Feather Stainless Steel Double Edge Razor AS D2

This is a very mild double edge razor with impeccable machining and balance. If you look around the internet at products being offered by Razorock, Oliworks, Merkur, Rockwell and others you will find a lot of good choices today in a stainless steel razor. So what's the case for this offering from Feather? I have razors from all those mid-level brands and this is the mildest shaver of all of them. "Mild" in this case means that it requires a very specific angle of use, but is very protective of your skin. It is great for those with sensitive skin, because you aren't dragging a blade across it at an aggressive angle. What this also means is that not every brand of blade works equally well in this holder. The first blade I tried, an Astra, didn't shave closely enough for me requiring multiple (unsuccessful) passes over the thickest part of my beard. I had to go (surprise) to a Feather (same company as the razor) to really get the most from the razor. Feather branded blades are famously sharp and thin -- even judged against other razor blades -- and they turn out to be a perfect match for this product. I am very happy with the resulting shave.Would I take a star off of the review because this razor works best in its own ecosystem of blades? No, because the fit and finish is very high, and because the razor does one thing very, very well. Who's it NOT for? Well, if you prefer an aggressive shave (say, a shave you get from a Rockwell No. 5 or 6 plate, or a Murkur 41), then this product was not designed for you. Or if you need an adjustable razor because you shave both your face and your noggin at different levels of aggressiveness, then this wouldn't be my first choice. But like a finely crafted chef's knife that does what it was designed for perfectly, but is not equally good at all tasks, this will last a lifetime and never disappoint, when used as intended.

As is typical of Feather products, the machining of the razor is immaculate, and you would have to use a magnifying glass to find any flaws. The razor has a nice weight, not as heavy as some of my others, but heavier than average. The handle is about 1/2" longer than an average DE razor, which feels very nice during use.So is it worth the money? That depends: 1)What type of shaver are you? and 2)What are you used to shaving with? So let's address this:1. The razor seems great if you have to shave every day of the week (i.e. you are basically a maintenance shaver). It is very mild, and you can shave every day without getting razor burn. However, if you wait a few days between shaves, you may find yourself needing to take 5-7 passes to knock everything off smooth.2. If you are used to an aggressive razor (like my Ikon S3S, Merkur Open Comb Slant Bar, or Muehle Open Comb R-41), you will likely be very disappointed by the shave from the Feather. The comb is very tight against the top plate, which means your angle has to be absolutely perfect or it will not shave. With a few days growth, even when you get the angle perfect and it shaves, you seem to have to take a couple strokes just to get through the cream to your stubble, rinse the head, then a couple more strokes to cut off a teeny bit of the growth, re-lather, repeat 5 more times.Although the price is toward the high end of the market, it would be a great razor for a beginner as it is very hard to cut yourself with it. In addition, since it will only shave when held within a window of just a couple of degrees, it will teach you proper angles very quickly.My final impressions: As a somewhat experienced wet shaver with very bristly beard, I was impressed initially until I used it a few times with a couple of days worth of stubble. It became more and more frustrating as it frequently seemed to not even remove the cream completely from my face, let alone the stubble. I added a second blade, and finally a third, and with three blades in it the comb had opened enough that it felt like a medium-aggressive razor (i.e. Edwin Jagger DE-89). Granted, I mix a very rich & slick lather suited for straight razor shaving, and I would primarily shave with either a straight razor or the Ikon S3S on a daily basis, both of which are very aggressive. I suppose if I added enough water to make it really runny, it might be a little easier to cut through the cream, but my honest opinion is that the gap between comb and top plate is much too narrow, causing it to load with cream instantly.Decided to return it with reluctance, as the quality and feel is superb despite the price. Friend heard I was sending it back, asked to try it, and it was love at first sight. Ironically he is a 7-day-a-week shaver, confirming my original theory about this being perfect for maintenance shaves.