What's new

Blackland Blackbird: long-lasting BBS shaving machine

Hello folks,

I'm one month into my traditional wet shaving journey and have been using a RazoRock GC .68 as my regular razor with great results. Being intrigued by the great reviews of the Blackland Blackbird from this forum, I recently took possession of a machined finished titanium Blackbird and had my first shave with it yesterday. What a great piece of wet shaving hardware! It is as effective in getting rid of my thick stubbles as it is good looking.

I used the red Prorasso pre-shave cream, TOBs coconut cream and Wizamet SI blade (2). The lightness of the titanium makes the razor very maneuverable. The only thing I noticed was something other people mentioned. This razor does not glide on the skin as well as other razors I tried, such as my RR GC. I believe it is due to fact that there is more surface area in the safety bar that contacts the skin and that area's finishing is horizontal to the direction the razor moves. I actually wonder if that is not a contributing factor to this razor's excellent effectiveness. The theory being that the skin is stretched a little more for the blade to do its job. In any case, this is the most effective razor I have tried so far and the result was a very comfortable, long lasting, BBS shave with no nicks.

If this razor keeps giving me irritation-free and long lasting BBS shaves, I look try its polished stainless brother with longer handle.

Cheers,
FeatherBBS
 
If you think it is a wonderful shaver when loaded with a Wizamet, set it up with a fresh Feather and prepare to mind blown for sure!!

As far as it seeming like it doesn't glide very well, try to remember you're basing this against an all SS razor vs Titanium. Are you shaving with a steep angle with both razors? I have used matte finish in the same razors SS & Ti as well as polished vs matte in SS & Ti with my Timeless razors and can tell no difference other than the Titanium has a softer feel on the face vs the SS counterparts. I never felt a weight difference or any type of drag at all...

BTW... Congrats on the new Ti Blackbird...
 
Congrats on your new BB. I have the SS version and love it. It was my first big boy razor purchase and it's ranked either 1 or 2 in my den since. I find razors that bend the blade over a lot like the BB, Yates, and Henson tend to have more of that "suck to my face" feeling compared to other razors. I believe it's due to more surface area of cap to safety bar.

Haven't made the leap to the Ti version as I like a little more heft. Wizamet is a great blade for the Bird.....I use it the most with great results.
 
If you think it is a wonderful shaver when loaded with a Wizamet, set it up with a fresh Feather and prepare to mind blown for sure!!

As far as it seeming like it doesn't glide very well, try to remember you're basing this against an all SS razor vs Titanium. Are you shaving with a steep angle with both razors? I have used matte finish in the same razors SS & Ti as well as polished vs matte in SS & Ti with my Timeless razors and can tell no difference other than the Titanium has a softer feel on the face vs the SS counterparts. I never felt a weight difference or any type of drag at all...

BTW... Congrats on the new Ti Blackbird...

My stubbles are rather thick so the angle I levitate towards is the one that cuts them most efficiently on a particular razor. I use a steeper angle on the BB since the blade is more curved than on my RR GC. I tend to not like hiding the cap on either. I'm happy with the angle I used on the BB since it gave me a better shave than my other razors, but I will continue to try different blades. Unfortunately my face does not seem to like Feather blades as it feels a little harsh on my skin. So far my favorites blades have been Polsilver, Gillette Platinum, Wizamet, Bolzano, and Astra greens, in that order. Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellows did not cut well and tugged on my stumbles. I'll give my Feather blades another try on this razor, though.

My next step will be to use pre shave oil rather than cream to see if that helps with the dragging. But really the little extra dragging is not a big issue for me at all as this razor gives me the close shave I'm looking for. It's just something I noticed.

Cheers,
FeatherBBS
 
Long lasting BBS indeed!

This is why it has become my #1 razor of all time!

Zero irritation, zero weepers...just an unbelievably close and comfortable shave!

I use it with BIC blades, which are a "well mannered feather" in my experience.

