Feather Portable. But first, a blade gap measurement: very similar to the All-Stainless. It's logical Feather has settled on this gap as their standard even though the two razors are made with very different materials and manufacturing processes. A two-pass shave yielded nice results but the strokes felt rougher than the All-Stainless. Here, I think the head design and finish quality of the new Feather sets it apart.
In Summary
I'm impressed. This razor does not announce its shaving presence like my "serious" vintage razors, but it gets the job done almost as effectively. The best words I can think of to describe its "feel" are smooth and foolproof. You know how cartridges are generally safe and care free (never mind their shave quality), tolerating even quick shaves without much issue? That's what I get from the Feather. From the get go, I could shave without any fear of an unexpected bite. But unlike say Super Speeds and Techs, I didn't have to work as hard to achieve the same results. I attribute some of this to its weight but I think its beautiful head design and finish makes a big contribution as well. Is this razor for everyone? Probably not. Am I justifying my investment by offering a glowing report? Maybe. But if you're like me, you'll appreciate its beautiful design and precision manufacturing - all wrapped up in a tool that is both effective and a joy to use. Oh, and it will likely outlast you and your offspring.
A few words to justify my ratings:
Price: Expensive but IMO, a great long-term value.
Quality: Impeccable
User Friendly: Simple, three-piece design - it doesn't get much simpler.
Grip: One of the best.
Ease of Blade Replacement: Only a TTO is easier. No surprises.
Aggressiveness: I'll use the "more aggressive is better" approach. The Feather doesn't possess much bite, but don't let that mislead - it's very effective.
Adjustability: n/a
Balance: Excellent!
Much has been written (much of it polarizing) about this new offering from Feather and I've already shared my initial impressions. Now that I've shaved with it for a week, I thought a more in-depth review would be helpful.
Many of my friends on the board know I prefer heavy and so-called "aggressive" razors. My daily DE shavers include cooncatbob Bull Mastiffs with NEW or NEW Deluxe heads, Gillette Aristocrats #15 and #21 and a Gillette Big Fellow. But I'm also a big fan of great design and craftsmanship and for this reason alone, I purchased the Feather All-Stainless.
Immediately after opening the vendor's shipping box, I could tell this was no ordinary modern razor. Like so many things our Japanese friends design, the razor's packaging impresses before the razor is even seen. Handsome cardboard cladding surrounds a beautifully crafted wood box in which the razor resides. The razor itself rests in a supportive bed of die-cut foam where a pack of Feather Hi-Stainless blades is also found. Everything I saw at this point oozed quality and craftsmanship, all before I had even removed the razor!
The Razor
The first thing that struck me was its weight. At about 90g, this is no lightweight and it feels wonderful in your hand with very good balance. At every glance, fine craftsmanship abounds and quickly sets this razor apart from any other modern razor I've seen, with the exception of the PILS DE. The razor is made from matte-finished stainless steel that gives off a gorgeous silvery hue that will surprise those who are accustomed to the chrome and nickel finishes so common to other razors. Feather must have invested a lot of money into the production tooling for this razor as every surface and detail is impeccable and without flaw. The handle knurling is deep and exact - one of the best I've used. The cap and base castings are beautiful and include intricate detailing that adds to its handsome design (and likely its function). The only milled surface would appear to be the top of the base plate, which I assume was done to help control the blade gap. This is one of those razors that is fun to just admire and appreciate.
The Shave
Here's where much of the board chatter has centered, in particular because of its three-piece design and similarity to the famous (and mild mannered) Gillette Tech. I'd been using and enjoying Super Iridiums, so I passed on using one of the included Feathers. The first few strokes were so smooth, I first thought the Feather might in fact be the dreaded "mild" shaver that so many predicted. But as I continued, my two days of growth was slicing off with ease and with no irritation. Ah, but how about closeness? Here, the most important test for me is the effectiveness of the razor when shaving XTG and ATG. The Feather passed this test wonderfully and as effectively as any of my regular razors. DFS with two passes (WTG + XTG) and only minor touch-ups. The same setup on my next two shaves yielded the same results.
For my fourth try, I decided to split the shave between the Feather and my Gillette ball-end Tech. It had been some time since I had shaved with a Tech and although a good shaver, I was always unimpressed with how much work was required to achieve a close shave. However, for this purpose the comparison makes sense. WTG strokes with each razor yielded roughly the same result with the edge going to the Feather for its smoothness. XTG and ATG is where the results diverged. As mentioned, the Feather again performed well and easily gave me DFS. But the Tech required multiple passes to achieve the same and I stopped when I felt irritation creeping in. Some of this might be attributed to the weight difference, some to being "out of practice" with the Tech. I was already impressed with the Feather's smoothness, but I also suspected there was a difference in blade gap or exposure.
I inserted used blades in each and measured the blade gap of the Tech at just over .020" [.50mm] (the closest increment in my gage set) which would be consistent with the Wiki's gap of .022" [.56mm]. The Feather comfortably accepted a .025" [.63mm] gage and would probably accept a bit more. This would put the Feather's blade gap in the same range as a Gillette Aristocrat, a Gillette Adjustable set at "3" or a Merkur. Having used all of these at one time or another, this "feels" about right: none possess much "bite" but all are nice shavers.
My fifth shave was with the Feather alone, only now with a Gillette 7O'Clock Yellow. Same smooth results. For my sixth shave and on a member's suggestion, I shaved with my Feather Portable. But first, a blade gap measurement: very similar to the All-Stainless. It's logical Feather has settled on this gap as their standard even though the two razors are made with very different materials and manufacturing processes. A two-pass shave yielded nice results but the strokes felt rougher than the All-Stainless. Here, I think the head design and finish quality of the new Feather sets it apart.
In Summary
I'm impressed. This razor does not announce its shaving presence like my "serious" vintage razors, but it gets the job done almost as effectively. The best words I can think of to describe its "feel" are smooth and foolproof. You know how cartridges are generally safe and care free (never mind their shave quality), tolerating even quick shaves without much issue? That's what I get from the Feather. From the get go, I could shave without any fear of an unexpected bite. But unlike say Super Speeds and Techs, I didn't have to work as hard to achieve the same results. I attribute some of this to its weight but I think its beautiful head design and finish makes a big contribution as well. Is this razor for everyone? Probably not. Am I justifying my investment by offering a glowing report? Maybe. But if you're like me, you'll appreciate its beautiful design and precision manufacturing - all wrapped up in a tool that is both effective and a joy to use. Oh, and it will likely outlast you and your offspring.
A few words to justify my ratings:
Price: Expensive but IMO, a great long-term value.
Quality: Impeccable
User Friendly: Simple, three-piece design - it doesn't get much simpler.
Grip: One of the best.
Ease of Blade Replacement: Only a TTO is easier. No surprises.
Aggressiveness: I'll use the "more aggressive is better" approach. The Feather doesn't possess much bite, but don't let that mislead - it's very effective.
Adjustability: n/a
Balance: Excellent!
