Thread: How about a Feather razor for a newbie?

Originally Posted by adickerson0

Just as an option, UPS Stores have mailboxes you can purchase. It is kind of like a Post Office Box but the UPS store will sign for packages. The cost is something like $6 a month in my area. Depending on what type of consumer you are, in the long run, you may save some money using a UPS Store box.

Thank you for your suggestion, but I really feel that the whole "UPS box" thing is a hustle. I feel sometimes like the drivers "purposefully" do not want to deliver stuff.

I once ordered some items and paid the additional money to guarantee an early delivery and they still didn't deliver on time. I had let the receptionist at my job know that the UPS guy should be coming and, between 4-5, I kept calling her to see if he had shown. Nope.

I even kept checking their website to see if maybe they had attempted delivery. At like, 5:00, I checked their tracking system and it stated that they had attempted to deliver but they were unsuccessful. When I checke the front of the building, there was no notice, nothing.

So, I called them and made a complaint about this. I told them that I was travelling that day (which I was), and they said they would get it to me at the airport, if need be. I hung around at my job until 5:45 (my flight was like at 7) and then had to leave.

At like 6:15 I call them back to get the status of the delivery and they said it had been delivered to it's original destination. So, of course, at this point, that did me no good.

But, my question was: If the driver was unable to deliver the package before 5:00 p.m. (which is their policy for deliveries to business adresses), how was he able to do it after 5:00 when he would have had to go to the side door of the building and get one of the folks who work late to open the door? Which is in opposition to the fact that, if he had really tried to deliver the package before 5:00 p.m., he would have been able to just walk right in the front door and leave it with the receptionist?

I know I just went off on a tangent there, but, my point is: Why should I have to pay you an additional $6 a month to ensure the proper, timely delivery of items that I already paid you $10-30 for in shipping, insurance, etc...?

And let's not talk about times they've left packages at the door (didn't bother to get a signature or anything of that nature) of buildings across from mine because they didn't bother to read the apartment or building number correctly?

Mehn, forget UPS. Fedex isn't heaven, but they surely make UPS look like a lowly, inexperienced startup.

P.S.

My frustration is not directed at you, just UPS.

My first post on SRP! Hey, I read this thread 2 1/2 years ago and ordered my Feather using Professional Super blades. I've cut myself silly ever since, including two significant scars. However, I've finally gotten my hand to stop shaking and my mind focused. Much less blood. So, I've just ordered a Dovo Pakkawood Black Star and a Dovo Russian Leather strop. Read the tutorials. Getting a professional hone put on the razor. I think I'm finally ready. By the way, the blades on the Feather last five days at most if you have a heavy beard and do more than one pass.

I started out with disposables as well and ended up with a no name, Dovo Shavette, and a Feather. The first time you use the blade to shave, they are very sharp and unforgiven. The second time, a little more forgiving, and by the third shave, just right for me.

The no name was the big winner in that it was the best buy. The blade was thicker than the Shavette and Feather, so it didn't flex as much.

Using the disposable blades to learn how to straight shave is a nice way to try out straight shaving and while focusing on the shave. They always come in handy when you travel or just want to blow off stropping.

Enjoy!

Pabster

Originally Posted by jimrobb

My first post on SRP! Hey, I read this thread 2 1/2 years ago and ordered my Feather using Professional Super blades. I've cut myself silly ever since, including two significant scars. However, I've finally gotten my hand to stop shaking and my mind focused. Much less blood. So, I've just ordered a Dovo Pakkawood Black Star and a Dovo Russian Leather strop. Read the tutorials. Getting a professional hone put on the razor. I think I'm finally ready. By the way, the blades on the Feather last five days at most if you have a heavy beard and do more than one pass.

Hey, here's a followup. Four weeks of shaving with my DOVO Pakkawood, and not one cut. With the feather, over a two year period, I cut myself almost every single day. I do have some significant stropping issues--I'm working that out with a couple of experienced guys from SRP in my area. But if you love your skin, don't use disposable blades!

Glad to hear the positive experience of using a fixed straight. I enjoy keeping the straight razors "tuned" to give a great shave, but offering enough forgiveness to avoid uncalled for weepers.

Pabster

In the last week I have made about four shallow cuts on my face with the pakkawood. These are not weepers, but shallow cuts. Something is going wrong with my approach.

Originally Posted by Pabster

Glad to hear the positive experience of using a fixed straight. I enjoy keeping the straight razors "tuned" to give a great shave, but offering enough forgiveness to avoid uncalled for weepers.

Pabster

Starting out, I would get shallow cuts that looked like small straight scratches. I wasn't paying attention to the blade and it would very lightly touch my face at a 90 degree angle to the skin and that was all it took. So, a few of those and I wised up quickly about where that razor is at all times while shaving. Sometimes, the razor may not feel sharp when shaving, but it still is sharp enough to cut you.

Keep the pressure light, use short strokes and by the wiki and hopefully that will keep those type of cuts to a minimum.

Good Luck,

Pabster

hey guys.. sorry for the slow response time.. i use an artist club dx as my main shaver and love it.. i have a somewhat light beard and only do a single pass with some minor touchups along the jawline and around the edges of my mouth... i prefer the professional light blades and am trying to use up my professional blades right now.. i have 3 packs of them left.. so even with corking them.. i'll prolly use them till thankgiving or so..

Originally Posted by Justus

I'm new to the world of straight razors and I am considering purchasing a Feather Prebeau...
...snip...
to shave my head and occassionaly my face.
...snip...

Skull shaving -- since much of the skull would
be blind shaving I doubt that an open razor would
be ideal. Some folks do use them.

The Prebeau might be OK but for skull shaving I would
take the advice of other skull shavers (not me). For
blind shaving I would look at a nice DE razor. I know
that Feather also makes a DE blade is is top notch
and a DE can be a lot easier to use especially driving
almost blind.

That is exactly what has been happening to me. I have sort of set the blade down on my face at 90 degrees. Like black magic, a thin red line appears, and it takes a week to go away. Pabster, any way to shorten the healing process? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Pabster

Starting out, I would get shallow cuts that looked like small straight scratches. I wasn't paying attention to the blade and it would very lightly touch my face at a 90 degree angle to the skin and that was all it took. So, a few of those and I wised up quickly about where that razor is at all times while shaving. Sometimes, the razor may not feel sharp when shaving, but it still is sharp enough to cut you.

Keep the pressure light, use short strokes and by the wiki and hopefully that will keep those type of cuts to a minimum.

Good Luck,

Pabster