FeatherArtist Club Black SS Straight Razor

I've been a straight razor shaver for years, and I think based on my experience thus far, that this is the best, most effective, and easiest razor I've ever used. It's just a joy to shave with. I was a bit skeptical at first, as I already own and use the folding version of the Feather straight razor. That one is fine, but the ergonomics for me were always a bit awkward. I am a huge fan of Feather Artist Club blades. Their absurdly keen edge, combined with great ergos and durability are really extraordinary IMHO. So this was something I really wanted to try. Glad I did!There is something about the form factor of this razor - it's really more knife-like than traditionally straight razor-esque - that just WORKS. I think the fact that the blade is presented to your skin in a fixed position and more "stable" manner, probably combined with the perfect level of traction provided by the rubberized handle, make it much easier to control and use. In particular, if like me you use your non-dominant hand when you switch sides of your face (i.e., using your right hand to shave your right side, left hand to shave your left side...), I think you'll find that this razor is more confidence-inspiring for off-hand use than a folder.Anyway, if you're a straight razor devotee and/or a Feather fanboi, and you want to try something a bit unconventional - I can highly recommend this razor. It has been providing me with the closest single-pass shaves I've ever experienced. Kind of a game-changer.

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.

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.