Eastern Shavettes

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... continuing from my interest in vintage Weck razors (you can look them up, but they're disposable blade frameback razors), I have gained a couple of Eastern shavettes: one Japanese (the Feather) and one Chinese (I suspect a clone, from Gan Village Green on eBay).

These shavettes take slightly slimmer blades than their Western equivalents from the likes of Weck, Feather brand and other such copies. You might spot these and wonder whether they are suitable for shaving as they are often seen in the context of nape shaping, but I can assure you that they are ... in fact quite eye-openingly so!

Consider these like the Feather of the DE blade (which, they are ... ostensibly) or the very hollow of the straight edge, certainly when compared to the Western style Personna blade which is silent against these singing slims.

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There are no guards with these razors, so approach these as if they were frameback straight edge razors. I suppose in a sense, they are, just a modern version of ...

As a shave, it's close. It's smooth.

I'm still honing my skill with straight edge and find two with the grain passes is suitable for me at my present skill level; with these, that gives me a very close and smooth shave. The lined blades have a real sing to them and give a closer shave than the non-lined blades.

Blade longevity is typical of Feather - it's 2-3 shaves and done. Triple passers might get a couple, double passers maybe 3.

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Beyond that there's a little trick you can pull if you have a Weck or Weck-style shaper with a guard - pop the dulled blade into that and you can apply a little pressure against the guard. Just ensure that your guard, which will cover the blade by default, has the teeth turned away from the guard by bending the comb back in a vice.

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Certainly a cheap alternative to the considerably more expensive Feather Artist Club, this type of shavette can be had for about £50 for the Feather Custom Razor or for the clone from eBay for literally a couple of quid! Check out Gan Village Green (China) who sent me a free pack of Cloud blades with my razor.

Blades can be had from eBay or from Salon stores - Sally carry the Feather blades, but with lines like the Cloud blades I've shown here. Sally also carry AMA shavettes, which are Weck-like shavettes with a guard.
 
pjgh said:
... continuing from my interest in vintage Weck razors (you can look them up, but they're disposable blade frameback razors), I have gained a couple of Eastern shavettes: one Japanese (the Feather) and one Chinese (I suspect a clone, from Gan Village Green on eBay).

These shavettes take slightly slimmer blades than their Western equivalents from the likes of Weck, Feather brand and other such copies. You might spot these and wonder whether they are suitable for shaving as they are often seen in the context of nape shaping, but I can assure you that they are ... in fact quite eye-openingly so!

Consider these like the Feather of the DE blade (which, they are ... ostensibly) or the very hollow of the straight edge, certainly when compared to the Western style Personna blade which is silent against these singing slims.

IMG_7593.JPG


IMG_7594.JPG


There are no guards with these razors, so approach these as if they were frameback straight edge razors. I suppose in a sense, they are, just a modern version of ...

As a shave, it's close. It's smooth.

I'm still honing my skill with straight edge and find two with the grain passes is suitable for me at my present skill level; with these, that gives me a very close and smooth shave. The lined blades have a real sing to them and give a closer shave than the non-lined blades.

Blade longevity is typical of Feather - it's 2-3 shaves and done. Triple passers might get a couple, double passers maybe 3.

IMG_7596.JPG


IMG_7597.JPG


Beyond that there's a little trick you can pull if you have a Weck or Weck-style shaper with a guard - pop the dulled blade into that and you can apply a little pressure against the guard. Just ensure that your guard, which will cover the blade by default, has the teeth turned away from the guard by bending the comb back in a vice.

IMG_7598.JPG


Certainly a cheap alternative to the considerably more expensive Feather Artist Club, this type of shavette can be had for about £50 for the Feather Custom Razor or for the clone from eBay for literally a couple of quid! Check out Gan Village Green (China) who sent me a free pack of Cloud blades with my razor.

Blades can be had from eBay or from Salon stores - Sally carry the Feather blades, but with lines like the Cloud blades I've shown here. Sally also carry AMA shavettes, which are Weck-like shavettes with a guard.

