Thread: Feather as training for straight

I don't know exactly how different the feather is from the disposable "straight razors" that use half of a DE blade (I think they're called "shavettes"?), but I gave one of them a try after I had been using the regular straight razor for a little while. I didn't like it at all.

The blade was ridiculously sharp, of course, and not at all forgiving. That's one of the great things about the straight razor: you can basicaly customize its sharpness to your liking. After a while it's as though it becomes... a part of you.

I did exactly what you are contemplating: I bought a feather in order to learn how to shave with a st8 and not have to deal with honing and stropping. I acquired a reasonable level of proficiency in about a month, but I wasn't exactly delighted with the whole experience so I decided to try a real st8.

I got a TI that Lynn had honed. What a difference! On my first attempt I got a far more comfortable shave with better results. And the bonus is that the st8 is soooo much more foregiving. My feather now sits in a drawer gathering dust. I had originally planned to use it as a travel razor; however, I haven't done so--just a st8 and a paddle strop for traveling.

Stropping is a relatively easy skill to acquire. Honeing is another story. It took me several months and a half dozen ebay razors to actually get to where I can make a razor shave ready. (And they still aren't what I would call ideal.)

While you are learning, you can get a Tony Miller pasted strop. It will keep a professionally honed razor going for many months.

So, my advice would be to forget about the feather and get a professionally honed st8. Save the money--you'll need it if you decide to continue with this method of depilation! (And this advice is worth every cent you paid for it.)

Larry

I started shaving with a Feather str8, and, yes, it helped me learn to respect a sharp edge and have a light touch. I like the Feather for what it is: the best, and sharpest, and most well made disposable str8 razor on the market.

Having said that, you will be taking a step backward if you go to a Feather. That is unless you plan on giving up regular str8 razors, because there is nothing like a great shave with a real str8!!! The few times I went back to the Feather it was just "Ho Humm". No charge, no exciting feeling that I did something really great! No excitement you get from a great shave with a razor you have sharpened, stropped, and shaved with.

TRUST ME! Don't do it!

Regards,

Steve

I've gone both ways on this in the past, so take this as a snapshot of where I am now...

The Feather can be a good tool if you're really struggling to learn some aspect of straight shaving. For a long time, I got terrible irritation or a stubbly face. One or the other.

Switching to a Feather for a while helped me figure out that I was using way too much pressure, which was due to my decision early on to learn to hone on my own. I should have gotten a shave-ready razor from the getgo.

That said, the Feather requires very different technique, in my book. With my straights, I use a 30-degree angle and some light to moderate pressure. With the Feather, I keep the blade flat against my face--almost a zero angle. I use no pressure.

With a straight, I go N-S on my neck for the first pass. With the Feather, I have to go up or I get pretty bad razor burn. (Down is partially against the grain. This is OK with the straight, but not so much with the Feather.)

I totally agree that the straight is gentler and more forgiving. I have very sensitive skin, and my favorite edges are finished to a smooth but not terribly sharp 6K edge on my Belgian blue.

With the Feather, I always have some irritation, no matter how careful I am. I'm sure I could get the hang of it eventually, but I'd rather just use my straights.

One trap I fell into was thinking that sharper is always better. I was finding that the razor would hang up in my chin hair and not cut it. So I went to a sharper edge, which made things worse with the razor burn and irritation. If you're struggling, I'd encourage you to try a range of edges, from a super-smooth 6K edge to a hyper-sharp 30K Shapton or 50K diamond paste edge.

Just my 2 cents,
Josh

I believe the Feather is great if you want to get a "straight type" shave without having to learn to hone or strop, and you don't want to lay out the bucks for hone or two. You get a similar experience to a straight shave but with a machine honed blade. However, comparing the overall experience, using a Feather is a lot like drinking frozen concentrate. Good, but not the real thing.

RT

I say dive right in. I've never used a DE or a feather. I simply went from Mach 3 to a straight and I learned right from wrong quickly by trial and error. Although I did nick myself due only to my own carelessness a few times, but that's how you learn. I also learned to hone and strop, but I had lots of time to just sit and do it. Good Luck.

Thanks everyone. Your advice was quite helpful. Soar on!

Originally Posted by heliguy

short answer is, YES.
For the most part its not hard to teach someone stick if they already know how to drive, There are exceptions to every rule.

Over here, if you got your drivers license in a car with automatic transmission, it will be marked on your license and you are not legally allowed to drive in stick shift cars.

You'd have to take the test again if you want to change that.
The idea behind this is that the government want to be sure that you know what you are doing.

Then again this is only a small minority because the rule does not work the other way around, and people around here are not into automatic trannies anyway. Most people I know (incl me) prefer manual.