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I recently, acquired a feather ac and am on my third shave with it and OW. I have cut myself everytime I shaved and am having a lot of irritation. I am only going WTG because ATG is real scary. Especially when you feel the feather start to bite in. Is a real straight going to be more forgiving. I have corked the blade and am using pros. Today my face is sore and blotchy.:eek:
Maybe someone could give me some advice on how to get a better shave with my AC. I am getting discouraged.
im still really new to this straight shaving thing, but from my limited experience if you want to go ATG, i would recommend going XTG first, i dont think one WTG pass removes enough hair to make ATG exceedingly comfortable. ATG gets alot less scary when there is less hair to cut.
Also, are you using alot of pressure when you shave? The weight of the blade plus enough for the razor to glide over your skin should be enough. To much pressure and you will wind up with cuts and irritation.
On another note, what kind of prep and post work are you doing? Good prep/post work makes all the difference in the world.
If its biting in you may be using to much angle let the razor do the work and use small strokes. it should just glide over your face.
I think it is broadly accepted that a str8 is more forgiving than a feather.
If you make the slightest mistake with a feather it's going to cause damage to your face.
As with most things YMMV, but your shave should improve as you get more proficient with your razor.
Well, I had my 4th shave last night and it was a lot better. Maybe the blade was too sharp at first or my technique is getting better. I had a little irritation on the chin area but other than that it was pretty good. I guess I need to keep trying until I finally get the hang of it.:D
Feather blades are notoriously sharp. I have never used one, but I have read on this forum many tales about the Feather AC. The key is to use no pressure, keep your angle low (blade should be almost flat against your face), and use short strokes until you develop your technique. Too much angle will cause the blade to bite deeper, and remove more skin causing irritation. To answer your original question...Yes, a true straight razor is more forgiving. On the other hand if you can tame/master the super sharpness of a Feather AC, then getting the hang of a true straight razor should be that much easier. Keep at it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by statichost
Yes, what he said, proper prep, angle, plus NO pressure. Keeping that in mind, I always get a BBS shave with no nicks or irritation. I do use the pro-guard blades.
Good luck my friend.
LIMIT :0)
As with most FACTORY blades the real variable is the prep and lather, I cant stress good lather enough for a feather, or a DE with feather blades....
Of course the angle and pressure that you are using will just get better with more experience..... I would suggest a shaving cream over a soap for these and see if that helps your shave somewhat, the creams tend to make a slightly more cushioned lather....
I recently bought a Focus razor that uses half a DE blade. In my experience, a traditional straight is more forgiving, comfortable and can shave as close when properly honed. I bought the Focus out of curiousity to make a comparison to my straights. The Focus will be my aircraft travel razor as security has developed a bad reputation. It gives an excellent, long lasting and close but harsh feeling shave. I suspect the Feather is even less forgiving as it is known to be the sharpest factory edge.
Yes, I am finding that I have to hold the head of the razor right against my skin. Maybe that is how it is made so you don't have to worry about angle. I am just shaving WTG for now(north to south). Maybe someday I will have the @@## to go against the grain. Especially on my neck. I just received my dovo special and am dying to try that but it needs a honing and I hate to just put the feather to the side right now. When I send my dovo out to someone for a good honing I will keep practicing with the feather. I have made up my mind not to tough my DE's at all during this period.My chin is not happy.
Man, those Feather blades are downright unforgiving. Firstly, if you aren't following the wtg pass with xtg passes you are getting set up for problems and the atg can be difficult at best. You may want to try using Feather Guard blades to wet your feet. I normally use a standard str8 now, but there are days when I want to take it real easy on my face, so I will just use a Feather Guard blade and do wtg, and xtg passes.
I have learned that I only want to shave when I have lots of time, and no distractions. I even turn off the radio because I want to concentrate on what I am doing.
Good luck, and best regards, Ken.
I amy have to pick up some guards. The pros are mean.:eek:
IMHO as a now semi feather user (tried to retire it, but its handy sometimes) corking the blade does not help. I had terrible shaves with mine to start with and the day I corked the blade, I was almost crying like a little baby, and I tried several blades thinking I had stuffed things up. I decided to stick at it and my shaves greatly improved.Quote:
Originally Posted by zenshaver
The key thing is pressure, that is use no pressure at all, none, zip, zilch, zero. Pressure is the enemy. You need very little angle with a feather also, like have the spine 1mm off your skin and thats plenty.
OTOH, since you are only starting out, you may want to get a real straight first. Personally, I had a difficult time transitioning from feather to traditional straight, because it felt like no blade was as sharp. Once I got accustomed a traditional straight is more fun, but when in a hurry feathers really are reliable.
I recommend trying a traditional straight first, then when you get better, try the feather. But by that time, a feather won't interest you anymore. ;)
I just got a dovo special yesterday but it needs a honing. I think. It is sharp as is but what do I know.
I just recognized myself in your story!
