Feather Artist Club SS - why go for OC DE ?

[CHSeifert]

Hello honored DE forum TradWetShavers,

I salute you all in honor and out of respect

I received a Feather Artist Club SS - the original Japanese style non folding razor, and 2 10 packs of the Pro blades, and have ow used it a total of 10 times, I believe. So far with very good results.
I don't need to stretch my skin to shave with it, in fact I'm just doing like I do with my R41 razor, paying attention, no pressure and let the blade do the work.

So far I'm impressed. I get more comfortable shaves than I get with my R41, even better BSS shaves and I start to wonder: 'Why do I need open comb DE razors, when this straight is so good, if not GREAT at the same thing - getting a BSS with only 2 passes and same attention to detail and pressure as an R41, but a more comfortable shave?'

So I ask bluntly, and expect to get a couple or 3 harsh honest replies send right back to my face - WHY EVEN USE AN OPEN COMB TYPE DE RAZOR, when the Feather Artist Club does the same thing, but even better and FOR ME PERSONALLY IMHO YMMV - I obtain an overall more smooth, just as fast and better post shave feel than I do using my R41 DE razor, tested with 3 different handles now ?

I'm so pleased with this Feather Non Folding Straight Artist Club SS razor, that I intend to buy a backup soon, it gives me very enjoyable shaves and for some odd reason I pay less attention than I do shaving with my R41, and get better overall results and better overall shaves YMMV

Has anyone considered dumping their open comb or slant DE's and going for a straight or a Japanese Feather straight razor ?

I think I'm selling my R41 and will probably not buy the wonderfully crafted Tradere OC, since I enjoy my Feather Artist Club Non Folding straight razor that much - it gives me very fine shaves even after only 10 full shaves with it......

YMMV of course as always.......

 

[Snuff-Belgium]

The question you ask is not easy to answer. Myself I prefer all my razors that use either the Feather or KAI blades above anything else (I have several feather and kai razors in folding and non folding) but there are plenty of people who get better shaves with a open comb or other DE or other types of razors. Part of the problem might be that you have not yet developed the optimal shave technique with your R41. Sometimes it's good to let razors that you find less then stellar out of your rotation for a while. I often find when I use them again after a few months I get another experience and might like them after all. But I have to admit that only 2 DE's out of all those I tried have stayed in my rotation (EJ89 and Merkur HD 39C Slant Barber Pool). All other modern and vintage DE's have found a new home.

Recently I got myself a Cobra Classic (DE that uses the same feather and kai blades as a SS), and that razor might have spoiled my need to try out other DE's, it's really really good. So only you can answer what razors are the best for you ;-)

 

[takeshi]

So I ask bluntly, and expect to get a couple or 3 harsh honest replies send right back to my face - WHY EVEN USE AN OPEN COMB TYPE DE RAZOR, when the Feather Artist Club does the same thing, but even better and FOR ME PERSONALLY IMHO YMMV

You answered yourself: YMMV. What works best for you isn't necessarily what will work best for the next person.

 

[Member357]

You might still change again in the future. I have the non-folding artist club SS, as well as the CJB, a Kai Captain, a traditional style Kamisori razor, and a few other straights. I really enjoy using them and can get wonderful shaves. Since I got the Merkur slant 37C though, none of them have been touched. The imminent arrival of the Cobra Classic doesn't bode well for them either.

Things change quickly in the topsy-turvy world of wet-shaving my friend!

 

[JDTTO]

Is this you first straight and did you need much time to adapt coming from DE?

 

[bmathe02]

Is it one of the new feather straight razors? I ask because the new ones have sort of a bevel where the blade sticks out which supposedly helps the blade from bitting you.

 

[CHSeifert]

Is this you first straight and did you need much time to adapt coming from DE?

Yes, this is my first. I shaved with it 6-8 times and already after the first 5 shaves I felt I preferred it over my R41.
I get good solid shaves with my R41 - in fact shaved the first 3-4 times with my R41 and without a singly scratch - but I feel I get a better and more comfortable BSS shave with the Feather Artist Club SS Non folding razor.

 

[CHSeifert]

Is it one of the new feather straight razors? I ask because the new ones have sort of a bevel where the blade sticks out which supposedly helps the blade from bitting you.

Yes it's the new model....

 

[VerbaVolant]

... WHY EVEN USE AN OPEN COMB TYPE DE RAZOR....

I never used a straight. That is because I have a ridiculous amount of DE blades already. That is also because I have seen what a straight edge can do to someone's face if do not pay attention.
If you ever let your guard down or in a hurry, or get too complacent, as far as I know from other people's experience, you will need stitches.
These are my only two reasons I never tried it.
The proprietary blades are much more expensive than DE blades but I understand they last a bit longer. Price per shave might be a detractor.
There will be posters to say my talk is rubbish. They might be right!
The day Feather comes out with a system that allows the use of replaceable DE blades, is the day I will try it. Till then... I admire others using it.

