Learning to shave with the Feather Artist Club

NeilJ

NeilJ

Forum GOD!
I have just joined this forum and this thread has interested me greatly.

I've been DE shaving since 2008 but straight razor shaving has interested me for a while now. Before taking the plunge and buying a shave ready straight, strops and refresh stone etc I thought I would get myself a shavette to see if it was for me, so last week I bought a Feather Artist Club SS Scotch Grain Folding. I have used it twice now and thoroughly enjoying the challenge. I've gone straight in with the Feather Professional Blade and boy is it sharp. In hindsight I should have corked it before the first use and caught myself a couple of times which I was expecting. Yesterday's shave was far better, no nicks and it started to feel more natural in the hand. I am only doing one pass WTG at the moment until I feel I have mastered the first pass (I finish the shave with my Feather AS-D2). I have been doing practice passes without the blade to get familiar with changing hands and altering the grip for various parts of my face.

Thanks for keeping us updated on you Artist Club journey, I find this thread very interesting and will no doubt be able to relate to your progress.

Neil
 
wintoid

wintoid

Out of control
Hi @NeilJ

Welcome to the forum! Great to hear you're having a go with the Artist Club. I went for the scotch wood SS too, and now have a wood DX and plastic as well. All folders, I've previously tried the kamisori and prefer the folders. Nice looking things in wood, I have to say.

Do feel free to post your progress on this thread. I'm sure others would be interested :)

Cheers,

Simon
 
NeilJ

NeilJ

Forum GOD!
wintoid said:
Hi @NeilJ

Welcome to the forum! Great to hear you're having a go with the Artist Club. I went for the scotch wood SS too, and now have a wood DX and plastic as well. All folders, I've previously tried the kamisori and prefer the folders. Nice looking things in wood, I have to say.

Do feel free to post your progress on this thread. I'm sure others would be interested :)

Cheers,

Simon
Click to expand...
Hi Simon and thanks for the welcome.

Yes the Feather is a beautifully made thing, typical Japanese quality.

I don't want to hijack your thread but will post my progress and thoughts when I feel they might add anything to the discussion.

Cheers,
Neil
 
NeilJ

NeilJ

Forum GOD!
Just did another WTG pass with the AC, I'm starting to get better coordination with regards to hand choice and grip, it's getting to feel more natural now. I think I need a thinner, wetter lather as because I am a lot slower than usual the lather is drying on my face. Another benefit it the Shavette is that it's great for cleaning up the back of your neck after a lockdown DIY haircut. :)
 
wintoid

wintoid

Out of control
Day 36 - Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG

After all that, I did a complete shave with the Feather AC. Three passes WTG/XTG/mixture. Seemed like a good shave, but post-shave I noticed that there are some whiskers remaining around the moustache area. Must try harder!

On the other hand, the third pass, I worked on going something close to ATG with some serious skin stretching around the sides of the mouth.

Comfortable. Competent. Nothing to see here!
 
NeilJ

NeilJ

Forum GOD!
Fantastic, it sounds like you are really getting the feel for it now. Have you noticed any improvement of your skin? I have fairly good skin normally but having turned 50 I would like it to stay that way for as long as possible. I'd heard that straights are kinder to the skin and even after 3 shaves I think I can see a slight difference. I might go for 2 passes later, WTG and XTG, the only areas I ever go ATG is my moustache area and under by bottom lip as I suffer from ingrowns if I go ATG. I have been studying Mark Dayoc's 3 pass Feather AC shave on YouTube, I'm no expert but he seems to have a really good technique and have been trying to pick up a few tips. Out of interest how many shaves are you getting to a blade?
 