Knowing that we should no pressure, and knowing the angle is the problem is one thing; correct it is another one. I knew it before I even bought it, but it's really difficult. Maybe I have two left hands, I don't know! :o
+1 Yeah, what Old_School said. I alternate between my regular str8s, my feather, and a DE.Quote:
Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL
I actually find that the Pro Super blades are best for me but this is a YMMV thing. NO pressure, NO pressure, NO pressure on the blade.
This new style of shaving is not easy. It is completely different from a DE.Quote:
Originally Posted by chtinavion
Well, I am on my 6th shave now and either the blade is getting dull or my technique is getting better. I tried a shaving gel last night and I actually got no razor burn. I may just have to use that from now on with the feather. I will have to try it with a new blade.:eek:
I've got one of the non-folding Feathers as well. It makes for a nice change of pace, but the shave will stubble out sooner than one of my regular str8s. If you can get a decent shave with a Feather, you can get a great shave with a properly keen regular str8. The main difference is the lack of feedback on the Feather. A regular blade will be easier to get the angle/pressure just right w/o blood. Just my ¢2 worth.
Wayne
Just a couple of points, in the land of the Feather, the Pro blade and Pro Guard blade are the same, with the latter simply having the wire guard over the edge. The Pro Super is an entirely different beast, it's edge geometry is different which results in more comfortable shaves when you get the hang of how they shave.Quote:
Originally Posted by zenshaver
Life span for a Pro blade, guarded or not is about 1 weeks worth of shaving, for me that meant 5-6 shaves and then it falls apart. For the first three shaves it's wickedly sharp and unforgiving of sloppy technique, there is NO margin for errors.
Life span of the Pro Super blades is double that of the Pro and for me it was 2 solid weeks of shaving per blade. The first two shaves demanded close attention to technique and then it sort of mellows out until by the end of 2 weeks when it starts to pull like a traditional straight. The triple bevel on the Pro Super can give you incredible control once you get the feel for it, you can shave right over top of yesterdays nick by just dropping the spine slightly closer to your face as you skim over it and it feels like you shaved close as always but you don't catch on the nick. I highly recommend the Pro Super blades for the Feather AC.
The harshness of the Feather is most often caused by improper technique, either too much pressure or too steep an angle or stretching the skin too much. I can slackskin shave with my Feather, no stretching at all other than just tilting the head, this way and that... I'm in my 50s so there's a bit of loose skin around! :D For the record, I cannot slackskin shave with my traditional straights, they demand some very slight stretching. The Feather, once mastered can give incredibly comfortable shaves, but you *must* master it and that does not come as easy as it does for traditional straights.
As for shaving prep, this is all important and I'd suggest a quality cream rather than soap as you learn the ropes with the Feather... Good creams tend to have a bit more cushion and makes shaving with such sharp blades a bit more manageable, soaps can be close cutting with less cushion but more glide. Taylor of Old Bond Street has a nice selection of scents, they are rather inexpensive and when lathered up properly (lather should be more like a Mime's face paint rather than a fluffy meringue). Other brands are equally efficient but I thought I'd mention one of the lower cost products with a wide range of flavors.
Regards
Christian
This has been a nonsubliminal message.Quote:
Buy a straight razor
Factory sharpened blades are super sharp, more flexible, and very unforgiving.
My suggestion would be to try a thicker ground straight and have it honed by a pro.
I'm not going to make any recommendations here, (I can tell you what I'd like you to buy... :D) you need to shop around, and find the right blade for you. I will suggest a half hollow or wedge as a starter, they tend to work better for beginners, and I just like the smoother feel I get from them. Again this is a personal choice, and only you can decide what blade is the best for you.
also look at the lather threads, adding just a little aloe or glycerine to your soap or cream can make a world of difference.
and above all else, relax. this should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, not a chore.
Ya, I tried a super pro last night and it is a lot different. I love it. I also tried using some shaving gel (miessence shaving gel) I have had under the sink and never used and WOW. Now, I am getting a much better shave and there is no irritation. Finally, I am not getting discouraged. It is a good thing I got some super pros too. I was afraid the super pro's would really tear up my face but they are the opposite of the pro's. They are actually a lot easier to use than the pro's. Go figure.:D:DQuote:
Originally Posted by kaptain_zero
Where do you buy your Freather AC blades from? I'm considering buying an AC but I'm concerned with the blades not being readily available.
Thank you
I purchased my blades from member TstebinsB over at B and B.He hangs around here too.
I am intigued with an iwasaki so I figured the feather would introduce me to what one of those is like. Unfortunately, I am left handed so I need to learn to use my right in order to really use an iwasaki. So, the feather will be around for a while if not for anything else but to learn how to use my right hand japanese style.Quote:
Originally Posted by bbqncigars
Now that I know to use the super pro blades things are going to improve and maybe someday I will be shaving with an iwasaki.:D
In my use of the Feather, the biggest improvement in comfort came with the use of shave oil. Specifically Shave Secret. For me it has been the Feather "tamer".
The organic MIESSENCE shaving gel I purchased from australia seems to do a great job. It is very slick like an oil.