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The battle of the sharpest: Feather vs Bic Chrome Platinum.

Good afternoon gentlemen,

This is to share our experiences with what are considered to be the two sharpest blades out there, namely Feather Hi Stainless and Bic Chrome Platinum.
I've used both blades, mostly in mild razors (Gillette Tech, KGC, Slim Adj. on milder settings <6).
These are my findings:
On the first shave, Feathers are amazingly sharp. No other blade has given me this "wow" effect. I believe their reputation is largely due to this very high sharpness during the first shave. Put a fresh blade in a relatively mild razor and you can hardly feel you are shaving. Just amazing.
In comparison, the first shave with a Bic CP is good, but not exceptional. The blade feels sharp and reasonably smooth, not unlike any other good quality blade.
On the second shave, however, the things change. Feathers still feel quite sharp and crisp, but the "wow" effect isn't quite there anymore. I get a nice clean shave, with what feels as a good sharp blade. It is similar to what I get with the Bic on the first shave. In comparison, the Bic CP on the second shave is almost scary sharp, definitely sharper than Feather at this point. Not the smoothest perhaps, but in a mild razor, it is a pleasure to use.
On the third shave, Feathers start to feel a bit dull to me. Still no tugging, but the initial sharpness is long gone by now. Bic CP, in contrast, is still very sharp and reasonably smooth. No problem.
On the fourth shave. Well I only tried Feather once for a fourth shave. Not a good experience. The blade is plain dull, like Derby or SuperMax dull. To me Fathers are good for maximum of three shaves, that's it. With the Bics I could get a pretty OK fourth shave. The blade still feels sharp, but somewhat rougher than before. If I only go for two-pass (WTG XTG) shave there is absolutely no problem. An ATG pass may give me some mild irritation.

So, these are my thoughts. Given the price difference between these blades, I see no point of buying Feathers anymore. At 4-5 times the price, they give me two perfect shaves (three with some compromises), while Bic CPs give me at least three perfect ones.
 
I agree with you. Both are sharp blades and must be paired with RIGHT razor to great results, othewise they bite.

I found BIC 5-pack for about US$ 0.50 each pack yesterday in the market / grocery store around the corner.

I will be back for more.
 
Totally agree!
I use both and your results are spot on.
For me the Feather has to be trashed on the 3rd. use.
The Bic's last for quite a few more shaves before feeling dull.
The Feather gives that "wow" factor on shave #1 but the Bic will give it for multiple shaves (after #1).
The Feather feels harsh to me sometimes but the Bic never does!
Another thing also is that the Bic works well with more razors. The Feather, not to much!
If I had to pick one over the other for a forever blade, it'd be the Bic!
My choice of blades:
Bic Chrome Platinum & Gillette Platinum
I've tried a bunch and don't need anything else with those two!
 
What you say is correct, but also well established. I use BICs in my AS-D2 instead of Feathers for that reason, and the relative cost.
I didn't know it was well established fact, just share and collect other's opinions. IFAIK, people are still paying premium prices for Feather blades, while the Bics are actually better at 20% of the cost, BUT this is just my opinion. Let's see what more people have to say.
 
I have some Feather blades, but no longer use them. I have a tough beard and sensitive skin. I can get two good shaves from Feather blades, but after my WTG pass on the 3rd shave, the blade has deteriorated to the point I can no longer use it.

BIC Chrome Platinum blades are among my favorite: sharp, smooth, and relatively inexpensive.
 
I've found Feather blades on sale for much less than stated, so the cost difference is not nearly as large. I got 100 for $20 and another 100 for $14. With a large blade stash, you can afford to be patient and wait for a sale.

Using the Feathers in a mild razor with good blade support, they last longer than stated for me. For example, a Gillette Tech or Feather AS-D2. I can get at least at least four good shaves from them. The first two shaves are the best, though.

I can easily get six or seven good shaves from a BIC Chrome. They do seem to become sharper after the first shave, then gradually degrade after the fourth shave (as opposed to falling off a cliff like the Feathers).
 
