AS-D2

The Feather AS-D2 is pure perfection in stainless steel. From the moment you unbox it, the flawless machining, perfect balance, and buttery-smooth fit and finish scream luxury that justifies every penny of its premium price. It feels like a heirloom before you even load a blade. Pair it with a Feather blade (its spiritual match) and the AS-D2 delivers the mildest yet terrifyingly efficient shave imaginable. Zero bite, zero irritation, yet it erases two-day stubble like it offended it personally. The geometry is wizardry—mild on paper, devastating in practice, leaving BBS results with zero effort or drama. I’ve owned every high-end razor known to man; none come close. The AS-D2 ruined me for everything else. It’s not just the best mild razor—it’s the best razor, period. If you value silky-smooth shaves and tools that feel like art, sell a kidney and buy one yesterday. 11/10.

It is funny how we tend to go back to where we started on most things, when I was 15 my dad gave me his old safety razor, a Gillette tech safety razor, which served me well for over 10 years. I have moved up slowly to more and more aggressive blades and 35 years later have been using a Muhle R41 since 2011. Well I have been looking for a new razor, and had decided to get a "milder" everyday razor since my 13 year old daughter has taken a liking to shaving with my double edged safety razors instead of her mother's 5 bladed wonders. as I was looking around I found the Seki Edge Feather All Stainless Steel Double Edge Safety Razor (AS-D2), and when I found I could buy it for just over $100.00 with a discount I bought it. I read a lot of review saying that it was a very mild razor and was not good for cutting thick coarse beards, one guy on YouTube even did a video saying feather AS-D2 fail showing him run his finger over the blade and not getting cut. I have a very thick coarse beard (can we say bailing wire with an attitude) So when it arrived I was not expecting a whole lot of close shaves from it, well now that I have been using it for over a month I can say the bad reviews are wrong, and just show me that you will get out of this razor what you put into it. My first pass was smooth and very mild (I barely felt the blade or razor) to say the least but did not get me that super close shave, my first thought was the reviews were right, my second thought was why did I not feel or hear the blade, the Muhle R41 sounds like you are scrapping a chalk board with your nails on my beard. I remembered reading a review that stated "you can get any razor to shave if the razor is able to present the blade to the skin correctly" so I soaped up again and closely watched my technique, this razor really likes to be held at a steeper angle than any razor I have ever used (yes using really aggressive razors has made my techniques pretty bad), once I took my time and made sure I could feel the top cap, bottom bar, and blade touching my face this razor came alive, it sings (it is kind of hard to explain but it has almost a hum to it) and glides very smoothly, the angle is easy to keep, and the blade does a great job of giving me a BBS shave after two passes and a cleanup. Unlike the Muhle I can buff a trouble area without fear of cuts or irritation. I have used this razor with every blade I can find, from Feathers, Wilkerson blades, gems, Derby, to CVS specials, just to see how it does and for the most part it delivers a clean shave. With Feathers, Wilkerson's, or Personna red blades this razor gives me 4 to 5 clean 3 pass shaves per blade. That is better than the 2 to 3 I get from the Muhle. So what I have learned is this is a great razor, if you cannot get it to shave clean then step back and recheck you technique. If you can hear it sing and feel the blade, head, and bar then keep that angle and have fun, once you get the feel for it this is a very fast, and efficient razor that is safe to use every day. At 5 a.m. after a long night, where I am half awake and not paying attention I can still pick this razor up and get a close shave fast, with the Muhle R41 I have to give it my full attention all the time or it is a blood bath. I would not call this a mild razor as much as a safe razor (since it will give a BBS shave with less fear of nicks and cuts) it is a very efficient razor for sure, put in a sharp blade and you can get a fast clean shave every time, everyday, once you have trained your mind and hand to the new angle this razor askes for. If you can afford it then do not listen to the bad reviews, The workmanship is second to none, the fit and finish is awesome, the balance and weight are perfect, and the shave is safe and efficient. If you have a thick coarse beard put in a Feather blade and enjoy.

