Thread: Why shaving with the featherlite blade is the better than the rest

Jguns, first, I do agree with you that post count is does not necessarily convey knowledge. However, I have found that most people that post consistently on this forum do so because they DO have the knowledge and like sharing it.
Second, while I agree that many people probably do INITIALLY get into straight shaving because it's manly, not all do. I got into it becaue I had a straight shave at a barbers shop and it felt very enjoyable to me. I thought I would give it a try, and although I can get a smooth shave with my mach3, I find that a straight provides me with less irritation, and yes, once I began to aquire some experience, a closer shave.
As to the advantage of a Feather, I cannot comment, as I have not had the opportunity to try one. However, I would bet that those who finish their blades on a 30000 grit stone or with a paste can get them as sharp as a Feather. In any case, I don't really think it matters as to whether or not the blade is that sharp, but rather what your own personal preferances are. Some people prefer a wedge grind, some people a more hollow grind. Obviously shaving with only a Feather doesn't allow you this flexibility. Not to say that it doesn't have its advantages.
Personally, I really enjoy stropping, because it forces me to give the lather time to sit on my face and hydrate my wiskars, and it relaxes me. That being said, if it is not something that appeals to you, as I'm can easily see that it is not for everyone, then thats fine.
I do consider a Feather REAL straight, but not a TRADITIONAL one, and the heritage of this hobby is what it has become. I recently started grinding a blade on my Double Arrow to customize it to my liking, something that I couldn't do with a Feather.
I don't want to seem like I am criticising you, as I am not in a position to, but I would be curious to see what other razors you have tried. Many of the people who have thousands of posts on here have also tried thousands of razors, so they have an amazing comparison basis. This is not to say that you don't, but I would be interested to know what you are comparing the Feather to, in your personal experience that is.
For me personally, I do intend to try a Feather, but I think that I enjoy the other aspects of shaving with and maintaining a traditional straight too much to want to change.

JGUNS,

You write eloquently. That suggests at least some intelligence. Hence it puzzles me that you make such deficient arguments.
Your ongoing obsession with "manliness" post after post is largely based on bogus assumptions about what it takes to be an honorable representative of the male gender. Luckily I don't consider myself a real man, nor have I that ambition, or else I would be quite insulted by your caveman claim on masculinity.
What makes someone a "true man" is impossible to define. Clint Eastwood seems to qualify, so I've heard. He even made a brilliant cinematographic career out of it. But no other male has ever become truly manly by copying Clint's behavior. That would only turn you into The Schofield Kid, wouldn't it?
Being a real man might lead you to shaving with a straight razor or it might lead you to growing a beard. But doing those things as such won't turn you anymore into a real guy, as wearing a dress turns you into a woman.
As a final note about this topic that you seem to find so important: I've never met a "true man" that worried about being one or showed the least urge to define himself as one...

Now, about the heart of the matter:
I can't compare a disposable straight razor to a genuine straight razor. I never shaved with a disposable straight. I like genuine straights because of the craftiness of their use and maintenance, because of their tradition and aesthetics, and because they are lasting items in a throw-away world. Disposable straights fail on a number of these factors, so I'm not interested.
From a purely shaving viewpoint, I am sure that they perform well. A face can only be so smooth, and I think the DE, the disposable straight, the genuine straight, and why not, the cartridge razor all offer a complete smooth result, when in capable hands. Other than jokingly, I hardly ever read diminishing statements about the other shaving tools on SRP. The tone of your post in favor of the Feather, is quite an ungentlemanly breach with that trend.

As for your wish to provoke and have discussion for the sake of discussion itself, I think you have come to the wrong place.
You seem a master in innuendo, redefining the contents of words if that gets you off the hook, and making sarcastic disrespectful remarks. Insulting someone, and then tell him he cannot take it as an insult, is insulting him twice. Insulting a group of people and then tell them they have no sense of humor if they can't accept your insults is a cowards act.

I have made over a 1000 posts on this forum. First because I needed to learn, later because I like to share the knowledge that I have gained, and why not admit it, because it feels good to earn respect for that. That doesn't mean that I, or the other persons that frequent this forum think about our hobby as the single most important thing in the world, as you seem to suggest.
I don't need to post here to have a life. And I certainly don't need to write long posts that are primarily full of myself in order to boost my ego. It is allready bad enough that I have to read such posts.
Please read my signature lines.

Bart.

Debate may be interesting, but it always pays to follow some ground rules:

- don't confuse personal opinion with fact. You use the word 'is' as if to indicate fact, where you statement is really an opinion.
- don't assume that we all have the same reasons for using straights.
- don't assume that there are no other criteria for a razor than 'sharp'.
- try to explain you point of view and how you come to a conclusion, instead of making rash statements that may convey the same information, but seem to be made for the purpose of provocation. I don't like provocational debate.

Opening a discussion like you did in real life would have a significant chance of you ending up on the side walk, trying to open your swollen eyes in order to look for your teeth.
Just because this is the internet doesn't mean that you should forget your manners.

Reasoned debate is fine. Being needlessly rude and provocative is not.

Posting like you did in this thread would normally have me throw you out, at least temporarily.
But our members already replied and got into the argument, so my good deed for today will be not to ban you. Keep the above points in mind and you will be just fine.

Originally Posted by Big Red

I too have been a member on other boards. many of them have an ignore feature. I can set people on there then when I read threads their posts don't show at all. How come this board doesn't have that feature?

It does!

empowering the individual,

Lee

I have a Feather Disposable and have tried it on many occasions. I have always found that the blades although sharp, are very unforgiving. With the slightest pressure and sometimes not, I have ended up nicked all over the place and especially under my chin where a nice scar from my youth resides. I do not get these kinds of nicks with a real straight razor and always get a really sticky close shave.

In addition, I find that the machined blades, much like the DE's leave my skin really feeling rougher and more dried out than the straight razor.

This of course is just my personal feelings and findings and as the other guys have said, If you like it the best then that is what is good for you. Now, if I could only find some wisdom and wizeness..............

All the best,

Lynn

Originally Posted by JGUNS

PS- the Feather Club Artist rules and is a real straight razor. So far, nothing has changed my mind

Maybe you should contact the manufacturers and inform them that they are misnaming their own product - even they do not describe the Club Artist as a straight razor on their website.

Maybe you should also take your own advice about lightening up.