Thread: Should I switch from the feather?

I am by no means at all qualified to give any advice on using a razor and I won't do that. I did however just trade my feather to Joe, and I'll share my reasons.

I'm just learning how to use a straight and the feather is crazy sharp... sharper than a normal straight razor. I cut myself almost every single time I used it, sometimes all it took was just a microsecond of inattention and the very lightest touch of pressure and I was bleeding. Since switching to regular straights I've found them much more forgiving.

The feather is a little large. For those who prefer larger razors it's probably about right, but I have a fairly small face with a goatee and moustache and maneuvering a larger razor around my face when I don't know what I'm doing yet is... tricky. Add to that the fact that if you give yourself the merest brush you'll cut yourself again.

Shaving with the feather required a zen level of concentration that I just don't always have. When I did slip into that "zone" and managed to shave without any nicks or cuts the shave was remarkable, incredibly smooth. I found myself stroking my face constantly when I didn't realize it, while I was sitting at work I'd catch myself doing it. In experienced hands the feather gives a remarkable shave, but I'm far from experienced.

Finally, there's the whole ecological thing. One of the reasons I like the idea of straights and am willing to learn to use them is to avoid tossing more stuff into the landfill. The feather kind of defeated the purpose for me. I also like fiddly things that require a lot of attention to detail, so I'm keen (pun intended) to learn to properly care for my razors. I also know that I'm using old razors that have some history behind them and hopefully I'll pass that history along to the next guy down the line along with the razors when I go to the barbershop in the sky. It's nice knowing that these things will last a couple of generations.

That's my two cents worth anyway. Please don't take any of this as advice on the proper use of a feather, a normal straight or anything else. It's just my reasons behind why I traded mine.

-- Gary F.