I have Astras, are feathers better?
- Thread starter e-man67
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All blades are sharp and will cut your beard.
Every time you place an order for some soap or after shave, have the vendor toss in a pack of blades you have not tried.
Every time you place an order for some soap or after shave, have the vendor toss in a pack of blades you have not tried.
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+1, exactly! My 110-pack of Astra SP costs me $10 shipped. 100 Feathers are 3-4 times that amount. For me they are not 3-4 times better. i like to keep a few on hand, a 5-pk, and use one once in awhile just to say I did. The Astra and Personna Super (Labs) for $13/100 are my daily blades.
IMO Astra SP's are not as sharp as Feathers, but give a more comfortable, smoother shave. For the money the Astras are great blades.
I've only tried two trial packs of Feathers, but from those I'm convinced their reputation for sharpness comes from their rough finish that causes on-contact nicks and irritation.
Once the coatings wear off they become smooth and sharp. But it can take 2 or 3 shaves or more to get there. Astras are smooth and sharp out of the box.
Feather fans will argue that it is sharpness and poor technique causing those problems. I'm not buying that. If it were true then by the time sharpness was blunted over the whole edge (stopping all nicks) then parts of the blade would be so poor that the shave would be bad. But this is not what I see.
Once the coatings wear off they become smooth and sharp. But it can take 2 or 3 shaves or more to get there. Astras are smooth and sharp out of the box.
Feather fans will argue that it is sharpness and poor technique causing those problems. I'm not buying that. If it were true then by the time sharpness was blunted over the whole edge (stopping all nicks) then parts of the blade would be so poor that the shave would be bad. But this is not what I see.
Is funny you mention that Ray. I like both Astra and Feathers but I find you're right about Feathers getting smoother on the second shave. Downside is that I don't find they stay sharp much beyond three shaves.
Astras on the other hand are smoother and seem to last longer for me but definitely don't feel as sharp. YMMV.
The Astra blades are astonishingly good for the price. I always found the Feather blades to be on the rough side and not worth the premium you pay.
I find that Feathers cut me up pretty bad in my Merkur slant, but are the best blade in my non-slant merkur 180. I actually prefer the Astras in my slant. However, I suspect that it's my technique, more than the blade manufacture, that makes the difference.
I have been gravitating to the Astras lately in the slant. I used one in the British Rocket I just got and it gave a fine, no irritation shave with two days growth to mow down.
It helps...i agree too, it is subjective and each individual will like what another one will not.
You could just get one pack of Feathers in a trade to see what they are like, then you can find out for yourself to see if you like them. Good luck.
Personally, i despise them; too sharp and don't last longer than 1-2 shaves for me.
Personally, i despise them; too sharp and don't last longer than 1-2 shaves for me.
When i first turned to wetshaving I used to use feathers more than any other blade, because they were what most guys loved and made there go to blade. But now there are at least 4 other blades I use before feathers. Astras, voskhods, 7 o'clock blacks and meds are my go to blades. I will use a feather blade now and than, they work well for me in my milder razors but if I had to pick one blade they would not get my vote
I've used both, and agree with the general consensus here: The Feathers are the sharpest blade I've used, and the Astra SPs are less sharp but smoother and were much easier to use as I was perfecting my technique.
These days, I prefer Polsilver Super Iridiums to either Feathers or Astras: They are almost as sharp as Feathers and even smoother than Astras for me. So it's an excellent idea for you to try lots of different blades until you find the right balance of sharpness vs. smoothness for you.
Nick
These days, I prefer Polsilver Super Iridiums to either Feathers or Astras: They are almost as sharp as Feathers and even smoother than Astras for me. So it's an excellent idea for you to try lots of different blades until you find the right balance of sharpness vs. smoothness for you.
Nick
^--- Gotta agree. PolSilvers are the bomb!
I got astras and feathers in a sample pack along with a good assortment of other blades. I never made it to the feathers because as soon as I worked my way through to the astras I was done. I get a ridiculously smooth shave and no irritation. I can't imagine feathers doing any better and especially when you throw the price difference into the mix. I will eventually try the feathers that I have but I don't anticipate replacing them...
I find that Feathers may cut very slightly faster and may be a touch sharper but Astra blades (I use the green packaged variety) are a great blade and a much better value ($10 per hundred for Astras compared with Feather's $35-$40).
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