I often see this inexpensive DE razor maligned by many as being either too flimsy or too mild. I have had one for several years and have never had a bad shave with one when I followed these two simple rules:
1. use a top tier blade
2. very short strokes
Granted, if you're one of those people who obsess about a BBS shave then it is probably not for you. I use every DE I own in the same manner, a 1½ pass shave, and the Feather Popular always gives me a DFS. I must be lucky. There simply is no smoother DE that I have ever used, including my beloved Schick Krona. The metal parts are stainless steel and the 'plastic' is actually a modern polymer. Mine looks new after approx. three yrs. of usage. Before anyone faults polymer remember that Glock pistols are polymer framed and are damn near indestructible barring a flamethrower burst. I am quite frankly amazed that the Japanese can produce these so well for such a cheap price.
I have one of these razors that I bought around the time I joined SMF, but I haven't used it for a long time. I require a mild razor, so maybe I should break this one out and give it another try.
brothers wrote:Unless I'm mistaken, there is a relatively new wet shaving forum that goes by the moniker DFS.
Actually, it's an old forum resurrected!
- Murray
Yes and it's sort of 'hoidy toidy' in that most posters are only interested in expensive modern DE razors and high $$ soaps/creams. Very little interest over there for anything vintage. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is.
the feather popular is decent. as far as how they make it soooo cheap price wise..
right now the price of bulk raw polymer is at the lowest in roughly 10 years. its so cheap that no one is bothering to recycle it from the factory standpoint.
yeah, you make 300 bad polymer parts and once they get painted up... no one wants them anymore. no money in it as scrap.
nicodemus38 wrote:the modern Wilkinson plastic razor gets better reviews but has a life span of as long or less then the feather popular.
plastic parts with threading don't last long when a piece of metal is being moved in it.
Very true. I posted on another forum about the Fine polymer slant razor. I mistakenly identified the handle as having plastic female threads. Actually, there is a metal threaded insert -- both insert and polymer were silver colored, so it was easy to miss. I have not used a Popular, but I would like to try one some day -- if good, it would be an ideal travel razor. Very inexpensive to replace if lost or confiscated by the TSA.
I have both razors the feather popular and the Wilkinson Sword I find them great Shavers if you put a feather blade in the feather and a Wilkinson Sword blade in the Wilkinson Sword razor don't know why it is but that's just the way they were designed
I am quite frankly amazed that the Japanese can produce these so well for such a cheap price.
