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... continuing from my interest in vintage Weck razors (you can look them up, but they're disposable blade frameback razors), I have gained a couple of Eastern shavettes: one Japanese (the Feather) and one Chinese (I suspect a clone, from Gan Village Green on eBay).
These shavettes take slightly slimmer blades than their Western equivalents from the likes of Weck, Feather brand and other such copies. You might spot these and wonder whether they are suitable for shaving as they are often seen in the context of nape shaping, but I can assure you that they are ... in fact quite eye-openingly so!
Consider these like the Feather of the DE blade (which, they are ... ostensibly) or the very hollow of the straight edge, certainly when compared to the Western style Personna blade which is silent against these singing slims.
![[Image: IMG_7593.JPG]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fbq2cy7a83w/VKhXZgFE84I/AAAAAAAA0wM/nO7BnpG43Lw/s800/IMG_7593.JPG)
![[Image: IMG_7594.JPG]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fYBoP4VBld8/VKhXdCWGpAI/AAAAAAAA0wU/sDmyxfVv0tM/s800/IMG_7594.JPG)
There are no guards with these razors, so approach these as if they were frameback straight edge razors. I suppose in a sense, they are, just a modern version of ...
As a shave, it's close. It's smooth.
I'm still honing my skill with straight edge and find two with the grain passes is suitable for me at my present skill level; with these, that gives me a very close and smooth shave. The lined blades have a real sing to them and give a closer shave than the non-lined blades.
Blade longevity is typical of Feather - it's 2-3 shaves and done. Triple passers might get a couple, double passers maybe 3.
![[Image: IMG_7596.JPG]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9gPWUGoojKE/VKhXewDkL-I/AAAAAAAA0wc/qUjbxA-FGBg/s800/IMG_7596.JPG)
![[Image: IMG_7597.JPG]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PXaKL7qr3u8/VKhXh29MzyI/AAAAAAAA0wk/OQ8tOIwnRSs/s800/IMG_7597.JPG)
Beyond that there's a little trick you can pull if you have a Weck or Weck-style shaper with a guard - pop the dulled blade into that and you can apply a little pressure against the guard. Just ensure that your guard, which will cover the blade by default, has the teeth turned away from the guard by bending the comb back in a vice.
![[Image: IMG_7598.JPG]](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8MVcov_vqRA/VKhXjZzsyMI/AAAAAAAA0ws/eAvQqQeVfUk/s800/IMG_7598.JPG)
Certainly a cheap alternative to the considerably more expensive Feather Artist Club, this type of shavette can be had for about £50 for the Feather Custom Razor or for the clone from eBay for literally a couple of quid! Check out Gan Village Green (China) who sent me a free pack of Cloud blades with my razor.
Blades can be had from eBay or from Salon stores - Sally carry the Feather blades, but with lines like the Cloud blades I've shown here. Sally also carry AMA shavettes, which are Weck-like shavettes with a guard.
These shavettes take slightly slimmer blades than their Western equivalents from the likes of Weck, Feather brand and other such copies. You might spot these and wonder whether they are suitable for shaving as they are often seen in the context of nape shaping, but I can assure you that they are ... in fact quite eye-openingly so!
Consider these like the Feather of the DE blade (which, they are ... ostensibly) or the very hollow of the straight edge, certainly when compared to the Western style Personna blade which is silent against these singing slims.
There are no guards with these razors, so approach these as if they were frameback straight edge razors. I suppose in a sense, they are, just a modern version of ...
As a shave, it's close. It's smooth.
I'm still honing my skill with straight edge and find two with the grain passes is suitable for me at my present skill level; with these, that gives me a very close and smooth shave. The lined blades have a real sing to them and give a closer shave than the non-lined blades.
Blade longevity is typical of Feather - it's 2-3 shaves and done. Triple passers might get a couple, double passers maybe 3.
Beyond that there's a little trick you can pull if you have a Weck or Weck-style shaper with a guard - pop the dulled blade into that and you can apply a little pressure against the guard. Just ensure that your guard, which will cover the blade by default, has the teeth turned away from the guard by bending the comb back in a vice.
Certainly a cheap alternative to the considerably more expensive Feather Artist Club, this type of shavette can be had for about £50 for the Feather Custom Razor or for the clone from eBay for literally a couple of quid! Check out Gan Village Green (China) who sent me a free pack of Cloud blades with my razor.
Blades can be had from eBay or from Salon stores - Sally carry the Feather blades, but with lines like the Cloud blades I've shown here. Sally also carry AMA shavettes, which are Weck-like shavettes with a guard.
