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The Vector is Blacklands best razor.

Some additional thoughts on SB vs OC... I used the SB plate for 2 shaves last week on consecutive days (Thurs & Fri, spoiled myself with the Ti Blackbird on Saturday), and again on Mon & Tues of this week after taking Sunday off. I went back to the OC plate this morning (Wednesday) to see if I could notice any big difference, having used the SB for the previous 4 Vector shaves.

I find this a bit surprising personally, since I have always favored OC razors, but my preference right now with the Vector is the SB plate. I find it to be a bit smoother feeling and not quite as finicky with angle. We are literally splitting hairs between the two baseplates, both work great but for me the slight advantage goes to the SB. My current impression is that is shaves equally as close, but with a slight advantage in comfort. Obviously this may change as time goes on, but that's where I am currently after several weeks of fairly consistent shaves with the Vector.

I've pretty much settled on Kai Captain Milds for my blade of choice with the Vector, I may go back and revisit the Prolines down the road a bit but my 2nd attempt with one on Monday morning forced me to swap out the blade almost immediately for a Kai. Both Prolines I tried were from Try A Blade and I've heard others also have bad experiences due to the shipping/packaging dulling the blade in transit. I haven't found a good place to order a full pack of Prolines other than Italian Barber so if anyone knows of a good US vendor please let me know.

The Vector is quickly becoming my new favorite daily-use razor. I didn't think I'd be able to get consecutive shaves out of it because most razors that shave so close end up causing irritation after multiple uses. So far that's not been the case with the Vector at all. I have a Sabre on the way currently, so I'm going to finish out this week with the Vector and then give the Sabre a first go on Saturday most likely. I'm interested to see how they compare.

Awesome summary. I did my 30th consecutive Vector SB shave this morning and am finding Kai Captain Titan Milds are also my favorite. Kai ProTouch are good, too. All three Feather variants (Pro, Pro Super, ProGuard) for me have been a little problematic, as has the Schick Proline. FWIW, all my blades came from Tryablade except for the Feather ProGuard. I still have a Kai Original to try, and then I hope to do a fuller summary of my thoughts on this excellent razor. I haven't decided if I will try the OC plate yet.

I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on the Sabre. I really want to try Gem style in some form or another . . .
 
Awesome summary. I did my 30th consecutive Vector SB shave this morning and am finding Kai Captain Titan Milds are also my favorite. Kai ProTouch are good, too. All three Feather variants (Pro, Pro Super, ProGuard) for me have been a little problematic, as has the Schick Proline. FWIW, all my blades came from Tryablade except for the Feather ProGuard. I still have a Kai Original to try, and then I hope to do a fuller summary of my thoughts on this excellent razor. I haven't decided if I will try the OC plate yet.

I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on the Sabre. I really want to try Gem style in some form or another . . .

Sounds like we have similar experience with blades, the Protouch are the only other ones that I've enjoyed so far albeit they are slightly more mild feeling than the Captain Titan Milds. Sabre was delivered today, so I should have my first use with it tomorrow.

On a Vector-related note... I might be crazy but I went back to the Ti Blackbird for today's shave, and as much as I love that razor, I personally feel the Vector is more efficient and gives me a closer shave. As of right now they are my #1 and #2 razors overall. The only other one I plan to keep is the H&S Z074, which offers a completely different experience from the others. I'm curious to see where the Sabre fits in.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
On a Vector-related note... I might be crazy but I went back to the Ti Blackbird for today's shave, and as much as I love that razor, I personally feel the Vector is more efficient and gives me a closer shave. As of right now they are my #1 and #2 razors overall.

Vector is my #1 AC blade razor.

Blackbird Ti is my #1 DE razor.

Sabre is my #1 GEM blade razor.
 
Every time I return to the Vector after using other razors for a couple of shaves, I'm always blown away by the Vector all over again. This morning was no different.

That is all.
I hear what you're saying.

It's the very reason I stopped using all my other razors.

I've literally became a one-razor / one-brush guy.
 
The combination of daily shaving, Vector’s efficiency using a steep angle, and the sharpness of the Proline blade was causing some irritation. I’ve switched to the Kai Pink and a shallow angle, allowing me to maintain smoothness while lessening irritation. Any one else with similar experience?
 
The combination of daily shaving, Vector’s efficiency using a steep angle, and the sharpness of the Proline blade was causing some irritation. I’ve switched to the Kai Pink and a shallow angle, allowing me to maintain smoothness while lessening irritation. Any one else with similar experience?

I have tried 2 different Proline blades so far and found both of them to feel rough. I don't think it's because of their "sharpness", because I also get tugging around my chin and other areas using the Prolines as well as the Feather Pros. The Kai Pinks are my favorite blade so far and work much better for my face. If you like the Pinks, you should probably also give the Kai Protouch MG a try as well. Very similar, but being a guarded blade they are a little more forgiving. Might be the ticket for you if you're still getting a bit of irritation. I don't find them to be quite as efficient as the Pinks, but they still give me a close and comfortable shave that's more than adequate to get me through a 10 hour work day.

