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I do have a hard time getting blades to fit in the Vector. Some blades require effort to force them on to the posts. I'm beginning to wonder if I got a defective cap?
My first Vector had very sharp corners and I had the same problem with the blades, the Proline needed a good push and was difficult to remove, I emailed Shane about the edges and he sent me a mailer and a new head. Problem solved.
 
Shave #6 with the Pro Super but, with the Vector. Just an excellent feeling shave that was not as smooth feeling as with the Paradigm SE but, it was no way a harsh feeling shave. Just more blade feel while still feeling comfortable and great face feel. It’s just a different feeling shave with the Vector, more direct and in tune with the razor if that makes any sense. And NOTHING is as nimble as the Vector in terms of modern shaving SE’s. Have a great evening and amazing shaves Gents....

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I also have both and really enjoying them for different reasons (as noted above). Just tried the super in the vector, that is a great combo, very close shave.

I also had an issue with the blades being too tight on the vector. Emailed shane and a replacement cap is enroute. Excellent support right there

On the paradigm front, it's just soooo smooth. Night and day from many of my other AC razors
 
Shave #6 with the Pro Super but, with the Vector. Just an excellent feeling shave that was not as smooth feeling as with the Paradigm SE but, it was no way a harsh feeling shave. Just more blade feel while still feeling comfortable and great face feel. It’s just a different feeling shave with the Vector, more direct and in tune with the razor if that makes any sense. And NOTHING is as nimble as the Vector in terms of modern shaving SE’s. Have a great evening and amazing shaves Gents....

Hey Gus, how is the shave of the Vector when compared to the General? I think you have the brass version, right? I have the SS and think it shaves very close to the brass version. The Vector is the only razor lately that has really peaked my interest and has made me think I might need to add it alongside the Ti Timeless but I'm really getting great shaves with the SS General so it may not be any better for me... What say you friend?
 
Hey Gus, how is the shave of the Vector when compared to the General? I think you have the brass version, right? I have the SS and think it shaves very close to the brass version. The Vector is the only razor lately that has really peaked my interest and has made me think I might need to add it alongside the Ti Timeless but I'm really getting great shaves with the SS General so it may not be any better for me... What say you friend?

I'll get back to you on that one as I'm gearing up for a razor fight night shave off between the Paradigm Ti SE & the Blackland Vector for tomorrow night. We'll see how that goes.

But, concerning the SS General, which I have also along with the Brass General, I find the SS version has a good combination of smoothness and efficiency and works with any blade in the business. That being said, the Vector steps it up a notch or two while still being almost as smooth if not more so than the SS Gen. The Vector has changed the game in how a nicely balanced razor with a super small and light head that can actually shave like a heavier and properly balanced razor. I thought the thin head profile and the very slim neck design on the Vector would be a negative and prove to be it's weakness since it would seem to be to handle heavy and not feel balanced. I was dead wrong. Some how, Shane figured out the proper weight distribution from the head to the end of the handle. It's not equally distributed but, with that thin neck it gives one the feel as though the razor is balanced right. It just works, period.

I'll get the SS Gen & the Vector in a shave off down the road soon. It should be a good one......
 
I'll get back to you on that one as I'm gearing up for a razor fight night shave off between the Paradigm Ti SE & the Blackland Vector for tomorrow night. We'll see how that goes.

But, concerning the SS General, which I have also along with the Brass General, I find the SS version has a good combination of smoothness and efficiency and works with any blade in the business. That being said, the Vector steps it up a notch or two while still being almost as smooth if not more so than the SS Gen. The Vector has changed the game in how a nicely balanced razor with a super small and light head that can actually shave like a heavier and properly balanced razor. I thought the thin head profile and the very slim neck design on the Vector would be a negative and prove to be it's weakness since it would seem to be to handle heavy and not feel balanced. I was dead wrong. Some how, Shane figured out the proper weight distribution from the head to the end of the handle. It's not equally distributed but, with that thin neck it gives one the feel as though the razor is balanced right. It just works, period.

I'll get the SS Gen & the Vector in a shave off down the road soon. It should be a good one......
Thanks Gus... Sounds real promising. I have sworn off all future razor purchases but I feel the Vector is just calling out to me for some reason. Can't wait for both shave off's...
 
Thanks Gus... Sounds real promising. I have sworn off all future razor purchases but I feel the Vector is just calling out to me for some reason. Can't wait for both shave off's...

Still waiting to see the end all comparison: An in depth review of the Vector and SE1 side by side!

I am really looking forward to reading an in-depth comparison from some of the other members of the forum who have much more experience with SE razors than I do. I own(ed) both the Vector and the Paradigm SE, but I am primarily a "DE guy" that views SE shaving as a fun novelty for a change of pace during weekend shaves.

