Trading standard str8s for a Feather AC

well... granted ive only had my straights for a couple of weeks, maybe less, i am beginning to wonder if all this is worth my effort... i dont know how to hone, and with the money involved, and the time spent figuring it out i might never even want to do it... so considering the other options, such as sending it out which requires both money, and even MORE time waiting for it to come back... not to mention the variables of who you are sending it to, and the fact that you could send 10 razors of the same make and model to the same person and get back 10 razors all with miniscule differences in their edge (just a fact of life when something is done by hand i would assume) there are so many variables involved with dealing with straights, and i dont have the time, money, or patience to get into it all... stropping alone (while a very minor part of it) is kind of a PITA simply because its another way to screw off your edge, and it takes about 10 minutes to do for a newbie like myself :roflmao it really is a meticulous thing to do....

so with that said, ive SERIOUSLY considered putting my wapi and my custom paddle up on here for trade to obtain a feather RG.... no stropping, no honing, nothing but shaving...

so what does everyone here think about the feather razors and their ability to provide a shave for someone who wants to scratch "authentic" straights altogether until he has the time/money to invest in all the proper utensils to get it right?

I use a feather as my daily shaver, and keep the traditionals for fun.

Warlock, I don't mean this to be a slam, just an observation: I don't think you're patient enough to learn what needs to be learned to get good results with a traditional straight.

While several most of the members here who have tried Feathers seem to prefer and get more comfortable shaves from traditional straights, you might indeed like the ease and convenience of Feathers.

I agree with steveS, it takes time and patience to aquire the skills needed for shaving with a straight among other things in life. I also thought about using a Feather as a daily shaver but every time i hone a razor up and shave with it it puts a smile on my face. that alone keeps me from changing.

that seems to be my biggest problem... honing... im always worried about how long its going to stay honed for, and then how long its going to take to hone it... not to mention, if im even going to be able to hone it properly... :( if not, ive just screwed off a perfectly good edge... where as with a feather, i drop it, or screw it off somehow? quick fix... change the blade lol no stropping, no honing, just a DE molded into the shape of a straight razor....

your right, i dont have the patience, or at least... not yet... mainly because i dont have the time/money for it... i work a lot, and im pretty much f'n broke... to buy a stone would kill my bank, and for what? so i can screw off the razor i just spent X amount of dollars on? lol not to mention, ive got to buy all this other stuff to lap it before i even use it... its just a lot more time and money than i have to spend right now... take a look at Bpattons sig line "have norton will dull your blade" this is obviously a guy that took out all the stops and went straight into it, and still has not figured out how to make a perfect edge... not to say he wont in the future, but im about results... i can take time to learn technique and everything, but i think learning technique, stropping, honing, lapping, pasting, all that other stuff is just too much for one shot... thus, why i wanted to trade my stuff in for a feather... if the shave is good, it will be worth my time/money... and i can focus on using proper technique without all the other hassle... then in 6 months or so, when i feel my technique is good and i have $200 to spend on a strop, hone, lapping stone, and razor, i can come back and try to deal with it then...

am i wrong in my thoughts? im here for advice... so please help me :D

Normally I would not recommend that someone give up on straights this early in the game; however, given your attitude, personality, and financial situation I think that the Feather AC would be good for you. Actually I think that a quality DE like a Merkur HD would be much better. They are a lot cheaper, much easier to learn to use, and give a very good shave (maybe 90-95% as good as a straight) without the steep learning curve of the straight. With a DE you should be able to get very good shaves very quickly and with a minimal investment. You could sell the Wapienica that I gave you for a profit (I was trying to help you out with the price on that one), probably at least get your money back on the Boker razor that Ivo sold you, and sell your Tony Miller paddle strop for only a little bit of a loss (heck I might even be interested in buying it) and I bet you would still be a little ahead or break even. IMO you really sound like more of DE guy than a straight razor guy, and that is absolutely not meant to be an insult. Straights are definately not for everyone, in fact most people think that we are crazy. Maybe when you have more money and time someday you can give the straight another try. Just my .02 :shrug:

well i do have a couple of DEs, and i love em... i want to get into straights, but given the circumstances, the fact that im kind of in a bind right now and wont have money for a stone or the other things needed for it (pasted paddle, etc..) i figure a feather would be something that i could hone up my technique with until im able to go "all in" with a real straight setup...

i mean im open to the idea of keeping it, and just taking my time, using my DEs and waiting till i have the money for a stone... but at the same time i think i would be wasting time i could be using honing my skills... later, i can always sell my feather, and buy a nice kit for a REAL straight after adding some money into the mix...

as i said, im open to any idea... i wish i made this into a poll lol but, i do also take into consideration that almost everyone here is only fancy towards a REAL straight, and are probably not going to willfully suggest a lesser method over the real thing... which is why i have explained my entire situation, to hopefully get some responses that are customized to my personal situation...