wintoid

wintoid

Out of control
NeilJ said:
Fantastic, it sounds like you are really getting the feel for it now. Have you noticed any improvement of your skin? I have fairly good skin normally but having turned 50 I would like it to stay that way for as long as possible. I'd heard that straights are kinder to the skin and even after 3 shaves I think I can see a slight difference. I might go for 2 passes later, WTG and XTG, the only areas I ever go ATG is my moustache area and under by bottom lip as I suffer from ingrowns if I go ATG. I have been studying Mark Dayoc's 3 pass Feather AC shave on YouTube, I'm no expert but he seems to have a really good technique and have been trying to pick up a few tips. Out of interest how many shaves are you getting to a blade?
Click to expand...
My skin is trouble free really, but I definitely find this shavette gives the most comfortable shave of anything in my fairly large collection of razors. I'm 52 years young myself. I'll look up Mark Dayoc, thanks for the tip!

As for shaves per blade, I don't really know how to judge this if I'm honest. Also, in the 36 days I've been shaving with it, I've probably tried 5 or 6 different types of blade, so nothing really got the chance to be worn out :)
 
Cheesepiece

Cheesepiece

Stickler
I don't know how this fact evaded me for so long but today I acknowledged and implented the use of the heel and toe of the blade where doing so aided tackling the W-, X- and A-TG in the trickier contours of my face and neck.
I don't know if I just mentally acknowledged this today and had been doing it unwittingly until now but actually manoeuvring consciously to using the heel and toe where appropriate, rather than trying to shave with the centre of the blade the whole time was like an epiphany, an effortless but tiny adjustment in thinking and action lead to a less frustrating approach to the same troublesome areas with great results.
Today, shaving nirvana. Close as can be. Not just close and comfortable, one step above in closeness and equally comfortable.
Shave on.
 
JamieM

JamieM

Extreme sharpness is ephemeral!
alfredus said:
My experience with Paladin is also quiet the opposite - usually Ken is very fast with replies. How did you contact him? Maybe try the Email from their website.

Also please don't forget: they just moved their complete workshop and home across states in the US. This is not an easy task during normal times - but these days...
Click to expand...
Cheesepiece said:
I don't know how this fact evaded me for so long but today I acknowledged and implented the use of the heel and toe of the blade where doing so aided tackling the W-, X- and A-TG in the trickier contours of my face and neck.
I don't know if I just mentally acknowledged this today and had been doing it unwittingly until now but actually manoeuvring consciously to using the heel and toe where appropriate, rather than trying to shave with the centre of the blade the whole time was like an epiphany, an effortless but tiny adjustment in thinking and action lead to a less frustrating approach to the same troublesome areas with great results.
Today, shaving nirvana. Close as can be. Not just close and comfortable, one step above in closeness and equally comfortable.
Shave on.
Click to expand...

The exact same thing applies when using a traditional straight razor, you use the heel-toe and middle.
 
NeilJ

NeilJ

Forum GOD!
Today was my 4th shave with the AC and best to date. I lathered up slightly wetter this time (Castle Forbes Lavender). I did unfortunately manage to give myself a couple of nicks requiring a styptic on my first pass but instead of finishing off the rest of the shave with my DE I decided that I need to learn from my mistakes and did an XTG followed by another WTG. I managed it with only a weeper or two and not needing to tidy up with my DE. Apart from the nicks it was a very close and comfortable shave, the alum leaving very little, if any sting afterwards. I'm finding my chin area to be the hardest challenge, especially the tip but I am lovely using this razor.
 
wintoid

wintoid

Out of control
Day 37 - Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG

After being monogamous for a month, I am being promiscuous again, and shaving with a SE razor. I needed to clear up the philtrum area, which the SE struggles to reach, so I decided to do a first pass with the Feather AC, and then proceed with my SE shave.

So, one pass, WTG, no trouble whatsoever. Just keeping my hand in!
 
Cheesepiece

Cheesepiece

Stickler
I won a Kai folder on the 'bay for next to nowt so I'm looking forward to giving it a bash.
The Dubl Duck is a little beauty and I really like the shaper blades but will be good to take a look at the range of AC blades.
@wintoid did you order from anywhere in particular, I'd be in the market for a sampler pack if that exists?
 
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