Vintage/old feather shavette vs new model (artist club)
- Thread starter NiteEyez
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Can you be a little more specific? Is this the chrome plated version with "Feather Professional" on the handle where the letter 'o' looks like the top of a phillips screw? Recently I saw a NOS version of that Feather online and the owner was asking close to a couple hundred USD if I remember correctly.
The old ones have a plastic slider on top to provide tension in order to hold the blade in place when it is pushed forward. Some models are made from stainless steel others appear to be chrome plated. I have used the stainless version and it shaves well, about the same as the new DX model or older RG model. The issue would be overall condition of your example and if it still has the small screw to hold the blade holder together.
The new Feather SS is harder to directly compare against since it has the small lip on the blade, but is a good shaver and good quality.
The old ones have a plastic slider on top to provide tension in order to hold the blade in place when it is pushed forward. Some models are made from stainless steel others appear to be chrome plated. I have used the stainless version and it shaves well, about the same as the new DX model or older RG model. The issue would be overall condition of your example and if it still has the small screw to hold the blade holder together.
The new Feather SS is harder to directly compare against since it has the small lip on the blade, but is a good shaver and good quality.
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- #3
Thanks for the picture. Personally I would pass on that specific razor as it looks like there are scratches near the toe. Those scratches might be cosmetic but it looks well used with the staining near the pin. (So maybe the chrome layer is damaged?? or maybe it is not chrome plated as it appears??). Also I thought the embossed letters should have a metallic layer of paint similar to this, but maybe some models do not:
I am curious to try this style of feather shavette and would not dissuade anyone from purchasing one if they found the price right, as I think it should be a good shaver. But unless one can inspect the razor firsthand it is difficult to truly recommend a used example over a new or used Feather SS with its better stainless steel construction. Or if only looking to try out a AC blade shavette shaving before spending much, get a CJB (GR-100B) from Korea, or one of those SS clones sold on AliExpress.
I am curious to try this style of feather shavette and would not dissuade anyone from purchasing one if they found the price right, as I think it should be a good shaver. But unless one can inspect the razor firsthand it is difficult to truly recommend a used example over a new or used Feather SS with its better stainless steel construction. Or if only looking to try out a AC blade shavette shaving before spending much, get a CJB (GR-100B) from Korea, or one of those SS clones sold on AliExpress.
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- #5
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- #6
Hard to judge the condition based on a single photo. But assuming the blade holder is functional, it looks like a good deal.
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- #8
It looks to be in good shape. The price you mentioned earlier is quite good IMO.
Both the old and new razors will shave about the same but the current production Feather DX with teak wood scales is the best shavette they have ever made IMO. The DX blade holder is better finished, though you could also just say it is just styled/polished a little differently. The biggest difference is that the DX blade holder has a simpler and more user-friendly design. If you take the old one apart in order to clean the interior you have an extra set screw and plastic wedge to kept track of. Loose one of these parts and the razor no longer works. The DX uses a pair of pins and a leaf spring which are "permanently" attached making assembly/disassembly of the blade holder quick and easy.
Both the old and new razors will shave about the same but the current production Feather DX with teak wood scales is the best shavette they have ever made IMO. The DX blade holder is better finished, though you could also just say it is just styled/polished a little differently. The biggest difference is that the DX blade holder has a simpler and more user-friendly design. If you take the old one apart in order to clean the interior you have an extra set screw and plastic wedge to kept track of. Loose one of these parts and the razor no longer works. The DX uses a pair of pins and a leaf spring which are "permanently" attached making assembly/disassembly of the blade holder quick and easy.
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- #10
I did not mean to imply that the extra bits make it a bad razor. I have one and enjoy using it. Under normal use the blade holder stays together and there is no risk of losing the small parts. Blade changes are easy, just slide the wedge back which sits on top of the razor and the old blade drops out. The wedge remains trapped within the blade holder halves during blade changes, so nothing came be lost and the process is simple. Since the razor is made from stainless steel the owner should be able to use it for a long time before taking it apart. But I would think after some time (maybe annually just for the shake of discussion) the owner would want to disassemble the razor to clean the interior surfaces. At that point the owner will need one of those small/tiny screw drivers and take some care not to lose the parts, but it should not be a difficult task. So in a relative sense if the DX were a 10 out 10, this old style razor might be a 9 out of 10.
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- #13
I am not sure I follow your question. Are you asking about converting some kamisori shavette model into a folding version? Using generic scales from ebay?
The wooden scales on the old feather artist club are quite nice IMO. They are practically the same as the new/modern production scales used on the wooden Artist Club. Personally I would not consider swapping them out for something else unless they were in bad condition.
The wooden scales on the old feather artist club are quite nice IMO. They are practically the same as the new/modern production scales used on the wooden Artist Club. Personally I would not consider swapping them out for something else unless they were in bad condition.
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- #15
A couple of members here have modified their CJB kamisori, converting it into a folding razor. I have never done any similar modifications, so I cannot really comment on what size scales might fit.
The CJB is a good razor. You can find other clones on AliExpress. The Univinlions is much like the CJB, and there are folding Feather SS clones (search for N06C, N06R, G0513, among others). As well as shavettes which use "Antelope" style blades.
The CJB is a good razor. You can find other clones on AliExpress. The Univinlions is much like the CJB, and there are folding Feather SS clones (search for N06C, N06R, G0513, among others). As well as shavettes which use "Antelope" style blades.
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- #17
Yes, those Artist Club clones sold on AliExpress are quite inexpensive. The quality of the finish is not great, but certainly good enough to use for a long time. After some time you may (or may not) decide to upgrade to a Feather or Kai, after becoming confident that you like using this style of razor.
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- #19
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