if the shave with a feather is in no way comparable to that of a standard straight, then it would be pointless for me to use that to build my skill on... but if it is, it might be worth a shot... i dunno. im just confuzzled lol

warlock,

I think if you don't have the patience for a regular straight you won't have the patience for a feather either. as far as consistency of feathers - you should read some posts of people trying to learn them, here and at b&b (some are complete with pictures). you may be surprised with what you find. i don't want to be discouraging, but that's my observation from what i've read so far.
i think spending more money on gear won't improve your results, only patience will. if you don't have it you should stick with de, m3 or fusion - most of the western world uses them and they seem to be doing ok. i wish you would continue trying straights, but somehow i have the feeling you've already lost your motivation in which case encouraging you would be pointless.

i dont have a loss of motivation to try straights, and i have plenty of patience learning to USE one, but i like taking things one step at a time... for instance, i had the patience to go from a mach 3 to a DE in 1 swipe... spend a sh** load of money on a brush, a couple of razors, a few soaps/creams, the stands, etc... and i have just recently gained the confidence to use them efficiently... took some time, and im still experimenting, but recently i have been getting some AWESOME shaves with the feather blades both in my 38c and my Futur... where as before, i was ready to toss them in the garbage... so patience with me extends very little, but it does extend... if i lend it to one thing at a time... know what i mean?

You may be under the impression that you need master everything at once, and I don't think that is the case at all. For, plus or minus, twenty bucks you can have your razor honed by Lynn, or one of the other "Gold Standard" Honemeisters, and have no doubt about a sharp and consistant edge. Then you just need to work on strop technique (and shaving technique) until you need to run the blade over a pasted paddle to freshen it up. If you do a search you will find many low cost options for a paddle.

It should be months before you need to send the razor out for re-honing. While it's away you can go to your back up razor (which you can afford since you haven't sprung for the Norton and coticule). I suspect many on the forum stop there and never attempt to master honing. In terms of expense you might find that the cost of the Feather blades offsets much if not all of the expense of having a pro do the honing. On the other hand, if you want to try honing you can space out the expenditures and the learning curve, as you are able to commit the effort and resources.

BTW, I have a Feather and like it, so I'm not saying that it would be a bad choice at all. The only thing is, in exchange for convenience you get...well..sort of boring. Super effective, but not much to capture one's imagination.

I dont hone, I send mine out maybe once or twice a year and touch them up in between with a pasted strop, it works very well. I will probably hone eventually, but it isnt on my top 5 list of things to learn at the moment. As long as you dont mind paying about $20.00 there are a few good people that will hone for you.

On the flip side, there is nothing wrong with using a feather, I have considered buying one for when I fly unfamiliar airlines and not having to worry about losing a checked real straight.

All in all , you have to find out what works for you -- nothing says that anyone has to be a hardcore honer, restorer, exclusive straight razor shaver --- keep it fun ---


Justin

lol why not just take a cheaper straight if all your worried about is losing one? considering 80+ bucks is what it takes to buy a feather, you would probably be better suited buying a wapi or other inexpensive razor for traveling if your only concern is losing an expensive one... i figured most people travel with feathers to avoid possibly damaging the edge during the trip and not having a hone handy, or, more often, not having to bring a strop with you and potentially ruining the strop in the packing or shipment... not to mention, the pain in the ass stropping is, especially if you are in a hurry and your only razor needs to be stropped before you shave... business meetings would probably be the biggest candidate for such a scenario.

me? i want one to skip all the BS until i decide to spend the money on it... im looking to make myself as self sufficient as possible, and to need as little help in getting done what i need to get done as possible... sending one out for honing is a great service, but in the end... i dont like having to take my stuff to someone else for work... i work on my own cars, i work on my own guitars, i work on my own computer, i try to keep everything maintenence wise within my own capable hands... which is why i know im going to need to learn to hone very soon lol especially since beginner stropping is probably setting me up for a new edge every month or two till i get it right... you know?

Uhhhh, just so you know warlock that sig line is a joke. I get comfortable shaves from a traditional, but a traditional can't get as sharp as a feather (not trying to start a fight, just my expirience).

My expirience with a feather has been great. There are some small diffrences in the technique used, but ultimately if you can use a straight you can use a feather. I still get a nick once a week, but they are never serious and don't scar. The advice I would give you if you do go for a feather is to hold it gingerly and use it lightly because once you have that in your hand the traditional straights seem dull.

We should also remember, with respect to honing, that there is a big difference between bringing a dead blade back to life and keeping a sharp blade keen. A lot of the trials and tribulations you see written about here deal with the former. Maintaining an edge is not nearly as involved - unless we make it so.

Jordan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gugi

warlock,

I think if you don't have the patience for a regular straight you won't have the patience for a feather either. as far as consistency of feathers - you should read some posts of people trying to learn them, here and at b&b (some are complete with pictures). you may be surprised with what you find. i don't want to be discouraging, but that's my observation from what i've read so far.
i think spending more money on gear won't improve your results, only patience will. if you don't have it you should stick with de, m3 or fusion - most of the western world uses them and they seem to be doing ok. i wish you would continue trying straights, but somehow i have the feeling you've already lost your motivation in which case encouraging you would be pointless.

