Apples and Oranges

[Gamma]

I took a few days off straights this week to shave with a Feather Loaded DE.
I've never loved Feather blades - they're usually too harsh on my face and the edge-life is too short.
Basically - I get one shave off each blade, 2 max.

Anyway - it's been claimed that Feather blades are the 'keenest' out there. They have a triple bevel to bring the final angle lower than other offerings.

So - after those two days of shaving 24 hr of growth off with a Feather blade - I gotta tell ya' - I wasn't impressed with their cutting efficacy compared to the straight razor shaves from the preceding days.
Just shaved with a Frameback I honed a week or two ago, it's got several shaves on it.
Seriously - today's effort blows the feather-shaves out of the water in all regards.

I use a DE semi-regularly - so it's not a matter of my not being used to shaving with one.
The DE shaves were 4 pass efforts, with clean up if needed.
Those shaves were fine, but there was missed stubble in several places and the 5 o'clock shadow came on quicker than it did after the straight shaves.


Doesn't mean I won't use DEs - I will continue to use them when time or mood dictates the choice.
I'l probably finish up this pack of Feathers and move back to Personna Reds though - I get way more comfortable shaves with them.

 

[oakeshott]

Gamma, what DE did you use?

 

[Brooksie967]

I've been really hesitating getting into DE shaving and this just makes me more hesitant; I think i'll stick to my straights

 

[whavens]

Have you tried the Super Iridiums? To me they are much more face friendly than a feather.

 

[pmaster]

I've had the opposite experience. Last time I shaved with a DE, EJ + Feather, I felt like the shave was much closer than what I get with a straight. However my face also felt numb somehow, which rarely happens with straights. I'm attributing this to lack of experience with a straight, because when I do it right, my cheeks are just as BBS with a straight as with a DE. The hardest thing for me is to get all the little spots with the straight, while with the DE (not as many touchups after) it doesn't seem to be as problematic.

 

[Gamma]

I've had the opposite experience. Last time I shaved with a DE, EJ + Feather, I felt like the shave was much closer than what I get with a straight. However my face also felt numb somehow, which rarely happens with straights. I'm attributing this to lack of experience with a straight, because when I do it right, my cheeks are just as BBS with a straight as with a DE. The hardest thing for me is to get all the little spots with the straight, while with the DE (not as many touchups after) it doesn't seem to be as problematic.

In the beginning, my straight shaves were horrendous. It took a while before my technique caught up with my enthusiasm.

Have you tried the Super Iridiums? To me they are much more face friendly than a feather.

Yep - they were better than Feathers so far as face-feel goes, but I didn't enjoy them. Bought 100 and I sold 90+ of them on the BST.

Gamma, what DE did you use?

It's a 38C, not sure of the vintage - it has what I consider to be a fairly aggressive head.

 

[John Von Wuggz]

Feathers haven't been in my top 3 since I was very new. They usually float around my 5th choice.

 

[oakeshott]

In the beginning, my straight shaves were horrendous. It took a while before my technique caught up with my enthusiasm.



Yep - they were better than Feathers so far as face-feel goes, but I didn't enjoy them. Bought 100 and I sold 90+ of them on the BST.


It's a 38C, not sure of the vintage - it has what I consider to be a fairly aggressive head.

was curious because my experience with DEs was that the razor was far more important than the blade. I tried all the other high end blades but ended up using feathers exclusively. Not because they were always the best in every razor, but because they were generally as good or better and readily available.

 

[Gamma]

I've been through maybe 100-125 different DEs - it's my feeling that the blade/razor combination is the critical factor.
Different razors offer different end results to some or a large degree; I never found a Feather/Razor combo I liked very much but I generally love Personna Reds in just about any razor. I definitely preferred some razors over others; the 3 DEs I decided to keep were my favorites.

 

[global_dev]

Tried a cobra SE?

 

[Gamma]

Nope, But I've used a fair number of those types of blades in other holders.
I can get real close with the Pro, but the face-feel is awful.

Best disposo option I have found is a Weck with a Fromm blade in it.

