SMF

Two days ago the CJB shavette arrived. It's a nice looking little razor. Easy to load a blade. Uses the Feather Pro/Kai Captain single edge blades. Yesterday I was looking forward to the first ever shave with one of these razors. I can now report my worst shaving experience ever. This is a very humbling experience. I held the angle as flat as possible against the skin, moved slowly, used virtually no pressure. Then when the razor passed over my chin I cut myself. Stopped the shave at that point and devoted all my efforts to stopping the bleeding, this took a lot more time than I bargained for.

Simultaneously, there were 5 other locations, only smaller, and luckily not as significant. Then my entire face began to hurt badly. The entire surface was burning/aching, and there was nothing I could do in addition to the styptic which I had applied liberally and frequently. I had a tube of neosporin in the drawer, and I rubbed that all over the painful area without relief. I also had a tub of Bag Balm, and in the throes of such agonizing pain and burning over such a wide area, I had nothing to lose, so I rubbed the Bag Balm on. Having expended all of my options,

I waited a few minutes so that the bleeding could continue to slow and the pain could hopefully subside. Then I patted some lightly mentholate talcum powder on, over the balm, and it also seemed to have a small cooling and soothing effect. By that time, I was hopelessly late for my morning obligation, not even finished dressing. I was able to place yet another bandaid on the cut and sit quietly for about half an hour or so, after calling the office to tell them I was "doing something" and would be in later.

Bad experience. The area on my chin appears to be where I might have fallen and skinned my chin, it's so large and red. Of course today, Friday morning, it so happened that I had two important meetings, but I didn't even try to shave. The skin's got to have some healing time.

I am here to say this razor is nothing similar to an authentic straight razor. I don't cut myself with straight razors. I don't have irritated skin with straight razors. I come away with a close and smooth shave every time I use a straight razor. This is something different altogether. I will have to see if I can find and watch Richard's (rustyblade) video of shaving with a Feather AC razor, because he made it look so easy. I'm here to say it is not easy, at least for a beginner.

That's regrettable Gary. There are some things I have done expecting only the experience. Now I won't do a damn thing unless I know it will work.

Sorry to hear it, Gary. Those Kai and Feather blades are way sharper than a normal open blade that you sharpen yourself. A number of years back, several members were shaving with Feather straights, including Richard, but they quit using them regularly when they developed what came to be described as "skin thinning." The Feather blades were apparently so sharp that one could cut right through the whiskers and remove a layer of skin without feeling it happen. (I, in fact, had a similar experience just using Feather DE blades. They're definitely not for me.)

- Murray

I found the post regarding the video. Unfortunately, it's gone now. Too bad. I recall that it was well done.

CMur12 wrote:Sorry to hear it, Gary. Those Kai and Feather blades are way sharper than a normal open blade that you sharpen yourself. A number of years back, several members were shaving with Feather straights, including Richard, but they quit using them regularly when they developed what came to be described as "skin thinning." The Feather blades were apparently so sharp that one could cut right through the whiskers and remove a layer of skin without feeling it happen. (I, in fact, had a similar experience just using Feather DE blades. They're definitely not for me.)

- Murray

Thanks guys. I'm sure that's what I experienced.

YIKES! Not good!

That's what I had visions of when I tried the SEvette razor.

wishing yo a fast recovery

Thanks Clive. Regarding the sharp Feather Pro blade, one thing I've learned from this little episode is that the Mongoose razor is a brilliantly designed innovation. The Mongoose steps in line ahead of the Cobra and elevates the safety in safety razors to a whole new level. One of those inventions that actually provides something new by filling a gap that needed to be addressed. It uses that same excellent razor blade in a manner that focuses the sharpness on the whiskers while simultaneously providing a comfortable and smooth shave that minimizes the threat to the skin. Makes me appreciate the Mongoose even more. The waiting list is long for a very good reason.

Sorry to hear it Gary, hope you heal up real fast
nothin' worse than a bad shave where blood is involved. I also remember that great video Richard made shaving with a Japanese style feather straight. I liked that video so much I actually bought one but I never got that good with it so I sold it to a member here.
I'll leave the shavettes to my barber for cleaning up the back of my neck and around my ears after a haircut

Gary, I hope you heal quickly. If you can deal with Vaseline on the face apply a thin layer and towel off the excess (lightly) right before bedtime. When you awake it will speed recovery immensely.

With regard to the blades performance I wonder if there are a variety of factors at work here. Maybe it was a bum blade? I've seen a few SEM pictures of Feathers and they don't look that smooth at the edge. They may be sharp but are they smooth? Has QC become lax at Feather these days exacerbating the perceived lack of smoothness at the edge while maintaining keenness? I believe Feathers are mainly intended for shaving the neck and sideburns during a haircut so could it be possible, if this is their mainstay use, that they've let slip some QC because it won't be noticed in such a situation with a one pass in those areas?

I will never forget my first shaves with a straight honed on a Norton 4/8 and polished on .25 micron diamond paste. The shave was as effortless as a well honed straight on other stones followed by crox stropping BUT they left lasting irritation and weepers. Took a few days to recover and I've never used diamond paste alone again. If I used it again it was AFTER I crox stropped, but I stopped. Nowadays I just crox strop and it's just as good and infinitely smoother/more comfortable.

Lots to consider here but lessons learned.

Heal fast.

Chris

Thanks. This morning I woke up to see a 3 day growth and decided to get back on the horse. This time I picked up a little razor I bought a couple of weeks ago at an estate sale. A mint Gillette Red Tip Super Speed from 1956. I decided I wanted a razor that would be somewhat mild and very forgiving. I know the Red Tip version of the SS is reputed to be "aggressive", but I've long ago learned it's not what I call aggressive. I loaded a Gillette Super Stainless blade with about 15 shaves on it, and it worked wonderfully. I was very careful when shaving around the wound on my chin. It'll be there a while. (Here's my SOTD photo.)

Gary, that's a Red Tip Super Speed, the most aggressive of the Super Speeds. It's quite a different animal from a Tech.

I've noticed since I joined this forum that our concepts of "mild" and "aggressive" have shifted towards the latter. We used to consider a standard Super Speed to be "moderate," but I think most would now view it as decidedly mild.

- Murray

CMur12 wrote:Gary, that's a Red Tip Super Speed, the most aggressive of the Super Speeds. It's quite a different animal from a Tech.

I've noticed since I joined this forum that our concepts of "mild" and "aggressive" have shifted towards the latter. We used to consider a standard Super Speed to be "moderate," but I think most would now view it as decidedly mild.

- Murray

LOL! You're right of course. I'll edit right away. Super Speed!

Absolutely correct from what I see today Murray. It's not all that many years ago it was considered aggressive. At the time I was using my Slim set to 9 and I wanted no part of that aggressive Red Tip. Somewhere along the line I figured it out.

Yes, it's probably not what I would call aggressive either Gary. But for some folks it is.

It's like hot peppers. I can eat really fiery hot stuff and it doesn't faze me. If someone asks me if something is hot I have to claim ignorance because what I don't even get a hint of heat from others think will take their head off. I knew one gent who thought salt was a risqué "spice". My point is that shavers can be much like that.

I'm glad to see you got back on the horse.

Just not with the CJB razor, ever again!