Just trying this out to see if members would like to see razor face offs in the coming weeks with all the SE’s available and those that are soon to be released and available to the public. A very good member and good friend of mine Frankie, in which many know as @Dragonsbeard asked me to do a razor face off between these 2 and I decided to give it a shot.
It’s a trial shot to see how it goes and we can take it from there if this post/thread garners any interest. I’m open to all comments, suggestions, criticisms good or bad.
So, without further ado, in the famous words of Mills Lane, “Let’s get it on!”
The Contestants: Galco Classic Cobra vs Blackland Vector
A quick history on both combatants for tonight’s shave fight.
Galco Classic Cobra: The razor that basically started it all. Yes, this was the one that got the ball rolling in taking Artist Club style blades and using them in a more traditional safety razor format. At the time, it was an ingenious design and forward thinking model that made the wet shaving world take notice. All Brass construction with chrome plating that is smooth on the back side and very well done. An all 1 piece design that has a swivel-locking mechanism to load and secure the AC style blade and a contoured handle with ribbing on the inside to provide grip during the shave. It is a nicely balanced razor with a slight bend at the neck of the head to provide a more intuitive or natural shave experience. Overall, an excellent performing razor that provides a smooth, comfortable shave with superb efficiency to go along with its good, sexy looks. (IMO at least it looks sexy...
)
Blackland Razors Vector: This is the new kid on the block but, make no mistake as it has pedigree with it’s other siblings in the Blackland stable that have been great successes as well. A 3 piece, all stainless steel 304 constructed razor with exacting tolerances and finish. Definitely carries the slimmest head profile in the SE razor game that has ever been seen to date. Overall very good balance as well that is evenly distributed with such a small and light razor head. The shaves it provides are also smooth and comfortable with just about an equal or more in efficiency to it’s competitor in tonight’s feature match. And yes, I do think it is a sexy razor.
The Odds: I give the old but established Cobra 3 to 2 over the young but upcoming Vector. I favor the Cobra because I have many more uses with it. I’ve only had 1 shave besides this one tonight with the Vector. Naturally, I am more familiar with the Cobra than I am with the Vector and it’s my sentimental favorite.
Supporting Cast in each corner: For tonight’s shave I will be using the following items in support of each of these razor gladiators:
Blades: Schick Proline
Shave soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Shave brush: Graydog Keyhole 26mm Synthetic
Astringent: Thayers Witch Hazel Lemon
Aftershave: Barrister & Mann Seville splash
Prep is a hot shower and facial scrub to get the whiskers prepped and ready for the steel on nearly 48 hours of growth....
Ding! Ding! Round 1
First Pass WTG: Made up a great lather in my bowl and got these 2 razors going. The Cobra got the right side, the Vector has the left and it will stay that way throughout the whole shave as there is no advantage/disadvantage for either side. Grabbed the Cobra and started at the sideburns and just let the razor drop down along my face. Nice smooth feel without a single hiccup. Cleared the cheeks with a second stroke and moved on to the neck and chin. From the jawline on down it was just a smooth controlled stroke. Got my second and third stroke for half the chin on down to half of Sir Adam. Man, this razor can clear some whiskers with utmost efficiency. No mishaps of any kind. Nice. Grabbed the Vector, went over to the left and started at the sideburns. First stroke and a nice controlled downward movement but, I noticed a bit more hair left behind. Had to readjust and compensate for the lighter head weight on the razor and apply a small, very small amount of pressure. Second stroke, nice and much better clearing of the hair while still staying smooth and comfy. Cleared the cheeks and on to the left side chin and neck. Oooh, nice and smooth with a nice shave feel, like wiping the hair off your face. Cleared it out and did a quick rinse. Both sides had me at CCS with not a single nic, cut or weeper. Hmmm..... This is closer than I thought.
Cold water rinse again.... Ready.
Ding! Ding! Round 2
Second Pass XTG/ATG: This is a hybrid pass as the whiskers on my neck grow east to west from my Adams Apple to my chin then swirl a tiny bit left and right of it. Everywhere else the hairs grow north to south, hence the hybrid xtg/atg pass. I always aim for 2 passes plus clean ups if needed to keep irritation non existent or very low. So, grabbed the Cobra and started on my lower neck and pulled up. Aaahh, what a sweet stroke heading up towards the chin. Same upward stroke two up the jawline to the end of the sideburn. Really nice and smooth. Another stroke and cleared the cheeks and half of the chin. Went to clear the right corner of the mouth beneath the stache and cleared it. But, saw a tiny red dot there and just under the bend of the chin. Two tiny weepers, basically nothing but, there nonetheless. Great pass though. Vector was up and switched to the left. Did the same thing as I did on the right while applying just the slightest amount of pressure and man, this razor just flies up and down while hugging your face. Never giving you the sense that you have to slow down and control your strokes at a slower pace. Made short work of the left corner of my mouth and stache area. Done and put it down. A quick rinse and face feel. Was nearly BBS on both sides with just the slightest bit of growth left behind around the jawline on my right side and a very light patch near Sir Adam on the left. Hmmm..... this is getting real interesting.
