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Blutt v. Sailor v. Elite

Hi all,

Title sorta says it. There are three razors I’m eying while I wait on my name to come up for an Athena and a Wolfman (leaning .95 or 1.05). I’m also getting involved in a pass around for Atelier Durdan, which I am very excited about. The bronze is right up my alley if I decide to get one of my own.

To the question. I know some who have the Elite and the Blutt and my read is that they are more similar than different. Ofc, correct me if I am wrong.

The Sailor seems to get nothing but the top marks, although it seems only the MC is available. I don’t necessarily care that it’s pricey in a vacuum, but I have this weird feeling that it’s a cash grab on behalf of Rocnel, as there doesn’t appear to be any significant difference as compared to the standard version at $400 cheaper (or so).

Anyway…. Anyone who has all these…. Feedback? For additional background, my main modern DE is the BB Ti and I also have a Henson that’s enjoyable. I have thick, curly and coarse hair and pretty much always have irritation on my neck despite sticking to two passes.

Thanks, all!
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Elliot, as you know, I have a small collection of razors that give me great, 12 hour shaves. Among them are the Blutt BR-1 I.2 and the Elite you mentioned. I consider all 6 of mine as equals but each has its own personality, if you will.

I don't have the Sailor. I've heard nothing but good things about it. It didn't make my buy list because of the price... but here I am, like you, on the Wolfman waiting list. ;)
 
I have the Blutt on my wishlist as well, especially since I can get the polished version. I'm curious how does the Blutt 1.20 performs against the Smart Helix Apollo aggressive.
 
Elliot, as you know, I have a small collection of razors that give me great, 12 hour shaves. Among them are the Blutt BR-1 I.2 and the Elite you mentioned. I consider all 6 of mine as equals but each has its own personality, if you will.

I don't have the Sailor. I've heard nothing but good things about it. It didn't make my buy list because of the price... but here I am, like you, on the Wolfman waiting list. ;)
Yes, I’ve read your journal in decent detail and both the Elite and Blutt seem like good razors. That said, I wasn’t able to really pick up on which, if one or the other, may make more sense for me. Like any overbearing hobbyist, the Sailor just seems worthy of consideration.
 
Don’t buy the Sailor MC version. If you want a Sailor wait for the regular version - it will be identical in every way, and $200 cheaper.

Of these three I’d say the Sailor is a bit less smooth feeling than the other two, and it’s heavy - but that’s the Sailor feel, and it’s very efficient and smoother than most razors that offer this sort of efficiency. It’s nice too that you can dial it down and still get an efficient shave. It works on all settings, and it goes to 13 but you’ll never need to go above 4 or 5. It’s an impressive tool but the Blutt and Elite are plenty efficient and will likely shave smoother for you.

I think the Blutt with 1.20 plate and the Elite are similar. Both are remarkably smooth and efficient. The Blutt is a touch smoother but the Elite is a touch more efficient with the grain. Small differences and either one would be excellent. I’d have given the edge overall to the Elite because the finish was a bit nicer, but now you can get the Blutt in a polished finish and it’s stunning, and not much of a price uplift. Some prefer the wider diameter handle on the Elite.

Overall, of these three razors, I’d pick the Blutt with 1.20 plate in the polished finish, but only by a hair over the Elite. So pick whichever one you like best and you’ll be very pleased. The Sailor is more an enthusiast razor and most of the time you won’t need or want the added efficiency and more aggressive feel.

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Don’t buy the Sailor MC version. If you want a Sailor wait for the regular version - it will be identical in every way, and $200 cheaper.

Of these three I’d say the Sailor is a bit less smooth feeling than the other two, and it’s heavy - but that’s the Sailor feel, and it’s very efficient and smoother than most razors that offer this sort of efficiency. It’s nice too that you can dial it down and still get an efficient shave. It works on all settings, and it goes to 13 but you’ll never need to go above 4 or 5. It’s an impressive tool but the Blutt and Elite are plenty efficient and will likely shave smoother for you.

I think the Blutt with 1.20 plate and the Elite are a similar kind of razor. Both are remarkably smooth and efficient. The Blutt is a touch smoother but the Elite is a touch more efficient with the grain. Small differences and either one would be excellent. I’d have given the edge overall to the Elite because the finish was a bit nicer, but now you can get the Blutt in a polished finish and it’s stunning, and not much of a price uplift. Some prefer the wider diameter handle on the Elite.

Overall, of these three razors, I’d pick the Blutt with 1.20 plate in the polished finish, but only by a hair over the Elite. So pick whichever one you like best and you’ll be very pleased. The Sailor is more an enthusiast razor and most of the time you won’t need or want the added efficiency and more aggressive feel.
Thank you, my friend. The Blutt in high polish is out of stock, but I’ve tossed my name on the waitlist because why the heck not. I must say the chubby-style handle of the Elite is not the most appealing thing to me, but 1) I could always use a different handle and 2) There’s probably a good reason for their choice. I do like the look of the Elite’s head

Overall, I think the Sailor may be hubris at some level, I concede. I enjoy the idea of it. In practice, who the heck knows.
 