Update(s) will be at the bottom. This is my first safety razor. I'm a sucker for high quality. I'd rather buy a good thing once. The box is beautiful, the razor is hefty and very well made. I like that it isn't super mechanical, because mechanical parts tend to fail. Thats why I chose this over a butterfly style safety razor. Being my first safety razor I can say: it isnt too aggressive and it isn't hard to find the right angle for shaving*. (*Update here: shaving with a fresh blade everytime makes this less of an issue, but as the blade dulls the angle definitely matters more. Razorburn like crazy and ineffective cutting.) You do have to be mindful of the angle, because it stops cutting if you aren't. Honestly, thats a very forgiving fail-safe and likely one I can use to my advantage. It'll take some practice to get really good, but it's easy to use. I typically dry shave just to edge my facial hair. It does not tug more than my old Gillete fusion 5 blade razor. In fact, it tugs less; particularly on the "soul patch" of my beard. It did feel like there might have been a slight amount of razor burn, however I was not using the feather blades included in the box. I was gifted a cheaper brand. And again, I was dry shaving. I bought the Gillette over 8 years ago, and a refill of blades since then. The blades cost more than the razor and that is by design. They want you locked in so that you spend more money long term. With this style of razor I can buy any brand of replacement blade I want or like for very cheap. The ones I was gifted were $9 for 100 blades. At this price I can afford to change the blades more often and I'm not paying $30 for 6 like the Gillette. The alternative being disposable razors. And while they are cheap and cut well (better than Gillette TBH) I don't like throwing away all that plastic. Per blade and potentially per shave over a lifetime I still think this razor will be cheaper over all. Consider I spent ~180 to get started. With 105 blades that is only $1.72 per blade. Less waste, less money, quality product, good shaves. Worth the price. Short term update: I have started using this to shave my head once a week. I love the shaves and how smooth I feel afterwards. First shave I got razor burn on the back of my neck. Not on following shaves. I have gotten a few small nicks, but none of them even hurt. I tried my old Gillette fusion to see if it was better and immediately gave myself a nasty cut. I'm sold on this safety razor now. Short term update 2: When cutting against the grain: dull blades with improper angle will give you nasty razorburn. Dull blades are a risky situation in general. I am avoiding issues by shaving with the grain using the old blade, then switching it out for a new one to cut against the grain. This gives me a closer shave, less work, and less razor burn. Tips: A good shaving soap or cream is extremely helpful for a comfortable shave. It reduces tugging and cuts cleaner. More frequent shaving reduces jamming of the blade with hair. Moisturizing (with jojoba oil) afterwards sooths any razor burn. Longterm update will follow eventually.

i got into wet shaving about 9 months ago, as i was tired of spending a load of cash on disposable cartridges. after doing a decent amount of research on amazon, i chose this feather razor, a bulk package of feather hi-stainless blades, after shave lotion, shaving soap, and pre-shave cream from proraso, a brush from tweezerman and a steel brush stand. total investment: about $75. here we are, nearly 9 months later, and i have not spent a dime on any other shaving accessories, creams, etc. i was spending $18 a month on cartridges before. needless to say, i'm pleased with the cost savings. i am also very pleased with the shave quality. after a couple bloody shaving sessions, i started to get the hang of it, and have since developed a very enjoyable and fruitful shaving habit. the inclusion of the feather razor in that habit is a big part of that. being new to wet shaving, i spent some time playing around with the razor. i would twist the butterfly mechanism closed so far that the blade would be completely bent in against the head, which did not provide a very close shave. i would twist it open to the point that the blade lay flat and loose inside the head, and the shave would tear up my rough face. eventually i settled on a position where the blade would be slightly bent, and i get a great shave each time. the razor has held up so far just fine. all the parts still function correctly, and i have not had any issues with corrosion or deterioration. all the plastic bits are still fully intact as well. i have noticed that the razor likes to collect soap scum, but with a bit of scrubbing on it once a week or so, it remains pretty clean and doesn't suffer from build-up. since this is my first razor, i cannot offer comparisons to others. however, this razor could stand to be a bit heavier. i can see how a heavier razor would offer better balance and smoother operation. my only real gripe with this razor is in the butterfly mechanism. it is very easy to adjust, to the point where it adjusts too easily. i find myself having to close it back down just a bit every few minutes, because it tends to work its way loose over time. that being said, i still definitely recommend this razor for the budget-conscious consumer. i may upgrade to something a bit heavier and more expensive after a year with this one, but i see no reason that one cannot get by with only this razor from feather. i will keep using this one as my only razor, and will probably keep it as a backup / travel razor if i do decide to upgrade next year.

