Feather Stainless Razor Review

I know what you mean, even though you are not in the market for one it is still interesting as any shaving item is to a wetshaver. I still look at razors I already own :oops:

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.
 
Found that I use my camera more often than I thought, between eBay stuff and the missus getting a damaged deliver it is surprising how often I used it. I just ordered a replacement for my lost one.

I will take dome decent comparison pictures when it arrives and some with a blade loaded in it. I haven't use the Feather for a week now and I had to break that cycle as i was starting to become complacent, switching to the Mergress reminded me how much I love other razors, but there is still a part of my brain that wants to get it back out because it is easy and quite pleasant to use.
 
I think that Feather are to be congratulated for coming up with such an uncompromising product actually. It certainly proclaims their faith in the DE shaving format, and it's the very antithesis of the built in obsolescence philosophy which seems to drive the cartridge market. My first reaction was that it's just a custom Tech, and so it is, but provided the design and engineering is up to scratch, it's clearly a razor designed to be near as dammit everlasting, which puts the price into perspective.
 
Audiolab said:
Absolutely right Rik, i do not consider 3 on a Futur as super aggressive but dependent on the blade in use you can tone it down. It is milder with a Red IP or Crystal in it but with one of these blades you would have to go against the grain to achieve the BBS, which seems sought after on so many forums :roll: , I even found it a little bit hard at first with anything but a Feather blade to obtain a BBS finish but I do not do this often, more of a weekend curiosity.

For a weekday shaver all I look for is how good is it on 2 passes with a bit of touch up in my trouble spots and this does that admirably. It is all down to what expectations you have for it, lots of hype and no substance results in people making their own mind up about what someone said when they posted "Great, super BBS" with a big thumbs up smilie, maybe for them this was the best shave they had, perhaps the first time using a Feather blade without blood loss may also be a new frontier for some.

My comparison to the Futur is the closes I could get, it feels a bit like a Futur in use because it is a big head and it mows the stubble without resistance, partly due to the heft of it. However it is it's own razor and it is like saying an Audi is the same to drive as a BMW, it kind of is but it also kind of is not, if you know what I mean. It's close but which one will do it for you no one can say.

I will try to do those shots with the Feather, a Futur and a normal three piece for comparison.
Click to expand...

True Martin, I find the Futur to be very tolerant of blades - you can get a decent shave from almost anything in it. I find that for everyday use it is the king when you want a great shave with minimum fuss. Two passes and a touch up gets great results. In fact, a lot of my other razors aren't getting used now - time to move them on I think.
 
Feather AS compared to a Merkur 38C, first three pics are without a blade

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Note the slightly wider head, not much in it but enough to cover the blade lugs (no blade in it at this point.

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Profile shot, not much to be said.

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Theses ones from here onwards have a blade in them, a BIC which although not the sharpest is gives you an idea of blade gap etc.

This first one shows how the blade is help in the cap in the Feather by the four corners and also the middle slot, sorry I mixed them up - Feather is on left and the Merkur is on right. In the Merkur the pins hold it perfectly well but I feel this allows a little lateral play when tightening up the head and depending on the razor it can end slightly off parallel.

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I think the pictures are self explanatory but I have looked at this a lot, so do feel free to ask any questions. The two that are face on show the blade gap the best but it is something hard to capture. Overall the 38 C is a little taller and if I had a brain at the time I would have weighed and measured both. I had just got my new camera and was playing with the marco mode etc. I can do weights and dims if someone needs them but there are easily found. I could not find a set of feeler gauges to measure the blade gap so Iwill have to trust those who have measured it.

Used back to back they are both nice razors, you really can't go wrong with either. I just love the Stainless Steel and feel if the Feather and keep going back to it for a nice easy shave during the week, I have used Crystals this week in it and they work lovely. At the weekend I get something more aggressive out or load the Feather with a Feather blade. Having used the Feather for some time I now I find the 38C a little more cumbersome in the handle and slightly too thick for my hands but some will prefer this, if I used the 38C used for any length of time I would quickly adjust back.
 