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I 100% don't buy into consistency problems with a feather. I've been shaving with one for about two years now. I use it daily. I think there's a tremendous difference between a new blade and a ten day old blade, and that can make it seem a little inconsistent to the less experience, but its really as predictable as clockwork. I think I can fairly say that in the 50-odd superpro blades I've used, I've yet to encounter a clunker.

It's like any other tool. If you learn to use it, it will treat you well. I get a snicker out of those who have invested months into learning to use and hone and strop a straight correctly, only to pick up a Feather, use it for a week, and deem it somehow inferior to a traditional straight. There are some who really give the Feather months, and then move on or go back to a straight, and I really take them at their word, as they've put in the time to draw a conclusion-- but those aren't the guys claiming the blades aren't consistent!!

i can see how a regular straight user would deem a blade like the feather to be inconsistent... simply because for a professional straight user their blades offer the same shave for months and months... without anything more than a stropping, or a touch up on a pasted paddle... disposable blades die out after a few uses... but, i couldnt see how a feather RG would be any less consistent than a DE blade... same concept, you know?

My main problem with the Feather is that it is really unforgiving. I have a nice scar under my chin and cannot get a Feather blade past it without a nick. Other than that, that are nice shavers. Never a problem with my regular straight razors.

Lynn

yeah Lynn, but you are the go-to source of information, and professional honing services for razors... hell, you directed the DVD on it lol i would find it hard to believe there is a beast out there you couldnt tame...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Warlockdlx69

i can see how a regular straight user would deem a blade like the feather to be inconsistent... simply because for a professional straight user their blades offer the same shave for months and months... without anything more than a stropping, or a touch up on a pasted paddle... disposable blades die out after a few uses... but, i couldnt see how a feather RG would be any less consistent than a DE blade... same concept, you know?

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It's one of those things that's hard to understand before you use it. The Feather AC blades are good for about eight to ten shaves for me, and when you put in a fresh one, the new blade is very different from the old blade. Perhaps the safety bar in the DE takes some of the adventure of a blade change away, but you really need to take things a bit easy with the Artist Club on new blade day. After going through a pack or two, this becomes second nature.

I am new and have never really tried to shave with a straight yet but I intend to in the next few weeks.

I would like to add my .02c which perhaps was already covered by another member, but if you have your razor honed by a professional, my understanding is that straights don't need to be honed as often as say a regular knife. Also you worry about screwing up the edge by poor stropping technique, perhaps you could find someone to give you a quick lesson?
I have read many posts about feather razors, simply coz I want one and a lot of people mention their fear of using it to start and some have mentioned that it becomes nicer to shave with after it had become slightly dull due to its extreme sharpness.
If you don't have the patience to learn to hone or strop, then perhaps you don't have the patience required to shave with a straight and if you try it with a feather you might end up with some serious cuts.

Again this is just my opinion, and I have only learned the theory so...

You can get straights deceptively sharp, where the shave is as good as any machine blade, but the smoothness and forgiving edge belies the keenness.
Machine-sharpened blades are sharp, but I still get weepers on a new or 2-3 uses blade when using a shavette, while I never, ever draw blood from a real straight.
The disposal blades of course take 2/3 out of the shaving equation, but all in all it's a tradeoff.
I like not having to buy blades.

Actually, I do like buying blades, now that I think about it. WTF. Scratch that.

LOL yeah i feel ya... but about never drawing blood? man.... i wish you could see my face... i fear im going to have to wait a week before getting another BBS shave... lol thank god i sent both my straights to Ivo... well, one is already his.. the wapi i sent him is mine... but yeah, so i wont be tempted to thrash my face for at least a few weeks lol my DEs will keep me comfortably smooth.... :D

Feathers are really nice. Just open it and shave. It is so damn sharp that prep etc is not even that important.

They are also absolutely unforgiving. I have learned to shave with shavette and did so for years. I don't cut myself. Period. But before I got to this point I sure paid the price in blood :D

The nice thing about real straights is that they are much more forgiving and smooth. they may not be as sharp, but they will leave you with a much more comfortable result.

The one thing I don't like about them is that if the hair grows back, he stubble is as sharp and coarse as with a gillette. the stubble from a real straight is much softer.

I actually like using the Fromm hairshaper blades better than Feather.
Still not very forgiving but they strike a better balance for me.
My straights have kept my styptic pencil young.

IMO, the Feather AC razors (I have the non-folding, ACD-N, model) behave and perform more like a DE razor -- without the safety bar -- than like a traditional straight. The technique that you use for the Feathers doesn't directly translate to a traditional straight.

My recommendation -- stick with the DEs until you are fully prepared to commit to learning and mastering the tradtional straight, if that is your ultimate endeavor.