Thank you for posting this review of this beautiful razor! God bless you Sir.
Review: the Blackland Tradere (pre-launch)
- Thread starter Ridpath
- Start date
Honestly, I was bitter you got a razor before myself when I ordered in the first 60 seconds of it going live.
Then I read your whole review and my opinion of Shane sky rocketed. Also your review was exceptional. As is the tale that lead to your acquisition of perfection.
Shane I’d you read this. Please tell me how I can donate $20-50 to the cost of said razor. A gentleman of this regard deserved his razor for free. However you do not deserve to go out of pocket to pay for it. Allow me and anyone else interested in helping remunerate you for this cost. I can’t pay for a second outright however I will pay a portion, because it’s the right thing to do!
Regards and best wishes to you Paul.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Then I read your whole review and my opinion of Shane sky rocketed. Also your review was exceptional. As is the tale that lead to your acquisition of perfection.
Shane I’d you read this. Please tell me how I can donate $20-50 to the cost of said razor. A gentleman of this regard deserved his razor for free. However you do not deserve to go out of pocket to pay for it. Allow me and anyone else interested in helping remunerate you for this cost. I can’t pay for a second outright however I will pay a portion, because it’s the right thing to do!
Regards and best wishes to you Paul.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Nicely written review, Paul! I'm glad the razor arrived quickly and that my polishing job isn't too bad 
. I hope you get the chance for many more shaves.
That's a very kind gesture! If you have some extra cash lying around I'd rather you send it to Penny Brohn UK which has benefited Paul during his illness. If that charity doesn't strike a chord, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network would be my choice.
Helping Paul out in this tiny way is not a burden on me and I'm truly grateful I had the opportunity. Like most people, my life has been heavily impacted by cancer. Blackland was initially funded, in part, by the life insurance payout from when my mom died at 46 in 2012. Last year we lost my father-in-law (who I've known since 15) to cancer, too. I know how powerful the smallest acts are when someone is facing a situation like Paul is and a silly razor is the truly the least I could do. Also, Paul sent me some English goodies ("biscuits", tea, and jams galore) so I'm pretty sure I got the better end of the deal anyway.
Thanks again for the opportunity, Paul. I've gotten a lot of value from talking with you over the last couple weeks. Probably more than you realize. We'll be keeping in touch, I'm sure.
. I hope you get the chance for many more shaves.That's a very kind gesture! If you have some extra cash lying around I'd rather you send it to Penny Brohn UK which has benefited Paul during his illness. If that charity doesn't strike a chord, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network would be my choice.
Helping Paul out in this tiny way is not a burden on me and I'm truly grateful I had the opportunity. Like most people, my life has been heavily impacted by cancer. Blackland was initially funded, in part, by the life insurance payout from when my mom died at 46 in 2012. Last year we lost my father-in-law (who I've known since 15) to cancer, too. I know how powerful the smallest acts are when someone is facing a situation like Paul is and a silly razor is the truly the least I could do. Also, Paul sent me some English goodies ("biscuits", tea, and jams galore) so I'm pretty sure I got the better end of the deal anyway.
Thanks again for the opportunity, Paul. I've gotten a lot of value from talking with you over the last couple weeks. Probably more than you realize. We'll be keeping in touch, I'm sure.
Excellent review Paul, keep fighting, my prayers go out to you. Shane, as always, very upstanding gentleman. I have an original Tradere OC first release. I find it to be an excellent razor, I am positive Shane’s re- release of it will be fantastic
Great review! Amazing story! Keep fighting! Thanks for sharing.
- Thread starter
- #26
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
I’m not an enabler, but do it!
- Thread starter
- #27
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
Thanks. I’m hoping when it launches, someone posts a side by side comparison, would be interesting to see what the differences are.
- Thread starter
- #28
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
Thank you so much for understanding and I commend you for trying to reimburse Shane. But, as you have found out, he’s too much of a stand up guy! Generous and kind to a fault, like I said!
Nicely written review, Paul! I'm glad the razor arrived quickly and that my polishing job isn't too bad
That's a very kind gesture! If you have some extra cash lying around I'd rather you send it to Penny Brohn UK which has benefited Paul during his illness. If that charity doesn't strike a chord, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network would be my choice.
Helping Paul out in this tiny way is not a burden on me and I'm truly grateful I had the opportunity. Like most people, my life has been heavily impacted by cancer. Blackland was initially funded, in part, by the life insurance payout from when my mom died at 46 in 2012. Last year we lost my father-in-law (who I've known since 15) to cancer, too. I know how powerful the smallest acts are when someone is facing a situation like Paul is and a silly razor is the truly the least I could do. Also, Paul sent me some English goodies ("biscuits", tea, and jams galore) so I'm pretty sure I got the better end of the deal anyway.
Thanks again for the opportunity, Paul. I've gotten a lot of value from talking with you over the last couple weeks. Probably more than you realize. We'll be keeping in touch, I'm sure.
Thanks again, Shane. Your act of kindness was definitely not small, and it’s not just any silly razor! Sorry to hear of your losses, but I am grateful for what you‘ve done with the gift your mother left you, as I’m sure many others here are. Take care
Great review Paul, and makes me appreciate my original Blackbird even more - great company and owner (and thank you Shane for your gesture, and for reviving a classic), and a great razor; I'm sure the Tradere will follow the tradition. As far as the handle, try gripping an original Darwin or an Evo - you'll think the Tradere has double stickum on it! 
