Thread: First Shave with Feather Blades

There is a tendency to use more pressure when the blade is not sharp enough for your situation. When moving to a Feather you have to be sure to use no pressure otherwise you get razor burn and nicks. Also, the razor you use them in is a factor. Mild razors, which the EJ 89 is not, really shine with a Feather blade.

The EJ89 isn't mild? That's the first time I've heard that.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

The EJ89 isn't mild? That's the first time I've heard that.

Terms for razors are always subjective. There are shavers who would use a Feather nailed to a stick and refer to it as efficient. In general, the EJ 89 is comparable to the Merkur 34C. These are not generally regarded as mild shavers. Mild is used for razors like the Merkur OC or the Feather AS-1, that is to say razors with very limited blade exposure (the gap between the blade and the SB or comb). The EJ and Merkur are usually thought of as being in the middle of the spectrum. They are often recommended because of that. For average beards and faces, they are great razors.

A newbie looking for a DE rarely says what his situation is. He simply asks for a recommendation and is pointed to the middle of the spectrum of razors. I am an experienced DE shaver. I bought a Merkur Futur and spent weeks trying to get a shave without irritation and cuts. I subsequently sold it. I then purchased a Progress and love shaving with it. I could not close the blade gap on the Future enough to get it in the range of the 34C. Some users of the Future run it wide open and praise the shave they get. My skin would never tolerate that. Very sharp blades and big blade exposure are not for most shavers. Acne, moles, scar tissue, sensitive skin and many other issues make razor and blade choice a very personal exercise. There is no such thing as a perfect razor/blade, but there is a perfect razor/blade for each shaver.

The fun is in finding yours.