Have you considered trying a guarded blade? If you haven't, these particular blades may help in reducing the harshness you are feeling with the Vector Ti. There are a couple good ones available from the Feather & KAI brands.
Good luck....
Blackland SE
- Thread starter kyproset
- Start date
Have you considered trying a guarded blade? If you haven't, these particular blades may help in reducing the harshness you are feeling with the Vector Ti. There are a couple good ones available from the Feather & KAI brands.
Good luck....
Thank you, @GlazedBoker , for this suggestion. I promptly ordered Kai Captain Titan Mild Protouch MG and Feather Pro Guard blades, which arrived yesterday. And sure enough, I had a much more enjoyable shave this morning with my Vector Ti using the Kai Protouch MG blade. No nicks or cuts, and noticeably smoother overall shave. So, I'll be using these guarded blades from now on with my Vector Ti and Claymore Evolution SE Polished razors. I must say the Artist Club single edge razor market is wonderful. Not just because of many truly outstanding, precision machined new razors but also because of excellent blade variety.
One interesting tidbit was that the Kai Protouch MG blade would fit the Vector Ti top cap only on one side. When I flipped the blade, it wouldn't sit flush with the top cap. One end of the Kai blade was about 1 mm above the top cap surface. I flipped the blade back to the good orientation, tightened the handle, and proceeded to shave. When I later disassembled the razor for cleaning, I tried flipping the blade again to see if it would work. And this time it did. So, I't possible that Vector Ti tolerances are really tight and my new Kai guarded blade needed a little bit of flexing to get seated properly both ways.
One interesting tidbit was that the Kai Protouch MG blade would fit the Vector Ti top cap only on one side. When I flipped the blade, it wouldn't sit flush with the top cap. One end of the Kai blade was about 1 mm above the top cap surface. I flipped the blade back to the good orientation, tightened the handle, and proceeded to shave. When I later disassembled the razor for cleaning, I tried flipping the blade again to see if it would work. And this time it did. So, I't possible that Vector Ti tolerances are really tight and my new Kai guarded blade needed a little bit of flexing to get seated properly both ways.
Tonight was my first shave with an SS Vector, using a Feather Professional Blade. My prior experience with SE shaving is with my Above the Tie X1. The Vector is a Hot Rod! It has a more blade-forward feel than my X1, even the X1 with a Feather Super. The small head of the Vector is easy to maneuver under my nose, and it didn't take long to get used to the blade positioned close to the handle. This is undoubtedly a more aggressive razor than the X1, but that is what I was looking for. My only other comparable reference to date would be my Gillette Fatboy on #7 or higher. But the Vector has a considerably smaller blade gap. With my X1, I have no qualms about buffing my neck and other sections without using more lather, but I did not hesitate to re-lather those sections using the Vector. I achieved a DFS, 9/10 on the first try with almost no irritation and only a couple of small weepers that my Alum Block took care of in a snap. My aftershave felt great, with no stinging or issues at all. I am sure I will be able to relax a bit with more time, but right out of the gate, I felt like I needed to treat the Vector with respect. My shave was trouble-free despite the aggressive feel. The Vector will be in rotation with my other razors but slots in particularly well to provide the more aggressive shave I was seeking. I imagine if this was a daily driver that, before long, my apprehension about it being aggressive would fade away. The Vector's weight in SS feels excellent, and it is such a light, nimble razor that I don't know that the lighter titanium would matter in that regard. I know that titanium can be smoother sometimes, but the razor was pretty smooth already. All in all it was a great first shave with the Vector!
Last edited:
Just a really good shave with the Vector-Schick combo. Good blade feel that is not over the top with a smooth feel to it in action. Find your blade and just enjoy the world class shaves that this razor brings.
I was in a rush and had four days of beard growth to mow down, so I thought the Vector deserved another turn in the rotation. I wasn't particularly careful and finished the task as quickly as possible within reason. The Vector was awesome! On my first shave with it, I was cautious and took my time, but moving faster didn't cause any issues, and the razor was more forgiving than I initially realized. I love that the Vector has nice blade feel, and is super efficient, but is not overly aggressive. Solid 9/10 DFS would have been a 10/10 if I had a few more minutes—DR Harris Marlborough soap and aftershave, with my standard Alum Block routine.
The Vector is perfect at mowing down multiple days of growth. Other razors can do that, of course, but the Vector just makes it seem like a walk in the park.