I ordered the Vector on launch day and I was blown away by the overall design and build quality; however, after a few shaves, I was always left feeling underwhelmed. Perhaps it is my unfamiliarity with AC-style blades, but I was never able to get effortless BBS and the shaving experience itself was always a bit more draggy and required more attention than I am used to. In addition, I found the super small head (while absolutely beautiful and a great feat of engineering) to be a pain to load/unload blades. I found myself dropping it quite frequently when trying to get everything in position. I also had one of the earliest models with very sharp corners on the leading edge of the top cap. I have heard that Shane will replace the top cap for those with a similar issue.

After a valiant effort and (6-7 shaves) the Vector just wasn't for me and I returned it to Blackland (in exchange for another Blackbird, which is one of my favorite DEs).

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So...I placed my order for the Paradigm SE and eagerly awaited its arrival. I loaded it up with a Feather Pro and went to work...after finding the right angle the shave was fast and very very smooth. However, the shave was not very close. The Paradigm SE gave me the same effortless shaving experience that I had grown accustomed to with my DE razors, but I needed to get better results. For the next shave, I tried the Schick Proline. This blade provided a closer shave, but still nowhere near the closeness of my favorite DEs. So, I took the advice of the other owner's on B&B and loaded up a Feather Super and that is the magic formula for this razor. Finally, I could get a nice close, effortless shave with "best in class" smoothness. (As an aside, I am a little concerned that the razor is so "blade-dependent"...if Feather ever stops making the Super blade, the razor will be rendered nearly useless, but for the time being it is a match made in heaven.)

The build quality on the Paradigm is top notch, and the Titanium is the perfect choice of materials for such a "chunky" design. The blade loading mechanism is unlike anything I have ever seen and, I think the razor will be hard to come by in a few months. All in all, the Paradigm not only delivers a smoother, more effortless shave, but the razor just feels more "special" to me, which is an intangible quality that I tend to seek out when choosing a razor. Between the two, the Paradigm SE is the "keeper" for me!

I hope this short review helps and I look forward to hearing the thoughts of the more advanced SE shavers on the forum!

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Just one great shave after another. No complaints whatsoever from soup to nuts concerning the razor, feel and quality of shaves that I’ve been getting. The corners of the razor on the cap have been a non issue for me to be quite honest. I’m used to shaving with a straight and a couple of them are Spanish Points so, the ends on the Vector are really not affecting me in quality of shave. I can understand that for some it can be a problem and Shane at Blackland has decided to take care of it for those that see it as such. My hats off to the man. He gets it, period.

Either way, just a great performing razor. Not as smooth as the Paradigm Ti SE but, smooth enough with a more direct feel that I like.

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Just one great shave after another. No complaints whatsoever from soup to nuts concerning the razor, feel and quality of shaves that I’ve been getting. The corners of the razor on the cap have been a non issue for me to be quite honest. I’m used to shaving with a straight and a couple of them are Spanish Points so, the ends on the Vector are really not affecting me in quality of shave. I can understand that for some it can be a problem and Shane at Blackland has decided to take care of it for those that see it as such. My hats off to the man. He gets it, period.

Either way, just a great performing razor. Not as smooth as the Paradigm Ti SE but, smooth enough with a more direct feel that I like.

With this razor, do you lean more towards riding the cap or the guard?
 
With this razor, do you lean more towards riding the cap or the guard?
I have found about a 30 to 35 degree angle handle off the skin to give the closest non irritating shave with the Vector while the Paradigm I have the top cap about 30 degree angle off the skin.
 
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Four shaves in - all excellent. I’ve shaved with 3 different blades. Here’s a brief summary of my experience:

Feather Professional (standard): Carefree and efficient shave. With the Vector’s minimal blade exposure/reveal, I moved quickly for a quick, close shave.

Feather Professional Super: Because of this blade’s larger width, there is a bit more blade feel. Not overly so, to where you are nervous about cutting yourself, but just enough for those who might prefer some blade feel upon their skin. I got an efficient shave, but I moved more slowly because of the slightly additional blade feel. For me, this razor is one of the few where I can actually use this higher exposed blade. Compared to the Feather Pro (Standard), I actually enjoyed this shave better, because of that slightly additional blade feel, although both left me with an efficient shave.

Schick Proline P-30: A similar blade feel as the Feather Pro (standard)…but not exactly. Hard to describe the difference. But like the Feather Pro (standard) I was able to whip around my face in a carefree manner, leaving me with a very efficient shave - bbs.

For me, all three blades performed very nicely. If I had to choose, it would be between the Feather Pro Super and the Schick Proline. The Super because of the slightly more - but pleasant - blade feel. The Schick because of the ability to shave quickly…and because I believe I got the closest shave of all three blades within this Vector. Now, this observation is very subjective. I used the Proline last, and perhaps I was more proficient in the Vector’s use. Also, because I did not shave say different sides of my face with different blades (on the same day), I am only going by how I remember "face feel", so please take this last observation with a grain of salt, as all 3 blades performed very well.

