Feather Popular TTO and Feather DE Blade Combination | Friend or Foe?

Hi Missoni

Thanks for your reply.

I do have a number of SE razors and blades (not a Gem bullet tip. How does that compare to a PAA Starling Gem Razor?). On the odd special occasion I use an SE razor for a closer shave one-off, but again its subject to a proceeding week of mild shaves, and post mild shaves to mitigate serious ingrown hairs.

I've had some good experiences (not Feather blade and Feather Popular level) with Supply (Plate 2 with a Schick Injector B-20 Blade is about right for me as a first pass), and The General (haven't found the sweet spot blade yet).

Cheers.

...no experience of the PAA, so not able to comment. It appears you have explored significantly already so I am guessing you already have a good idea vis-a-vis direction of travel. The AS-D2 is the gentlest razor on the skin that I have tried so if you find a gentler razor let me know. Good luck with the search...
 
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I use Feathers occasionally and they do bite back, even after prepping and being careful. My default blade now is the Gillette Silver Blue which is very sharp, smooth and efficient. Probably the best all round DE blade out there!
 
...no experience of the PAA, so not able to comment. It appears you have explored significantly already so I am guessing you already have a good idea vis-a-vis direction of travel. The AS-D2 is the gentlest razor on the skin that I have tried so if you find a gentler razor let me know. Good luck with the search...
Thanks Missoni. A friend I helped to begin traditional wet shaving now says the same thing (he loves his AS-D2), as do countless others online. If money wasn't an issue for me currently, it'd be a no brainer purchase.

I've heard the RR Mamba 70 might be a contender. Its still on the pricey side for me so I'm still looking around.

Cheers.
 
I use Feathers occasionally and they do bite back, even after prepping and being careful. My default blade now is the Gillette Silver Blue which is very sharp, smooth and efficient. Probably the best all round DE blade out there!
YMMV with all due respect. Feathers have historically (I admit in the wrong razors!), chewed me so much I would've been better off using this...
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... but they are undoubtably, in the correct razor (for my combination of beard and skin), the only DE blade the can cut through my beard with authority and least hesitation (compared to other DE blades) that I know of at this particular point in time.

GSBs are tug city for me. Most DE blades tend to be. I cannot say all are, as I haven't tried all DE blades (but I've tried a shed load).

Thanks for your comments!
 
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YMMV with all due respect. Feathers have historically (I admit in the wrong razors!), chewed me so much I would've been better off using this...
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... but they are undoubtably, in the correct razor (for my combination of beard and skin), the only DE blade the can cut through my beard with authority and least hesitation (compared to other DE blades) that I know of at this particular point in time.

GSBs are tug city for me. Most DE blades tend to be. I cannot say all are, as I haven't tried all DE blades (but I've tried a shed load).

Thanks for your comments!
Hello there.

I just thought I'd update for anyone that may be interested.

I feel less confused about why I have ingrown hairs after shaving. I'm starting to understand (if everything else is equal) IMHO the smoothness of a razor i.e. little or no blade feel, is just as important as the blade used. Or ingrown hairs (or the lack of) don't lie...

I found out the blade gap for the Feather Popular is 0.61mm. Before I go on, I appreciate what makes a razor great is more than just its blade gap (and blade exposure), although I believe its as good a starting point as any other.

There is one main Razor Blade Gap Chart online. In the 0.61mm group the Feather Popular and few others like a Gillette Adjustable on setting 2 (I own a Gillette Fat Boy), and the Rockwell 6S on R4 (I'll be getting a Rockwell 6C for Christmas).

Its been a while since shaving with my Gillette Fat Boy. I've tried using it with a Feather blade many times in the past, but I've never been able to dial in the ideal setting, thus ingrown hairs prevailed. There is a Gillette Adjustable Blade Gap Chart online too. I own a standard Gillette Fat Boy.

So couple of days ago, I decided to give it a go with a new Feather blade. Setting 2 wasn't efficient enough compared to the Feather Popular/Feather blade combo, but Setting 3 was very comparable of the shave itself. The post shave feeling was similar too. Two days later no ingrown hairs, however my chin was a tiny bit bumpy. Still good news, as by day three or day four, my skin would ready for another shave.

The setting I used on my standard Gillette Fat Boy according to the Gillette Adjustable Blade Gap Chart online is 0.4318mm. It was the closest I could get to feeling little to no blade, but still have enough efficiency to shave my beard. Could the 0.1782mm deficit really make that much of difference on whether I get a bit of bumpy chin skin or less? Crazy, although I know from previous experience using a Feather blade and Setting 5 (which is closer to 0.61mm at 0.635mm) and/or above would be too much blade exposure resulting in ingrown hairs for me.

I do have a Merkur Progress, and on Setting 2 its 0.56mm. A 0.04mm deficit may not make any difference (surely!), but unlike the Gillette Fat Boy, the Merkur Progress has a non-clickable adjustment. If Setting 2 isn't efficient enough perhaps Setting 2.5 would be?

For those still reading, I'll let you know how I get one!

Happy shaving...
 
...no experience of the PAA, so not able to comment. It appears you have explored significantly already so I am guessing you already have a good idea vis-a-vis direction of travel. The AS-D2 is the gentlest razor on the skin that I have tried so if you find a gentler razor let me know. Good luck with the search...
I have both an AS-D2 and a Merkur 37C slant and the latter razor is very mild yet very efficient - and obviously much cheaper!
 
I have both an AS-D2 and a Merkur 37C slant and the latter razor is very mild yet very efficient - and obviously much cheaper!
Hi Philtrum. I've yet to have the pleasure of the Feather AS-D2, but if the Feather Popular is anything to go by, I expect it'd be super smooth by comparison. YMMV with Merkur 37C though. For me, I've never been able to find its sweet spot with my skin/beard combination. So its always been less than smooth for me. But may be I'll try a Feather Blade in it one day when I'm feeling brave... Thanks for comment!
 
Hello.

Hope you had a nice weekend.

Last Saturday, I started my shave with the Merkur Progress (using a new Feather Blade) on Setting 2.5. Within a couple of strokes I knew there was too much blade feel, and... flex?! Bizarre I thought, so I dropped down to Setting 2, Setting 1.75, but still felt the blade and flex. On Setting 1.5, and Setting 1 there wasn't enough bite to shave my beard. However I couldn't help wondering if it was my imagination.

My goatee area had yet to be shaved (still in the first pass WTG), so I finished my entire shave with the Feather Popular using the same Feather Blade. Sure enough, no blade feel, and no blade flex.

I don't remember any blade flex using the Merkur Progress in the past, albeit years ago. May be the Feather Popular experience has underlined that for me moving forward?

Today I'm ingrown hair free (yeah!), even the areas shaved with the Merkur Progress, which is no surprise to me as I've known for a long time my chin is vastly more sensitive.

I have considered growing a goatee, but if I had I wouldn't be the wiser today.

I've now come to the conclusion asking whether a razor is mild or smooth is too abstract hence much room for interpretation. Instead I think asking whether there is any blade feel is less abstract and may provide other choices in the long term.
 
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