mild & highly efficient razors

the feather as-d2 seems to be one of the best razors I ever shaved with. what else out there rivals it in both its mildness and efficiency?

the feather as-d2 seems to be one of the best razors I ever shaved with.  what else out there rivals it in both its mildness and efficiency?

I've never used the Feather AS-D2, but I think that the cheap Feather Popular feels very mild while still being effective. The Popular is also very light with a large part of the razor being made of plastic/polymer. If I wouldn't have ordered the Mekur 34C on the same day when I first started this, I might still be happily shaving away with the Feather Popular. It also makes for a great travel razor. You're only out less than $15-20 if it gets lost or broken while traveling.

Have you ever tried a vintage pre-war Gillette Fat Handle Tech? It's the one with the triangular holes in the base plate. I find that razor to be mild, but efficient.

Weber razors - especially the DLC - are also mild and effective, similar to the Feather.

the feather as-d2 seems to be one of the best razors I ever shaved with.  what else out there rivals it in both its mildness and efficiency?

I've never used the Feather AS-D2, but I think that the cheap Feather Popular feels very mild while still being effective.  The Popular is also very light with a large part of the razor being made of plastic/polymer.  If I wouldn't have ordered the Mekur 34C on the same day when I first started this, I might still be happily shaving away with the Feather Popular.  It also makes for a great travel razor.  You're only out less than $15-20 if it gets lost or broken while traveling.

Have you ever tried a vintage pre-war Gillette Fat Handle Tech?  It's the one with the triangular holes in the base plate.  I find that razor to be mild, but efficient.

The Feather Popular is only $13.02 on Amazon with free prime shipping. I'm another AS-D2 user but may try the popular to have a backup and travel razor. Thanks for sharing.

Weber razors - especially the DLC - are also mild and effective, similar to the Feather.

John, this is not my experience. I have tried the Feather AS-D1 and the AS-D2 a total of four times, each on separate occasions and I have never gotten a good shave with the Feather. I just find it much, much too mild, whereas the DLC is a moderately aggressive shaver.

the feather as-d2 seems to be one of the best razors I ever shaved with.  what else out there rivals it in both its mildness and efficiency?

I've never used the Feather AS-D2, but I think that the cheap Feather Popular feels very mild while still being effective.  The Popular is also very light with a large part of the razor being made of plastic/polymer.  If I wouldn't have ordered the Mekur 34C on the same day when I first started this, I might still be happily shaving away with the Feather Popular.  It also makes for a great travel razor.  You're only out less than $15-20 if it gets lost or broken while traveling.

Have you ever tried a vintage pre-war Gillette Fat Handle Tech?  It's the one with the triangular holes in the base plate.  I find that razor to be mild, but efficient.

The Feather Popular is only $13.02 on Amazon with free prime shipping. I'm another AS-D2 user but may try the popular to have a backup and travel razor. Thanks for sharing.

Please note that I did say that I've never shaved with the AS-D2, so I'm not sure how the shave compares to the Popular. Obviously, the AS-D2 is much heavier than the Popular being made out of stainless steel. Of course, you won't be out much if you don't care for the Popular, but I think it is a reasonable razor that's mild, but efficient, especially with the Feather DE blade. Some folks just seem to find the Popular too mild. To me, there's no blade feel with the Popular, but the whiskers still end up being reduced and I have a fairly coarse beard.(Ginger, like copper wire. Well, the ones that aren't gray. The gray whiskers are like aluminum wire. )

EJ DE89

Have not tried the feather though.

Tough question.

Gillette Tech is similar in some respects but can be a bit more variable with so many versions of it. The Tech has a broader effective range which can make it seem less efficient. It will shave at a wider range of angles but not effectively at all of them. Where the AS-D2 requires a specific angle by comparison, the narrower effective range is slightly more efficient and reliable.

I can think of razors which are as effective as the AS-D2 but not as mild. Ones that are as mild too but not as effective.

The Barbaros is a good example of a comfortable razor that shaves more efficiently than the AS-D2 for me. Not as mild feeling as the Feather in so far as the Feather will just not shave stubble at the wrong angle but the Barbaros feels as though it may cause irritation at a less than ideal angle while still removing hair.

I have been exceedingly impressed with the Rockwell 6S. I think it has the potential to be a Goldilocks razor that is capable of hitting a lot of sweet spots for a variety of the different attributes typically discussed on shaving forums. It is a very nice razor that is versatile in the efficiency and aggression departments to a point. Being a safety bar model and being in its second or third iteration might have something to do with it not being as frequently discussed as some other razors out today.

I've not tried the Feather Popular and would think the light weight of it wouldn't satisfy me on a daily basis.

