Feathers: I give up!

[Nils]

I wanted to love them, I really did! But today is the day I'm throwing in the towel on feather blades.
I tried them in all my razors, with all kinds of soap and cream; I used every kind of prep I could think of: They don't work for me.
The shave is great, no doubt. But I always pay with bloodloss. It ranges from free flow (my first attempts) to a bunch of tiny red dots on my neck (today).
Goodbye Feathers, you are blades for other shavers.

 

[ek.310]

I wouldnt give up as they are darn close shavers...what handle do you use?..how often do you shave?..any special technique?

 

[GFlanagan3]

I wouldnt give up as they are darn close shavers...what handle do you use?..how often do you shave?..any special technique?

+1 and if you don't want them I'll take them off your hands

 

[raisindot]

I'm there with you. Love the lightness and smoothness of the shave, hate the carnage. There are so many other blades out there that may give you a shave that's just as great without the bloodshed that you should put these away for now and experiment. They're not for everyone (no blade is).

Jeff in Boston

 

[Nils]

I wouldnt give up as they are darn close shavers...what handle do you use?..how often do you shave?..any special technique?

I tried them in an HD, an 11c, a Slant, A Gillette Parat and a Futur. While it is true that the shave is fantastically close, I just want to shave, dammit, not spend my life bending to the will of a blade ;-)The one thing I found out is this: I get the best shaves from aggressive razors with a mild blade, while the combinations mild razor-aggressive blade and aggressive razor-aggressive blade don't work (for whatever reason).

 

[Nils]

+1 and if you don't want them I'll take them off your hands

I've got 8 left, I don't think they're worth the postage from Germany to the US ;-)

 

[mkevenson]

I didn't do well with them either at first. Later as my technque improved they were ok. My new fave is Iridium super. Very sharp, smooth and last a long time, for me anyway.

 

[Mink]

Yea, I had to set mine aside as well. My problem is that I just couldn't get through a shave without burning. If I went light enough to not burn, I couldn't get a close shave. I still think it's because my skin was adjusting to a sharp blade every time I shaved, so I will try them again in 6 months. I still don't think I will be able to shave with them everyday because my skin won't take it. But what a close shave.....

 

[WhosYerBob]

I wanted to love them, I really did! But today is the day I'm throwing in the towel on feather blades.

I threw in the towel on Feather blades recently myself, for the same reasons. I absolutely loved how they made quick work of my facial tree trunks and the super BBS shave that they left behind. But no matter what type of razor I used, different brands, adjustable or not, whatever - I could not get an irritation-free shave from them.

My revelation was during my recent two week vacation when I just took Wilkinson Swords with me - and had day after day of perfect, non-irritating shaves.

I tried the Feathers again once I got back, but they still irritated me, so I finally sold them off.

 

[The Nid Hog]

Don't give up. There's nothing magical about Feathers. I saw a whole rack of Feathers in a drugstore in Tokyo and it occurred to me everybody in Japan who has shaved with a DE razor for years, from the Prime Minister down to the village idiot, uses them. There's no special rack of blades for people who think that Feathers are too sharp. If you focus on a light touch, you'll get it.

 

[Slivovitz]

I can't believe my technique is all that great, so I have to think this is some difference in facial types. Haven't kept a log of exactly which blades I've used in which razors, but have gotten great results with Feathers wherever I've tried them, and haven't had any facial irritation worth mentioning. That includes, off the top of my head, Techs, New Gillettes, Merkur Open Comb, and most recently, a Fatboy. There are still some other types I want to try though, including Iridiums, Astras, and Gillette Super Thins.

 

[guitarslinger]

My technique is pretty dialed, but they just aren't very smooth on my face.

I can go irritation-free with ten other blades, and have the feather turn my neck into a red, bumpy mess.

no thanks.

unnecessarily-revered/feared.

ymmv.

I'll keep my Swedes

 

[p.m.a.]

I threw in the towel on Feather blades recently myself, for the same reasons. I absolutely loved how they made quick work of my facial tree trunks and the super BBS shave that they left behind. But no matter what type of razor I used, different brands, adjustable or not, whatever - I could not get an irritation-free shave from them.

My revelation was during my recent two week vacation when I just took Wilkinson Swords with me - and had day after day of perfect, non-irritating shaves.

I tried the Feathers again once I got back, but they still irritated me, so I finally sold them off.

Though as a newbie I'm still working through my first sampler pack, I must say that Wilkinson Swords are my favorite thus far! Second fav are red Personnas, then the Feathers. Merkur my least fav of the bunch.

 

[Paul10]

I've had the same issues with Feathers...My solution - I put them in my wifes lady Gillette for her to use

 

[JPM]

They tore me up when I tried them. I'll give them another go sometime, but if I have the same result I won't use them again. I've found 7 O'clock Yellows and Blue Birds give me excellent shaves.

 

[ALL HANDS WORKING]

I have gotten fantastically close shave with Feather Blades, but they are supremely sharp (but then again who wants a dull blade??). I just accidentally touched the corner of my lip with the head of the razor, and was immediately cut. I have not used any other blade which is less forgiving.

 

[Dandaman]

A lot is made of shaver's individual difference w/ regard to the beard being light vs. heavy, the skin being sensitive vs. tough, and so on. Technique, or the lack of it, definitely makes a difference. But to all that, I'd agree with an earlier post that facial types, i.e. shapes, makes a big difference. I've seen a couple of shaving videos where the shaver is on the stout side, and his fact is full of gentle, outward curves. One shaver's jaw line just absolutely eased into his neck. You can't convince me that isn't easier terrain than a person with sharp features or one who has what I'll call "vertical valleys" on either side of the adams apple. To me, this is another reason why one tool (in this case a blade) works better on shaver A than shaver B. A take-no-prisoners blade makes more sense to me on "easy terrain" than on a face with dips and juts and the like.

 

[bobgroger]

Before you bail try them in a Blue Tip or an adjustable set at 2. Some people (me) find the wussy razor\ninja blade combo to work very well.

Bob G

Todays shave:
Mach 3
Canned goo
1 pass
SAS but shredded neck

 

[Gabadab]

Don't give up. There's nothing magical about Feathers. I saw a whole rack of Feathers in a drugstore in Tokyo and it occurred to me everybody in Japan who has shaved with a DE razor for years, from the Prime Minister down to the village idiot, uses them. There's no special rack of blades for people who think that Feathers are too sharp. If you focus on a light touch, you'll get it.

I wonder if Japanese men have skin better suited for a Feather shave?

 

[mmack66]

I don't understand all the folks telling Nils to keep at it with the Feathers. It sounds like the OP has given them a fair shake and they didn't work. There are plenty of other blades out there to try.