Cold water rinse again..... Ready
Third pass/Clean up pass: Grabbed the Cobra, painted on some lather and proceeded to clear out the jawline and chin buff on the right side of my face. Dang! Got me on the last chin buff pass. Minor nic that a cold water splash and alum took care of. Put down the Cobra and grabbed the Vector. Started clearing out the patch on the left side and just decided to finish buffing out the chin and cheeks on both sides. This thing is great for buffs and clean ups. Nimble and light and that thin profile is something sweet! Finished up, cold water rinse and pulled out the alum. Started on the right with no sting on the cheeks until I got to the chin and jawline, not a big sting but, something to let you know that you goofed there. Plus felt a tiny bit on the right corner of the mouth and under the chin where the nic was. Continued on the left and nothing on the cheeks, jawline or neck except for that tiny little patch that I cleaned up and got a little overzealous in picking those up. But, other than that, it was a hell of a BBS finish from both of these wonderful tools. Cleaned up, did my post routine and it was done.
Conclusion/Winner: This was a much closer shave off than I anticipated. The razors both performed flawlessly with a couple of hiccups from the Cobra that probably could be attributed to my carelessness and nothing to do in faulting the razor. If you look closely at the pics above, you will see and get the perception that the Cobra has much more blade exposure/reveal than the Vector but, that’s not the case and certainly not in how they both feel which is quite similar. Blade feel is almost equal with a slight tad more to the Cobra. They both felt smooth and efficient throughout the whole shave. I will say that the Cobra felt like it could and did glide more easily than the Vector. And I attribute that to the chrome finish of the Cobra and giving it that slippery face feel. The Vector on the other hand was easier to move and maneuver anywhere and everywhere on your face, neck and chin but, didn’t glide as easily. With the Cobra, a more traditional technique is used such as let the weight do most of the work and apply no or very little pressure. The Vector contrarily, required one to use and apply a bit of pressure to compensate for the thinner and lighter head. Feel in the hands is great from both razors and I love the ridges and curves on the Cobra but, it was a bit cumbersome when doing switchbacks and quick reversals during the shave. Things that I did not realize before until I received and used the Vector. Easy to maneuver, throw around and make quick reversals coupled with a handle that is quite good and for most will not slip out of the hands gives the Vector a better and easier razor to handle. Tough, tough call here Gents..
As I said Gents, any all thoughts are welcome. Ideas, advice, concerns or anything you might have to say and contribute would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Shaves All........
It’s a trial shot to see how it goes and we can take it from there if this post/thread garners any interest. I’m open to all comments, suggestions, criticisms good or bad.
So, without further ado, in the famous words of Mills Lane, “Let’s get it on!”
The Contestants: Galco Classic Cobra vs Blackland Vector
Galco Classic Cobra: The razor that basically started it all. Yes, this was the one that got the ball rolling in taking Artist Club style blades and using them in a more traditional safety razor format. At the time, it was an ingenious design and forward thinking model that made the wet shaving world take notice. All Brass construction with chrome plating that is smooth on the back side and very well done. An all 1 piece design that has a swivel-locking mechanism to load and secure the AC style blade and a contoured handle with ribbing on the inside to provide grip during the shave. It is a nicely balanced razor with a slight bend at the neck of the head to provide a more intuitive or natural shave experience. Overall, an excellent performing razor that provides a smooth, comfortable shave with superb efficiency to go along with its good, sexy looks. (IMO at least it looks sexy...
)Blackland Razors Vector: This is the new kid on the block but, make no mistake as it has pedigree with it’s other siblings in the Blackland stable that have been great successes as well. A 3 piece, all stainless steel 304 constructed razor with exacting tolerances and finish. Definitely carries the slimmest head profile in the SE razor game that has ever been seen to date. Overall very good balance as well that is evenly distributed with such a small and light razor head. The shaves it provides are also smooth and comfortable with just about an equal or more in efficiency to it’s competitor in tonight’s feature match. And yes, I do think it is a sexy razor.
The Odds: I give the old but established Cobra 3 to 2 over the young but upcoming Vector. I favor the Cobra because I have many more uses with it. I’ve only had 1 shave besides this one tonight with the Vector. Naturally, I am more familiar with the Cobra than I am with the Vector and it’s my sentimental favorite.
Supporting Cast in each corner: For tonight’s shave I will be using the following items in support of each of these razor gladiators:
Blades: Schick Proline
Shave soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Shave brush: Graydog Keyhole 26mm Synthetic
Astringent: Thayers Witch Hazel Lemon
Aftershave: Barrister & Mann Seville splash
Prep is a hot shower and facial scrub to get the whiskers prepped and ready for the steel on nearly 48 hours of growth....