- Thread starter
- #30
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
My den solely consists of knurled handle razors (the only exception is on the way), so I might have been slightly pampered! Knurled handle = best handle, for me anywayGreat review Paul, and makes me appreciate my original Blackbird even more - great company and owner (and thank you Shane for your gesture, and for reviving a classic), and a great razor; I'm sure the Tradere will follow the tradition. As far as the handle, try gripping an original Darwin or an Evo - you'll think the Tradere has double stickum on it!
Amazing story and review.
Second shaver, first reviewer.
Kudos to @Blackland Razors. From all the interactions that I read, in all the forums, this story actually doesn't surprise me much. Shane behaves like no one I see online, it's quite refreshing.
@Ridpath could you show us pictures but with a blade loaded?
Also, you mentioned the Feather AS-D2, how does it compare?
Thanks.
Second shaver, first reviewer.
Kudos to @Blackland Razors. From all the interactions that I read, in all the forums, this story actually doesn't surprise me much. Shane behaves like no one I see online, it's quite refreshing.
@Ridpath could you show us pictures but with a blade loaded?
Also, you mentioned the Feather AS-D2, how does it compare?
Thanks.
Thanks for the nice review, I pre-ordered the Tradere about 3 weeks ago and can’t wait for it to arrive. My Dad passed away from cancer last year and my mom sent me his brush and straight razors, and the rest they say is history. While I haven’t quite gotten the courage to use the straight razors yet there’s something about lathering up the soap like my pops did that seems to connect us. I also have had a few emails with Shane, real stand up guy and prompt with the response.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Thread starter
- #33
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
Sure thing, it’s not very obvious when a blade is loaded. When it’s assembled, the only visual indication is the exposed blade from above.
From the pics below you can see that the blade is completely encapsulated by the top cap and you therefore won’t be able to easily tell whether a blade is loaded from the side.
Blade in top cap
Loaded razor, top view
Unloaded razor, top view
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My most beloved razor is a Blackland Blackbird. Can you compare the two?
Lovely review Paul! Good on you Shane!
Bits like this remind me why B&B is a place like no other.
Bits like this remind me why B&B is a place like no other.
I can't even articulate how I am reacting to this. This thread, and the people behind it, are amazing.
- Thread starter
- #37
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
Nice - the black oxide Blackbird is what initially made me aware of Blackland’s razors. That handle, that head...everything about it screams badass.
I’ve never seen a Blackbird up close or shaved with one, so I won’t be of much help in this regard. Some tech specs are available on the Blackland website, and Shane recently posted this on the Tradere thread about the aggressiveness of the different Blackland razors.
If there’s anything specific you’d like me to comment on so you can make some sort of comparison with your Blackbird, just let me know.
Obviously haven't shaved with the Tradere, but I can weigh in on the Blackbird. Comparing with more common razors - it's slightly more aggressive than my AS-D2 (which doesn't take much!), but much more efficient. Comparable to a DE89, but much smoother. I would class the Blackbird as a mild razor, but on the far edge, and very efficient. The Tradere sounds slightly milder, but as always, YMMV.
- Thread starter
- #40
Ridpath
FIGHTER!
@DarkSpy, I just realised I forgot to answer your question about a comparison to the Feather AS-D2. I think they both serve different purposes, and I’ll probably keep both in regular use alongside my 0.95 Timeless SB.
The Tradere SB is not a mild as the Feather, but it‘s not far off. In terms of efficiency and smoothness, the Tradere SB is for me on par with the Feather in terms of efficiency, but is definitely smoother than the Feather. The shaving angle on the Tradere is also more in line with most other razors out there, unlike the Feather which requires an angle closer to 45 degrees for an effective shave.
In terms of weight and length, the Tradere is slightly on the hefty and lengthy side, but the balance point is situated at roughly the same spot on the handle. In terms of grip, the knurling on the Feather is deeper than that on the Tradere.
Hope this answers your question!
Thanks for reminding me I hadn’t responded to the request to compare the Feather and the Tradere SB. Odd that you should find the Blackbird on the mild side; going by the reviews I’ve read and literature on the Blackbird, it seems to be one of the more aggressive razors available today.
As mentioned above, for me the Tradere SB is mild, but not as mild as the Feather. But, like you said, YMMV!
The Tradere SB is not a mild as the Feather, but it‘s not far off. In terms of efficiency and smoothness, the Tradere SB is for me on par with the Feather in terms of efficiency, but is definitely smoother than the Feather. The shaving angle on the Tradere is also more in line with most other razors out there, unlike the Feather which requires an angle closer to 45 degrees for an effective shave.
In terms of weight and length, the Tradere is slightly on the hefty and lengthy side, but the balance point is situated at roughly the same spot on the handle. In terms of grip, the knurling on the Feather is deeper than that on the Tradere.
Hope this answers your question!
Thanks for reminding me I hadn’t responded to the request to compare the Feather and the Tradere SB. Odd that you should find the Blackbird on the mild side; going by the reviews I’ve read and literature on the Blackbird, it seems to be one of the more aggressive razors available today.
As mentioned above, for me the Tradere SB is mild, but not as mild as the Feather. But, like you said, YMMV!
