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I used my left hand for the first time this morning on the left side of my face and neck. It really helped with some of those hard angles I was creating by using only my right hand. I would suggest trying your off hand if you have not done so. It really makes a huge difference.
When I started with the Feather, I played around with the left hand using the razor without a blade! Much safer!Quote:
Originally Posted by kossi
It does take some getting used to but it comes.
Gareth
i've been using the feather artist club for going on 2 years.. i'm one of those guys that for some reason has never had a need to use my non dominant hand..
right hand holds the razor.. left hand stretches.. face gets shaved..
works for me.
I am new to straight razor shaving (Dec. 2010) and have tried both the Feather AC and the straights. I found the same situation that you encountered - the Feather seemed more effortless and gave a smoother shave. I was a little dumbfounded because the other folks in the forum were reporting wonderful, comfortable shaves with their straights. But that spurned me on to find out why the Feather gave such a great shave as opposed to my straights. I won't go into a lot of detail (partly because I don't understand at this point design elements of a razor - maybe a veteran of the forum could explain) but somehow the design of the Feather and it's super sharp blades produce a smooth, comfortable shave. I began to review different aspects of my technique and preparation. I began digging around the wiki and videos to see if I was missing something and found one aspect of my prep that was different from what I observed. The method I was using to strop my straights was definitely different from the video presentation. I modified my method to match what I learned and I saw a noticeable improvement in my straight razor shaves. So much so that my shaves with my straights matched the shaves I got with the Feather.Quote:
It just feels as though the real Str8 isn't doing anything. The Feather is so effortless that a Str8 is like trying to push a car up hill.
My point is that sometimes it can be one thing that makes a difference and when you find that "thing" you can make a big leap forward in your shaving results. The challenge, and it can be frustrating, is that in digging to find that one thing it can take time. You've come to the right place because I know the folks here are more then willing to help.
Just give yourself some time mixed with patience. I was almost ready to give up straight razor shaving about 3 months ago but I thought, "What if I was on the verge of getting that great shave and I stopped short." It wasn't to much longer that I got my first BBS shave.
Randy
I started with a Feather and did indeed find the transition to a traditional straight easier. Even now, I keep a feather (or KAI) in my rotation as I find it helps me keep my touch light.
You can get away with a heavier touch with a traditional straight than you can with a Feather or KAI. One shave with the disposable keeps my hand light.
I use both the regular str8 and the Feather DX (non folding). For me the Feather Non Folding DX has 2 advantages that I like. With the non folding I can shave one handed, no problem. With the str8, I have learned to use the left hand for the left side of my face and neck. The Feather is also shorter than any str8 I have. The blade is 2" long and I find maneuvering much easier than a str8. The DX is well balanced and has the right amount of weight to make shaving with it a pleasure. The down side is that the blades are incredibly sharp. Shave without staying focused and you will pay the price.