I love it when the Feathers mellow out like that. You're in Prime Time now, enjoy it.
How Many Shaves - Feather AC/SS version - Guard
- Thread starter ladykate
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Sunday Morning Shave (7th shave)
1. Feather RG folder
2. Toja Cream (thanks, Kiwi)
3. None
CCS... approaching DFS. If anything, today's shave was better than yesterday's. Two weepers - because I'm a dork. Otherwise, a nice shave. I am taking more time and scrubbing just a bit but the blade is not degrading rapidly. These are all two pass shaves because I started that way - a three pass with a new Feather is always BBS for me - with this one, I would approach it even on the seventh shave. Adding a third pass would be gravy... and not red gravy (I hope).
I'm pretty convinced that my main experience (regular straights) is paying off here. I'm not relying on a simple light pass to get the job done. It is still a comfortable shave with that 'zen' that you don't get from a new Feather blade. Also, and I might be fooling myself but..., cleaning and drying the blade after each shave seems to help.
edit: Oh... and I expect a couple more shaves from the blade (sorry... had to add that ;-})
1. Feather RG folder
2. Toja Cream (thanks, Kiwi)
3. None
CCS... approaching DFS. If anything, today's shave was better than yesterday's. Two weepers - because I'm a dork. Otherwise, a nice shave. I am taking more time and scrubbing just a bit but the blade is not degrading rapidly. These are all two pass shaves because I started that way - a three pass with a new Feather is always BBS for me - with this one, I would approach it even on the seventh shave. Adding a third pass would be gravy... and not red gravy (I hope).
I'm pretty convinced that my main experience (regular straights) is paying off here. I'm not relying on a simple light pass to get the job done. It is still a comfortable shave with that 'zen' that you don't get from a new Feather blade. Also, and I might be fooling myself but..., cleaning and drying the blade after each shave seems to help.
edit: Oh... and I expect a couple more shaves from the blade (sorry... had to add that ;-})
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- Thread starter
- #23
Monday Morning Shave (8th shave)
1. CJB non-folder (thanks, Paco!)
2. Proraso Cream
3. Avon Island Lime AS
CCS. This is getting funny. I'm getting more feedback from the razor now - I can hear it hitting the whiskers much like a regular straight. I'm also using it almost exactly like a regular straight. I cheated slightly and lathered the right side of my neck a third time - I didn't quite get it right the first time atg. Good shave and going strong.
1. CJB non-folder (thanks, Paco!)
2. Proraso Cream
3. Avon Island Lime AS
CCS. This is getting funny. I'm getting more feedback from the razor now - I can hear it hitting the whiskers much like a regular straight. I'm also using it almost exactly like a regular straight. I cheated slightly and lathered the right side of my neck a third time - I didn't quite get it right the first time atg. Good shave and going strong.
- Thread starter
- #24
Tuesday Morning Shave (9th shave)
1. SS non-folder
2. Honey Bee Bay Rum stick
3. Florida Water
CCS. Some touch up required around lips and chin so it is getting duller but still a good shave. There is a graceful degradation going on - which, as I mentioned before, I was not expecting. The blade doesn't just suddenly go dull like some DE blades do - it takes a while.
1. SS non-folder
2. Honey Bee Bay Rum stick
3. Florida Water
CCS. Some touch up required around lips and chin so it is getting duller but still a good shave. There is a graceful degradation going on - which, as I mentioned before, I was not expecting. The blade doesn't just suddenly go dull like some DE blades do - it takes a while.
Two more shaves?
This is kind of what bothered me about using the Feather AC RG with Super Pros. Initially they're too harsh but once they mellow, they shave very nicely for a long time. I know some people will dull the edge slightly by running it over cork but this always seemed like shortening the life of the blade to me on purpose. I wish they would hit that "mellow" phase right from the start.
Hit up a cromox pasted hanging strop:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...d-stropping-a-Feather-blade?highlight=feather
You'l likely be using the same blade for a year.
Ha, I was just thinking of that as a possibility. Thanks for the suggestion but I ended up selling the Feather to ladykate for his little experiment.
- Thread starter
- #29
I don't guess at such things...
Hey... in your link to the stropping of the Feather blades, you mention you have a Kai razor. I'm considering getting one - there are a couple of stateside places carrying them now - would you buy yours again?
It was very nice, and aesthetically different from the Feather. I sold it off a while back. Get one if you have the itch for another replaceable blade straight.
- Thread starter
- #31
Wednesday Morning Shave (10th shave)
1. DX Folder
2. Cade
3. Musgo Real (first time with Cade and Musgo together - they compliment each other well)
CCS+. Did a little extra prep this time - more warm water with a dot of hair conditioner. Shave was better than yesterday.
1. DX Folder
2. Cade
3. Musgo Real (first time with Cade and Musgo together - they compliment each other well)
CCS+. Did a little extra prep this time - more warm water with a dot of hair conditioner. Shave was better than yesterday.
- Thread starter
- #32
Thursday Morning Shave (11th shave)
1. SS Folder
2. Tabac
3. Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum (meh)
CCS+. Extra prep again but a nice shave. I would have bet money that I wouldn't make it to 11 shaves. It just seemed so silly. Now... I'm going to go further - but probably only a couple more.
edit: Forgot... I wear glasses so I take them off to shave. I took them off, put the dry blade in the SS and started to shave but could not feel any action. Another swipe - nothing came off. I thought for a second... it couldn't go that dull since yesterday... Put my glasses back on. Did you know that a Feather blade will fit into the razor backwards?