I have the SS version as I dislike lightweight razors.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
Hello folks,

I'm one month into my traditional wet shaving journey and have been using a RazoRock GC .68 as my regular razor with great results. Being intrigued by the great reviews of the Blackland Blackbird from this forum, I recently took possession of a machined finished titanium Blackbird and had my first shave with it yesterday. What a great piece of wet shaving hardware! It is as effective in getting rid of my thick stubbles as it is good looking.

I used the red Prorasso pre-shave cream, TOBs coconut cream and Wizamet SI blade (2). The lightness of the titanium makes the razor very maneuverable. The only thing I noticed was something other people mentioned. This razor does not glide on the skin as well as other razors I tried, such as my RR GC. I believe it is due to fact that there is more surface area in the safety bar that contacts the skin and that area's finishing is horizontal to the direction the razor moves. I actually wonder if that is not a contributing factor to this razor's excellent effectiveness. The theory being that the skin is stretched a little more for the blade to do its job. In any case, this is the most effective razor I have tried so far and the result was a very comfortable, long lasting, BBS shave with no nicks.

If this razor keeps giving me irritation-free and long lasting BBS shaves, I look try its polished stainless brother with longer handle.

Cheers,
FeatherBBS
Congratulations on your new Ti Blackbird! :)

The Ti Blackbird is my favorite DE razor. :)
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I don't own any Blackland razors.... but they are some of the most beautiful designs out there. Almost everyone who shaves with one of their razors raves about them... so not beauty before function.
 
I've read many, many pages of posts about the Blackbird. I'd love to get one but I'm still not sure if I could/would be able to use it every day.

I can't/don't use my R41 every day. And I don't really use my Lupo .95 every day either (I have ordered a .72 plate). I used a Merkur 37C slant every day for several years, I think some consider it aggressive. I think my Game Changer .84P is probably the most aggressive razor I could/would use every day.

So am I crazy for even considering a Blackbird? I can't see spending $250 for a razor to use once in a while. I don't mind spending over $200 for a razor but at this point, I really would like a nice (very nice) daily driver. Do you (the B&B family) think the Blackbird could be a daily driver for me? I would be getting the stainless steel version.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I've read many, many pages of posts about the Blackbird. I'd love to get one but I'm still not sure if I could/would be able to use it every day.

I can't/don't use my R41 every day. And I don't really use my Lupo .95 every day either (I have ordered a .72 plate). I used a Merkur 37C slant every day for several years, I think some consider it aggressive. I think my Game Changer .84P is probably the most aggressive razor I could/would use every day.

So am I crazy for even considering a Blackbird? I can't see spending $250 for a razor to use once in a while. I don't mind spending over $200 for a razor but at this point, I really would like a nice (very nice) daily driver. Do you (the B&B family) think the Blackbird could be a daily driver for me?
Not to throw a monkey wrench in things for you. First of all, a qualifier. I only shave every other day by choice.... The Executive Shaving Co. Claymore Evolution can be mild with the right selection of blade and slightly more efficient with another blade choice. I'm using a Feather ProSoft Guard blade at the moment and I could easily shave every day without irritation. I have very tough, old man whiskers and psoriatic arthritis which also affects my skin.

Dave (never-stop-learning) could tell you if the Blackbird is a good daily driver and he also has Blackland's Artist Club razor, the Vector (his personal favorite as he's said many times). He could tell which of those two would be a better daily driver.

Personally, I love having one razor that I use for every shave. I've mentioned this before. It really is personal.... I like variety in the software aspects of wet shaving but I spent so many years doing carpentry work for a living (about 1/3 of my working career), I grew accustomed to the feel of my tools. They became old friends.... using them was comforting, if that make sense. The feel of my favorite wood handle Belknap hammer... picking up a Stanley 118 low angle block plane... and many other tools I could mention. As a result, I seem to approach the tools for shaving the same way.

This is anecdotal.... it isn't to cast aspersions on others who love using and/or collecting different razors, brushes, bowls and the other assorted tools we use. It doesn't mean I'll never buy another razor. I have several hammers I used often...framing, finishing, etc.
 
