Feather Pro Guard

[Earcutter]

I've got to say, I've really come to appreciate my Feather Artist Club SS (SS).

I spent a considerable amount of time away from my home a while back, and figured the SS would just be easier to pack/use than hauling all my straights and stones. After almost two years of using it regularly... I really have come to know and love it.

Though I had always heard good things about the Pro Guard, the idea of getting them seemed ridiculous to me. A gimmick for noobs.

" By wrapping the blade in a protective wire cage a comfort margin is maintained between the blade edge and the skin. The wire guard also virtually eliminates nicks and cuts."

Come on. That's just silly.

Well, I'm here to tell you I have to eat crow. I totally love em!

After a couple of years, I finally needed to order some new blades and I figured why not try - for science. Wow.

I'm not sure what else to say. I don't know why they seem so much smoother than the "regular" blades, but they do. They rock. In spite of your experience level - you owe it to yourself to try em out.

 

[shave/brush]

I've used them in my ATT SE1 razor and they seem to be a bit smoother than the regular Feather Pro blades. I haven't used them in awhile. Maybe I will take them for spin the next time I reload my razor.

 

[Earcutter]

Nice!

 

[sarimento1]

Sir Earcutter, thanks for sharing your epiphany and love of Proguards!
Which I totally share!!

 

[Badgerstate36]

Ive used both the Pro Guard and the Professionals and I honestly dont notice a whole lot of a difference in the quality of shave. The Pros might shave a bit closer but its not much.

 

[shave/brush]

Sir Earcutter, thanks for sharing your epiphany and love of Proguards!
Which I totally share!!

Error, need redo.

 

[shave/brush]

Sir Earcutter, thanks for sharing your epiphany and love of Proguards!
Which I totally share!!

View attachment 973471

@sarimento1, You post a lot of very nice pictures with a lot of very nice gear. Do actually own all this gear?

 

[xxvaleria]

I've always enjoyed them in my Cobra Classic.

 

[sarimento1]

@sarimento1, You post a lot of very nice pictures with a lot of very nice gear. Do actually own all this gear?

Well, to be honest, I own but using funds from my heirs!

 

[Leverspro]

Very interesting. I've yet to try the Guard.

I've got to say, I've really come to appreciate my Feather Artist Club SS (SS).

I spent a considerable amount of time away from my home a while back, and figured the SS would just be easier to pack/use than hauling all my straights and stones. After almost two years of using it regularly... I really have come to know and love it.

Though I had always heard good things about the Pro Guard, the idea of getting them seemed ridiculous to me. A gimmick for noobs.

" By wrapping the blade in a protective wire cage a comfort margin is maintained between the blade edge and the skin. The wire guard also virtually eliminates nicks and cuts."

Come on. That's just silly.

Well, I'm here to tell you I have to eat crow. I totally love em!

After a couple of years, I finally needed to order some new blades and I figured why not try - for science. Wow.

I'm not sure what else to say. I don't know why they seem so much smoother than the "regular" blades, but they do. They rock. In spite of your experience level - you owe it to yourself to try em out.

 

[Earcutter]

Ive used both the Pro Guard and the Professionals and I honestly dont notice a whole lot of a difference in the quality of shave. The Pros might shave a bit closer but its not much.

Just to be clear, when you talk about quality of shave, considering your second sentence, i’ll assume you mean closeness of shave. So let me be clear, closeness was never mentioned in my original post. Once you know what you’re doing with your Feather, close should be a give in, and between the two blades, little difference. I’m talking about the smoothness! And I’m finding the Pro’s way smoother... oddly enough.

It’s like the Pro was a straight finished on a great coti, and then lightly loved with some CrOx before being stropped - where the other blades now seem finished on a 12k synthetic and not stropped. Both cut great, but the first one will be a better experience.

Well, that’s my thoughts on it anyway. I hope the second and third blade etc., etc. see me reaching the came conclusion.

 

[Earcutter]

Well, to be honest, I own but using funds from my heirs!

I always wanted to be a trust fund baby myself... life’s unfair! Lol

 

[albsat]

Interesting feedback.

Straight razor users generally say that shavettes are a different animal. In what sense ?There are so many artist club blades and maybe the gap shouldn't be that much. I use a De shavette personally time after time.

Those who use both straight razors and artist club shavettes regularly , what do you think?

 

[Twelvefret]

I am also a fan of the AC Pro Guard blades and use them in a folding Feather SS.

 

[Earcutter]

Interesting feedback.

Straight razor users generally say that shavettes are a different animal. In what sense ?There are so many artist club blades and maybe the gap shouldn't be that much. I use a De shavette personally time after time.

Those who use both straight razors and artist club shavettes regularly , what do you think?

There are shavettes, and then there are shavettes. The Feather in my opinion is the mother of all shavettes.

I personally don’t find the Feather that much different than a straight. But every straight I have has its own personality so, it’s hard to generalize. Except to say I found the shavettes that used a DE snapped in two to be a little “rough” compared to either.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Just to be clear, when you talk about quality of shave, considering your second sentence, i’ll assume you mean closeness of shave. So let me be clear, closeness was never mentioned in my original post. Once you know what you’re doing with your Feather, close should be a give in, and between the two blades, little difference. I’m talking about the smoothness! And I’m finding the Pro’s way smoother... oddly enough.

It’s like the Pro was a straight finished on a great coti, and then lightly loved with some CrOx before being stropped - where the other blades now seem finished on a 12k synthetic and not stropped. Both cut great, but the first one will be a better experience.

Well, that’s my thoughts on it anyway. I hope the second and third blade etc., etc. see me reaching the came conclusion.

For me its everything. Closeness, smoothness. For me, the Pros are closer but the ProGuards are smoother.
For the most part, once you know what youre doing closeness is a given but theres also a reason why Feather makes numerous different blades for these razors. Use the Lites and then use the Supers and tell me blade makes no difference in terms of closeness.

 

[Earcutter]

For me its everything. Closeness, smoothness. For me, the Pros are closer but the ProGuards are smoother.
For the most part, once you know what youre doing closeness is a given but theres also a reason why Feather makes numerous different blades for these razors. Use the Lites and then use the Supers and tell me blade makes no difference in terms of closeness.

You have a point.

I think at one time I tried all the other blades save the Pro because, well, "silly." Clearly the blades I was using had won the day for both close and smoothness at one point. Today, the Pro wins the day. I'm glad I opened my mind and tried them. I can't believe how much more I like them. I'm just glad I didn't try when I still had a stash of my other blades laying about.

Maybe something has changed with me. I've just discovered that I actually like some pre-shaves as well lol! That was another thing I looked at and thought, well, silly. Crazy.

 

[Twelvefret]

Interesting feedback.

Straight razor users generally say that shavettes are a different animal. In what sense ?There are so many artist club blades and maybe the gap shouldn't be that much. I use a De shavette personally time after time.

Those who use both straight razors and artist club shavettes regularly , what do you think?

While I can achieve a shave ready edge, there is some variability. With the AC Pro Guard, every shave is the same.

I don’t have to be concerned about moisture with the Feather and can rinse where I wouldn’t with a SR.

I enjoy both very much .

 

[sarimento1]

Interesting feedback.

Straight razor users generally say that shavettes are a different animal. In what sense ?There are so many artist club blades and maybe the gap shouldn't be that much. I use a De shavette personally time after time.

Those who use both straight razors and artist club shavettes regularly , what do you think?

Geometry is a little different.
Standard straight can shave at slightly flatter angle and is a tad longer.

 

[albsat]

Thanks guys. How about the sharpness ? Are the Proguard more sharp than a shave ready ?