^ Same here. Very good shave this morning. Two shims and a previously used Feather blade. Three passes with GFT rose cream. Not quite BBS everywhere, but definitely a DFS, and better than my Tech did this weekend. (They seem to go back and forth, vying for the better shave.)
Feather SS AS-D1 / Learning Curve and Non Feather Blades
- Thread starter alohakid
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Used two shims this morning and cold water shave with no prep other than washing face in hot shower and letting the initial lather sit on the beard before starting to shave. I mistakenly forgot to use my MRGLO yesterday and decided to parlay that into a week long test of shaving without it to see how my face reacts.
Anyway, the second shim worked great! I got a damn near BSS with only TWO passes and cleanup, though the cleanup almost encompassed a whole thrid pass by the time I was done spot checking. Feels great, no irritation.
Anyway, the second shim worked great! I got a damn near BSS with only TWO passes and cleanup, though the cleanup almost encompassed a whole thrid pass by the time I was done spot checking. Feels great, no irritation.
^ Nice! I'm glad using two shims worked for you.
Yup, this two shim deal is the bees knees. Nice efficient 2-pass + clean up shaves all week so far. So now I'm going to start testing out some blades other than the Feathers. Switched this morning from a 3x used Feather to a fresh Med Prep. The shave was good, though the cutting action felt a bit rougher than the previous shaves with the feather blade (even on it's 3rd shave). Alum bar had a bit of sting afterwards 
I was a little concerned at first that I was going to end up with some irritation/burn this morning after feeling how much rougher the med prep was over the feather, but 2 hours later my face feels great!
But man, what's with all the selling action on the BST this morning!? 3 of them all at once, wow! If anyone was wanting to try one out, now's the time.
I was a little concerned at first that I was going to end up with some irritation/burn this morning after feeling how much rougher the med prep was over the feather, but 2 hours later my face feels great! But man, what's with all the selling action on the BST this morning!? 3 of them all at once, wow! If anyone was wanting to try one out, now's the time.
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- #105
...for clarification , I first wash my face/beard with the pre-shave soap and rinse it off .
I then re-apply and leave it on .
And brush lather shaving cream or soap over it .
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- #106
I haven't tried shims yet .
So far the only blade that I don't like in the AS-D1 is Derby .
Here are some that I like in no particular order :
Kai
Astra Super Platinum
Gillette Platinum
Gillette 7 O'Clock Black
Gillette 7 O'Clock Blue
Timor
It definitly seems to increase longevity of the blade due to the very precise cutting angle. My Feathers will be tugging by the end of my 2nd shave in a Fatboy, but I got 4 shaves out of one in the AS-D1 (probably could have gotten another but I wanted to switch blades). Imagine a Personna 74 in this guy . . .
So today I switched back to the Weber DLC for a shave with a Feather blade and the Castle Forbes Lime (similar to last Friday's shave w/ the AS-D1) to continue my shootout between the two razors. It's a good razor but for some reason I am still getting "drag" from the head against my skin. Even with the super slick Castle Forbes lather it felt like I was having to pull the razor across my face instead of it effortlessly gliding. Starting to push the AS-D1's performance (w/ shims) ahead.
So today I switched back to the Weber DLC for a shave with a Feather blade and the Castle Forbes Lime (similar to last Friday's shave w/ the AS-D1) to continue my shootout between the two razors. It's a good razor but for some reason I am still getting "drag" from the head against my skin. Even with the super slick Castle Forbes lather it felt like I was having to pull the razor across my face instead of it effortlessly gliding. Starting to push the AS-D1's performance (w/ shims) ahead.
Another great shave today--this time without shims!
I have tried one, two, and three shims in my AS-D1. Shims work well to open the blade gap with only a very slight decrease in mildness. However, they do not seem to give me a noticeably closer shave than no shim. As long as I prep well (a hot shower and good, wet lather) and use plenty of water and a fresh Feather blade, I get DFS every time with several passes (three or four) and a bit of buffing. With no shims, my shaves are extremely comfortable and undramatic.
