Got bitten by my Dart today.

[guitarslinger]

So, I bought a Dart a few months ago, and returned it after 3 shaves. I COULD NOT make it work. It was too aggressive. I couldn't find the angle. I ended up with 2 Blackbirds, and LOVE them. They are NOT as aggressive as the Dart. I will not be convinced otherwise.

Fast Forward, I realized, according to my spreadsheet, I had been using crapola blades with the Dart. Curiosity got the best of me, and I bought another one knowing it would be bad form to return it again.(I'm not returning this one, BTW.)

It turned out, I freakin' love it with good blades.(Gillette Sputnik in this case) Had 2 amazing shaves in a row with it. The trick is the angle. Go all safety bar, and you will get the cleanest shave of your life.

Well, I got cocky today on the 3rd shave. I started gliding around, not thinking. SLASH!!!

So,
1. Don't trust ANYONE who says this isn't super aggressive, it is.
2. Ride the safety bar, and pay attention. You will be rewarded.

This is a sweet, sweet razor, especially for $99, but BE CAREFUL!!

 

[steffenapelz]

 

[McNutt]

I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one with a spreadsheet.

 

[pwheeler]

I love my Dart, but I definitely can't get cocky and absentmindedly whip that razor around my face. I don't have a Blackbird. The Dart is sufficient for super aggressive. Not an every day shaver. I use Gillette Nacet or Bic blades and go very carefully.

 

[McNutt]

I have a small subsection of razors that I can let fly around my face with reckless abandon (Karve, Rockwell, Merkur 1904). The rest, even my expensive razors, can never be left on autopilot.

 

[fast shaver]

Ouch...! That is 10 times worse than the nick I got last week.

 

[Calm_Shaver]

Ouch, hope you put some alum bloc on that! Some times the razors bite, especially happens to me when I get too comfortable or go over the same spot multiple times. I sometimes go on auto-pilot and just get into a groove, mostly depends on what shave cream I’m using and how slick it is. GL with the Dart in your future shaves

 

[ajkel64]

That is one big bite. Hope that all is well.

 

[guitarslinger]

It looks worse than it is, but boy did I know it was bad one when it bit.

Styptic pencil made quick work of it, but it was a bit touch and go. Didn’t want to ruin the white towel.

 

[BigJ]

So, I bought a Dart a few months ago, and returned it after 3 shaves. I COULD NOT make it work. It was too aggressive. I couldn't find the angle. I ended up with 2 Blackbirds, and LOVE them. They are NOT as aggressive as the Dart. I will not be convinced otherwise.

Fast Forward, I realized, according to my spreadsheet, I had been using crapola blades with the Dart. Curiosity got the best of me, and I bought another one knowing it would be bad form to return it again.(I'm not returning this one, BTW.)

It turned out, I freakin' love it with good blades.(Gillette Sputnik in this case) Had 2 amazing shaves in a row with it. The trick is the angle. Go all safety bar, and you will get the cleanest shave of your life.

Well, I got cocky today on the 3rd shave. I started gliding around, not thinking. SLASH!!!

So,
1. Don't trust ANYONE who says this isn't super aggressive, it is.
2. Ride the safety bar, and pay attention. You will be rewarded.

This is a sweet, sweet razor, especially for $99, but BE CAREFUL!!

YIKES!! That looks like a real cut throat!!

Sorry! And TAKE CARE with that bad boy!!

 

[guitarslinger]

Went with the ROckwell 6S plate 5 today to let my face heal.

 

[johnwick]

Wowzer! Knock on wood I’ve never had my face or neck take a hit like that. I suspect you’ll need to be very careful to shave around that spot the next few days!

 

[guitarslinger]

Wowzer! Knock on wood I’ve never had my face or neck take a hit like that. I suspect you’ll need to be very careful to shave around that spot the next few days!

Seriously, it's probably the worst cut I've ever had shaving. I've been shaving for 25 years. 13 of those with a DE/SE/Kamisori.

 

[McNutt]

I've had one that bad, but I was using a straight razor and turned my head to cough right as I was placing the razor to my skin. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds.

 

[RayClem]

I have not shaved with the Dart. However, in a Ruds Shaves review of the razor, Jason Rudman indicates that it is more aggressive than the mid-aggression level advertised by Blackland. He also indicated that the razor has a very narrow range of acceptable razor angles. That means the razor have a learning curve and requires close attendion to technique during the shave.

The OP indicated that he was using the razor with with a steep blade angle (off the comb). My experience with aggressive razors like the Muhle R41 is that you are often better off shaving with a shallow blade angle (off the cap) or a neutral shave angle rather than a steeper shave angle. They can be quite uncomfortable at steep angles.

 

[guitarslinger]

I have not shaved with the Dart. However, in a Ruds Shaves review of the razor, Jason Rudman indicates that it is more aggressive than the mid-aggression level advertised by Blackland. He also indicated that the razor has a very narrow range of acceptable razor angles. That means the razor have a learning curve and requires close attendion to technique during the shave.

The OP indicated that he was using the razor with with a steep blade angle (off the comb). My experience with aggressive razors like the Muhle R41 is that you are often better off shaving with a shallow blade angle (off the cap) or a neutral shave angle rather than a steeper shave angle. They can be quite uncomfortable at steep angles.

Cap shaving doesn't work on this. The narrow angle is with the safety bar touching your face. I'm pretty sure even Blackland says this.

 

[RayClem]

Cap shaving doesn't work on this. The narrow angle is with the safety bar touching your face. I'm pretty sure even Blackland says this.

A razor head should be designed so that the "best" angle is the neutral angle with neither the cap nor the safety bar touching your face with suitable angles varying between minimally touching the cap and minimally touching the bar. If the Dart was designed to shave off the bar only, it sounds to me to be poorly designed. When I viewed the Ruds video, it looked like he was trying to shave with a neutral angle. but even he had trouble with the razor. Thus, it is not a razor I plan to purchase.

 

[guitarslinger]

A razor head should be designed so that the "best" angle is the neutral angle with neither the cap nor the safety bar touching your face with suitable angles varying between minimally touching the cap and minimally touching the bar. If the Dart was designed to shave off the bar only, it sounds to me to be poorly designed. When I viewed the Ruds video, it looked like he was trying to shave with a neutral angle. but even he had trouble with the razor. Thus, it is not a razor I plan to purchase.

I agree somewhat, but the further a razor gets from neutral/miniscule blade exposure (big exposure in this case), the less of a "neutral" angle there is.

I want to reiterate, I love this razor. It's just a higher octane tool than similar razors.