Blackland Osprey: Ti vs. SS

[BravoFoxtrot]

Hi, all! I have the SS Osprey and it’s currently my favorite razor. The mild settings are perfect for my face and beard. For those that have (had) both, how do they compare? I suspect many will like the Ti version even more.

Any feedback is welcome! I’m a bourbon away from pulling the trigger…

Thank you!
Joe

 

[dmshaver]

I imagine the Ti might be a smoother shave, but lets see if anyone can speak from personal experience. Or did you already have another bourbon & ordered it?

 

[BravoFoxtrot]

Nah! I did have the bourbon, but did hold off. At least for now.

 

[Iridian]

I have no Osprey, no bourbon, but cognac!

I think SS is fine, unless you find it too heavy. It's shinier than polished titanium, so consider that.

 

[guitarslinger]

The osprey ss is very heavy. I’ll bet the ti version rocks.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I have the SS Osprey, and I absolutely love it, its the best razor in my fleet. It also happens to be my best adjustable as well, the other's I have pale in comparison to it. Its the smoothest shaving razor that I have, no other's can compare. I don't have both variations however, when one spends 350 buckaroo's on a SS razor, one does not go spending another 560 - 600 buckaroo's for a titanium version after that.

Your going to pay a real premium if you want the Osprey in titanium, so you have to ask yourself, how much is that weight reduction worth to you? For me, I could never justify the cost to get the titanium version for weight reduction. Heck, my Timeless titanium TI95 razor only cost me 360 buckaroo's out the door, and that was after kitting it up a bit from its stock position!

Yes, the SS version that I have is going to weigh more of course, but it costs far cheaper too. And now that the SS version is 20% off on Shanes website, now is a great time to make a purchase, if you want an Osprey razor. For me personally, I absolutely love my Osprey, and I will never ever sell it. So that should tell you something!

 

[wetshaver233]

I have the stainless steel version and it's a decent razor, but I find the titanium version too rich for my blood. In my experience, titanium razors serve as a buffer, meaning that if I like a stainless steel razor from this or that brand a lot, then I would like that same razor in titanium a bit more.

That happened to me with the Blackbird - I've had the stainless steel version and I liked it a lot and then bought the titanium version, which I find slightly better and for me it was worth it. But the price difference between the steel vs titanium versions of the Blackbird is not as huge and I like the Blackbird more than the Osprey, so in my case, a titanium Osprey isn't going make that huge of a difference.

 

[deafficianado]

The advantage with titanium besides weight and more tensile strength is it’s imperviousness towards rust. I don’t have to worry about my wife’s titanium razors being stored in the shower. That said I’m satisfied enough with my SS Osprey and not interested with the titanium version just like with my Blackbird. I do have a pairs of razors in both metals and can distinguish the metal by feel although it’s not obvious. The ss has a colder/harder feel whereas the titanium has a softer/warmer feel -if that makes sense.

 

[T Bone]

If the SS is too heavy, can’t you just take that brass weighty thingy out?

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

If the SS is too heavy, can’t you just take that brass weighty thingy out?

Hello T-Bone!

Yes you can remove the brass insert to reduce the overall weight, but doing so throws off the weight distribution, makes it head heavy, which could effect your shave.

SS Osprey Razor Weight With Brass Insert = 105G.

SS Osprey Razor Weight No Brass Insert = 88G

For the record, the Blackland Osprey weighs less then the Rex Ambassador. I actually praised Shane publicly for achieving that goal, through his expert use of CNC milling. The SS Osprey weighs far less then the Merkur Futur, which is the heaviest razor I own too.

 

[Fiddler]

If you have the Osprey SS and it's working great, considering that Ti has a habit of appearing
milder on the face due to a characteristic of the alloy plus the light weight.
It will cost you $480 (20% discount now) to find out.
And since these are regular production razors, not very easy to sell without taking a hit.
Interesting dilemma.

