Feather Artist Club Black SS Folding Handle Razor

This is an astonishingly comfortable razor. I bought the softguard blades and my first shave with it was a full 3 pass shave. No nicks, no irritation. Normally I only get shaves this comfortable with a Merkur 34. If you have sensitive skin and want to have a straight razor experience, this with the softguard blades is it.The build quality is great, even with the plastic handle. If I had known it would shave this well I would have paid the extra for the nice wood handle. I might still get one later, but my bet is this one will last a lifetime anyway.The design of the head is fantastic. Feels very protective, very sturdy, and the weight is a great aid to the shave. It is super easy to find the correct angle and maintain it- and it is forgiving if you don’t. Easy to clean, disassemble and reassemble. Blades can be loaded injector style so there’s no need to touch the blades.I could do with a shave this mild every day, but it shaves so close it would probably be another couple days before I need one. I would even feel safe going with one of the more aggressive blades, which is saying an awful lot for someone with sensitive skin like mine.If you’re on the fence and worried about irritation, get the soft guard blades and give this a try. It will amaze you.

I wanted to be able to shave, without having to go over the same area several times, which is the case with disposable razors / cartridge razors, which have a lubricating strip that makes it difficult to get a close shave.With this folding handle shaver, it takes a single pass, and I am clean.Several reviews have people complaining about:-- No razor included.For this type of folding handle shaver, the manufacturer does not choose which blade is best for your needs. There are blades that are for thick beards, and blades that are for sensitive skin, and ones in the middle.I tried with the most aggressive blade, and I cut myself up. It was my first time using a folding handle shaver, and it does not protect you from your mistakes.I then went with the other extreme, and got a close shave without any cuts. But you still have to be very careful.Months later, I still have trouble with my chin and mustache. I end up using a cartridge shaver for the tight areas and the curve of my chin. This folding handle shaver will work for those areas, but you really have to be careful to not cut yourself. I guess I do not have the control or dexterity to deal with those areas.So I use this folding handle shaver for 90% of my face. It is quick, and gives me a close shave. I then use a cartridge shaver for the rest. It takes several strokes over the same spots. But I don't have to worry about cutting myself.If you are new to a folding handle shaver, I recommend that you order blades that are not aggressive. You will still get a close shave, and will avoid cuts. The blades are equally as sharp. They simply extend out of the clamp by different amounts.

This is a shavette, which is a straight razor with replaceable blades. The main selling point of the SS is that it takes Feather Artist Club blades, which are better than normal single edge razor blades. The handle is plastic. The blade holder is spring loaded and has a hole that is designed to receive the peg on the Feather blade holders. The blade holder is metal. I can get over the fact that the handle is plastic because most of your grip will be on the metal part and that feels nice.This shavette is considerably nicer than the cheapo $20 shavettes that you can also find on Amazon. The blade holder is contoured to push your skin down a bit, making it less likely that you'll cut yourself- you're still more likely to cut yourself with this than a double edge safety razor though. In addition, the Artist Club blades are great, and you have a variety of blade types available- I use the standard Pro blades, and one blade lasts me for at least a week of shaving, and they only cost about $0.50 per blade. If you have a thick beard, you might want to try the Pro Super blades, which stick out from the holder a little further and are a little thicker.I wish this were a few bucks cheaper, but since you can use the SS for decades the extra few dollars doesn't matter enough to take a star off. If you want to shave with a straight razor but don't want to deal with sharpening your blade all the time, this is the shavette you should use. Stay away from the cheapo shavettes, they will ruin your experience.

This thing is awesome. I have a very thick course beard and dull Mach 3 blades in a single use. My electric gets stuck in my beard if I let it grow for 3 days. This swipe right through it with ease. Very close and clean. I was new to straight shaving when i first started using this thing about a year and a half ago. Since then I will never go back. The feather blades are extremely sharp and can hold an edge for about 7 shaves before I start nicking myself. I can start to feel a little more resistance with the blades as they start to dull. The handle is not flashy but it works, I have had no issues. I have had to clean it from time to time as the inside gets some soap residue. During the week if I leave too much water on the blade before putting it up, I will see some browning appear along the blade, never the actual handle. I try to make it a point to shake it off after each use. Also I clean out the inside of the razor holder each time I take an old one out.If you are just getting in to straight shaving and you want a better experience then the parker can offer this is the best thing to start out with. There is less initial cost then a true straight blade which you have to learn how to hone and all. This offers ease as well when it comes to traveling. You don't have to worries about finding time to sharpen your razor, just slip in a new blade and you are set. For $20 you get 20 blades that last 20 weeks. This thing just saves you money.