I think the Edwin Jagger and similar razors just can't match the Feather AS-D2 for consistency and comfort. For the same reasons I think a Gillette Tech can't.

The Rockwell with the 1or 2 plate might be the closest to the Feather AS-D2 that I have tried.

At the end of the day what many dislike about the Feather is what I think those who love it like about it. It won't bite you easily if your technique is sloppy. It won't shave well or even at all if you're off your game. The Tech, Edwin Jagger, Merkur, and many others will.

The Feather is fickle in this regard. It forces the user to be in good form. It rewards with close, efficient, and comfortable shaves. If you have poor form, or insist that the tool and not the person wielding it is at fault, it can be frustrating and infuriating to weild.

I'd trade the risk of cuts and irritation any day for a few days of frustrating shaves to accomplish imprinting my muscle memory and adjusting to the technique required.

I've never used the Feather AS-D2, but I think that the cheap Feather Popular feels very mild while still being effective.  The Popular is also very light with a large part of the razor being made of plastic/polymer.  If I wouldn't have ordered the Mekur 34C on the same day when I first started this, I might still be happily shaving away with the Feather Popular.  It also makes for a great travel razor.  You're only out less than $15-20 if it gets lost or broken while traveling.

Have you ever tried a vintage pre-war Gillette Fat Handle Tech?  It's the one with the triangular holes in the base plate.  I find that razor to be mild, but efficient.

The Feather Popular is only $13.02 on Amazon with free prime shipping. I'm another AS-D2 user but may try the popular to have a backup and travel razor. Thanks for sharing.

Please note that I did say that I've never shaved with the AS-D2, so I'm not sure how the shave compares to the Popular.  Obviously, the AS-D2 is much heavier than the Popular being made out of stainless steel.  Of course, you won't be out much if you don't care for the Popular, but I think it is a reasonable razor that's mild, but efficient, especially with the Feather DE blade.  Some folks just seem to find the Popular too mild.  To me, there's no blade feel with the Popular, but the whiskers still end up being reduced and I have a fairly coarse beard.(Ginger, like copper wire. Well, the ones that aren't gray. The gray whiskers are like aluminum wire. )

I realized you hadn't shaved with the AS-D2. I had already been reading reviews all over for it and figured it's worth $13 to find out. It sounds like the AS-D2 in that it's mild and efficient.

Tough question.

Gillette Tech is similar in some respects but can be a bit more variable with so many versions of it. The Tech has a broader effective range which can make it seem less efficient. It will shave at a wider range of angles but not effectively at all of them. Where the AS-D2 requires a specific angle by comparison, the narrower effective range is slightly more efficient and reliable.

I can think of razors which are as effective as the AS-D2 but not as mild. Ones that are as mild too but not as effective.

The Barbaros is a good example of a comfortable razor that shaves more efficiently than the AS-D2 for me. Not as mild feeling as the Feather in so far as the Feather will just not shave stubble at the wrong angle but the Barbaros feels as though it may cause irritation at a less than ideal angle while still removing hair.

I have been exceedingly impressed with the Rockwell 6S. I think it has the potential to be a Goldilocks razor that is capable of hitting a lot of sweet spots for a variety of the different attributes typically discussed on shaving forums. It is a very nice razor that is versatile in the efficiency and aggression departments to a point. Being a safety bar model and being in its second or third iteration might have something to do with it not being as frequently discussed as some other razors out today.

I've not tried the Feather Popular and would think the light weight of it wouldn't satisfy me on a daily basis.

I think the Edwin Jagger and similar razors just can't match the Feather AS-D2 for consistency and comfort. For the same reasons I think a Gillette Tech can't.

The Rockwell with the 1or 2 plate might be the closest to the Feather AS-D2 that I have tried.

At the end of the day what many dislike about the Feather is what I think those who love it like about it. It won't bite you easily if your technique is sloppy. It won't shave well or even at all if you're off your game. The Tech, Edwin Jagger, Merkur, and many others will.

The Feather is fickle in this regard. It forces the user to be in good form. It rewards with close, efficient, and comfortable shaves. If you have poor form, or insist that the tool and not the person wielding it is at fault, it can be frustrating and infuriating to weild.

I'd trade the risk of cuts and irritation any day for a few days of frustrating shaves to accomplish imprinting my muscle memory and adjusting to the technique required.

You hit the nail on the head bakerbarber! I can only wonder how many people gave up on it due to not finding the correct angle. The good thing about the AS-D2 though compared to some of the other razors I tried that had a small learning curve is that it doesn't tear your face to shreds whiles learning the angle, it just doesn't cut.