GIVEAWAY! Challenge PIF - In The Footsteps Of Legends

[Ted A]

Legendary Feather Blade 1, Shave 1

Razor: King C Gillette
Blade: Feather (1)
Brush: Ever Ready 500
Soap & Balm: Cooper & French Santa’s Workshop
Aftershave: Florida Water

I approached this with a bit of fear and trepidation having read so much about the ferocity of the Feather blade. But I got a nice shave, DFS +, and no injuries.

 

[Weean]

Feather edge 1 shave 3. Wilkinson Sword Classic (plastic) razor; Captain's Choice Venture soap; YaQi Sagrada Familia 24mm tuxedo.

Not much of a learning curve with this soap, so I don't think there's a penalty for going first this round. It just works straight out the gate. Despite this, shave 3 was very unpleasant and I'm confident that this blade is done for me. Past performance suggests that the Kai is likely to last a bit longer, so now I've got to decide whether to start edge 2 of the Feather now, or wait for the Kai to catch up.

What really irked me about todays shave is that I caught a nick on the upper lip, somewhere I *never* have issues. The only consolation is that the Venture smells great, and is sufficiently long-lasting that I've been catching little whiffs of myself all day

 

[sarir97]

Kai blade #1, shave #1.
Tatara Masamune, MdC Nature, WTG/XTG, Lucky Tiger AS.

My first experience with the Kai blade. The fit into the top cap is very snug; it has to be forced in. Maybe its my imagination but the blade appears wider than standard and sticks out more. There was more blade feel and audible feedback than I am used to with the Feather or BIC CP, but the shave nonetheless was smooth and uneventful. Some residual stubble felt and expected, given no ATG pass, maybe more than what I’d expect.

Overall OK first impression; the tight fit into the top cap bothers me most.

 

[srqshaver]

If you do have KAI and Feather Blades in your Den, you are definitely invited to join in and participate in this In The Footsteps Of Legends Challenge!! It is better than OK and we're happy to have you on-board!!

Great! I've needed an excuse to try the Kai that I have and I really haven't gotten along with Feather so far. Maybe this exercise will get me past that. I'm due for a shave anyway and will try one today.

 

[Grundi]

Great! I've needed an excuse to try the Kai that I have and I really haven't gotten along with Feather so far. Maybe this exercise will get me past that. I'm due for a shave anyway and will try one today.

Welcome aboard!!

 

[talibeard]

I finally finished my Treet Falcon blade so tonight was my first shave with a Feather. Parts of my set-up might change but the razor (Lord L6) will stay for at least one Feather and one KAI blade. It is the razor I always use when I am trying a new (stainless) blade and since I never used a KAI blade before (and I do want to compare both blades in the same razor) the Lord is my weapon of choice.

So, Proraso pre (white), TFS Italian Fern, Vulfix 660s (superbadger), Lord L6, Feather (1), Hâttric AS.

A pleasant two pass DFS with smooth results but in a way I was also underwhelmed; it has been a couple of years since I last used a Feather blade and in my imagination it was a lot sharper than the rest but with my shave tonight it was just another sharp blade. Nothing really to set it apart from other nice and sharp blades I am afraid. Let's see how many shaves I can get from this blade.

 

[Mike M]

Kai shave#2

Razor: Rockwell 6C R5
Blade: Kai
Soap: SV Opuntia
Brush: Yaqi Purple Haze

Using my Favourite razor, favourite soap and second favourite brush I am knew this combination would give me a fantastic shave (I'm hoping it will solve some of the problems I had last night with the Feather).
I really like the Kai blades, they are, I think, as sharp as the Feather but just way smoother and last well. My first WTG pass was effortless and very enjoyable. The XTG pass was good and I thought I cut myself, but the forgiving nature of the Rockwell meant it was not to be and I barely felt it. The ATG pass gave me the pleasure of a BBS and l hope tomorrow night's shave will be better than last night's

 

[Demolition]

They're here!

Even with the flooding, mudslides, road washouts, postal delays, etc., the blades arrived in only 6 business days (10 days total) to rain-soaked British Columbia. Just in time for my daily shave, too! (see following post)

Thanks again to @AnimalCatcher, @Space_Cadet, and @Grundi (whose packing job was bombproof, as usual).

 

[Demolition]

First shave with the Legendary Feather Hi-Stainless blade #1

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm Fan-shaped Tuxedo
Soap: Pré de Provence Bergamot and Thyme

A mixed bag from the FOCS/Feather pairing.

As is often the case, the first use of any blade is rarely its best. The Feather is no exception. However, today's outing was particularly unpleasant.

On the first few strokes of the WTG pass, I felt some fairly severe tugging and the blade occasionally skipped over my skin. I changed angles on subsequent strokes and found that a slightly shallower angle allowed the blade to glide a bit more smoothly.

Meanwhile, the ATG pass was also quite tuggy. This pass also required a shallower angle to complete. On completion, I could feel some tingling along my jawline and on my cheeks. No blood was drawn, but my face felt sensitive.

Finally, the XTG pass did not require a change in technique to complete, but I still had to pay attention to prevent my skin from becoming even more sensitive. I felt a couple of stubbly patches on the underside of my jaw, but did not buff them for fear of further irritating my skin.

I found all of this rather perplexing because the lather (generated by the Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo/Fan PdP B&T combination) was extremely rich and slick and should have provided superior glide and protection. After rinsing, I noticed that my cheeks and one side of my neck were somewhat rosy. My cheeks, in particular felt inflamed, so I had to apply some ASB to quell the fire.

Overall, this was one of the worst shaves that I've had in the last few months, but I understand that this kind of performance often occurs on a blade's first use. On the other hand, this phenomenon has always felt much more pronounced with Feathers. Maybe we just aren't meant for each other.