Thanks mate, quite pleased with the new camera, the macro mode is excellent and there are some really nice features all laid out in a logical manner. My main worry was the 4X optical zoom (would it be enough where the TZ8 is 12X) I am glad to report is seems more than fine for general use. I went for size and ease of use and got an Ixus 130, this was reduced for the bank holiday and with cash back and discount I got the camera, and 8GB Sandisk Ultra card and Canon case for just over £190 next day delivery. The TZ8 was not reduced so that sold it, I may pick one up later when it comes down in price for more control but this little Ixus is perfect for holidays, parties, and pictures of razors :D

I don't find blade change a problem, I did read of one guy saying that he usually grips the side lugs and because there do not protrude over the end he found it a bit fiddly to extract the blade. I just turn it upside down and it falls out, it has not been an issue at all for me. Only slight issue to report was with a Kai Blade, it was tight getting over the middle slots but a slight push and it pinged into place, removing was still not an issue, I just turned it upside down as usual and one of the ends came away from the cap, from there is is easy to remove.
 
Shaved with my Feather Stainless for the 3rd time today and I'm loving it. Using a Feather blade, but I'm looking forward to trying a Swede and Iridium in it to see how it goes.

Regarding blade changes, it's a no-brainer, 3-piece razor, so there is absolutely nothing difficult about it. I just change the blade as I would with a Tech or any other 3-piece.

Ian
 
Welcome to the owners club Ian, unfortunately there is no moniker under your username for owning one, just a dent in the wallet. Swedes are good as are Iridiums, Kai and any of the sharper blade. I even get decent results from a Crystals and using a milder blade you can afford for your soap mix to be slightly off as it is forgiving with the milder blade, good when using a new soap and not got the sweet spot with it yet.

Still try not to get too cocky, after a while I became a bit complacent thinking I was invincible with it and gave myself a right rash after using poorly mixed soap and a blade I should have changed the day before. When you can shave with Feather blades and get such great results it does give you that feeling that everything is easy. It is capable of doing damage, it feels quite smooth in use so it can be deceptive.

Enjoy it, I still do.
 
Top review Martin, I like the look of this beast.I haven't bought any shave related stuff for months :hungrig

How does it compare to my much loved R41?
 
Largely as a result of Audiolab's excellent review, coupled with similarly glowing praise on lesser sites, this razor became, for me, a "must-have". Interestingly, a few appeared for sale secondhand, giving the impression that this was going to be a "Marmite" razor - love it or hate it.

I missed out on IanM's example when he advertised it, but managed to leap on Vinny's when it appeared for sale at the weekend. It arrived yesterday, after I'd shaved, so my first experience of the razor was this morning.

I'm a sucker for exquisite engineering and clever design, and it's clear that Feather have excelled in both categories. The construction and finish of the razor is absolutely first class, and the design of the head, with it's foolproof blade location, is a masterpiece.

My impression after my first shave, using a Feather blade, mirrors some other posts - at first, it feels as if there's no blade in it. Two extremely comfortable, irritation and divot-free passes later, and I had what was probably the most comfortable and closest shave that I have yet experienced. My other razors, a Merkur Futur and an Edwin Jagger DE87 shave well, but this is on a different level. While the Feather has been accused of being too mild (and I acknowledge that we are all different, and some guys enjoy aggressive razors) I know what works for me, and what I like. And what I like would seem to be this exquisite piece of design and engineering. I know that judging a razor on the basis of just one shave may not prove anything, and long-term experience would provide a more reliable and credible basis to judge it. But on first acquaintance I'm more than impressed.


Regards

Ian
 
Nice summary Ian. Some describe it as mild, however watch out, if you have sloppy prep or rush your shave it can bite, it's not that mild.
I'd recommend it though, it gives reproducible close shaves with ease. So far its been tolerant of the blades I have tried. If you really want some feedback though, stick a used Derby in it.... No don't, there is only so much the razor can do!
 
I recently received the Feather Stainless and have nothing but positive things to say about it.

Quality = Second to none. Feather really knows how to build razors. Its matte finish is flawless. Every detail was thought out very carefully and it shows. Great grip almost impossible to dislodge from your fingers during a shave.

Shave = I only know whats its like on my face so I reserve judgement what others say positive or negative. I have been using an Iridium blade on purpose rather then the Feathers it came with. I know the Feathers are rated as the number one blade so I chose the number two blade just to see how it would do. I have not been disappointed. Just an incredible BBS every time. I no longer do ATG only WTG and the chin area XTG. I do have a medium beard but after using the Feather there is nothing left I mean nothing (until of course the next morning).

Price = I know in the US the Feathers appear to be cheaper to purchase. In fact mine cost about $50 less then a famous UK vendor. I guess its pure economics and not that European vendors are trying to make a killing. To me this razor is worth every dollar, pound or Euro it cost.
 
Is anyone able to compare the Feather Stainless to the Merkur 39c?

I'm curious to know if the Feather is as capable of mowing down tough stubble. I like the idea of the quality finish.
 
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