Treet "black beauty" carbon steel blade review

[Highspeedlane]

Today it was the late '40's Aristocrat. Very, very nice. I've found this razor can be a little rough with super sharp stainless blades--this was not the case at all with the Treet black. A very smooth shave. This could easily be a daily driver combo. No errors, no irritation, forgiveness galore during my 2x pass plus touchup routine. Keep in mind carbon steel blades will never match the sharpness of a well made stainless blade, but for me they seem to work much better in some razors than the stainless blades do.

Efficiency-wise, the late '40's Aristocrat felt somewhat close to a Fatboy around setting 4, maybe 5 possibly. The shave was so comfortable and easy I want to go lather up and shave all over again! This is definitely a keeper blade for me.

 

[Macduff]

This is the blade i’m using now and it’s funny that so many people mention that it’s a 2 and done blade. For me it’s after the third shave that it starts to noticeably dull but i think the general consensus that it isn’t long lasting is very correct.

Also i find that it’s by no means a sharp blade, but man it’s been giving me awesome results. The shave itself isn’t that pleasant because of the tugging but the result is a BBS shave with little to no irritation. I’ll be posting a full review in a few weeks but it’s definitely a blade unlike any others i’ve tried. And it does look super cool!

 

[Arroyo]

Hello Macduff. I also get three really good scrapes from a Treet Black blade with a slim on setting six. The fourth attempt was rather hard work though and would have taken some time if I had persisted. I am led to believe the Treet Durasharp is the same carbon steel blade but not in black, although I have never tried any. I may buy some and give them a shot but the blacks are cheaper in Great Britain. By the way, I quite like the "tugging" feel.

 

[RandySp]

This is the blade i’m using now and it’s funny that so many people mention that it’s a 2 and done blade. For me it’s after the third shave that it starts to noticeably dull but i think the general consensus that it isn’t long lasting is very correct.

Also i find that it’s by no means a sharp blade, but man it’s been giving me awesome results. The shave itself isn’t that pleasant because of the tugging but the result is a BBS shave with little to no irritation. I’ll be posting a full review in a few weeks but it’s definitely a blade unlike any others i’ve tried. And it does look super cool!

Ah Mcduff, back in the day you saved my chin and jawline with the /\ technique! Almost BBS all the time there and no pain at all.

Did you really like the Treet carbon? Beautiful blade but makes noise without being sharp at all. It reminds me of Dorco Prime. Tugging on the moustache area.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Tomorrow I'm going to run the blade that was used for today's shave in my Muhle R41. I have a very good idea what the R41 does with stainless blades, and it will be interesting to see what a carbon steel blade feels like in it.

Regardless of lifespan, the Treet carbon just leaves a great, smooth finish in its wake. I complete my shave, cold water rinse, pat dry and apply AS and it's time to tackle the day. No issues, no irritation, no redness. Got to love that.

 

[Macduff]

Ah Mcduff, back in the day you saved my chin and jawline with the /\ technique! Almost BBS all the time there and no pain at all.

Did you really like the Treet carbon? Beautiful blade but makes noise without being sharp at all. It reminds me of Dorco Prime. Tugging on the moustache area.

Really glad that worked for you! Regarding the Treet carbon, i’m really conflicted about whether i like it or not. It tugs a good amount which i’m not very fond of in a blade. But the results for me have been really fantastic. In fact probably top 1 or 2 of the blades i’ve tried so far. So during the shave itself it’s far from ideal, but when i’m done it’s shocking how close the shave is with no real irritation. Overall, maybe i’ll try them again in the future but i really like blades that cut without tugging.

Arroyo posted above that he enjoys that feeling so if that were the case, the Treet would be my top blade.

 

[Uncas]

Really glad that worked for you! Regarding the Treet carbon, i’m really conflicted about whether i like it or not. It tugs a good amount which i’m not very fond of in a blade. But the results for me have been really fantastic. In fact probably top 1 or 2 of the blades i’ve tried so far. So during the shave itself it’s far from ideal, but when i’m done it’s shocking how close the shave is with no real irritation. Overall, maybe i’ll try them again in the future but i really like blades that cut without tugging.

Arroyo posted above that he enjoys that feeling so if that were the case, the Treet would be my top blade.

