My GRAIL RAZOR appeared… after EIGHT YEARS at B&B and DE Shaving.

[Cal]

I did a seven-shave trial of the Blackland Blackbird and thought it was great. During that trial, I ordered the Open Comb baseplate. It turned up just in time for my eighth Blackbird shave… and it was even better than the Safety Bar (for me).

Being an LHF (Lightweight Handle Fanboy) I used the Open Comb Blackbird on my Phoenix Filament Handle (5.5 grams) for the ninth Blackbird shave. That was an epiphany!

I’ve now completed seven shaves with my “Blackbird OC Filament” and it’s truly my GRAIL RAZOR. It’s as if this razor was made just for me. Not only do the shaves get better each time, but every one of them has been sublime.

Here are some pics and measurements for any geeks who would like to share my joy:

And with a friend:

To repeat myself, for those of you who don’t know…
I have coarse, abundant, and fast-growing whiskers; and I believe my skin is average (i.e. not sensitive OR leathery). Also, I shave steep (riding the guard).

---

Seventh GRAIL RAZOR Shave

Brush: Simpson Wee Scot 13/39
Soap: Clubman
Razor: Blackbird OC Filament (7)
Blade: Gillette 7o’clock Black (7)
ASL: Orange FREEZE [home brew]

A sublime shave…
with my GRAIL RAZOR and his top-performing team.


Happy shaves guys.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I did a seven-shave trial of the Blackland Blackbird and thought it was great. During that trial, I ordered the Open Comb baseplate. It turned up just in time for my eighth Blackbird shave… and it was even better than the Safety Bar (for me).

Being an LHF (Lightweight Handle Fanboy) I used the Open Comb Blackbird on my Phoenix Filament Handle (5.5 grams) for the ninth Blackbird shave. That was an epiphany!

I’ve now completed seven shaves with my “Blackbird OC Filament” and it’s truly my GRAIL RAZOR. It’s as if this razor was made just for me. Not only do the shaves get better each time, but every one of them has been sublime.

Here are some pics and measurements for any geeks who would like to share my joy:
View attachment 1710209

View attachment 1710210

View attachment 1710211

View attachment 1710212
View attachment 1710214
View attachment 1710215

And with a friend:
View attachment 1710216

To repeat myself, for those of you who don’t know…
I have coarse, abundant, and fast-growing whiskers; and I believe my skin is average (i.e. not sensitive OR leathery). Also, I shave steep (riding the guard).

---

Seventh GRAIL RAZOR Shave
View attachment 1710207

Brush: Simpson Wee Scot 13/39
Soap: Clubman
Razor: Blackbird OC Filament (7)
Blade: Gillette 7o’clock Black (7)
ASL: Orange FREEZE [home brew]

A sublime shave…
with my GRAIL RAZOR and his top-performing team.


Happy shaves guys.

Congratulations Cal! Finding ‘the one’ is a great accomplishment.

 

[DesertIguana]

Only one thing matters, your happy.

 

[FarmerTan]

Excellent photos, it really shows off the Blackbird.

 

[Asland408]

Congrats Cal! I will keep looking for the one!

 

[GrizzlyCA]

Awesome photos and dig the handle. I admire your choice of blades too definitely one of my top five for sure.
Congratulations!

 

[Shavist]

I was going to write about how I compared a Phoenix DOC, GC .84, and a Slim, and how the Slim won. Then I read this thread and once again I'm chasing perfection. 10 scale, DOC 8, GC 9, Slim 10. Now on to the Blackbird, maybe it's 11.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Congrats, Cal. It's been a joy watching your love for your various razors over this past year and a half. I'm glad you found one to top them all.

 

[Patrice]

It's a funny and totally counterintuitive outset, I'll try the BB head with a plastic Merkur handle I have, thanks for the tip! It's true that a big balance inflexion toward the head is a nice deal.

 

[Cal]

Congrats Cal! I will keep looking for the one!

Thank you, Chad. Funnily enough, I wasn't looking for "the one," it just "happened."

 

[Iridian]

Congrats, your handle choice is more alien and frightening than an Eldar Wraithlord knocking on my door, though. At least for me.

 

[ClumsyBull]

Is there any sense of imbalance? Some people make a big deal of that... personally, it's never been a HUGe issue but then again, I have never pushed the envelope as far as you have...

 

[muzichead]

Congrats Cal on finding the one!! I revisited my TiBB today giving the Wolf a rest after 8 shaves and was greeted by a remarkable BBS in 2.5 passes and now I sit and wonder why did I buy the Wolf?

 

[ButterfaceX]

Handle is interesting. It has to be head heavy.....
Be crazy if it took little batteries and had leds that lit up...
Very starwars z...

But yes, congrats!
Bottom-line very happy you have found what works the very best for you.
I just amplifies the enjoyment of the shave to the max....

BFX

 

[Rosseforp]

Be crazy if it took little batteries and had leds that lit up...

PAA does make one that glows in the dark..

~doug~

 

[ButterfaceX]

PAA does make one that glows in the dark..

~doug~

Who shaves in the dark?....Plus my den needs a good sleep at night, I would not want to keep the razors up at night. They would be cranky and tired...

 

[Frito Ray]

…Funnily enough, I wasn't looking for "the one," it just "happened."

Now that you landed on your “one”, I would bet that your average number of shaves per blade will increase.

Please let us know if that is the case.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Can you spell "chatter"?

 

[Iridian]

I am not sure if this is a SS or Ti BB OC head.

Would a Ti version of the Blackbird OC possibly improve the Grail razor to a Holy Grail razor?

 

[Cal]

Is there any sense of imbalance? Some people make a big deal of that... personally, it's never been a HUGe issue but then again, I have never pushed the envelope as far as you have...

(For me) there's no sense of imbalance, and maneuverability is tops.

One of my favorite tools used to be the 14lb sledge hammer. I could use it extremely accurately. Can you imagine being able to wield a heavy sledge hammer accurately, if the handle was heavier than the head?