Astra vs. Feather

[mfarber]

I've been shaving with a DE for a few months, trying out different blades. So far, the two I like best are Astra Platinum and Feather. I find the Astra's very comfortable, but after 2-3 shaves i started to get razor burn. The Feathers' are certainly much sharper (too sharp?) and seem to last about 5-6 shaves so far.

Do other people have similar experiences? My initial though was to go with the Feathers since, despite the higher cost, they would last a bit longer. But now I am leaning more toward the Astras. For the difference in price, I could change them 3 times as often and still come out ahead.

 

[martym]

I only use Astra SP.
i tried feather and got razor burn and for me they only lasted 2 shaves.

 

[BayRhum]

Your experience of Feathers lasing so much longer than Astra (or other blades) is the opposite of probably most other's experiences. Mine included. Feathers last about 2 shaves for me. Astra SP I can push to 4. My beard is like a brillo pad - it eats razors.

 

[Luc]

I find Feathers to be too rough so I would go would Astra normally. Lately, I was able to get a lot of shaves (+10) out of my Astra. I would need to count them to know exactly how many shaves.

 

[dcc]

+1 for Feathers

 

[coonskinner]

I like Astras better, but I am a newb.

 

[Tim_McD]

I went to Feathers after running through samplers and never looked back.

You should check out the Sharpologist, as Manic59 is just about to start his search for "the" blade. Also, remember that DE blades at any price point save you tons of money versus cartridges.

Buy what you like, change them as often as you want and enjoy you shave and savings.

 

[musicman1951]

If I could get Feather's to last that long I would use them. I find them no sharper than Med Preps with half the longevity.

 

[russhatch]

Astra is my go to blade, like feathers too but they don't last as long for me.

 

[fuzinboston]

Personna Med Preps - more forgiving than Feathers, sharper and smoother than the Astras. I have loads of Feathers and Astras that I'll probably PIF since the Med Preps work so well for me.

 

[SteveWY]

I use mainly Astra SP as my go-to, buy in bulk blade. I suspect if you are getting irritation/burn after a couple shaves it is related to pressure. You should safely and comfortably be able to get 4-5 shaves out of about any blade. I agree with the others in that I find Astras to last longer than Feathers. Only suggestion I can offer is make sure you are maintaining a good lather between passes and watch your pressure. Sometimes we are tempted to increase pressure to get closer when what we should do is maintain light pressure throughout and let the blade and razor weight to the job.

 

[aihpcfl]

Try more blades, broaden your experience, and gain greater confidence in your preferences. Personally I think Feathers are good blades but for me the differences between blades is small for what I have tried. I also like Derby and Astra blades as well, and the price is right. But I still have most of a sample pack to finish.

 

[mswofford]

I suggest you try one kind of blade (changing as needed) for at least a week. Your technique may need adjustment as you "learn" how that blade works for you before trying something else. In other words give yourself and the blade a chance before you judge it harshly. And most of all, WELCOME! Regards. Mike. By the way, I use Feathers and Astra SPs.

 

[MicBaldy]

Personna Med Preps - more forgiving than Feathers, sharper and smoother than the Astras. I have loads of Feathers and Astras that I'll probably PIF since the Med Preps work so well for me.

I'll take your feathers if you don't want them.

Seriously though, I much prefer Feather over the Astra blades. Astras always feel rough to me.

 

[Shellbriar]

Astra for me.

 

[TacticalPanda]

Astras to me are not as sharp, but much smoother and last longer. They are much cheaper, but for only a dollar more per hundred, you can get Personna Labs. These, to me, are almost as sharp as a Feather with the smoothness of an Astra and they last quite a long time.

 

[mindofsummer]

I like Astras better, but I am a newb.

Being a newb has nothing to do with it, in my opinion. To me, Astras feel sharper and much smoother than Feathers.

 

[utahusker]

I have both blades in my stock pile, but I've had a couple bad Astras here and there. So I'm going to go with Feathers over Astras. 7 O'clock Blacks are my absolute favorites, but that wasn't an option

 

[Chadao]

Astras were not for me and I PIFed them. I love Feathers, but they are the least forgiving to me (with my tremors, Featherscare most likely to cut me)...So I rotate Yellows (my favorites), Blacks, Lab/Blues, and Voskhods. And the occasional Dr aa their to remind myself how good they are.

 

[Early Morning]

Since Astra works well for you, it makes more sense to use Astra than Feather. Also, what we describe as sharpness does not always translate into an efficient shaving blade. I've used a few blades that are more efficient for me than Feather--not many but some.