1. SS Folder
2. Tabac
3. Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum (meh)
CCS+. Extra prep again but a nice shave. I would have bet money that I wouldn't make it to 11 shaves. It just seemed so silly. Now... I'm going to go further - but probably only a couple more.
edit: Forgot... I wear glasses so I take them off to shave. I took them off, put the dry blade in the SS and started to shave but could not feel any action. Another swipe - nothing came off. I thought for a second... it couldn't go that dull since yesterday... Put my glasses back on. Did you know that a Feather blade will fit into the razor backwards?
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HAHAHA, yea right
- Thread starter
- #35
Nothing magic. Take the blade out, wash it under running water. Put it on a dry cloth - in my case a dry wash cloth or towel - and pat it dry. I sometimes pull it through my fingers with the edge trailing to make sure the gunk is off it... that might actually strop it a little but that wasn't the aim. Store it in a dry razor (but you could store it in the holder, too... just have to be pure of heart when putting it back into the holder. ;-}). Putting it on a dry patch of cloth would work, too. Drying the original razor and putting it back in would work. Just about anything would work that didn't hold moisture.
You can do that with the guard version?
I usually just leave my blade in the razor, and strop it on a towel a few times, no problemo. The blade is stainless, the razor head is stainless (I have the DX) or it is plated brass. Not alot of chance for oxidation.
I usually just leave my blade in the razor, and strop it on a towel a few times, no problemo. The blade is stainless, the razor head is stainless (I have the DX) or it is plated brass. Not alot of chance for oxidation.
- Thread starter
- #37
You can't rub the guard version because of the guard but patting it dry is ok. I think you are right, stropping a normal blade on a towel would work fine. Anything to take the gunk off.
- Thread starter
- #38
Friday Morning Shave (12th shave)
1. SS non-folder
2. Bald Frog Arabian Hooka (thanks, Larry)
3. Aubrey North Woods
CCS. I think I'm at the end of the road. I essentially did a three pass (maybe four) to get a CCS (still no atg). I only lathered twice but I went back a couple of times to get the rougher parts. Still a good shave, though. If I go further, I'm afraid I will be cheating the original intent which was to only do a two pass and not fight it. It was pulling on my upper and lower lip. If it was a straight, I would say it needed stropping.
Having said that, if I was camping and no other razor was available, it would do.
Just to be sure, I'll use a straight tomorrow to compare. I might be over-thinking it and if I am, I'll go back for another round.
Lessons learned:
1. Feather AC blades last a very long time - with a little skill, you can make the cost cheaper than when using high-end DE blades. Bistro math:
100 Feather DE blades (let's say 40 cents each - though shopping around will get them down a bit)
20 Feather AC Pro blades (let's say 70 cents each if you go to Smallflower or elsewhere)
Feather DE lasts me three shaves = 13 cents a shave
Feather AC Pro lasts 12 shaves = 6 cents a shave
Given shopping, variations on length of time you could use the blade, and trades and such, those numbers could move around a bit but I think the AC Pros will always win out. With Serephim's findings and if you stropped the Pro, you would essentially knock the deal out of the ball park.
2. Sometime after about shave six, the Feather blade became a joy to behold. Using straight razor skills, you can get some really nice shaves from them
3. While not proven, I think wiping the blade and storing it dry helped a lot. Even though it is stainless and the razor is either stainless or coated brass, gunk on blades will dull them. I've proven that numerous times with DE blades - storing a once used DE blade for a couple of weeks in a camper means you have to toss it and clean up the inside of the razor. Stainless steel is not stainless.
4. Feather razors are the nuts. However, I will probably be in for a blood letting when I strap in a new one that is factory sharp... Got to be careful those first few times and my last six or seven shaves probably lulled me into bad habits with them...
Hmmmm... I'm sitting here stroking my chin and it is damn smooth... Maybe two more shaves...
1. SS non-folder
2. Bald Frog Arabian Hooka (thanks, Larry)
3. Aubrey North Woods
CCS. I think I'm at the end of the road. I essentially did a three pass (maybe four) to get a CCS (still no atg). I only lathered twice but I went back a couple of times to get the rougher parts. Still a good shave, though. If I go further, I'm afraid I will be cheating the original intent which was to only do a two pass and not fight it. It was pulling on my upper and lower lip. If it was a straight, I would say it needed stropping.
Having said that, if I was camping and no other razor was available, it would do.
Just to be sure, I'll use a straight tomorrow to compare. I might be over-thinking it and if I am, I'll go back for another round.
Lessons learned:
1. Feather AC blades last a very long time - with a little skill, you can make the cost cheaper than when using high-end DE blades. Bistro math:
100 Feather DE blades (let's say 40 cents each - though shopping around will get them down a bit)
20 Feather AC Pro blades (let's say 70 cents each if you go to Smallflower or elsewhere)
Feather DE lasts me three shaves = 13 cents a shave
Feather AC Pro lasts 12 shaves = 6 cents a shave
Given shopping, variations on length of time you could use the blade, and trades and such, those numbers could move around a bit but I think the AC Pros will always win out. With Serephim's findings and if you stropped the Pro, you would essentially knock the deal out of the ball park.
2. Sometime after about shave six, the Feather blade became a joy to behold. Using straight razor skills, you can get some really nice shaves from them
3. While not proven, I think wiping the blade and storing it dry helped a lot. Even though it is stainless and the razor is either stainless or coated brass, gunk on blades will dull them. I've proven that numerous times with DE blades - storing a once used DE blade for a couple of weeks in a camper means you have to toss it and clean up the inside of the razor. Stainless steel is not stainless.
4. Feather razors are the nuts. However, I will probably be in for a blood letting when I strap in a new one that is factory sharp... Got to be careful those first few times and my last six or seven shaves probably lulled me into bad habits with them...
Hmmmm... I'm sitting here stroking my chin and it is damn smooth... Maybe two more shaves...
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hahaha
well done mate, I've enjoyed reading. I've got my first artist club on the way and this got me jazzed to use it!