I'm sure I'm not telling you something you don't already know, but not all my razors like all my blades. My Fatips easily give the smoothest results with Treet Carbons. If I was a scientist I could provide a scientific reason, but I'm afraid all we have here is my opinion. I look forward to your full review.

 

[Macduff]

I totally agree. I base all my blade opinions on how they perform in my vanderhagen razor since it seems to be a good middle ground. I have a 59 tech (thanks Trentinwa!) and a newly aquired 28 tuckaway and i’ve noticed a marked difference in blade performance in all 3. With that said, i think we all have a “favorite” razor and the blade that shines in it is bound to be the one we buy 100+ blades for.

In my limited experience, the vanderhager razor is a great razor to test blades in since it’s neither agressive nor mild so i think it’s a good base for a blade review.

I realize that everyone’s definition of a great blade is different, but i think qualities of a blade are universal. Sharp is sharp, smooth is smooth and longevity and consistency always stand out. A dull blade that is smooth might be appealing to someone with sensitive skin whereas a sharp, rough blade might be the best for someone with tough skin.

My personal preference will naturally drive my opinion, but i feel like i can still discern a blade’s “worth” to someone else. The Treet is a great example. Not exactly my cup of tea because it’s not as sharp as a lot of blades that are favored here; but it does give a perfectly close shave.

People who say all blades can give a BBS shave may be right; but i know for a fact not all blades can give an enjoyable BBS shave.

To me, the difference is what makes the whole experience so much fun. A mach 3 is a mach 3. A fusion is a fusion. But how many modern cartridges are there? With DE blades and different razors, there are almost endless combinations to try. But when you hit on the right one, it turns shaving from a chore to a pleasure.

 

[Highspeedlane]

This morning the Treet carbon took a ride in my Muhle R41. I'll summarize the shave thusly: DANGER WILL, DANGER

I was wondering if the Treet could "tame the beast" but no, that was not what happened. The R41 has a tiny blade gap but depending on handle orientation presents positive blade exposure, and the shaving methodology that works so well for me using the Treet in other razors--quicker and longer cutting strokes--fails miserably when that blade is held by the R41. The slow, methodical approach seems guaranteed to produce painfully inefficient slicing of the hair.

It was what I can only describe as a uncomfortable experience. When I was conscious of keeping the handle a bit higher to decrease blade angle it improved but by the time I completed both cheeks and the chin I already decided I would flip the blade out of the R41 and back into yesterday's late 40's Aristocrat to complete pass one and for all of pass two. Much better! In fact the Treet in the R41 reminded me alot of the time I used a NOS 1927 era Gillette 3 hole carbon steel blade in a ball end Old Type...I got about 4 strokes out of that blade before calling it quits.

I had no cuts, nicks or weepers using the R41 but it felt like I was trying to shave by using a scraping stone instead of a razor and blade. It didn't even make it to my neck. So my advice for R41 users is continue using your favorite space age, coated stainless blades in that razor. Those blades permit the lighter but more efficient cutting action that it seems to have been designed for. So far, the best results I've gotten using the Treet have been in Gillette TTO designs (my Schone will be up tomorrow).

 

[AZBronco]

I found these to give a good first shave, but notable degradation for the second shave--even it I took it out of the razor and dried it as soon as I finished shaving.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Up this morning: The Schone open comb razor with the Treet black carbon blade.

The Schone is a very well made, budget friendly OC razor made of the Old World combination of nickel plated solid brass. It's a nimble performer, reminiscent of the Gillette Old Type razors with bullet point blade positioning pins. The Schone is a high-efficiency razor, and ordinarily requires a bit of attention to angle and pressure with super sharp stainless steel blades. The reward of using such a combo is a remarkably close shave. This was my usual (for 24 hour shaving) 2x passes plus touch up routine.

The Treet performed very well in the Shone and I had to remind myself to slow down at times due to the forgiving nature of the Treet blade, otherwise I was beginning to whip around a little too fast...it feels that easy. The shave did not feel as smooth as my TTO Gillette's do with the Treet, but overall not too shabby. Lightyears better than the R41 was with the Treet carbon!

Following the shave I rinsed the blade, blotted it dry between folded tissue and reloaded it in my late 40's Aristocrat for tomorrow's workday morning shave. Great shave, and a great start to the day

 

[Macduff]

Up this morning: The Schone open comb razor with the Treet black carbon blade.