Feather Pro-Guard? Although I have some pro-guards, I did not try it in the Vector, and probably will not. The reasonable blade exposure that the Vector offers, for me, provides all the “safety” one could ask for; so I felt no need to tame this razor. It shaves great with these 3 “unguarded" blades. Perhaps one starting out in AC shaving might elect to use the guarded blade.

One comment on the sharp corners that some have noticed. Yes, on the top cap, the front corners are a bit pointy. There were a couple of times that I thought I cut myself on my nose [when going ear to nose], when it was in fact, just the pointy corners. To remedy this, I took the top cap off, using a fine sharpening type stone, I gently rounded, and softened the corners. This worked great, and took all of 5 minutes. I no longer feel any sharp points. Plus, if I simply left the top-cap as-is, it would have been just fine, as I would have built some muscle memory, if you will, and avoid the corners. BUT, I like to tinker, so I fixed it. If Shane is reading some of our posts, maybe he will address this on future production runs.

Hope this helps some folks out!

Just wanting to follow up on the above wrt different blades, and offer a general assessment. I've shaved 16 times with the Vector, [6 times with the Super, 5 times each with the Proline and the standard Feather].

Blade usage: All three blades worked very well for me, with a slight advantage to the Schick Proline 30 [thanks rabidus!]. The Schick seems a little smoother, without sacrificing on efficiency.

General assessment. This relates to me, and not a grade on the product or the maker or company, or that of other razors, companies, etc. Nor is it intended to apply to any other fellow wet shaver out there. For me, this is the single edge razor that I would use over any others - in any format. I've owned and/or shaved with the Rx, ATT [SE1 & SE2], El Jefe, Mongoose, various GEMS, various injectors. Although they all have their positive attributes, and all have given good shaves, if I had to choose just one, it would be the Vector. This is one reason why I've put some up for sale. Sometimes it bothers me in having an accumulation of stuff. And if dealing some off can help others, so much the better.

But hopefully, my assessment, although very personal, may help others that are considering purchasing this or some other SE razor.
 
Just wanting to follow up on the above wrt different blades, and offer a general assessment. I've shaved 16 times with the Vector, [6 times with the Super, 5 times each with the Proline and the standard Feather].

Blade usage: All three blades worked very well for me, with a slight advantage to the Schick Proline 30 [thanks rabidus!]. The Schick seems a little smoother, without sacrificing on efficiency.

General assessment. This relates to me, and not a grade on the product or the maker or company, or that of other razors, companies, etc. Nor is it intended to apply to any other fellow wet shaver out there. For me, this is the single edge razor that I would use over any others - in any format. I've owned and/or shaved with the Rx, ATT [SE1 & SE2], El Jefe, Mongoose, various GEMS, various injectors. Although they all have their positive attributes, and all have given good shaves, if I had to choose just one, it would be the Vector. This is one reason why I've put some up for sale. Sometimes it bothers me in having an accumulation of stuff. And if dealing some off can help others, so much the better.

But hopefully, my assessment, although very personal, may help others that are considering purchasing this or some other SE razor.

Thanks for the thoughtful review and feedback. I’m glad the Vector works so well for you!
 
I must say that I am now getting some right comfortable shaves with this and the Proline. It turned out that I had a bad cap. I could not get the blades to fit the cap easily, I had to force them over the pins and then remove them by prying with a knife blade. This must have been distorting the blade giving me an uncomfortable shave. Shane sent me a new cap that allows the blades to drop in with minimal effort. The most recent couple of shaves have been real nice and smooth. Close, event-free shaves. That's what I'm after.
 
Beginning to understand the Artist Club blade. I guess because of the blade's stiffness you really need a shallow angle. Keeping that angle I can even apply pressure and still get a comfortable shave. Liking this razor and liking Artist Club. Still liking DE though. I've been alternating with the Mamba 70 - two different worlds of good shaves :001_cool:
 
Beginning to understand the Artist Club blade. I guess because of the blade's stiffness you really need a shallow angle. Keeping that angle I can even apply pressure and still get a comfortable shave. Liking this razor and liking Artist Club. Still liking DE though. I've been alternating with the Mamba 70 - two different worlds of good shaves :001_cool:
It's a great shaver, I too had some getting used to for ac razor. I tried the feather pro and supers as well as shick proline. I found same as you I prefer the proline they feel smoother for me. I have mixed shaves with the vector all above avg shaves but sometimes I get a really good shave top tier. They seem at random, will pay closer attention to angle and other variables figure out what is causing the excellent shaves vs the good shaves. Also the vector feels more like an injector shave, I like that feeling.
 
I am loving the Vector as a shaver...it's a keeper for sure ...I'm not having an issue with sharp corners on the top cap but blade removal is a total pain...I live in Canada so exchanging would be problematic and it doesn't affect the shave, so I'll just keep a pocket knife handy to remove the blade...the Sabre and I are not yet on the same page...it shaves as close and the end result is basically the same as the vector, but it's not nearly as comfortable of a shave.. I wonder if this speaks to the blade or the user (me) than the razor though.

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