Blackland has completely taken over my den, and my only 3 razors currently are the Vector, Sabre, and Ti Blackbird. However, I have a hard time not using the Vector every day. It gives me the best shaves of any razor I've ever used in 7 years of wet shaving.
 
Still waiting for it to come back in stock, not buying the titanium.:cryin:

Working on it. Production is really a mess right now and we're sorting out how to juggle production in order to get these back in stock ASAP. I don't have much clarity on a timeline right now, but I think I'll have insights on that in the next couple weeks. This is a top priority.
 
The combination of daily shaving, Vector’s efficiency using a steep angle, and the sharpness of the Proline blade was causing some irritation. I’ve switched to the Kai Pink and a shallow angle, allowing me to maintain smoothness while lessening irritation. Any one else with similar experience?
@sarir97, IMHO, a good (daily) shave should NOT cause ANY irritation whatsoever.

I am not saying that it can't happen once in a blue moon, but if irritation constitutes an "integral part" of you shaving routine, than smth. is definitely wrong. It can be the products your using (soap/cream), the hardware, blades, but more often than not, it'll boil down to (inadequate) technique.

Vector is an absolute world-champion shaver and it gives me better shaves than anything I've ever used be it a DE, shavette, devette, SR or another SE. Vector is in the league of its own. That said, I do realize that there are folks who don't like it, as it's a fairly aggressive razor, due to its large blade gap.

IMHO steep vs. shallow angle only makes sense in the context of one's facial hair growth pattern. Some people have hair growling almost parallel to the skin, while others have whiskers protruding from the follicle basically perpendicular to the skin surface. What matters is the angle of blade's edge hitting the hair and therefore it's much more important to develop the FEEL, rather than trying to maintain a certain angle at all times, at any cost.

Some folks, like David @never-stop-learning swears by steep angle. I, OTOH, find the ultra-shallow to work best for my face.

It's YMMV.

So, what you need to do is play around and find the range of angles for each major portion of your face (cheeks, chin, upper and lower neck and jawline) that gives you smooth, irritation-free shave. For example, I have found that ANY blade will give me glass-smooth BBS, as long as I go ultra shallow, using sliding/slicing motion (imitating a SR cutting pattern). Likewise, each time I lift the handle more than I should and go steep, I end up with a not-so-great shave.

Obviously, the level of irritation will be much greater if I get carried away with Feather Pro Super, than with say Feather Pro SoftGuard. Still, the culprit is not the blade, but the user's technique.

Hope it helps... at least in theory 😀

Let us know how you're progressing with the Vector.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
The combination of daily shaving, Vector’s efficiency using a steep angle, and the sharpness of the Proline blade was causing some irritation. I’ve switched to the Kai Pink and a shallow angle, allowing me to maintain smoothness while lessening irritation. Any one else with similar experience?
@sarir97, IMHO, a good (daily) shave should NOT cause ANY irritation whatsoever.

I am not saying that it can't happen once in a blue moon, but if irritation constitutes an "integral part" of you shaving routine, than smth. is definitely wrong. It can be the products your using (soap/cream), the hardware, blades, but more often than not, it'll boil down to (inadequate) technique.

Vector is an absolute world-champion shaver and it gives me better shaves than anything I've ever used be it a DE, shavette, devette, SR or another SE. Vector is in the league of its own. That said, I do realize that there are folks who don't like it, as it's a fairly aggressive razor, due to its large blade gap.

IMHO steep vs. shallow angle only makes sense in the context of one's facial hair growth pattern. Some people have hair growling almost parallel to the skin, while others have whiskers protruding from the follicle basically perpendicular to the skin surface. What matters is the angle of blade's edge hitting the hair and therefore it's much more important to develop the FEEL, rather than trying to maintain a certain angle at all times, at any cost.

Some folks, like David @never-stop-learning swears by steep angle. I, OTOH, find the ultra-shallow to work best for my face.

It's YMMV.

So, what you need to do is play around and find the range of angles for each major portion of your face (cheeks, chin, upper and lower neck and jawline) that gives you smooth, irritation-free shave. For example, I have found that ANY blade will give me glass-smooth BBS, as long as I go ultra shallow, using sliding/slicing motion (imitating a SR cutting pattern). Likewise, each time I lift the handle more than I should and go steep, I end up with a not-so-great shave.

Obviously, the level of irritation will be much greater if I get carried away with Feather Pro Super, than with say Feather Pro SoftGuard. Still, the culprit is not the blade, but the user's technique.

Hope it helps... at least in theory 😀

Let us know how you're progressing with the Vector.

Life in the steep lane for me. :cool:

Some common causes of irritation:

Applying too much pressure.

Too many passes.

