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Blackland Blackbird Ti Review (compared to Wolfman WR2 1.15 & Karve C-D)

First off, I had some USPS problems with my shipment. But @Blackland Razors had my back and their customer service made me very happy. Short version: USPS said it was delivered on one day, but it did not arrive until 8 days later. Thank you Blackland—I didn’t want to feel like I lost $$$ in the mail, and I appreciated you working with with me. Whew, all was well in the end.

I had read for years that the Blackland Blackbird had some real blade feel. Hmm, not for me, at least with this titanium version. It felt no more aggressive than a Karve C plate or Wolfman 1.15 on my face. If there was blade feel, it was minimal at worst (maybe this is a titanium thing?). I was expecting the blade, to be honest. Instead, perhaps incautiously, on my first use, I was soon whipping it around my face like an old friend. Really. Now, I was using an angle I normally use with the Karve. It was not steep, but I don’t think it was overly shallow either. The planes of the razor design help guide you here. Perhaps, however, since I am a big fan of the Karve, it was easier for me to use that shaving memory for a ‘shallower’ shave. Fwiw, I do use a steeper angle with the WR2 Wolfman, and the Wolfman WR2 1.15 has been my mainstay for quite a while.

As for smoothness of the Blackbird? A+++. Like a Karve and Wolfman WR2 (and yes even a Rockwell 6s on a 4-5 plate), again for smoothness. I was not expecting anything less actually. But, as we all know, while smoothness is wonderful and matters a lot, what about efficiency (i.e. how long will it take for whiskers to grow back)? So many of us chase the unicorn of a shave that is smooth and as close as possible but without undue blade feel and dreaded irritation, but the shave is also aggressive and close enough one can skip or day or two, even if they have heavy growth (wait, is that not your unicorn?). For any razor review, this will always be subjective. This was my first shave with the Blackbird, and it’s the day before Thanksgiving (and it was an evening shave as well). I’ll let y’all know soon enough.

I will admit to having been nervous about the potential blade feel since I do not like it (e.g., the Karve D plate is too much blade feel for me). But, the Ti Blackbird was really gentle, I can happily say. What a nice surprise.

Overall, I LOVED it. What a wonderful first shave.

P.S. This may seem really silly. But, I’ve watched some Blackland videos with Shane. His facial hair growth and thickness seem similar to mine. This only added to my shopping confidence that if something worked for his face, it should work for mine. In other words, if he designed it to shave his face well, it should shave mine well too. Probably stupid and silly, but it really did reassure me (as did the money back guaranty tbh).
 
Nice write up. I have the stainless Bird and it’s is one of my favorites for shave quality and performance. Never tried the Ti Bird as I think it may be too light for my tastes. I feel the blade but it’s not uncomfortable by any means. Great all around razor.
 
Follow up review in case it helps others.

The Blackbird definitely shaves closer than the Wolfman WR2 1.15. This is not a shocker but am just confirming it. For my face, I actually think it's smoother too. I shaved with the 1.15 for about a year or so pretty consistently. It was the default to shave with. So, when I think a more aggressive shaver like the Blackbird Ti is smoother, that is surprising to me.

I still don't get much blade feel at all from the Blackbird. I am now playing with angles as I shave, and yes, with a slightly, steeper shave angle, I can feel the blade a wee bit more as it cuts my whiskers. I guess for me, when it comes to blade feel, I may need to explain. I felt a big jump from the Karve C plate to the D. I really did not like the blade feel in the D. I thought this meant I did not like blade feel. I also have a Merkur Progress and really felt the blade in that one (and did not like it).

I liked the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 because they felt as a smooth and comfortable as a Karve B or C, but were more efficient. In that balance, my default is to choose the closer (more efficient shaver). With daily use, sometimes the closer shaver is not the friend you think it is. I have not had the Blackbird long enough or used it daily for that comparison. But, I can say the Karve B and the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 worked wonderfully as daily drivers (the Karve C gave me some irritation after a the fourth shave in a row--or it was my technique).

So far, I am just really darn impressed with this thing. So much so, I'm starting to look at the WR2s: 1.05 vs 1.15, do I keep both or only one. For me, and for using it just a few times, this is just super high praise for the Blackbird Ti.

Oh, and for the record, I like the hand-feel of a heavier razor too. But this thing just works and it makes me smile.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Follow up review in case it helps others.

The Blackbird definitely shaves closer than the Wolfman WR2 1.15. This is not a shocker but am just confirming it. For my face, I actually think it's smoother too. I shaved with the 1.15 for about a year or so pretty consistently. It was the default to shave with. So, when I think a more aggressive shaver like the Blackbird Ti is smoother, that is surprising to me.

I still don't get much blade feel at all from the Blackbird. I am now playing with angles as I shave, and yes, with a slightly, steeper shave angle, I can feel the blade a wee bit more as it cuts my whiskers. I guess for me, when it comes to blade feel, I may need to explain. I felt a big jump from the Karve C plate to the D. I really did not like the blade feel in the D. I thought this meant I did not like blade feel. I also have a Merkur Progress and really felt the blade in that one (and did not like it).

I liked the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 because they felt as a smooth and comfortable as a Karve B or C, but were more efficient. In that balance, my default is to choose the closer (more efficient shaver). With daily use, sometimes the closer shaver is not the friend you think it is. I have not had the Blackbird long enough or used it daily for that comparison. But, I can say the Karve B and the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 worked wonderfully as daily drivers (the Karve C gave me some irritation after a the fourth shave in a row--or it was my technique).

So far, I am just really darn impressed with this thing. So much so, I'm starting to look at the WR2s: 1.05 vs 1.15, do I keep both or only one. For me, and for using it just a few times, this is just super high praise for the Blackbird Ti.