I first used a DE razor as an adolescent in the 70's but soon the proliferation of disposables and the development of cartridge razors made them obsolete. As the decades went by I went from cartridge blades featuring 2 blades to 3 blades to the ridiculous and over priced 5 blade models, all the while paying ever increasing prices for those designs, up to the tune of $5 a blade. Then I had begun evaluating the expense of these "miracle" cartridge shavers and decided to try the DE shaving system once again, if not for merely nostalgia then to pay only ~.35 cents a blade versus five bucks. My first attempts failed miserably. I ended up with a satisfactory shave on the face, but on the throat and below the jaw I found shaving with a DE razor more akin to losing a battle with a sword wielding Ninja. I went back to cartridges for some years after, deciding "nostalgia" shaving technology was best left in the past where it originated. After hearing a co-worker talk about his satisfaction with DE's and more research on the 'net, I decided to attempt this "new-old" shaving system once more. Realizing my past failures, I knew I needed to do something different. My skin is not super-sensitive, but not sheet leather either. What had I done wrong before? I soon began to find the answers. The problem I realized, is that cartridge razors teach you to shave "incorrectly". Due to the fact they are essentially a blade or set of blades that are set into a box at a 30-40 degree angle or so (that's my guess), you are forced to place the shaving implement flat against your face for them to work. Couple that with their tendency to accumulate junk between the blades and you must increase pressure to maintain sufficient blade-skin contact. They do work adequately when employed as their design dictates, but the technique they force you to use is disastrous if transferred to a DE razor. I purchased this Feather model DE and wasn't particularly impressed with it out of the box. Though well made in appearance, it was predominantly plastic. Aren't DE razors supposed to be metal and super heavy? The handle of about 4 inches appealed to me though. I knew with use of razors with stubby 3 inch handles I did not have the degree of control (unbalanced to me) I needed. I loaded a brand new Feather DE razor blade in it and vowed the next morning I would shave with it, but in doing so throw out the window everything the cartridge razor system had taught me. I knew I would have to "re-learn" how to shave to make this system work. For one, the plastic construction actually works for me much better than the purported benefits of the heavy weight metal models by increasing my control of the unit. What I discovered was that the additional handle length acted less as a gripping surface and more of a counter balance to the weight of the blade bearing head as I held the razor primarily between thumb, index and middle fingers. I decided I preferred the butterfly opening top instead of the removable cap some designs sport. Use a good shave cream. This is as personalized a choice as any, but a good quality shave cream is essential. Quality shave cream is a crucial friction reducer as the blade glides over skin. I prefer a canned cream such as Barbasol Aloe. Avoid the gimmicky, razor clogging gels. Blade angle. I maintained as well as possible a blade-to-skin angle of approximately 40-ish degrees, maybe slightly less. NO PRESSURE. I repeat, none. Cartridge razors encourage the application of pressure to maintain blade-skin contact and this is a bad habit cartridge blade users often carry over to their first efforts with a DE razor. There is no need to apply pressure with a DE razor. The blade is there, not inset below a box frame, so it does its work without requiring any pressure to efficiently slice your stubble. Short, even strokes. With box cartridge razors I had developed the bad habit of dragging the razor from ear to chin in one continuous stroke. Do not do this with a DE razor. Gradually work your way down (or up) in short, light strokes, maintaining and adjusting your blade angle as appropriate. Second passes. Never make a second pass (such as against the grain) without re-applying shave cream to that area. Another bad habit I had developed with cartridge razors I found I needed to break in order to succeed with a DE razor. Whenever possible, stretch skin flat and taught. When this is more difficult to do (around the throat in particular), make your strokes even MORE light and short. This technique alone will reduce or eliminate the vast majority of nicks and abrasions. Take your time! If you don't have the time, wait until you do to practice. Though once you have committed your technique to memory it will become second nature, avoid the initial temptation to treat DE shaving like it's a 2 minute and done cartridge razor shaving session. When choosing a DE system, expect to have to buy a few different brands of razors, blades and creams before you hit on the combo that works best for you. I did, and I stopped looking after buying this Feather and the Feather blades. I am now done with cartridge razors. Some may find the transition is easy, others will not, but no doubt when used correctly they are a highly efficient and extremely cost effective alternative to the "miracle" super duper, twisting, rotating, vibrating, pivoting razor marketing gimmicks pitched to shavers around the world at a substantial expense to your shaving budget.