Ding! Ding! Round 1
First Pass WTG: Made up a great lather in my bowl and got these 2 razors going. The Cobra got the right side, the Vector has the left and it will stay that way throughout the whole shave as there is no advantage/disadvantage for either side. Grabbed the Cobra and started at the sideburns and just let the razor drop down along my face. Nice smooth feel without a single hiccup. Cleared the cheeks with a second stroke and moved on to the neck and chin. From the jawline on down it was just a smooth controlled stroke. Got my second and third stroke for half the chin on down to half of Sir Adam. Man, this razor can clear some whiskers with utmost efficiency. No mishaps of any kind. Nice. Grabbed the Vector, went over to the left and started at the sideburns. First stroke and a nice controlled downward movement but, I noticed a bit more hair left behind. Had to readjust and compensate for the lighter head weight on the razor and apply a small, very small amount of pressure. Second stroke, nice and much better clearing of the hair while still staying smooth and comfy. Cleared the cheeks and on to the left side chin and neck. Oooh, nice and smooth with a nice shave feel, like wiping the hair off your face. Cleared it out and did a quick rinse. Both sides had me at CCS with not a single nic, cut or weeper. Hmmm..... This is closer than I thought.
Cold water rinse again.... Ready.
Ding! Ding! Round 2
Second Pass XTG/ATG: This is a hybrid pass as the whiskers on my neck grow east to west from my Adams Apple to my chin then swirl a tiny bit left and right of it. Everywhere else the hairs grow north to south, hence the hybrid xtg/atg pass. I always aim for 2 passes plus clean ups if needed to keep irritation non existent or very low. So, grabbed the Cobra and started on my lower neck and pulled up. Aaahh, what a sweet stroke heading up towards the chin. Same upward stroke two up the jawline to the end of the sideburn. Really nice and smooth. Another stroke and cleared the cheeks and half of the chin. Went to clear the right corner of the mouth beneath the stache and cleared it. But, saw a tiny red dot there and just under the bend of the chin. Two tiny weepers, basically nothing but, there nonetheless. Great pass though. Vector was up and switched to the left. Did the same thing as I did on the right while applying just the slightest amount of pressure and man, this razor just flies up and down while hugging your face. Never giving you the sense that you have to slow down and control your strokes at a slower pace. Made short work of the left corner of my mouth and stache area. Done and put it down. A quick rinse and face feel. Was nearly BBS on both sides with just the slightest bit of growth left behind around the jawline on my right side and a very light patch near Sir Adam on the left. Hmmm..... this is getting real interesting.
Cold water rinse again..... Ready
Third pass/Clean up pass: Grabbed the Cobra, painted on some lather and proceeded to clear out the jawline and chin buff on the right side of my face. Dang! Got me on the last chin buff pass. Minor nic that a cold water splash and alum took care of. Put down the Cobra and grabbed the Vector. Started clearing out the patch on the left side and just decided to finish buffing out the chin and cheeks on both sides. This thing is great for buffs and clean ups. Nimble and light and that thin profile is something sweet! Finished up, cold water rinse and pulled out the alum. Started on the right with no sting on the cheeks until I got to the chin and jawline, not a big sting but, something to let you know that you goofed there. Plus felt a tiny bit on the right corner of the mouth and under the chin where the nic was. Continued on the left and nothing on the cheeks, jawline or neck except for that tiny little patch that I cleaned up and got a little overzealous in picking those up. But, other than that, it was a hell of a BBS finish from both of these wonderful tools. Cleaned up, did my post routine and it was done.
Conclusion/Winner: This was a much closer shave off than I anticipated. The razors both performed flawlessly with a couple of hiccups from the Cobra that probably could be attributed to my carelessness and nothing to do in faulting the razor. If you look closely at the pics above, you will see and get the perception that the Cobra has much more blade exposure/reveal than the Vector but, that’s not the case and certainly not in how they both feel which is quite similar. Blade feel is almost equal with a slight tad more to the Cobra. They both felt smooth and efficient throughout the whole shave. I will say that the Cobra felt like it could and did glide more easily than the Vector. And I attribute that to the chrome finish of the Cobra and giving it that slippery face feel. The Vector on the other hand was easier to move and maneuver anywhere and everywhere on your face, neck and chin but, didn’t glide as easily. With the Cobra, a more traditional technique is used such as let the weight do most of the work and apply no or very little pressure. The Vector contrarily, required one to use and apply a bit of pressure to compensate for the thinner and lighter head. Feel in the hands is great from both razors and I love the ridges and curves on the Cobra but, it was a bit cumbersome when doing switchbacks and quick reversals during the shave. Things that I did not realize before until I received and used the Vector. Easy to maneuver, throw around and make quick reversals coupled with a handle that is quite good and for most will not slip out of the hands gives the Vector a better and easier razor to handle. Tough, tough call here Gents..
The Champ..........
I would like to thank @Graydog for the wonderful brush that he gifted to me. A true gentleman and hell of a guy. The brush performed marvelously without a single issue rivaling the other so called better synthetics. Just a fabulous knot and handle combination. Also again, another big thanks to @Dragonsbeard for lighting the fire.
As I said Gents, any all thoughts are welcome. Ideas, advice, concerns or anything you might have to say and contribute would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Shaves All........
yed your complete review and photos.