 

[jamesspo]

I totally dig shaving a with a straight (never tried the Feather Shavettes though), but I love shaving with DE's and SE's too. I get great shaves from both, and who knows at some point I might do straights only, or much more often. I don't know though, I just like the variety. For me it's not *only* about getting a great shave..it's also about trying different things, and variety.

 

[kingfisher]

Is it easier to shave with one of these than with a classic straight razor?

 

[CHSeifert]

Is it easier to shave with one of these than with a classic straight razor?

According to some, YES! because the new model has a more rounded forgiving edge, but you can also get straights with these forgiving rounded corners as well, as far as I know.

But you don't haves to do any kind of maintenance to a Feather Artist Club, since you use super sharp Feather blades in it.
Honing and stropping is what keeps me away forever from 'real' Straight razors.......

 

[bmathe02]

According to some, YES! because the new model has a more rounded forgiving edge, but you can also get straights with these forgiving rounded corners as well, as far as I know.

But you don't haves to do any kind of maintenance to a Feather Artist Club, since you use super sharp Feather blades in it.
Honing and stropping is what keeps me away forever from 'real' Straight razors.......

I was thinking of picking up one of the newer ones like yourself but am concerned with shave time. I already take 15 min from start to clean up which is abt 10 min more then cartridge shaving. Do you find yourself taking longer to shave with the feather vs de ?

 

[CHSeifert]

I was thinking of picking up one of the newer ones like yourself but am concerned with shave time. I already take 15 min from start to clean up which is abt 10 min more then cartridge shaving. Do you find yourself taking longer to shave with the feather vs de ?

Yes most certainly, but I also took 10 minutes longer for a 3 pass shave with my R41 already, so all in all I spend the same amount of time on the R41 shave as with my straight Feather !

I never use an overly aggressive razor, when I'm in a hurry - NEVER EVER !

My R89/EJ89 DE's are mild and I can shave with them pretty fast, but still not up to the pace I can shave a BSS with my Mühle Sophist Fusion razor.....

 

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

Hello honored DE forum TradWetShavers,

I salute you all in honor and out of respect

I received a Feather Artist Club SS - the original Japanese style non folding razor, and 2 10 packs of the Pro blades, and have ow used it a total of 10 times, I believe. So far with very good results.
I don't need to stretch my skin to shave with it, in fact I'm just doing like I do with my R41 razor, paying attention, no pressure and let the blade do the work.

So far I'm impressed. I get more comfortable shaves than I get with my R41, even better BSS shaves and I start to wonder: 'Why do I need open comb DE razors, when this straight is so good, if not GREAT at the same thing - getting a BSS with only 2 passes and same attention to detail and pressure as an R41, but a more comfortable shave?'

So I ask bluntly, and expect to get a couple or 3 harsh honest replies send right back to my face - WHY EVEN USE AN OPEN COMB TYPE DE RAZOR, when the Feather Artist Club does the same thing, but even better and FOR ME PERSONALLY IMHO YMMV - I obtain an overall more smooth, just as fast and better post shave feel than I do using my R41 DE razor, tested with 3 different handles now ?

I'm so pleased with this Feather Non Folding Straight Artist Club SS razor, that I intend to buy a backup soon, it gives me very enjoyable shaves and for some odd reason I pay less attention than I do shaving with my R41, and get better overall results and better overall shaves YMMV

Has anyone considered dumping their open comb or slant DE's and going for a straight or a Japanese Feather straight razor ?

I think I'm selling my R41 and will probably not buy the wonderfully crafted Tradere OC, since I enjoy my Feather Artist Club Non Folding straight razor that much - it gives me very fine shaves even after only 10 full shaves with it......

YMMV of course as always.......

Congratulations !
I knew you would like that razor.
It gets even better if you can use both hands to shave with, IMO.
I am right handed and can shave as good or maybe better with my left hand.
Its a little spookie at first using your opposite hand with a blade as sharp as a Feather Pro/Super Pro and no guard.
But once you go for it, you will find that your motor skills will kick in and you will get a much more harmonious shave with that bad boy, IMO.

My ss Japanese is at the top of my rotation now....I love the balance and soft handle. I like it better than my NOS $$$$ Kamisori that was professionally sharpened. And that baby is sharp but none of my professionally hone straights can match the Feather blades sharpness. Glad you are having good shaves with yours

 

[rassage]

not to sound like a broken record but..... i shelved my artist club for the as-d1. i find the shave much more comfortable. i will say using the japanese feather is a definite skill. one a man can be proud of imo.

 

[RayJ37]

For the past several months, I've been getting BBS shaves by using a combination of WTG/XTG passes with the Feather AC SS Japanese style straight razor w/Pro blades followed by XTG/ATG cleanup passes with a vintage 1973 Gillette Tech w/Feather blade. This is my first experience using a straight razor except for a few prior shaves using a Dovo shavette. This combo method has been consistently giving me the smoothest shaves I've ever had. I've been getting 8 shaves per AC Pro blade. I shave 3 times a week so a 20 blade pack of AC blades will last me a whole year. The old Gillette slogan of "No stropping, No honing" still has merit for ease of use.