This is my second, and probably last, DE razor. I started my DE career with a Merkur C34 last year and after some learning time, was able to reliably get very smooth shaves with it. The C34 gave me much less irritation than the cartridge razor I used before that, but my skin still burned slightly after shaving with it, and the occasional nick still occurred. I don't have a very strong beard, but I have sensitive skin on my neck, and getting my neck smooth with the C34 always left a couple of spots red and irritated. I bought the Feather based on the reviews saying that it was very well made and that it had a small blade gap and still delivered BBS shaves with no irritation. I have not been disappointed. The craftsmanship on the Feather is superb - it is a piece of art in itself, a simple design built to perfection with a wonderfully understated matte brushed finish to it. I shave every day and I look forward to taking this tool into my hand every morning. The precision design results in a very uniform, very small blade gap, which, in turn, makes it very hard (though not impossible) to nick your skin with this razor. When I first shaved with the Feather, I was amazed at how little irritation my skin showed, but I was not too impressed by the shave, which was not as close as I used to get with the C34. It took me about two weeks of playing around with pressure and head angle to find the sweet spot of this razor. I found that using almost no pressure and a pretty high angle of about 60-70 degrees, where I feel almost all plate and just a touch of blade on my skin delivers extremely close shaves that are virtually irritation-free. The feel of the Feather shave is very different from that of the C34. I use the Feather razor with Feather blades and this combination produces a very smooth glide as it cuts, and does so in almost complete silence, while the C34 is outright noisy in comparison, giving much clearer audible feedback on whether the blade is working correctly or not. With the Feather, I almost exclusively rely on how the razor feels on my skin. For me, the sweet spot of this razor is the point where I wonder whether the blade is doing anything at all or whether I am just scraping the lather off my face with the plate. This took some getting used to, but now I actually like these "silent cuts" the Feather delivers. Also, because it is so hard to nick your skin with this razor, I can use it in the shower, which I would never dare to do with the C34. The Feather definitely has a longer learning curve than the C34, but getting that first BBS shave without any nicks or irritation is an absolute revelation well worth every penny spent on this weapon. Shaving has become something like a Zen ceremony for me, and the Feather fits perfectly into it. When I have the time in the morning, it is an absolute pleasure to reduce the stubble to nothingness, but even when I am in a hurry the Feather delivers a great shave without the risk of nicks and the irritation I got from the C34. For me, the Feather shaves are not any closer than C34 shaves, but much more comfortable. Highly recommended. UPDATE 3/2013: I still love this razor and have not used anything else for a while. As this razor is very well built, I expect this to last for decades. My favorite blade in it is a Shark Super Chrome, which is just as sharp as the Feather, but much smoother.

Let’s start by acknowledging that this is not intended to be, marketed as (or priced) as a first-class razor. It’s advertised as ‘combining affordability with performance’, and that’s probably about right. If you want twice the razor, get yourself a nice Merkur for about twice the price (search for Merkur Double-Edge Razor right here on Amazon.com; you’ll find several nice ones). That said, if you’re just starting out in Double Edged razor shaving and don’t want to spend a lot, or if you’re looking to take your wet-shaving on the road and just want a lightweight DE razor to toss into your travel shave kit, this razor is worth the money. On the plus side, if you use a good blade (I use Feather blades) this razor will give you a decent shave. A ‘minus‘ to me - and it may not be a negative to everyone - is that this razor holds the blade at a much less aggressive angle than the Merkur razors I use. Look at the pictures of the Merkur razors here on Amazon and you’ll see a pronounced curve to their tops; that curved top closes down on the blade, bending it over to achieve a fairly aggressive cutting angle. That angle seems to give me a closer shave. This Feather razor is flatter at the top, consequently it does not bend the razor blade as much and the cutting angle is not as great. Again, the sharper angle is the one my face prefers; this razor’s angle may feel better to you. (I’ve looked at some of the other reviews since I first wrote this, and indeed other reviewers DO feel that this razor’s angle works better for them. So it really is a matter of personal preference.) The other thing to be aware of is that this is, as advertised, a razor made largely of plastic. That saves weight (again, good for travel), but feels less solid in your hand - because it is. That’s not necessarily bad, it just is what it is. This is a moderately priced DE razor, and it will give you a moderately good shave. I recommend it for those who may not want to spend a lot on their first DE razor, or for experienced DE shavers who may looking for a lighter razor and are willing to give up a little bit of closeness in their shave in return. I use if for that reason, and it’s not a bad tradeoff.

