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I have just joined straightrazorplace.com because of all the excellent information and resources this site provides. I have a Feather Razor "Artist Club RG" Solid Brass on order as my first straight razor. Am I a poser for not going the traditional route? I am wondering how some of the pros and newbies feel about the Artist Club razors.
Some like it because the blade is so sharp, some dislike it because the blade is so harsh. Some don't care one way or another.
Never tried the Feather myself, but word is it's the sharpest edge known to man, some saytoo sharp and tht you might consider running it through a wine cork a few times to make it a little nicer to your face. I'm surte the experienced will chime in shortly. If and when you want to make te leap to a traditional straight, there's lots of wisened gents around here to help guide you.
X
I'm a straight razor noob and started with the feather. Wasnt a wise choice for me as the razor is pretty unforgiving. My first shave was okay, but I took like 45 mins to do it. Second and third I cut myself up pretty good. I switched to a regular straight and the experience was much nicer - quite enjoyable acutally. The feather wasnt - when I was finished shaving I felt, "Damn, I'm glad thats over."
J, if the Feather works for you there's nothing wrong with that.
I've never used the Feather though. For me one of the things that attracted me to straight razors is the whole traditional aspect to it, so I never found the Feather particularly appealing. :shrug:
I found it too harsh, but I fortunately didn't have to buy it to try it (thanks Dave :D). Noone in their right mind will take it against you if you use one, but I personally hope it gets you into real straights as I found it to be an EXTREMELY rewarding experience. Whatever you decide, welcome aboard J :tu
I've never tried a Feather, but just about everyone says they are the sharpest thing known to man for shaving. So, it might be a little unforgiving as you're learning. Some people really like the super-scary-wicked-evil sharpness of the Feather. I wouldn't say you're a poser at all.
I use a Feather Artist Club DX (Japanese style) for almost every shave. Simply put, the Feather Artist Club combines the best aspects of the safety razor and straight razor. It retains some of the challenges associated with both types of razors and balances those obstacles with some dynamite conveniences.
For me, it's the ultimate razor. When I want a change of pace, I reach for one of my safety razors. When I want a more traditional shave, the kind of shave my ancestors had, I use my vintage and antique straight razors. I would probably enjoy shaving a lot less were I forced to give up any of the three types of razors.
The Feather Artist Club is a straight razor. Use what you like, like what you use. You have nothing to prove.
Myself I like the sharpness of the of the Feather blades and try to get my traditional straights as close to them as possible. Some don't care for this level of sharpness, but for my beard and skin it is the holy grail of sharp and an inspiration when honing.
The bottom line here is it's a disposable razor, while it will give you an incredibly close shave but you need to respect the blade, more so than a regular straight. The disposable aspect and the fact it does nothing to perpetuate traditional straight razor shaving is the turn off for me, if that's OK with you then that is all that really matters.
I use mine once in about every 15-20 shaves for something different, sometimes less. I also carry it as a backup when traveling.
Miles
The feathers in particular, but shavettes in general are very unforgiving.
I started out with a shavette, simply because I couldn't find a real straight. This was before internet access was a common thing.
Even after a couple of years, I still nicked myself when using a new blade because they are so damn sharp. the teensiest mistake translates to a nick.
Real straights otoh are very forgiving even when they are very sharp.
I hardly ever nick myself with my straight. It also feels a lot smoother on my face.
And the fact that it is wider also makes that my hand is not dripping with slick lather while shaving.
But whatever...
If you are comfortable with what you use, be happy.