Oh, and for the record, I like the hand-feel of a heavier razor too. But this thing just works and it makes me smile.
Nice report!
 
Follow up review in case it helps others.

The Blackbird definitely shaves closer than the Wolfman WR2 1.15. This is not a shocker but am just confirming it. For my face, I actually think it's smoother too. I shaved with the 1.15 for about a year or so pretty consistently. It was the default to shave with. So, when I think a more aggressive shaver like the Blackbird Ti is smoother, that is surprising to me.

I still don't get much blade feel at all from the Blackbird. I am now playing with angles as I shave, and yes, with a slightly, steeper shave angle, I can feel the blade a wee bit more as it cuts my whiskers. I guess for me, when it comes to blade feel, I may need to explain. I felt a big jump from the Karve C plate to the D. I really did not like the blade feel in the D. I thought this meant I did not like blade feel. I also have a Merkur Progress and really felt the blade in that one (and did not like it).

I liked the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 because they felt as a smooth and comfortable as a Karve B or C, but were more efficient. In that balance, my default is to choose the closer (more efficient shaver). With daily use, sometimes the closer shaver is not the friend you think it is. I have not had the Blackbird long enough or used it daily for that comparison. But, I can say the Karve B and the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 worked wonderfully as daily drivers (the Karve C gave me some irritation after a the fourth shave in a row--or it was my technique).

So far, I am just really darn impressed with this thing. So much so, I'm starting to look at the WR2s: 1.05 vs 1.15, do I keep both or only one. For me, and for using it just a few times, this is just super high praise for the Blackbird Ti.

Oh, and for the record, I like the hand-feel of a heavier razor too. But this thing just works and it makes me smile.
I’m glad you are enjoying the T-Bird. I didn’t expect to like mine nearly as much as I do. For me, this razor just blew everything else out of the water. Happy shaves!
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
I just did a similar comparison two days ago between the WR2 1.15 and the Ti Bird in my shave journal linked in my signature. I went into great detail about my experiences with my recent Ti Bird acquisition, and the long standing king of my den, the WR2 1.15. Feel free to read about the details in my journal entry. But in summary, even though I enjoy using the heavy and beautiful Wolf much more then the light and industrial looking Ti Bird, there is no questioning the shave results. The Ti Bird shaves closer and is longer lasting. It’s jut dull and boring, too light, and too small. But that’s my opinion. Either way the Ti Bird is an awesome addition to my arsenal.
 
Nice review 👍

I have the SS bird and I do feel the blade but it’s super smooth

I reckon the BB is as efficient as my WR2 1.25, if not a touch more

It’s such a pleasure to use and found the angle easy to find.

Where it really shines is in its ATG passes, super super smooth and safe, no nicks cuts or weepers to be seen

Favourite blades in it are the BIC and feather

This is my unicorn razor
 
I think the Blackbird Titanium is my best razor. I have a Wolfman WR2 1.05 SB, 1.15SB, and 1.25SB. I do really like the Wolfman razors, but the Blackbird gives me a closer and more comfortable shave compared to any of my WR2s. I didn’t think it was possible when I purchased it, but the results don’t lie.
 
I think the Blackbird Titanium is my best razor. I have a Wolfman WR2 1.05 SB, 1.15SB, and 1.25SB. I do really like the Wolfman razors, but the Blackbird gives me a closer and more comfortable shave compared to any of my WR2s. I didn’t think it was possible when I purchased it, but the results don’t lie.
Same! For me, the Ti BB provides a closer and much more consistent shave. My WR2 will be appearing on the BST in 2023.
 
I just got a TiBird OC and have done a few shaves with it. Remarkably efficient and blade feel, while there, isn’t overly bad. The open comb is a bit sharper than I expected but I imagine with the right angle it’s not noticeable. Still, I really like the light weight and it just makes stubble vanish, almost magically.

I have an EH plate for my Yates 921 arriving soon and I think between these two razors I’ve got the most efficient and comfortable shaves available.
 
Follow up review in case it helps others.

The Blackbird definitely shaves closer than the Wolfman WR2 1.15. This is not a shocker but am just confirming it. For my face, I actually think it's smoother too. I shaved with the 1.15 for about a year or so pretty consistently. It was the default to shave with. So, when I think a more aggressive shaver like the Blackbird Ti is smoother, that is surprising to me.

I still don't get much blade feel at all from the Blackbird. I am now playing with angles as I shave, and yes, with a slightly, steeper shave angle, I can feel the blade a wee bit more as it cuts my whiskers. I guess for me, when it comes to blade feel, I may need to explain. I felt a big jump from the Karve C plate to the D. I really did not like the blade feel in the D. I thought this meant I did not like blade feel. I also have a Merkur Progress and really felt the blade in that one (and did not like it).

I liked the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 because they felt as a smooth and comfortable as a Karve B or C, but were more efficient. In that balance, my default is to choose the closer (more efficient shaver). With daily use, sometimes the closer shaver is not the friend you think it is. I have not had the Blackbird long enough or used it daily for that comparison. But, I can say the Karve B and the WR2 1.05 and 1.15 worked wonderfully as daily drivers (the Karve C gave me some irritation after a the fourth shave in a row--or it was my technique).

So far, I am just really darn impressed with this thing. So much so, I'm starting to look at the WR2s: 1.05 vs 1.15, do I keep both or only one. For me, and for using it just a few times, this is just super high praise for the Blackbird Ti.

Oh, and for the record, I like the hand-feel of a heavier razor too. But this thing just works and it makes me smile.
great write up. I just had my first shave with the Blackbird Ti, great, efficient and smooth. I used the Personna Blue, what blade or blades do you use with the blackbird?
 
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