Learning to shave with the Feather Artist Club

[wintoid]

Day 13

Feather Artist Club SS with Kai Titan Mild blades (no guard!)

OK I was curious to see whether an unguarded blade would be useable at this stage in my technique. The answer was yes and no.

I went for the SS because it's reputedly milder than the DX, even if I can't tell any difference, at least with guarded blades. Three passes, mostly WTG with a tiny bit of XTG on my dominant side. Fingers were 2:2 around the handle, except for when I did my chin, where I went 1:3 for extra control. The moustache was done with a DE. I'm not that brave!

Verdict? In the gentlest possible way, I think the Kai Titan Mild was telling me to go back to guard blades for now. I got 2 miniscule weepers which stopped bleeding almost immediately without intervention, one on a cheek, and one of my Adam's apple. I would say the overall shave was ever-so-slightly less comfortable than with the guarded blades. It might be a teeny bit closer, but it's also a teeny bit patchier.

That's ok, I opened Pandora's box and peeked inside. I'm now happy to back to guarded blades for a bit longer.

 

[p.b]

My first shave with a Feather Pro and it was notably less tuggy than with yesterday’s ProGuard. A few minor cuts but a very presentable finish, and I’m glad I used the guarded blades to gain muscle memory/ learn how to hold it comfortably.

 

[Zwilling]

It's great to read this journey. I never used a shavette - I went with a straight as the consensus at the time was that shavettes were far more difficult to shave with. But it must be nice to know that your blade is sharp enough and everything is about user error rather than the equipment.

 

[Cheesepiece]

+1
I've been inspired.
I'm digging my shavettes out and putting all DE away for a bit. Lockdown means I can at least afford the time and that should help with my variable length patience.
Pretty sure I've a Dubl Duck shavette, a Weck and a Univinlions AC-style shavette to play with.
First shavette shave will be today / tonight and I think I'll opt for the Dubl Duck.

 

[wintoid]

Excellent, it's really nice to hear that some people find this interesting. Initially I wasn't sure if I was just inflicting myself on the forum. I'm looking forward to looking back on the original messages, and marvelling at how easy it is to shave, and how could I have had all that difficulty!

 

[Cheesepiece]

Well my return to shavettes wasn't all that glorious.
The replaceable blade shavette provided a close shave in most places and it certainly appears that I've shaved today even if I can feel the stubble ATG all over. I suppose the closeness of the shaves shall come back with more practice.
Re: patience, part of that was quitting whilst ahead after two WTG passes and knowing not to push on and hope for a better result than I was bound to get. And I won't need tomorrow to recover from a damaging shave by quitting at 'close & comfortable'.

 

[wintoid]

Day 14

Feather Artist Club SS with Kai Titan Mild
Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded

Yes I know, two razors with two different blades. How do I expect to learn anything?

I wanted to see whether the Kai Titan Mild blade from yesterday would start to smooth out. At the same time, it's a bank holiday weekend, no video conferences, so this is the time to be brave about the moustache area, and I wasn't doing that with an unguarded blade!

Three passes, mostly WTG with a little XTG on the dominant side. Face, neck and chin with the unguarded blade in the SS. Moustache with the guarded blade in the DX. No nicks, and I'd say the best shave I've had yet with the Feather system. It's also only the second time I've completed the shave without using a DE at all.

The 1:3 hold definitely helps me with corners. The 2:2 hold is for everything else.

 

[wintoid]

Day 15

Feather Artist Club DX with a fresh Kai Protouch MG guarded

Four pass shave today! Just because it was so comfortable and I was enjoying it so much. No DE used, so this is the third time the whole shave has been with a Feather Artist razor. It feels like the learning has slowed down. My violin teacher always used to teach me that the moment when you feel like you're not learning is actually the moment when you are learning.

I did a complete XTG pass on everything below the jaw, which was fine. Neck and cheeks have a decent shave. The end of my chin is the worst result, and the moustache isn't a brilliant shave but was fine in terms of comfort. I'm sure I couldn't do that without the blade guard, though.