Regardless, I'll try the Feather again on Thursday after I give the Kai a go tomorrow.

 

[Grundi]

I'm relieved that the international posts are starting to arrive in your mailboxes!! Thank you for reporting in @beepee1972 and @Demolition!! (I think that @Demolition received his blades in record time despite all the flooding!!)

And thank you everyone who is participating so far, whether you're CONUS or the WORLD!!

 

[Maxima1]

I'm in if there are more blades still?!

 

[Chard52142]

Wed 1st Feather vs KAI Challenge Rd 2 with Karve Brass SB-D (It's a draw with the first blades)
Round 1 with EJ DE89L, Feather won by a few whiskers
Round 2 with Karve Brass SB-D, KAI won by a few whiskers
Cream MacaRoot & Aloe
Brush Yaqi 24mm Bali Silvertip
Razor Karve Brass SB-D
Blade KAI Stainless 2nd
Aftershaves Stirling Witchhazel Wintergreen + MacaRoot & Aloe Gel Splash
A wonderfully pleasant scent from this cream. The lather was great too...creamy and slick!
An excellent shave with the razor paired with this blade! Very smooth, comfortable yet crisply efficient! 3passes for a bbs finish. This KAI somehow edges out the Feather on this 2nd use, albeit just a hair or two. Aftershaves were awesome!

 

[gvw755]

My blades arrived today and this was before tonight's shave and I had already thought up how I would work this challenge. I would start with one blade in a razor for one shave, and then I will use the same razor, but with the other blade. I would switch up the type of razors, and will go for two weeks doing this. Because I just happen to be testing out a sheep fat soap for someone on another forum, I will be using that soap for the entire time. What I really wanted to do was to reduce as much variables as possible.

Tonight was slant night and so I used my Goodfella Smile razor, which is essentially a Parker Semi-slant, but with a domed cap. I thought about maybe starting with some other razor because a slant is not the razor one would test a new blade on. So I compromised and started with the Kai, which was known to be a milder blade.

The WTG pass started rough. I adjusted the angle a bit and ended up with a decent pass. ATG pass and XTG was very comfortable and efficient. It is possible that the blade was new or it was unfamiliar to me, however, after the initial WTG pass, everything went well and I ended up with a three pass BBS.

Tomorrow, the Feather is loaded in my Goodfella Smiles slant. This should be fun!

 

[srqshaver]

Maybe its my imagination but the blade appears wider than standard and sticks out more.

Not your imagination. Kai blades are ever so slightly wider than most blades.

 

[cwright]

Feather #1 Shave 4
RR BBS AS, Stirling soap, Proraso Red pre shave, Stirling Vanilla Sandalwood, Stirling Splash, Stirling Balm.
3 pass, no pressure (beard reduction), two small weepers, DFS+. maybe one or two more shaves with this Feather...

 

[Yuritau]

Shave 4, Kai (2)
Tradere OC, Omega 10086, Barrister & Mann Cheshire

It's my beloved combo and I know it well, so I got a little adventurous with the soap. Grabbed a fresh sample of Cheshire to try it out.

It's a different animal than my habitual Tabac, but it lathered well and performed excellently. The scent isn't entirely for me, but the soap promises a fun adventure in other B&M flavors.

The blade continues to show off, giving me the glorious three pass shave ice come to expect from this combo. Just for fun I varied blade angle between passes, going to both far extremes. Only at close to a right angle did the shave veer out of the comfort zone, so I backed it off a few degrees and carried on. At the very shallow end of things, the blade was cutting so easily that I had to check more than once that the blade was still even touching my face.

 

[fast shaver]

Kai Blade #1 Shave #2
Tools: DOC Razor & Arko Soap
Got a smooth close three pass shave this A.M.
No nicks or Irritation noted.

 

[fast shaver]

Kai Blade #1 Shave #2
Tools: DOC Razor & Arko Soap
Got a smooth close three pass shave this A.M.
No nicks or Irritation noted.

 

[Seelector]

They're here!

Even with the flooding, mudslides, road washouts, postal delays, etc., the blades arrived in only 6 business days (10 days total) to rain-soaked British Columbia. Just in time for my daily shave, too! (see following post)

Thanks again to @AnimalCatcher, @Space_Cadet, and @Grundi (whose packing job was bombproof, as usual).

Somehow Canada Post got these to you in flooded BC before I received mine in London Ontario! This waiting is killing me...

 

[AZBronco]

Kai Blade 1, Shave 4
AND
Feather Blade 1, Shave 1

Razor: EJ DE89
Soap: WSP Barbershop

I neglected to report on my 4th shave with the Kai. It was pleasant, effective, and wholly unremarkable. It did what a blade should and got the job done. I was planning a couple more shaves with it because it was still working well, but I didn't shave yesterday. My first shave with the Kai was with 2 days growth and was relatively uncomfortable and left me with a couple of small weepers (it was great after that first shave). I decided, in the name of science and fairness, that my first shave with the Feather should be under the same circumstances as my first shave with the Kai so I swapped the blades early.

The Feather performed beautifully with the extra growth. No tugging or weepers. The blade effortlessly moved through the stubble--and at the end, there was no stinging from the aftershave (Captain's Choice Italia--which my wife says smells like Christmas cookies). Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable morning shave.

So, my "first impression rose" goes to Feather. I'll stick with this blade for a few more shaves, then start round two with a different razor. I have a ton of razors--and I've heard the Feather works really well in mild razors, so I'll either use the Mamba 70 or a Gillette adjustable on a lower setting. I need suggestions for the Kai.