I'll preface this by mentioning that I've been "wet shaving" all my life, except for a period when I tried to find cartridge razors that worked for me. I never did; so I finally got my trusty Gillette 1940's SuperSpeed out of storage and went back to a more pleasant, cost-effective, and efficient way of shaving. I'll also admit to a period of RAD (Razor Aquisition Disease) when I acquired some very fine, vintage razors, like the Gillette Aristocrat, Shick Krona, British Rockets, pre and post-war Techs, and variations of the Gillette adjustables- fine razors all. I mention this because I've tried quite a variety of vintage double-edged razors, as well as popular modern razors like the Jagger 89, Parker 99, and the very underrated Mehaz. I certainly thought I had the bases covered. My go-to razors were a '40's SuperSpeed, a '40's Parat, and a '41 Ranger Tech so, obviously, I like mild razors. Then, a while back, a friend suggested I should try the Feather AS-D2 Stainless Steel Safety Razor. When I looked at the price, I said, "you certainly must be joking." How could a modern razor be worth $150-250? Regardless of its workmanship, which IS flawless, there are no moving parts, it has no vintage cache and, while stainless steel is certainly a durable material, it isn't a PRECIOUS metal. I was pretty certain I'd NEVER spend that much for a razor. Still, I would often read about the "miraculous" shave quality of the Feather, and remained somewhat intrigued. A few months ago, in an especially frivolous mood, I looked at prices of the AS-D2 on Amazon, and impulsively hit the "buy with one click" button. Two days later, I was holding one in my hand, with a hopeful (because of the money I'd just spent), but sceptical attitude. The razor's packing is nice, but nothing particularly special - a cardboard box, inside another box, with high density foam inside. There are instructions (but I doubt you'd need them), and a 5 pack of the famously lethal Feather double-edged blades. By the way, the hype on these is both true and, well, hype. They ARE some of the sharpest blades on the market, but not dangerous, as long as you've been wet shaving a while, have a decent technique, and aren't using an overly-aggressive razor. In a mild razor, Feathers are one of the best blades you can use. Sharp blades can cut you up, but only if you don't know what you're doing, or are careless. For my first shave with the new razor, I decided to use my favorite, tried and true prep, beginning with a hot shower, using Lucky Tiger Exfoliating Face Wash. For the shave itself, I lathered up some Trumper's Coconut Oil Shave Cream, with my Semogue 1305 brush, and popped in my favorite blade, a PolSilver Super Iridium. I purposefully left the supplied Feather blades in the presentation box, expecting that the shave would be quite ordinary, and I'd want to be able to pack everything back up, so I could re-sell it on eBay. I had about a two-day beard, by the way. From the first, with-the-grain (WTG), stroke of the razor, I felt something very different. Like SO many others had mentioned in reviews, I had to double check that the blade was even cutting anything. It was simply gliding, with hardly any cutting noise, no chattering, and no drag. I'd also heard it said that there's an angle one needs to find with the ASD2, for proper cutting. Maybe that angle is my natural angle, because it all seemed so NATURAL. The balance of the razor was so great, and I immediately felt so comfortable using it, I proceeded very confidently with the rest of the shave. After one WTG pass, I really could have stopped and left the house with a perfectly acceptable shave - no, a really GOOD shave - but I decided on a second, against-the-grain pass, just to see how BBS smooth I could go. The answer was: INCREDIBLY smooth and close. Amazingly, even after the second pass, I had no nicks, no cuts, no weepers, no bumps, and ALMOST no irritation or burn. I say "almost" because I did make a mistake with that first shave: Because everything was so smooth, I unconsciously pressed too hard on one section of my neck, and it caused some SLIGHT razor burn. That's unnecessary. You really need no pressure at all with the Feather, it's that efficient. With subsequent shaves, I've simply allowed the weight of the razor to do all the work. Since using that technique, not ONE cut, no weepers, no nicks, no irritation, nothing. Nothing, that is, except the best shave I've ever had, and that's an every-day experience now. All of my problem shaving areas, directly under my nose, around the corners of my mouth, etc., are now nothing to be concerned with. NOT ONE NICK! I shaved five times with that first PSI blade. Every shave was very good-to-terrific. For number 6, I decided to pop in a Feather. All I can say is, OMG! As good as the Super Iridium is in the razor, a Feather blade takes things up an extra notch. The difference is striking and I have to conclude that the AS-D2 must have been designed AROUND the Feather blade. As I've said, I own some darned fine razors, but there simply is no real comparison between the Feather and any other razor I've tried, especially with a Feather blade. It's truly something special. The only downside to the combination is the very short lifespan of Feather blades. I really don't like them much after the third shave. The simplicity of the Feather AS-D2 is somewhat deceiving. There's the top, the baseplate, and the handle. They all fit together perfectly, with a precision that can only be described as "Japanese." I purposefully waited awhile before posting this review, just to see if my ardor would wane. It has not. I just love this razor. I've gone back a few times to my Ranger Tech, and Superspeed, just to see if they compared. They didn't, but I see the reviews from guys saying the razor just doesn't work for them. OK. I guess nothing works for everyone but, honestly, I just can't imagine why. Yes, as its reputation says, it's a mild razor; but that doesn't fully describe its nature. As I've written, I like mild razors; but none of my other razors shave like this. The Feather AS-D2 really is something special, and as good as nearly everyone says. Is it worth the price? Heck yes. My problem now: selling my collection of beautiful vintage razors. I just don't think I'll be taking them out anymore. Besides, I need some bucks for a second AS-D2 for my travel kit.