I've considered SE razors but I really prefer to stay with DE. I've got hundreds of DE blades on hand and the thought of adding SE makes me think of having VHS and Betamax on the shelf. Not a good analogy but I hope you get what I mean.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
I've read many, many pages of posts about the Blackbird. I'd love to get one but I'm still not sure if I could/would be able to use it every day.

I can't/don't use my R41 every day. And I don't really use my Lupo .95 every day either (I have ordered a .72 plate). I used a Merkur 37C slant every day for several years, I think some consider it aggressive. I think my Game Changer .84P is probably the most aggressive razor I could/would use every day.

So am I crazy for even considering a Blackbird? I can't see spending $250 for a razor to use once in a while. I don't mind spending over $200 for a razor but at this point, I really would like a nice (very nice) daily driver. Do you (the B&B family) think the Blackbird could be a daily driver for me? I would be getting the stainless steel version.
Don’t create a false dilemma. Shane offers a 30 day, no questions asked return policy. Only you can answer the pivotal question of daily usage, and your initial outlay comes risk-free to either return it for a full refund, or sell it on here for perhaps a small loss. But the reward of discovering the Bird’s brilliance far exceeds the risk of disappointment.
 
Don’t create a false dilemma. Shane offers a 30 day, no questions asked return policy. Only you can answer the pivotal question of daily usage, and your initial outlay comes risk-free to either return it for a full refund, or sell it on here for perhaps a small loss. But the reward of discovering the Bird’s brilliance far exceeds the risk of disappointment.

I would be buying (new) from a store, I would suppose the 30-day return policy is offered only when buying direct from Blackland. It's not ebay, I imagine the store I have in mind is an authorized dealer but I don't know about the 30 day policy buying from a dealer.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
I would be buying (new) from a store, I would suppose the 30-day return policy is offered only when buying direct from Blackland. It's not ebay, I imagine the store I have in mind is an authorized dealer but I don't know about the 30 day policy buying from a dealer.
I see. If you can’t buy directly from Blackland (California), you probably can’t get the return policy.

FWIW, I can easily shave daily with the Bird and a Feather. I ride it very steep.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I've read many, many pages of posts about the Blackbird. I'd love to get one but I'm still not sure if I could/would be able to use it every day.

I can't/don't use my R41 every day. And I don't really use my Lupo .95 every day either (I have ordered a .72 plate). I used a Merkur 37C slant every day for several years, I think some consider it aggressive. I think my Game Changer .84P is probably the most aggressive razor I could/would use every day.

So am I crazy for even considering a Blackbird? I can't see spending $250 for a razor to use once in a while. I don't mind spending over $200 for a razor but at this point, I really would like a nice (very nice) daily driver. Do you (the B&B family) think the Blackbird could be a daily driver for me? I would be getting the stainless steel version.
I have all three Blackbirds (Brass, Stainless and Titanium). In my opinion, all three can be a daily driver - especially using the SB plate. Like @Hannah's Dad, I ride my Blackbirds very steep.

My favorite DE razor is the Ti Blackbird. All three Blackbirds are superb razors.

For blades, the Feather and the Perma-Sharp rock. :)
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
Don’t create a false dilemma. Shane offers a 30 day, no questions asked return policy. Only you can answer the pivotal question of daily usage, and your initial outlay comes risk-free to either return it for a full refund, or sell it on here for perhaps a small loss. But the reward of discovering the Bird’s brilliance far exceeds the risk of disappointment.

I would be buying (new) from a store, I would suppose the 30-day return policy is offered only when buying direct from Blackland. It's not ebay, I imagine the store I have in mind is an authorized dealer but I don't know about the 30 day policy buying from a dealer.
Like @Hannah's Dad said, if you can buy directly from Shane @Blackland Razors, you have 30 days to shave with the razor on your face, skin and beard to see if it's the razor for you. :)
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I've considered SE razors but I really prefer to stay with DE. I've got hundreds of DE blades on hand and the thought of adding SE makes me think of having VHS and Betamax on the shelf. Not a good analogy but I hope you get what I mean.
That makes sense. I'm not sure AC blades will go away..... but you can be certain, DE blades will be around longer than any of us.
 
Top Bottom