However, I can never get quite as close a shave with the AS-D1 (or any other DE razor I have tied) as my Braun electric. What gives? I don't know. Perhaps it it because I shave only my neck and cheeks (I have a beard) and the neck especially is a difficult area to get a really close shave (except with my Braun electric!).
I have tried one, two, and three shims in my AS-D1. Shims work well to open the blade gap with only a very slight decrease in mildness. However, they do not seem to give me a noticeably closer shave than no shim. As long as I prep well (a hot shower and good, wet lather) and use plenty of water and a fresh Feather blade, I get DFS every time with several passes (three or four) and a bit of buffing. With no shims, my shaves are extremely comfortable and undramatic.
However, I can never get quite as close a shave with the AS-D1 (or any other DE razor I have tied) as my Braun electric. What gives? I don't know. Perhaps it it because I shave only my neck and cheeks (I have a beard) and the neck especially is a difficult area to get a really close shave (except with my Braun electric!).
Awsome! I find that I need the shims as my desire for a closer shave is still pretty strong at this point in my wet shaving career and most days a 2 pass and done DFS just won't do it for me! Plus having to do 4 passes for a DFS is taking up a bit too much time IMHO for my everyday shave routine. DFS should be hit in 2 passes with a BBS achieved with the extra 3rd and cleanup if desired in an optimal situation. (weekend leisurely shaves not included). Once again, just my opinion, but I agree with you that a shim or two will kick up the efficency of this razor a good bit with very minimal sacrifice to the smooth mildness of the razor.
As for the electric, just think about how many passes the blades in that electric head are passing over your whiskers when you press the foil against your skin. Heck, an electric razor shave is like a 1,000 pass shave in WTG/XTG/ATG all at the same time. Plus there's a pull and cut action with most electrics just like there is with multiblade cartridge razors, so it's not surprising. The question is, is it a more comfortable shave than with a DE? Or even more zen, is it a more enjoyable shave? For me the electric gave excellent results with no irritation and no skin issues. I'd just dry shave with it on the way to work, no prep whatsoever. It was effortless and mindless. Now with DE shaving I get nicks and as my technique is still improving I'm getting some blemishes/ingrowns and such that I never had to deal with before. But I do it because the entire act of DE shaving is far more enjoyable than shaving with the electric ever was.
As for the electric, just think about how many passes the blades in that electric head are passing over your whiskers when you press the foil against your skin. Heck, an electric razor shave is like a 1,000 pass shave in WTG/XTG/ATG all at the same time. Plus there's a pull and cut action with most electrics just like there is with multiblade cartridge razors, so it's not surprising. The question is, is it a more comfortable shave than with a DE? Or even more zen, is it a more enjoyable shave? For me the electric gave excellent results with no irritation and no skin issues. I'd just dry shave with it on the way to work, no prep whatsoever. It was effortless and mindless. Now with DE shaving I get nicks and as my technique is still improving I'm getting some blemishes/ingrowns and such that I never had to deal with before. But I do it because the entire act of DE shaving is far more enjoyable than shaving with the electric ever was.
^ I agree. We ought to be able to get a very close shave with three or four passes and a bit of buffing/cleanup. Tomorrow I'll try the AS-D1 with a shim or two (three seems to be a bit of over-kill).
As for the electric, it works well, but it is not fun. Shaving with a brush, soap or cream, and a DE razor is truly a fun experience! I have no plans to go back to the electric, though I do pull it out occasionally for a very quick and close shave to remind myself of what I am striving for with traditional wet shaving.
As for the electric, it works well, but it is not fun. Shaving with a brush, soap or cream, and a DE razor is truly a fun experience! I have no plans to go back to the electric, though I do pull it out occasionally for a very quick and close shave to remind myself of what I am striving for with traditional wet shaving.
Two shims was my sweet spot. One was still leaving a tad bit of hair behind in my difficult spots (just under jawline and concave portion of neck next to windpipe).
Considering the price of the Feather, you shouldn't have to perform any tricks. I own several razors, and the Feather is the most expensive, and the worst performer. My Edwin Jagger and Slant and Mergress vastly outperform it. In fact, I use the heavy Feather handle on my EJ 89, and it yields stupendous shaves. I love Feather blades, but they need to take that razor and stick it up their ***.
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- #113
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