What blade do you use?
The Vector is Blacklands best razor.
- Thread starter NoScrubs
- Start date
Have tried just about all - Kai Mild Pinks, Feather ProGuard, Feather Pro, Feather Pro Super, Schick Proline
Yesterday was the first chance to try my Vector (picked up in the B/ST forum) and it surpassed expectations. I used a Feather Pro Guard and achieved BBS on its maiden voyage. It's like using a laser, very light and maneuverable. I don't like to draw definitive conclusions about a razor/blade combo until after at least 10 shaves, nevertheless, this start is very promising and I'm looking forward to upcoming shaves with it.
Awesome! Welcome to the Vector!
I’m going to give the Vector another try after a rough go of it last year. I’ve been shaving with an ATT X1 slant for a few months now and it’s a perfectly harmless razor, reminds me of my DE Tech…has never drawn blood. The only quibbles I have with the X1 are the weight and the slant itself that doesn’t seem to serve the same purpose as a DE slant.
Anyhow, just ordered another vector and some ProGuard blades. Went stainless this time, since the Ti I tried before may have been too nimble for my inexperienced hand. I’ll try riding the cap at first and sticking with the guarded blades for awhile and see if I fare better. I really want this razor to work for me, at least until Shane designs a single edge equivalent of my Tech. Not holding my breath though, since mild razors seem to be out of fashion.
Anyhow, just ordered another vector and some ProGuard blades. Went stainless this time, since the Ti I tried before may have been too nimble for my inexperienced hand. I’ll try riding the cap at first and sticking with the guarded blades for awhile and see if I fare better. I really want this razor to work for me, at least until Shane designs a single edge equivalent of my Tech. Not holding my breath though, since mild razors seem to be out of fashion.
So the Vector has become my daily driver. However, I had a recent hiccup when I changed from a Pro Guard to the Kai Mild blade. The latter would not shave, perhaps I installed it backward. I completed the shave with my Rockwell 6S which was handy in the bathroom. Disassembled and reassembled the Vector and will give the Kai blade another chance, on inspection the blade seems fine and it cut the hair on my forearm okay. Hopefully operator error, if not I've got plenty of Pro Guards.
I just got the Vector and tried using the Kai Mild blade tonight and had the exact same experience. It didn’t cut a thing. I finished my head shave with the Rockwell 6S after trying 3 passes with significant stubble remaining with that Kai blade. I hope it’s just the blade and not the razor. I’ll try the Pro Guard.
I started my Vector journey using a Kai Captain Titan Mild Pro Touch MG blade. I didn't get the close shave I expected with this blade and after the forth shave, I trashed the blade. I switched to a Proline P and immediately got a much closer shave. The one issue I have being a new Vector user is making sure I have the sharp side facing the correct way before clamping it down.
Yeah, I’m going to keep playing with this. I love the weight, feel and maneuverability of the razor. Perfect for the head. But it has to give a closer shave than I got last night with the Kai Captain Titan Mild for me to be satisfied. I know all the great reviews by so many guys can’t be wrong, so I’m going to switch out the blade and retry. I’ve been using a Rockwell 6S with Astra Platinum blades and getting bbs results, but it’s a heavy razor and not as nimble.
Try a different blade from the same pack and, if that isn't giving the results you want, switch it out for a Feather Pro or similar. The beauty of the AC platform is the wide variety of blades. So don't let a single blade box you in. The Vector can be as mild or as efficient as you want it to be with blade choice.
Thank you for the pointers! I’ll absolutely give it a shot.
Well I can happily report that my new Vector Ti performed like a champ tonight with a new blade! I switched out the Kai Mild for a Feather Pro Guard and found the whole head shaving experience very satisfying. I nicked myself in 2 places because I got a little too familiar and confident with this razor on only my second use. But I’ve got to say that it’s only because this razor feels so instantly familiar. It’s light and easy to hold, and I just forgot to pay attention. The final result was a bbs shave in just 2 1/2 passes. The Vector with the right blade is a great tool indeed.
Good morning, gents.
I’m giving serious thought to delving into SE razors for some variety. I have my eye on the Vector, but, I will likely try something less abusive to my wallet to start with; probably a Hawk.
My question is regarding blades. They are WAY more expensive than DE blades. I generally toss my DE blades after three shaves because they start to pull. They are cheap (less than $0.15 per blade), so, I don’t really care. Comparatively, Feather AC Pro blades are $0.65+ each. I would need to get 13 shaves per blade to make it cost effective.
So, how many shaves do you typically get out of an SE blade?
I’m giving serious thought to delving into SE razors for some variety. I have my eye on the Vector, but, I will likely try something less abusive to my wallet to start with; probably a Hawk.
My question is regarding blades. They are WAY more expensive than DE blades. I generally toss my DE blades after three shaves because they start to pull. They are cheap (less than $0.15 per blade), so, I don’t really care. Comparatively, Feather AC Pro blades are $0.65+ each. I would need to get 13 shaves per blade to make it cost effective.
So, how many shaves do you typically get out of an SE blade?
10-ish shaves is pretty typical for an AC blade. It will be more expensive per shave than DE, but not drastically.
Thanks for this. I can certainly live with a $0.10 per shave cost.
If I may ask a question, the one thing holding me up from placing an order for a Vector on your website is my concern of durability. I spent 35+ years in the CNC machining environment, and, to me, the rectangular stud appears to be a point of weakness (either due to misalignment during assembly or simply the reduced size/limited thread engagement). I know you offer a lifetime warranty, but, I hate the idea of it breaking and having to go through the replacement process.
Unless you happen to be a natural ham-fisted type of person and I'm not saying you are, the threaded post will not be an issue. You just have to trust Blackland knows what they're doing. Blackland offers a nice discount for new customers. I think when I bought my first razor I got a bump in the discount by also entering my phone #.
The Vector is my best shaver, Period.
Thanks, mate.
No new customer discounts were offered when I created my account, only for educators/first responders/military (which is great to see). I think I’ll wait and see if any offers come up in the future; I have $265US in my cart (razor and stand), but just can’t bring myself to pull the trigger yet, especially since I can get a Hawk for $70US and I’ve been happy with RazoRock/Italian Barber as a company.
The top cap post is a really interesting thing. It first appeared on the Sabre in 2017 (I think). Like you, I was really worried about the integrity of the post related to both bending/breaking and also cross-threading. So when the Sabre launched we assumed that we would need to replace some percentage of top caps over time and I factored that into the plan. I think I planned for something like 8% replacement rate. Then I sat and waited for those cross-threaded or snapped post emails. But they never came. We replaced one Sabre top cap that suffered in a drop, but never any structural issues with the post itself.
So then we stuck it on the Vector in ~2019. And the same thing happened. After nearly seven years and many thousands of razors with this post design, it has proven to be surprisingly bulletproof and we have never replaced one due to cross-threading or random breakage.
You should receive a welcome email when you sign up for our newsletter. If you signed up for that a while ago you may not receive it so just use the code Welcome2024 for 10% off your first order.
Nothing wrong with the Hawk. The Vector is better, but the Hawk is a great bang for your buck.
