FeatherArtist Club Black SS Straight Razor

Great shavette if you want to try shaving with a straight razor but you don't want to deal with edge retention and stropping.I have coarse stabby facial hair that quickly gums up any cartridge shaving heads. I figured reducing the number of blades may solve this issue and first tried the classic two edge safety razor. I was still finding I had to take those apart to clean the hair that was getting into the nooks and crannies of the safety razor, so we went a step further and started looking at straight razors.I found the idea of edge maintenance and stropping a little daunting so I took a baby step in the right direction and settled on a shavette instead. I'm glad I did, with the clean design and single edge I was able to easily wash or wipe away any hair that accumulated. The handle feels comfortable even when covered in shaving cream and the blades are easy to replace when the time comes. (There's a hole in the top that the razor stack cartridge fits into, to line up insertion of the new blade, you just pinch the edge of the clamp and use the slide on the cartridge to reload.)Now this is no way a safety razor so if you're starting off please take it slow and deliberate. There have been times where I've absent mindedly moved my hand sideways while doing something else and sliced into my face on accident.All in all great razor and recommend buying the plastic safety cover so you can just throw it in your overnight bag without worry.

When you get this razor delivered, the first thing you realize is that you've probably bought items of similar quality from Target for around 10 bucks. Not that the quality isn't good, but the manufacturer definitely knows they have a niche product and they are charging a premium for it. As far as the razor goes, it handles well, feels perfect in your hand, and is a definite improvement over the standard folding straight razor design.So you can probably tell I'm having perhaps a little remorse over the price but not the product. That's definitely the case. But that being said, I've been shaving with conventional straight razors for a while and I absolutely love this razor. I read some other reviews where people mentioned that they would never use their old razor again. Honestly, I was hoping that wouldn't be the case because I love my traditional razors, but I definitely understand why they made that claim. This razor is outstanding. The grip on the disposable razor promotes the perfect angle for shaving. I read some reviews that stated that the SS promotes a better angle than the much more expensive DX but I can't comment on that having only the one of the two versions.The razor is little smaller than I had imagined. It's also very light. Both of those things turned out to be a good thing. The handle is easily big enough for my larger hands and the smaller blade length makes the 'careful' elements of the shave much easier. I'm glad it wasn't as large of a razor as I have thought it would be.Now on to the blades... This review is of the razor itself, but I don't think it would be a sufficient review without mentioning the blades as well. I picked up the Feather Professional blades. My understanding is that the super blades are sharper and longer lasting, but these are definitely the sharpest objects that I personally have ever come in contact with. They cut EVERYTHING they touch. A light graze across your arm will leave a perfect bald spot on your arm. They're scary sharp. Imagine getting your razor to the perfect sharpen, the perfect finish and the perfect strop. Add an extra 15% to that and that's where these blades are at.I was a little nervous about the sharpness of the blades when I ordered this. I tend to be a little hurried sometimes when I shave and I had imagined myself getting into troubles with this razor that a styptic pencil just couldn't pull me out of. It turns out that that really isn't the case. The blades are evil sharp, but the angle and control of the razor helps to adjust for that and you just get a good shave.All that said, I'm really happy with the purchase. I'll still say that you're paying close to $100 for a piece of equipment that should cost well under $20. But since there isn't anyone selling them at that price, I'd rather have paid what I did for it than to have gone without it. I did a lot of research before I made this purchase and I couldn't be happier with it.

Very nice razor giving an excellent shave!Just a few thoughts and bit of background:I'm a long time straight razor user who enjoys traditional kamisori razors along with traditional straights. Additionally, I have a great respect for Japanese craftsmanship, and I've been looking to purchase a Feather kamisori for quite some time.For everyone who, like me, wonders what the differences are between the blades for the artist club razors are, I'd recommend doing an internet search for them. I don't have the exact URL for it, but there is a nice diagram out there demonstrating the differences between the styles. Personally, I selected the "Feather Artist Club Professional" blades available from Amazon.As to other reviewers, I have to respectfully disagree about a few items I've read:1. I find this razor to be of excellent quality, far above many of the lesser designs/brands available at major American retailers. This isn't junk, and it isn't cheap by any means. Fit and finish are excellent, but I think the MSRP of $150 is steep. Obviously, Amazon has it available for significantly less, and I believe their price to be quite reasonable.2. The blades are quite sharp and smooth. That being said, "sharp" is far from all that matters where razors are concerned. These razors are plenty sharp, AND smooth. As I hone my own razors, I can say that I believe I can often sharpen my razors to a "sharper" edge, but I'd have a hard time honing them to a smoother edge as consistently. The fact is that Feather has been manufacturing razor blades for a LONG time, and they have their technique and quality control down to a science. My $0.02 is that these blades were no exception. Could a professional honemeister tailor a better edge for an individual? Maybe - maybe not. But these are quiet excellent, and at $0.50 a piece or less? They really can't be beat!The angle is different from either traditional straights or kamisori blades. It's not at all hard to pick up; my first shave with the Feather was excellent, and I anticipate all future shaves will be equally fine.If you've never shaved with a straight before and are interested in traditional shaving, maybe with an eye towards the Japanese style razor? Try it! Just go slow, focus on your angle and technique, and you'll do fine.Anyway, a really nice product that I'm now very happy to own!