 

[global_dev]

Interesting, I feel like the cobra tames the blade a bit from the dx and ss

 

[Gamma]

Im not really looking for a better DE/disposo option. I do fine with PR blades in the Merkur.
The point - is that I find my shaves with straights to be better, or at least - more to my liking.

 

[Danricgro]

I find I get a better shave on my face with straights than DE's by a good margin. My neck is just the opposite. Much better with DE's than straights. Hair grows in several directions on my neck and it is easier to handle with DE's. So when I want the ultimate shave I use both.

 

[noahpictures]

I took a few days off straights this week to shave with a Feather Loaded DE.
I've never loved Feather blades - they're usually too harsh on my face and the edge-life is too short.
Basically - I get one shave off each blade, 2 max.

Anyway - it's been claimed that Feather blades are the 'keenest' out there. They have a triple bevel to bring the final angle lower than other offerings.

So - after those two days of shaving 24 hr of growth off with a Feather blade - I gotta tell ya' - I wasn't impressed with their cutting efficacy compared to the straight razor shaves from the preceding days.
Just shaved with a Frameback I honed a week or two ago, it's got several shaves on it.
Seriously - today's effort blows the feather-shaves out of the water in all regards.

I use a DE semi-regularly - so it's not a matter of my not being used to shaving with one.
The DE shaves were 4 pass efforts, with clean up if needed.
Those shaves were fine, but there was missed stubble in several places and the 5 o'clock shadow came on quicker than it did after the straight shaves.


Doesn't mean I won't use DEs - I will continue to use them when time or mood dictates the choice.
I'l probably finish up this pack of Feathers and move back to Personna Reds though - I get way more comfortable shaves with them.

Same here. I have a 38C and my experience mirrors yours. I won't argue the popular consensus that Feather DE blades are the keenest, my question is if they are the keenest it should take me less time and passes to get a nice shave but that has never happened. In my experience DE blades are a matter of personal preference and claims of "keenest" or "smoothest" are meaningless when it comes to getting a close, comfortable shave.

When shaving with straights occasionally I get a BBS in two passes and that has never happened with any other type of a razor.

 

[cleanshaved]

I think the biggest advantage of a straight razor is you can hone it to fit your shave.
Instead of just picking a pack of blades you select a honing system to your taste. Then you have the size and grind type.
No matter what DE/blade combo the above is hard to beat.

 

[daflorc]

I'm pretty sure 90% of all straight razor users are getting less than optimal, or even mediocre shaves, because they are shaving with a less than perfectly honed edge to begin with, and stropping away on a pasted strop until their edge can cut hair. I say this because 90% of straight razor users are new to SR shaving, and there's no way that they've got honing, stropping, and shaving down-pat after only a few months, or even a year into it.

IMO, when ANY blade - be it a feather, DE, disposable or straight razor is sharpened to its potential, every single one will provide a close, comfortable shave. Remember, sharper is not always better - sometimes it just means HARSHER!

 

[Gamma]

I won't argue the popular consensus that Feather DE blades are the keenest, my question is if they are the keenest it should take me less time and passes to get a nice shave but that has never happened.

Exactly - also, I've had the same experience with Slants, HDs, all kinds of vintage razors, Ikons, etc.
So - I'm convinced that it's not the razor's blade exposure, angle, blade-gap, etc.
Feathers hang up on the whiskers under my nose on ATG and I get weepers - my straights plow through those same hairs and leave me BBS there.

 

[drmatt357]

I use my DE every once in a while and would always hack up my face, far worse than any straight. They were various brands of blades. Then I tried the PolSilver. Wonderful edge, feel and pretty close. Not as close as a straight but nice none the less. I got them on Geo's site.
http://bit.ly/10UV3XE

 

[Marco]

I use both DEs and straights, actually enjoying both worlds. DEs are great, easy, quick and give an overall very solid shave to me. Straights are a step above almost under every aspect and the shaves I get from straights are definitely more enjoyable.

P.S. Gamma, Feather blades are rough on my skin also and the Red Personna are my #1 DE razor blades.