Feather DE Razor: anyone try?

[emsee]

hello,

just discovered this site ... great forum!

I'd been using a Merkur Futur DE razor when one day, one of the thin metal dowels that sits behind the blade popped out. I have been unable successfully to get it back in, and ever since, the tension on the blade hasn't been the same. I told Merkur about it, and they offered to fix or replace it if I send it to Germany. Pretty cool of them, but it means giving up my razor for a couple months probably.

So ... I was thinking about a replacement and am wondering if anyone has experience with the Feather DE razor (see http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522941/906442.htm). I like the way you change the blades ... like the Merkur Vision but far less $$$. I'm also considering one of the classic tried-and-true Merkurs. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

mc (Mark)

 

[rschul2]

Mark,
Welcome to the board. I've never used the Feather DE, but I've never heard anyone say anything good about it. While the Feather Platinum razor blades are some of the best around, people generally tend to say that the Feather is light in weight, that the razor blade moves in the housing, and all in all is just not worth the price. Go ahead and send your razor back to Merkur to get repaired. In the meantime, try Bic Metal disposable razors. They should be able to get you through the layover.

 

[roughrider]

First off, welcome to B&B.

Most people say the Feather DE is a big NO NO. You can pick up a brand new Merkur HD from Charles at QED or from Ray at ClassicShaving for $28-30.

 

[gage0921]

Welcome...

I as well have heard the feather DE is a no win situation but highly reccomend using BIC metals while your futur is being repaired. I personally use a Merkur HD but from time to time still find my self using the BIC's.

 

[emsee]

thanks for the advice, guys. I might just try the BICs, but I'm leaning toward getting a Merkur HD as a backup to get me through the interim (also for travel). happy holidays. mc

 

[Pauldog]

The Feather DE razor has a lot of plastic in it. Even the top is plastic, covered with a chrome-looking plating.

The prices on the Internet (over $20) seem inflated to me, especially when I can get one at a local barber supply shop for under $5.

The workings are very similar to the Gillette Knack and its successor, which also had all the twist-knob workings at the top.

The best deal for this kind of razor is probably a used Gillette Super Speed, or a Schick DE razor. Both are available on eBay for not much money.

 

[bladerunner]

Hello-I have 2 feather razors-1 I bought from Classic Shaving, the other on Ebay. The blades are excellent, but the razor is lightweight, mostly plastic. I get a good shave, but you're better off with aan old DE or Gillette adjustable you can buy on Ebay and use with the Feather blades

 

[ouch]

I agree with the above. I have the Feather DE razor, and it is not befitting the blade of the same name.

I used to think that the razor mattered little compared to the blade itself. After all, only the blade touches your skin, and the razor is merely a device to hold said blade, so what's the big deal, right?

If I may offer an analogy, consider the venerable turntable (I'm showing my age). Yes, people actually used these devices, and many still maintain their superiority over digital media, but that's another story altogether. Only the tip of the stylus touches the record, so why should the turntable matter? Many folks invested considerably more money in their cartridge than their turntable, reasoning this exact way. As was once explained to me by no less an authority than Ivor Tiefenbrun- chief of Linn and pioneer in high end turntables, the "needle" is not merely going along for a ride. It is much better to think of the stylus as being "driven" through the peaks and troughs of the record. In a similar manner, the blade is driven through the beard, and the razor that controls this function must be rock steady.

The Feather DE is not. I'm sure that this is a problem with many razors, particularly adjustables. It strikes me as being far more difficult to execute a design that will hold the blade properly in mulitple settings. I have a Progress, which is very nice, but it seems to have a bit more variability than I would like, especially if I keep changing the settings, which, in my infantile glee, I am unable to prevent myself from doing.

Rather than go the route of purchasing more and more expensive adjustables (although I'll inevitably acquire them anyway), I have decided to stick with the standards. The HD is a great all around razor. For a lighter "setting", the long handle Merkur is gentler, and the slantbar will certainly suffice if you want to crank it up. All three combined cost less than a Vision, and have no play in the blade.

Ultimately, what you decide really doesn't matter. If you stick around here long enough, you're going to get them all, and a few you never even heard of!

 

[Pauldog]

The Feather DE razor has a lot of plastic in it. Even the top is plastic, covered with a chrome-looking plating.

After taking a closer look, I discovered that the top "doors" are actually metal. This definitely makes it less "cheap", but still not as good to me as the Schick DE.

 

[Aevum]

well, the current DE being manufactured by Schick/wilkinson isnt much better, the wilkinson classic DE, i think my words in the review were "i think wilkinson still manufactures this DE razor just incase on of their Xtreme3 or quattro clients makes an attempt to move to DE shaving, this razor is made to punish him for it" or something like that, the whole Shaver is plastic except for a tubular metal cog in the handle to add some weight, the problem is that all the weight is in the handle, giving the shaver horrible balance, and forcing you to bruise your face applying pressure to keep the head on your face,

theres worst then the feather, but if your looking for a bargin, look at weishi or parker, my 96R has treated me well,
or start sweeping the redneck stock exchange,

 

[murchmb]

I've heard good things about the Feather Portable. All metal and not TTO. Kind of like a Tech but a bit more aggressive (or maybe better said not as mild.)

 

[Aevum]

Feather usualy means aggresive,

 

[razercat]

Welcome to the site.

Eddie

 

[Patrick D]

Welcome and go with a Merkur Slant!

 

[RichGem]

My starter DE was the mostly plastic Feather. It's not bad as a starter in so far as it's not aggressive (and not very close shaving). I soon upgraded to a Merkur Classic.

 

[smithno]

I have both the Feather "plastic" and the portable razors. The plastic razor might be a good starter DE for someone with peach fuzz for a beard. It is so mild that it takes some doing to cut yourself. The razor functions fine.

The portable got me into Techs! It is essentially a Tech clone in my book. A little less mild, but the portable head fits Tech handles. The couple of times I tried the portable, I hated it. A few months later, I took it on a week long trip. I learned to shave with it and once you get the angle right, it pretty much is a short handled Tech from my point of view. The portable is also the only razor that I have that seems to really like the ASR blades from Wal-Mart.

I don't use the plastic one at all any more and will probably give it to a friend to get him started. The portable gets used ever so often for travel when I'm not traveling by air.