Thread: Feather to Straight to Feather to.......

I got interested in straight razor shaving about 5 months ago. Tried the Feather AC and had the usual experience of nicks and razor burn. Switched to straight and had, again, the usual experience - steep learning curve, moderate case of RAD, sending razor back to be rehoned, working on technique of shaving and stropping. Got to the point where I was getting a decent shave most of the time, but still not able to get the chin and parts of the jawline right.
Then I decided to try the Feather again - this time my technique for prep, stretching and blade movement had the benefit of the practice with the straight. Using a very light touch and shallow to no angle, I have gotten terrific shaves with the Feather. No irritation, good clean up of difficult areas, one nick that I would have gotten with a straight due to a dumb move.
While I recognize that the technique with the feather is somewhat easier (angle is pretty fixed and predictable) my other conclusion is that my razors just aren't sharp enough. The ones from the honemeisters do ok for a few shaves. I know that the usual criticism at this point would be stropping, but I have to think there is more than that.
I plan to keep at the straights, work on technique and stropping, but really need to consider whether I can learn to hone and strop well enough to make the straights a viable choice.
I'm curious if others have been through this cycle.
Thanks!

So what you are really saying is a skill that every man in the Western World (at least) learned and used in times past you don't think you can learn?

There are a few lucky guys among us who pick up a straight and in a few days they are shaving like champs and they pick up honing just as easy. These guys are the exceptions. Most of us go through the same things you are going through and it takes months to really be getting truly great shaves. I think I was shaving with a straight around 4-5 months before I got my first true BBS shave all over and close to a year before I had true facility with using the straight

It's all a matter if you are willing to put in the time and effort. There is absolutely no doubt you can learn the skills the question is are you willing to put in the sweat equity to do it?

An excellent point - although I do think that the prevalence of beards in the past was not just due to style but also to the complexity of the shave. I am also struck by the number of members of this forum who admit that their straight razor shave is not the same smoothness as they get with other technologies.
I am,however, one of those who has found the morning shave routine transformed from a chore to a relaxing and interesting way to start the day. Your encouragement is appreciated.

Shaving with technologies such as a DE or cartridges is certainly easier than shaving with straight razors, and it takes much longer to get it right because it is more difficult. DEs and cartridges don't have exposed blades or at least as exposed as straight blades are. While DEs and cartridges take the difficulty out of shaving, they also take the challenge and resulting fun out of it.

Honing can be learned, but it is very difficult to learn just by getting stones and reading the Wiki here. It is always helpful to find someone to show you how honing is done. I sought and received the help of one of the fine members here and eventually was successful. Like straight shavng, honing takes time and practice too.

I think most of the members here who have been shaving with a straight longer than a year would not say they get smoother shaves with other technologies.

The only real competition, IMO, would be DE/SE quality razors. For the first six months or so while learning the straight, when I used a replaceable blade device, I would get a better shave than with a straight. Then straights started giving me equal shaves. Now (I still use an SE or DE maybe once a month, just cause I have so many lovely examples and hate to have them sit around unused), I can no longer equal a straight shave with an SE/DE. Not in terms of smoothness, certainly not in terms of closeness. I think that is the experience of most of us who have been doing this for awhile.

BTW, if your straight edges are going away after just a few shaves, something is off. Stropping is the most likely culprit. Took me close to a year to get that down. If you want it enough, it will come. It's not always a linear process, though.

I fully understand how you feel. Or better, I recognize it very well.

I started out with a Feather DX as well. It does the job just fine and dandy.
The reason I stopped using it on my face(still use it on my head) was the harshness of the shaves from it.
It shaves close but so does the straight, when properly done.
But, as TBS says, it takes more time to master the straight.
To me, the learning curve on both prep, stropping, shaving and honing was rather lengthy, but I can honestly say, it was totally worth it in the end. Once mastered, the shaves are as close, believe you me
A couple times lately, I have revisited the Feather to shave my face, and while I get an equally close shave, it is far more prone to nicks, and it can easily leave my skin a wee bit raw.
There are folks who use the Feathers and are absolutely happy with that, kudos to them for that.
To me, the straight is quite simply the more comfortable, challenging and fun regimen to follow.

These replies and encouragement are very helpful. Any other suggestions for monitoring my stropping? I have the "flip" pretty well down and feel that the strop is taut and the spine flat (I've also used the SRD paddle). My strokes are now much lighter than when I began but perhaps need to be even lighter.