SOTD: 2024-08-29, Head and Face, 2.5 days’ growth
Razor: Blackland Sabre (Plates 3 & 2)
Blade: Accuforge GEM Stainless PTFE (SE), 1st use
Brush: DSC Harlequin, 26mm synthetic knot
Bowl: Fox LRW Green Machine Bowl
Preshave: Razor Emporium Pre-Shave Soap
Soap: Collette Classics Fresh Clean Sheets Croap
Balm: Henri & Victoria Duc de Santal Balm
Additional Care: Thayers Witch Hazel
Additional Care: Osma Alum Block
Let’s start with the pre-shave bar, which is new to me. Love it. Smells fabulous, and generates a really nice cushion for the shaving soap easily and quickly. I’m moving away from my other bar soaps and oils to likely use the RE Pre-Shave bar exclusively.
Next the CC Supply Fresh Clean Sheets soap. It smells exactly as it says: fresh laundry, with a clean airy scent that really is divine. I used a good thumb-nail sized scoop, and that was more than enough for head and face shaves of two passes each. It’s quite thirsty stuff, and I bloomed it in the Fox bowl with some distilled water first, but added a fair amount additional water as I lathered up. But the result is excellent: thick, great-smelling, creamy lather that was brilliant to apply.
Now for the main show. I was a little nervous using the Sabre for a head shave. Last time I used a razor that wasn’t my Leaf (a Parker Injector) I gave myself a nice cut on the nape of the neck, so starting the head shave I was very careful and very steady. I started on Plate 3 and bloody hell, did it take down the growth. The Sabre felt very smooth, and while I was a tad nervous, my confidence grew, and I decided to stick with Plate 3 for the second, ATG pass. The result was the best head shave I’ve had with the exception of my Leaf. I’ve used Gem razors on my dome before, and they always felt a bit rough on the ATG pass. Not so the Sabre. No nicks (but I did open an undiscovered pimple, which dried before I even got the alum to it) and very little touching-up needed. Excellent job! Alum feedback was about 2.5 on the Richter scale though, indicating that I should probably have dropped to Plate 2 for the ATG pass, or used Plate 2 for the whole head shave. My only observation (and it applies to all razors that aren’t the Leaf) is that I do prefer a longer handle for head shaves. Gives me more confidence, and easier to reach the neck and some parts of the back of my noggin.
Onto the face shave. I stuck with Plate 3, and thought I’d nicked myself almost immediately, but found that I hadn’t. I’ve read a couple of Sabre reviews here on Badger and Blade where the poster has noted that the tiny gap between the end of the safety bar and the razor head can grab and tug whiskers. This may have happened to me; I had two or three instances where I felt a sharp tug, but definitely not a nick. It could also be the blade, which was a brand new Accuforge Gem, so we’ll see with future shaves. Great close result on the first pass, and for the second I swapped out the guard for Plate 2 (which was easy and quick to do).
Very comfortable and smooth second ATG/XTG pass, and I can safely say that the Sabre is smoother and better balanced than my Micromatics. No issues going ATG at all, and no further trapped hair tugging. Alum measured 2 on the You’ve-Gone-Too-Far-You-Feckin-Eejit scale, which is just fine and signals that a 3/2 plate combo works well. I’ll give Plate 4 a go next time for the S&Gs, but I was very happy with the shave. Smooth, very close, and very comfortable.
The Sabre’s a keeper for definite. I love Gem razors, and the Sabre may be the best of the bunch so far. Time will tell. It is a very good head shaver, although I think it’ll be an occasional one simply because the Leaf is so much easier to use.
Well done Razor Emporium, Collette Classics and Blackland Razors! I’m a very Happy Bunny.
Razor: Blackland Sabre (Plates 3 & 2)
Blade: Accuforge GEM Stainless PTFE (SE), 1st use
Brush: DSC Harlequin, 26mm synthetic knot
Bowl: Fox LRW Green Machine Bowl
Preshave: Razor Emporium Pre-Shave Soap
Soap: Collette Classics Fresh Clean Sheets Croap
Balm: Henri & Victoria Duc de Santal Balm
Additional Care: Thayers Witch Hazel
Additional Care: Osma Alum Block
Let’s start with the pre-shave bar, which is new to me. Love it. Smells fabulous, and generates a really nice cushion for the shaving soap easily and quickly. I’m moving away from my other bar soaps and oils to likely use the RE Pre-Shave bar exclusively.
Next the CC Supply Fresh Clean Sheets soap. It smells exactly as it says: fresh laundry, with a clean airy scent that really is divine. I used a good thumb-nail sized scoop, and that was more than enough for head and face shaves of two passes each. It’s quite thirsty stuff, and I bloomed it in the Fox bowl with some distilled water first, but added a fair amount additional water as I lathered up. But the result is excellent: thick, great-smelling, creamy lather that was brilliant to apply.
Now for the main show. I was a little nervous using the Sabre for a head shave. Last time I used a razor that wasn’t my Leaf (a Parker Injector) I gave myself a nice cut on the nape of the neck, so starting the head shave I was very careful and very steady. I started on Plate 3 and bloody hell, did it take down the growth. The Sabre felt very smooth, and while I was a tad nervous, my confidence grew, and I decided to stick with Plate 3 for the second, ATG pass. The result was the best head shave I’ve had with the exception of my Leaf. I’ve used Gem razors on my dome before, and they always felt a bit rough on the ATG pass. Not so the Sabre. No nicks (but I did open an undiscovered pimple, which dried before I even got the alum to it) and very little touching-up needed. Excellent job! Alum feedback was about 2.5 on the Richter scale though, indicating that I should probably have dropped to Plate 2 for the ATG pass, or used Plate 2 for the whole head shave. My only observation (and it applies to all razors that aren’t the Leaf) is that I do prefer a longer handle for head shaves. Gives me more confidence, and easier to reach the neck and some parts of the back of my noggin.
Onto the face shave. I stuck with Plate 3, and thought I’d nicked myself almost immediately, but found that I hadn’t. I’ve read a couple of Sabre reviews here on Badger and Blade where the poster has noted that the tiny gap between the end of the safety bar and the razor head can grab and tug whiskers. This may have happened to me; I had two or three instances where I felt a sharp tug, but definitely not a nick. It could also be the blade, which was a brand new Accuforge Gem, so we’ll see with future shaves. Great close result on the first pass, and for the second I swapped out the guard for Plate 2 (which was easy and quick to do).
Very comfortable and smooth second ATG/XTG pass, and I can safely say that the Sabre is smoother and better balanced than my Micromatics. No issues going ATG at all, and no further trapped hair tugging. Alum measured 2 on the You’ve-Gone-Too-Far-You-Feckin-Eejit scale, which is just fine and signals that a 3/2 plate combo works well. I’ll give Plate 4 a go next time for the S&Gs, but I was very happy with the shave. Smooth, very close, and very comfortable.
The Sabre’s a keeper for definite. I love Gem razors, and the Sabre may be the best of the bunch so far. Time will tell. It is a very good head shaver, although I think it’ll be an occasional one simply because the Leaf is so much easier to use.
Well done Razor Emporium, Collette Classics and Blackland Razors! I’m a very Happy Bunny.