Thank you, my friend. The Blutt in high polish is out of stock, but I’ve tossed my name on the waitlist because why the heck not. I must say the chubby-style handle of the Elite is not the most appealing thing to me, but 1) I could always use a different handle and 2) There’s probably a good reason for their choice. I do like the look of the Elite’s head

Overall, I think the Sailor may be hubris at some level, I concede. I enjoy the idea of it. In practice, who the heck knows.
I’m not sure you can use other handles on the Elite. The thread is deeply recessed into the handle and the top of the handle is designed to slot into a recessed space in the base plate.

Sounds like the Blutt is speaking to you the most. They said they are polishing them continuously so I’m sure it won’t be long to get one. I have the 1.20 and 0.99 plates and the 1.20 is equally smooth and more efficient - seems like a no-brainer to take the 1.20. @Phoenixkh says he finds the 0.86 plate very smooth and mild, so perhaps think about getting 1.20 and 0.86 plates to have both mid-aggressive and mild options. But it’s $100 or so for a spare plate so the 1.20 is the one I’m happy with.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I’m not sure you can use other handles on the Elite. The thread is deeply recessed into the handle and the top of the handle is designed to slot into a recessed space in the base plate.

Sounds like the Blutt is speaking to you the most. They said they are polishing them continuously so I’m sure it won’t be long to get one. I have the 1.20 and 0.99 plates and the 1.20 is equally smooth and more efficient - seems like a no-brainer to take the 1.20. @Phoenixkh says he finds the 0.86 plate very smooth and mild, so perhaps think about getting 1.20 and 0.86 plates to have both mid-aggressive and mild options. But it’s $100 or so for a spare plate so the 1.20 is the one I’m happy with.
I agree that the Elite doesn't lend itself to the use of other handles. I don't mind the OEM handle. My only issue with it is, I do wish the thread was a bit longer. It tightens snuggly but I do wish I had a couple more threads available on the thread. That is a subjective thing and it doesn't keep me from enjoying the razor as it is designed.

I did spend the extra money when I ordered the additional .86 base plate. I ended up ordering a new top plate alone for the .86 plate as well, so I'd have two complete Blutt BR-1 razors assembled for use. If I had to buy one.... I'd still order the 1.20 base plate because it's perfect for me, but I don't shave every day. The .86 might better for someone who shaves every day and wants a more mild razor.

A side note on polish stainless steel finishes. The Executive Shaving Company only made one run of their polished Claymore Evolutions. Brian Mulreany advised me to avoid it, even though they were in stock He told me they can scratch much more easily than their matte finish on the Claymore Evo. From that comment of his, it seems polished stainless steel finishes are not created equal.. or they are all more likely to show scratches over time. I know many manufacturers have eliminated polished finishes lately. Why? I know the polishing process is very time consuming. I don't know if they are all prone to have micro scratches over time. One of B&Bs great Vendors would be more able to comment than I am.

I did end up buying a polished Claymore Evolution... more as a collector item. I haven't used it.
 
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I agree that the Elite doesn't lend itself to the use of other handles. I don't mind the OEM handle. My only issue with it is, I do wish the thread was a bit longer. It tightens snuggly but I do wish I had a couple more threads available on the thread. That is a subjective thing and it doesn't keep me from enjoying the razor as it is designed.

I did spend the extra money when I ordered the additional .86 base plate. I ended up ordering a new top plate alone for the .86 plate as well, so I'd have two complete Blutt BR-1 razors assembled for use. If I had to buy one.... I'd still order the 1.20 base plate because it's perfect for me, but I don't shave every day. The .86 might better for someone who shaves every day and wants a more mild razor.

A side note on polish stainless steel finishes. The Executive Shaving Company only made one run of their polished Claymore Evolutions. Brian McNealy advised me to avoid it, even though they were in stock He told me they can scratch much more easily than their matte finish on the Claymore Evo. From that comment of his, it seems polished stainless steel finishes are not created equal.. or they are all more likely to show scratches over time. I know many manufacturers have eliminated polished finishes lately. Why? I know the polishing process is very time consuming. I don't know if they are all prone to have micro scratches over time. One of B&Bs great Vendors would be more able to comment than I am.

I did end up buying a polished Claymore Evolution... more as a collector item. I haven't used it.
All manufacturers advise that polished finishes will show scratches more than matte finishes do. It’s true, of course. I don’t scratch my razors, though, so it doesn’t matter.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
All manufacturers advise that polished finishes will show scratches more than matte finishes do. It’s true, of course. I don’t scratch my razors, though, so it doesn’t matter.
That's a bit relief. I wondered if my old man whiskers would scratch my razor heads eventually. I wasn't worried about it until Brian mentioned it to me.
 
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