Paul, is this the one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barber-Straight-RAZOR-Shaving-Eyebrow-Knife-11-Blade-/250697554141?pt=US_Shaving_Hair_Removal&hash=item3a5ebd18dd
 
Yes, that's the Chinese clone of the more expensive Feather Custom Razor - personally, I prefer it. If you're a real skinflint (like me :D) that seller puts them up for auction every so often and you'll get it for peanuts ... I did.

When it arrived, the blade slot is VERY tight so take a lot of care loading the first blade in. Removing that blade and re-loading a few times slackens it up. For removal, I used a screwdriver and just pushed it out. Again, careful!!!

Those slotted blades are thin and the shave does have a sing to it. Two days of growth swept away. You can get the genuine Feather equivalents from Salon stores or eBay, although looking at the wrappers I think they're both made in the same factory - I can't see why a copier would go to the trouble of putting "Cloud" in the same font and orientation as "Feather" on the wrappers ... or "Diane" or "Vincent", for that matter.
 
Just ordered one, got to be worth a go with how many blades you get for that price! Dont know what happened with payment though, said cost is £5.69 on my ebay order page, but paypal amount was £6.05? How long did it take for yours to come?
 
Gave in to temptation! Thanks for the heads up, ideal for a cheap holiday razor if it suits my face. I used a cheap shavette last year, but they are a bit deadly IMO especially when doing my head (holidays only). Didn't scar too badly last year, but it was a bit tense at times...
 
To be absolutely honest, these are in a different league to the half-DE type shavettes. Consider it a straight. Slowly, carefully and with a light touch ... lovely shave. I think it's easier to keep a longer blade level and feel where the edges are - half-DE shavette just beach themselves into your skin without warning.

If you still have your half-DE shavette, consider fitting an injector blade into it: http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=30203
 
Very intriguing... Do these provide a similar experience to a proper straight?
They look dangerous, more so that a straight, in my eyes anyway!
I'll add them to my watch list :)
 
Two things to pick up on there ...

Yes, they're very much like straight edge shaving and personally, I prefer to use them with the naked blade. These Eastern shavettes don't have a guard, some of their shapers do and the Western Wecks and Weck-alikes come with a guard.

Without the guard, 30° is right ... two passes WTG and you're generally done. With a guard (like Wecks, Weck-alikes and some Eastern shapers) the angle is set for you and a much milder, even perfectly safe shave is to be had. With shapers, you need to bend the comb the other way so that it doesn't cover the blade and then you have half a Durham Duplex ... a Weckalike Simplex?

But these razors specifically, no guard. Just treat them like a straight.
 
The Derby and the Shark come in 1/2 blade packs of100. The cost is very reasonable. They, I feel fit more safely than an injector blade and cost per shave is a lot less.
 
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Just an example of what's out there for shavettes.....
 

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Oooooh, they look nasty! Like something a teddy boy would have in his pocket in case he was jumped on by a rocker. I think my interest in getting a shavette has diminished.....the thought of dragging half of a DE blade across my mush makes me shudder. I was looking at shavettes from the east on the bay.....the postage costs more than the shavettes! Sticking with DE setup.
 
Re: RE: Eastern Shavettes

Frankieabbott said:
Oooooh, they look nasty! Like something a teddy boy would have in his pocket in case he was jumped on by a rocker. I think my interest in getting a shavette has diminished.....the thought of dragging half of a DE blade across my mush makes me shudder. I was looking at shavettes from the east on the bay.....the postage costs more than the shavettes! Sticking with DE setup.
I've just ordered one for £6 inc delivery and 10 blades. Postage was free!


Frankieabbott said:
Oooooh, they look nasty! Like something a teddy boy would have in his pocket in case he was jumped on by a rocker. I think my interest in getting a shavette has diminished.....the thought of dragging half of a DE blade across my mush makes me shudder. I was looking at shavettes from the east on the bay.....the postage costs more than the shavettes! Sticking with DE setup.
I've just ordered one for £6 inc delivery and 10 blades. Postage was free!
 
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