Tried a Derby again after months of Feathers

[Mad Man]

First things first - started DE shaving last September with a tech, then a slim. Loved Astras, Derbys but hated Feathers in those razors.

Bought an EJ Barley in December and tried my last Feather in it from the original sampler. Long story short - a 100 pack was on it's way that day.

Today, just for a lark, I loaded a Derby I still had back in the EJ (even though I just put a new Feather in yesterday). Knowing the sharpness would not be up to the Japanese steel I chose my EJ Seabuck soap (a really slick and moisturizing lather IMHO, YMMV) and proceeded to do everything possible to give that Derby an even break; slathered the Proraso pre on freshly showered skin, took my time with the lather, added glycerin, applied lather and let it sit for a good 2 minutes (timed it) before I began cutting.

First stroke? Welcome to Tug City, Population: mad man.

3 passes and touch-ups later I was DFS but it was tough, tough going all the way.

Question for the Feather users: have you gone back to other blades/tried other blades after using Feathers for an extended period and if so what was your experience like?

 

[sylynce]

First stroke? Welcome to Tug City, Population: mad man.

That is some funny stuff- but not in a good way. This is why I am leaving my Feathers until the end of the rotation through my sampler pack- keep hearing about how sharp they are, and I don't want to unduly bias myself against other blades until I have tried them all out.

My guess- your technique and style work best with the sharper blade. Derby's just aren't at that level. 3 passes to get a DFS sounds not too bad, but not if you were weed whacking the whole time

 

[Mick]

I use a different brand of blade every day.

No problems what so ever with any of them

 

[Mspec]

Quite a collection you have there

 

[Alaskan Snowmonkey]

I feel the same about Derbys. Tug City. YMMV.

 

[Mad Man]

To add context to original post.

Beard is very coarse/thick shafts/steel wire etc etc; of eastern european heritage i am also partial to bumps/ingrowns so the sharper the blade the easier the shave.

The flipside is that the Feathers still give me a little irritation on occasion (technique) but i'm willing to tolerate it to avoid the horrid tugging sensation of blade-catch and grab.

 

[Predict]

Same experience with Derbys here. I don't like em but swmbo uses em for leg shaving. I think they are probably an ok blade for thin light hair but I have a BLACK ​wiry course beard.

 

[Cal1961]

Once I found Feathers never use anything else... Well last week tried a personna which served to confirm why I prefer feathers

 

[TheGRman]

From time to time, I'll shave with Astra's or 7O'Clock Yellows, but man, I won't go back to a Derby anymore! Sometimes Crystal IP's will get some use.

 

[Daiku]

I learned how to DE shave using Feathers (and a Feather popular). I prefer an Astra SP most of the time now; I simply get less (or no) nicks and irritation with an Astra. With Feathers, I'd typically nick myself if I wasn't very careful. Still, there is no blade like a Feather, and I use them on weekends, when I have more time to shave. Going between Astras and Feathers is not so bad. Going between Feathers and Derbys is like going from a Lexus to a Kia!

 

[Mad Man]

Daiku,

Lexus to a Kia? More like a Veyron to a Volga!

 

[Johnny_Ludlow]

I used to use Feathers almost exclusively. Shaving with it feels - and especially sounds - fantastic. But afterwards I notice this little irritation, no red spots or anything, I just feel it's a bit too harsh for my skin. For example when I wash my face on an evening I've shaved with Feather, I feel a little sting. Nowadays I alter between Polsilver and Astra SP. Great blade, though.

 

[cryhavoc]

I prefer Derby's over Astra SP's and 7O'Clock Yellows over Feathers, YMMV.

 

[BallisticBurrito]

I have only used Derby so far since that's what my EJ came with..but I have no complaints..as long as I lather semi-correctly it is still way better than a new Mach 3 cartridge.

 

[Jack Russell]

I've had a pack of Derbys lurking in the back of the cabinet & haven't got around to using them due to reviews.

Will give them a go next week.

Jack Russell

 

[denfelo]

Derby's are an odd duck to me. The first shave seems to tug more than other blades. The shaves after that are very good. I have come to like Derby's a lot with them becoming my daily blade. I am able to get 7 shaves out of them with no problem. I switch my blade and razor every Sunday whether it needs it or not, just easier for me to remember that way. I counted my blades a few days ago and I have 700 Derby's with 200 more on the way. That is along with the 500+ other blades I have. At my age, I think I am set for life.

 

[chris.hale]

I started out with Derbys and they were an improvement over a cartridge but not in the same league as a Personna med. After using the Personnas for a couple of months I tried a Derby and it felt like it was ripping the whiskers out. Fortunately B&B being what it is I found someone that loved them and traded them for some TOBS cream. I didn't think my beard was that coarse but it seems a sharper blade suits me better. As for Feathers, I get excellent shaves with them but find the meds to be more comfortable in my Merkur HD. Feathers work well in my Tech though.

 

[Gatsby]

Question for the Feather users: have you gone back to other blades/tried other blades after using Feathers for an extended period and if so what was your experience like?

Given their samurai-sword sharpness, Feathers', I believe, helped my technique.
When I take a break from Feathers and use another blade (specifically, a blade I used before using Feathers almost exclusively), I find that I get a better shave with them.
I too get DFS' with a Derby now, post-Feather. Whereas prior to using Feathers', Derbys left my face looking like the floor of a meat-packing plant.

I don't think I can entirely attribute the better results to Feathers, but I'm sure the respect they engender has helped.

 

[Vickers]

I would love to use Feathers all the time, but they just give up after around 2.75 shaves. It's not even a money thing...I just can't stand changing a blade mid-shave.

At least I know with (for example) a Personna Blue/Prep that I'll make it a minimum of 4 days (even though I usually toss blades after 3 shaves).

 

[barrycv]

Question for the Feather users: have you gone back to other blades/tried other blades after using Feathers for an extended period and if so what was your experience like?

Your post could have essentially been written by me. I've gone back to Derby 2 or 3 times now to try it out after various technique mods & (I think) enhancements, after declaring that Feathers are the best for me.

Very tug-tasitc experience at each venture. In my personal rankings, it is a battle between Derby & 7 o'clock green for bottom slot.

Only competitor thus far to Feather is 7 o'clock yellow. One blade tried only, so small sample size, but it was a real good trial. I still, though, only get 2 uses per blade, regardless of type.

Interesting about your self-description, mine is similar - eastern Euro descent, fairly sensitive skin.