Additional passes without lather.

Poor lather.

And more..... ;)
 
The combination of daily shaving, Vector’s efficiency using a steep angle, and the sharpness of the Proline blade was causing some irritation. I’ve switched to the Kai Pink and a shallow angle, allowing me to maintain smoothness while lessening irritation. Any one else with similar experience?

In a word, yes! Kai Pink and shallow angle with the Vector are a winning combo for me too. Of course, even if you were the only person finding this combo works, that wouldn't matter as much as the fact that it is working for you! I theorize that irritation doesn't "stop on a dime," although it may sure start on one. I'd say to keep doing what you're doing as it dissipates. To me, I would try not to change (m)any variables while this improvement continues. Hopefully you can get to zero.

Excellent posts above mine regarding technique and other reasons irritation may creep in. :a21: I also have a couple soaps I suspect cause a mild reaction on my skin.

I do go steep (WTG/XTG) on a couple areas (mustache and chin) especially if I'm not going to go ATG there. Gets me ~80% of the results, with much more comfort. That's a great tradeoff on those days when my skin is telling me not to press my luck.

I love the Vector. I've shaved with nothing else since I got it over a month ago. However, I can also give myself irritation with it if my blade choice or technique are not on target. I hope you keep enjoying yours as much I do!
 
Hey @nicked78 & @molon_labe , how many shaves do you get on average with the Kai Milds? I am trying another one, and if I stay shallow (thanks again, @DaveHStone!), I can get some very comfy shaves. But regardless of SB or OC, the Vector is super efficient at removing all the lather, making an additional stroke an invitation for irritation. Thanks in advance!
 
Hey @nicked78 & @molon_labe , how many shaves do you get on average with the Kai Milds? I am trying another one, and if I stay shallow (thanks again, @DaveHStone!), I can get some very comfy shaves. But regardless of SB or OC, the Vector is super efficient at removing all the lather, making an additional stroke an invitation for irritation. Thanks in advance!

I was swapping them out after 1 week (5-6 shaves), but the last one I used I wanted to push a little farther and got 8 comfortable shaves with it before I trashed it. I know I could have gotten a few more, it was still really smooth and not tugging at all. However, I wanted to try a Protouch this week so I just tossed it. For reference, I usually replace DE blades after 3-5 uses and they are always at the end of their life cycle by that time.

I’m going back to a Captain Mild next week and I want to see if I can get a full 2 weeks (12 shaves) out of it. I will be very impressed if that turns out to be the case.

The Protouch also worked really well for me this week. I used it in the Vector every day but yesterday (Sabre Shave). I think I still have 1 left from my Try A Blade order, so I’ll revisit it again after I push the Captain Mild a bit more over the next 2 weeks.
 
I was swapping them out after 1 week (5-6 shaves), but the last one I used I wanted to push a little farther and got 8 comfortable shaves with it before I trashed it. I know I could have gotten a few more, it was still really smooth and not tugging at all. However, I wanted to try a Protouch this week so I just tossed it. For reference, I usually replace DE blades after 3-5 uses and they are always at the end of their life cycle by that time.

I’m going back to a Captain Mild next week and I want to see if I can get a full 2 weeks (12 shaves) out of it. I will be very impressed if that turns out to be the case.

The Protouch also worked really well for me this week. I used it in the Vector every day but yesterday (Sabre Shave). I think I still have 1 left from my Try A Blade order, so I’ll revisit it again after I push the Captain Mild a bit more over the next 2 weeks.
Thanks, That is helpful. Do you find the Vector to be super great at removing all lather? sort of reminds me of the Fatip Grande. Take that second or third stroke without relathering at your own risk!
 
Thanks, That is helpful. Do you find the Vector to be super great at removing all lather? sort of reminds me of the Fatip Grande. Take that second or third stroke without relathering at your own risk!

Not really, not to the point of causing irritation anyways. The Vector is really the only razor I’ve ever had that I feel like I can do as many strokes as I need to and I never end up with any irritation. I really can’t explain it because I honestly dont find the Vector to be overly smooth feeling on the first pass. At least not on the same level of smooth as the Sabre, Z074, or Timeless .68. But, I have yet to over-shave with the Vector and it gives me a significantly better shave than any of those other razors I just mentioned. I even get closer with it than my Ti Blackbird.
 
Not really, not to the point of causing irritation anyways. The Vector is really the only razor I’ve ever had that I feel like I can do as many strokes as I need to and I never end up with any irritation. I really can’t explain it because I honestly dont find the Vector to be overly smooth feeling on the first pass. At least not on the same level of smooth as the Sabre, Z074, or Timeless .68. But, I have yet to over-shave with the Vector and it gives me a significantly better shave than any of those other razors I just mentioned. I even get closer with it than my Ti Blackbird.

Again, many thanks, that is helpful. It must be me and my technique. A new goal to work towards!! lol
 
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