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Where I live, I could get Bic SP for as little as $0.50 for a pack of five in a physical store (no shipping). The best deal I ever got on Feathers was close to $30 for 100 shipped. To me it is still 3x the price at best. Considering that I could only get two to three good shaves with them, the price difference grows even further. Surely, pricing depends on location.
Don't get me wrong though, I'm not bashing the Feathers. They are just like super soft F1 tires, extremely quick for the first few laps, then deteriorating quickly. If I could get them easily, and at the same price as Bics, I may have used them, just for this great fresh blade ultra sharp, yet smooth effect they provide on the first shave. I still occasionally enjoy a slow, long prep, three pass shave on a late Saturday morning with a Tech or KCG with a brand new Feather.
 
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I wish Feather blades were cheap like most blades and while they work great in some razors, the extra sharpness comes at a high price. BIC CP are my second favorite blade and it would have been my favorite if it wasn't for the fact that it's not working great in all of my razors like for instance my favorite blade - Nacet does. I think both Nacet and BIC CP have the same or very close level of sharpness with the BIC CP being perhaps slightly sharper, but not by much.
 
Good point here Medivh. I found the same thing. For me, the Bics shine in mild razors that clamp the blades firmly and expose it very little. I like them best in KCG (probably very similar to R/EJ89) and Gillette Techs. For some reason, I don't enjoy them that much in Gillette adjustables, even on milder settings. May have something to do with blade clamping. In a plain aggressive head like R41, I find them rough and irritating. In comparison, Feathers work better across the range of my razors.
 
I haven't tried BIC in a long time but Feathers last a long time in my AS-D2 razors. In the AS-D2 razor I can get up to 12 shaves while in more aggressive razors Feathers last only two or three shaves. Another sharp blade is the Kai.
 
I think that I'll really enjoy the Gillette Platinum Stainless Blades. The 100-pack should last me at least a year (possibly longer). The others can "battle it out".

As the man that held the royal flush famously said, "I'll keep what I have".
 
I like Feathers and use them, but I agree they dull quickly. I also bin them after the third shave. Occasionally, I forget to change them, but they definitely feel rough after four or five shaves.
 
I didn't know it was well established fact, just share and collect other's opinions. IFAIK, people are still paying premium prices for Feather blades, while the Bics are actually better at 20% of the cost, BUT this is just my opinion. Let's see what more people have to say.
There is a web page where someone has tested various blades for sharpness and longevity, including the Feather and BIC. My post with a link was deleted, but I'm sure you could find it. The objective results match what you stated and most of us seem to have the same view.
 
Yes, I know the page and the results, but lab tests are one thing and real life experience, with hundreds of blades, quite another. In this case they match, but it is always good to gather real people's opinion.
 
I keep reading here about how expensive Feather's are. American Salon Supplies sells them for $2.75 per 10 pack.
That's where I bought my last 100. Excellent service, genuine blades and fast shipping!
 

Eric_75

Not made for these times.
I like Feathers and use them, but I agree they dull quickly. I also bin them after the third shave. Occasionally, I forget to change them, but they definitely feel rough after four or five shaves.
I do two head shaves and two face shaves with Feathers and toss them.
 
Many years ago everyone was raving about how fantastic Feather blades were, and slobbering all over how sharp they were. I had already settled on BiC CP & Voskhods, but ended up with a couple tucks of Feathers. I do a lot of left side vs right side shaves, and had a BiC on one side and a Feather on the other. As I recall, I was using 40's Super Speeds at that time.
Both shaves were smooth and close, but I really couldn't tell the difference between the 2. On subsequent shaves, the Feather fizzled out & became dull in short order, while the BiC kept going for several more good shaves.
The simple decision was to write off Feather & stay with the BiC. After all, the Feather is priced at 2x the cost of a BiC.
It always seems that when those Youtube shaving guys post a video with a new trial razor, they load it up with a Feather. To me it's just like showing off driving a spendy Cadillac to the corner grocery for a bunch of bananas, when a more affordable car will more than suffice.
 
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