 

[BravoFoxtrot]

Thanks, everyone! I’m a huge fan of Ti and three Timeless Ti razors. However, the SS Osprey has become my number 1 supplanting my Timeless Ti .68.

Of course this would be a pure luxury purchase as I certainly don’t “need” another razor.

 

[Iridian]

Of course this would be a pure luxury purchase as I certainly don’t “need” another razor.

The summer sale is unfortunately only for the steel Osprey...

Have you already made up your mind, do you still need possibly strong booze to justify buying the titanium version?
The markup for titanium, polished, compared to SS in polished is quite a number, unfortunately.

How about an Iridianesque decision: Rather buy the fitting Osprey stand, if you don't have it already!

 

[BravoFoxtrot]

I didn’t realize that Blackland offers a 10% military discount. Needless to say, that moved the needle enough for me to make the purchase. A nice, two-finger pour of a good bourbon has a similar effect.

A new, machined Ti Osprey with stand and a new Vector baseplate will be heading my direction in the next day or so. It's too bad I'm traveling for the next week and half and will have to wait to try it out.

 

[BravoFoxtrot]

I was finally able to have my first shave with the Osprey Ti. I’ll have more detailed feedback as I get a few more shaves under my belt. However, my initial impressions are incredibly favorable. This razor has a real shot to be my Goldilocks razor. I love the SS version and intend to keep it, but there is something magical about Ti. Also, being adjustable, I can fine tune the exact experience I want with a razor. This is the biggest advantage for me. If you want to a more aggressive setting, dial it in. Maybe this is your daily driver and a milder setting is ideal. Maybe you’re in a hurry and need a close, one-pass shave. The flexibility and versatility are astounding.

As with all things Blackland, quality and customer service are second to none. The Osprey’s are heirloom pieces that will provide a lifetime of shaving enjoyment. And I don’t think you can find a better company to support. Shane and team are awesome.

On to the first shave…

Razor: Osprey Ti
Setting: 3.5
Blade: New Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Muhle STF
Soap: Proraso Green
Shave: 2 pass, DFS. No irritation.

Notes: I dialed in 3.5 today as I’ve been using an electric for the past 2 weeks (international travel) and wanted to ease back in. Today’s shave seemed easier with the Ti than the SS with the same settings and blades. I’m sure this had mostly to do with the reduced weight and easier maneuverability. Ti feels better on the face to me, also.

How the razor is dialed in has a profound effect on the shaving experience. Settings 1 - 2.5 are similar to a cartridge razor. This can be nice if you just want to shave on cruise control. This obviously won’t be as efficient as other settings.

Settings 2.5 - 4.5 are where I spend most of my time. I prefer mild razors and this range provides the optimum blade feel and efficiency for my face and beard.

Settings 4.5+…I’ve only ventured here a few times and it’s a little aggressive for a daily driver for me. I may spend more time with these settings if I need a quick shave WTG and maybe XTG. ATG might be a little sporty for me unless I dial it back for that pass.

Also of note, I’m still experimenting with different blades. I prefer GSB’s over Astra SP’s. I’ve been trying to stick with the same blades so I can dial in my preferred settings without adding too many variables. I have other blades I’ll try in the future to dial in the perfect shaving experience for me. I might be there already.

 

[Barbablanca]

I’ve been using my Ti Osprey for a few weeks now. It isincredibly smooth, even at higher settings. The balance is great, and though I’d prefer a slightly shorter handle, it’s hard to imagine that change would make too much difference. I’m currently using level 7, but was quite pleased with level 6. I will try the higher settings eventually. Inquiring minds want to know!
It’s maybe slightly less smooth than my Focus Tritok Concave, but is more efficient. It and Wizamets are a great combo. I will try a few other blades, but don’t expect anything to be appreciably better.
I guess I have two regrets: I didn’t buy the polished version, and that this razor wasn’t available when I started my RAD.
Jack