As a DE shaver, I always do at least one ATG pass. Sometimes I even do 3 ATG passes. For me, ATG is mostly east-to-west on the neck. For the life of me, I can't work out a way to hold the Feather (folding) razors that would let me feel safe doing that pass. Would love some input from the experienced guys! If I don't crack ATG, the Feather will never be as close as my DEs can get.

 

[UKRob]

I don’t think your on your own in not being able to shave side to side underneath you jaw. The best I can manage is a kind of rotating movement but other than that, I find a south to north ATG action works well for me. I find it necessary to have the razor almost flat at this stage.

 

[wintoid]

Day 16

Feather Artist Club SS with Kai Titan Mild
Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded

I'm still keen to learn to use unguarded blades, so I used 2 razors, with the guarded blade reserved for the moustache area. Three passes, starting WTG, then XTG. Mid-way through the XTG pass, the unguarded blade gave me a little nick on the cheek, so I completed the remainder of the shave with the guarded blade.

I'm disappointed as I thought I was further along than I am. Having said that, the lesson I was taught was a gentle one. It's only a tiny cut, probably not visible inside of a day. The shave is acceptable, but still nowhere near the best shaves I can get with a DE. I'll put it down to the learning process, and keep on trying.

 

[wintoid]

Day 17

Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded

Taking on board the lessons the unguarded blades have been trying to teach me, I stuck with guarded blades today. The first pass was WTG, the second was almost completely XTG, and the final pass was WTG on the cheeks and XTG on the neck.

If I judge the shave on its own merits, I'd have to say that these are some of the most comfortable shaves I've ever had. Just not quite as close as I am used to. That may be because I am not able to go ATG. If I was stranded on a desert island with only a Feather Artist Club razor and some guarded blades, I would be fine with it.

 

[wintoid]

Day 18

Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded

Stretching, right? Today's shave was brought to me by the concept of stretching. I've been a bit frustrated by the fact I can't work out how to go ATG, so wanted to find a way to improve the shave generally.

Three passes, WTG then XTG and XTG. The moustache area I only ever do N-S at the moment, which is approximately WTG. I have been stretching, but today I tried to really really stretch for those XTG neck passes. That seems to have done the trick. My neck is now almost as well shaven as it would be using ATG with a DE.

In general the shave is still patchier than a DE, but I think I'm at the stage where I have to start learning where touchups are required, and those places are different from the places I touch up with a DE. Fun fun fun!

 

[UKRob]

Yes, maybe the more experienced straight razor users should have emphasised that you really need to exaggerate the stretching. It seemed to come to me naturally that two hands are required - to the extent that I now do much the same when using a DE or SE razor. Bear in mind that stretching from above tends to raise stubble so is useful for above the jaw line and WTG/XTG strokes. When you stretch from below, you will tend to flatten the beard - I use this when shaving below the jaw line in any direction.

 

[wintoid]

Day 19

Feather Artist Club SS with Kai Titan Mild
Feather Artist Club DX with Kai Protouch MG guarded

I started with a full pass of WTG using the unguarded Kai Titan Mild blade. For the first time, I used an unguarded blade on the moustache area. It was fine.

I didn't want to push it though, so I switched to the DX with the guarded blade for the other 2 passes. I went XTG on pass 2, and for pass 3 I worked out a way to go half-XTG half-ATG. Lots of stretching. I also went XTG on the moustache area, which is what I usually do with a DE.

No cuts, no irritation. That's the thing that has surprised me the most. People always talk about the blood-letting, but my shaves are so comfortable. Still not as close as a DE though. Perhaps if I ever get as close as a DE, it will be less comfortable.

 

[p.b]

First use of a Super today - the wider blades sticks out significantly more than a standard Pro. It looks very intimidating. In use the angle has to be modified so that the blade is closer to one's cheek. It's actually a more intuitive angle and I found it better. A few little cuts and I only completed two passes but it felt more like a proper straight razor with the super in it.