The Schone is a very well made, budget friendly OC razor made of the Old World combination of nickel plated solid brass. It's a nimble performer, reminiscent of the Gillette Old Type razors with bullet point blade positioning pins. The Schone is a high-efficiency razor, and ordinarily requires a bit of attention to angle and pressure with super sharp stainless steel blades. The reward of using such a combo is a remarkably close shave. This was my usual (for 24 hour shaving) 2x passes plus touch up routine.

The Treet performed very well in the Shone and I had to remind myself to slow down at times due to the forgiving nature of the Treet blade, otherwise I was beginning to whip around a little too fast...it feels that easy. The shave did not feel as smooth as my TTO Gillette's do with the Treet, but overall not too shabby. Lightyears better than the R41 was with the Treet carbon!

Following the shave I rinsed the blade, blotted it dry between folded tissue and reloaded it in my late 40's Aristocrat for tomorrow's workday morning shave. Great shave, and a great start to the day

Wow that is a beautiful razor!

 

[Highspeedlane]

Wow that is a beautiful razor!

Thanks. She's a keeper

 

[Uncas]

When I purchased mine on sale, I believe they came out to about five cents per blade, so I've never tried more than one shave apiece. Perhaps when I get back to them, I may try a few extra shaves. A stroke or two on the second shave should tell all I need to know, so no big risk.

 

[epipeman]

A stroke or two on the second shave should tell all I need to know, so no big risk.

You're right about this. This morning I tried to start shave 4 on an Extra Tez (a great carbon steel blade). It hurt on the first stroke so I opened up the Rockwell 6c and - clearly visible rust. Still had three top-notch shaves from the blade, though.

 

[Uncas]

You're right about this. This morning I tried to start shave 4 on an Extra Tez (a great carbon steel blade). It hurt on the first stroke so I opened up the Rockwell 6c and - clearly visible rust. Still had three top-notch shaves from the blade, though.

If I don't like it, I spend no time wondering why. New blade, different blade or both.

 

[Highspeedlane]

You're right about this. This morning I tried to start shave 4 on an Extra Tez (a great carbon steel blade). It hurt on the first stroke so I opened up the Rockwell 6c and - clearly visible rust. Still had three top-notch shaves from the blade, though.

I have a Treet carbon in my Fatboy ready for tomorrow. If it completes the shave that will be #3 for that blade. I would be perfectly happy with that longevity. This morning I ran it in my late 40's Aristocrat and it seemed to perform fine.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Started shave #3 (2x passes plus touch up) this morning in the Adjustable 195 set to 7. The blade started out okay but I could tell it was beginning to wane on that tough stubble along the jawline so I moved the razor to setting 9 and left it there for the remainder of the shave.

Even on 9 (a setting I never use with stainless blades) the Treet continued to feel smooth and the completed shave feels great. It was only in the touch up areas where I could tell its efficiency was beginning to falter, so that would be it for this blade.

Given that, the Treet for me is about a 2 to 3 shave blade, depending on razor in use. The Fatboy and its 9 setting proved very worthwhile here...I probably would have not been able to finish this shave at a milder setting or in a milder razor, but at 9 it worked and felt great. No issues, no errors.

Going past this shave I would probably want to begin stropping it, as was probably done by many early carbon steel razor blade users to stretch their shaving dollar as far as possible. Perhaps something for a future experiment.

Overall I like the Treet for what it is, and based on my experiences with NOS Gillette blue blades, it genuinely replicates the feel of shaving as it was experienced for many decades during the early era of DE razor usage.

 

[Uncas]

Great review!! I'll have to try one in my Fatboy. I can't remember the last time I changed the setting, so this may be a chance to use the razor the way it was designed. I used an old hand me down pre war tech for decades with Williams or Barbasol, so I tend to use new stuff the old way. Old habits keep me from wandering in circles.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Great review!! I'll have to try one in my Fatboy. I can't remember the last time I changed the setting, so this may be a chance to use the razor the way it was designed. I used an old hand me down pre war tech for decades with Williams or Barbasol, so I tend to use new stuff the old way. Old habits keep me from wandering in circles.

This weekend I intend to get in a shave pairing the Treet carbon steel with a ball end Old Type (thick cap). Carbon steel blades would have been the norm for shavers of the day using that razor and if my experience with the Treet in other razors is any indication, there should be very positive results. More to follow.