Blackbird lite, how is it?

So the question is, What's the One perfect razor so far ? Curiosity has me !

It's the $45 TRC aluminum razor from the The Razor Company, it gives me shaves that no other has so far. For extra oomph I sometimes use a shim, with a result that is very similar to the Lite as far as closeness, with virtually zero blade feel and much easier to use.

It's so good that it prompted me to order the steel version which has neutral exposure. It hasn't arrived yet though.

So the question is, What's the One perfect razor so far ? Curiosity has me !

It's the $45 TRC aluminum razor from the The Razor Company, it gives me shaves that no other has so far. For extra oomph I sometimes use a shim, with a result that is very similar to the Lite as far as closeness, with virtually zero blade feel and much easier to use.

It's so good that it prompted me to order the steel version which has neutral exposure. It hasn't arrived yet though.

Thanks and glad ya got a winner

So the question is, What's the One perfect razor so far ? Curiosity has me !

It's the $45 TRC aluminum razor from the The Razor Company, it gives me shaves that no other has so far. For extra oomph I sometimes use a shim, with a result that is very similar to the Lite as far as closeness, with virtually zero blade feel and much easier to use.

It's so good that it prompted me to order the steel version which has neutral exposure. It hasn't arrived yet though.

Thanks for the heads-up. I may have to try one. According to their site it's $45. That's a fair price for a high quality aluminum razor. Doubly so if I can catch a sale.

And you use absolutely no pressure?  

If so then I ask if you wash your face with soap before a shave.  If so, something soft to work in the beard?  I use cetaphil gentle cleanser.  

Next step is soap, no plug here i prefer ethos f base, and avoid most soaps with fragrance oils.  Natural and avoid a heavy citrus load - lavender is perfect. 

Finally post shave.  Alum could be harsh to some.  So I go for witch hazel and skin food splash.  Last is lotion, Clinique post shave healer or ethos skin food lotion for me. 

Reason I’m this specific - I have folliculitis and psoriasis.  It’s easy for me to be miserable with a bad shave for a week.  These are items that work for me.  

Before this, I used a straight for almost 15 years.  Without wet shaving all I can use is a oneblade to keep my shadow at bay.

Great tips!

I do use some pressure, or the blade will start to skip over the stubble, but always the least amount required of course to get the job done. Also it depends on the razor: with the Lite I use very little pressure in general, with the negative-exposure razor more so.

No face wash prior to shaving: it would remove that natural oils in the skin which helps with the lubrication/glide of the blade over the skin.
No preshaves or oils, I tried them a couple of times but they really didn't work for me.

Soap: Cella red/green (almond/aloe vera).

Post shave: no splash, only Cella green (aloe vera).

Interesting to note that I'm currently on a longer stay on the Mediterranean coast, where the climate is very hot and humid - it's like a wearing a hot towel on your face 24/7. Here I use canned shave gel instead of Cella, but even so the shaves are much better than back home, because of the climate difference.

I do highly recommend you try a gentle warm weather face wash first.  Do not worry about washing oil off of your skin, your soap will provide plenty of protection.  

Skin stretch vs pressure on razor blade.  I’m willing to bet this greatly helps your issues.  

Like I mentioned, I have skin issues, and my neck loves to light up red.  I can avoid it and perform a 2 or 3 pass shave… crazy but prep matters.  

Also like a least a witch hazel for post shave.

For me, it’s counterintuitive. Much of my beard grows dead flat against the skin and with random grain. I find a razor without positive exposure to be far more irritating. The extra passes needed to get all the stubborn hairs more than trumps any benefit from being milder.

That does not mean I love big gaps or exposure. I’m not looking for a bragging rights test of skill.

When I first tried the Blackbird 5 or 6 years ago, I wasn’t impressed during the shave. It was a step up in blade exposure and blade feel for me, and I thought it might have been a mistake. Then I noticed how much better my skin felt AFTER the shave. Hmmmm.

Fwiw, I do find that I can use a SOMEWHAT milder blade in the BB than I would use in a milder razor. With negative exposure, my blade of choice is Bic, and I’d use Feather if it didn’t lose its edge so quickly. In the BB, I find that the Bic is a bit uncomfortable, but a wide range of popular blades work great: Personna, GSB, Astra, Voshkod, etc.

For me, it’s counterintuitive. Much of my beard grows dead flat against the skin and with random grain. I find a razor without positive exposure to be far more irritating. The extra passes needed to get all the stubborn hairs more than trumps any benefit from being milder.

That does not mean I love big gaps or exposure. I’m not looking for a bragging rights test of skill.

When I first tried the Blackbird 5 or 6 years ago, I wasn’t impressed during the shave. It was a step up in blade exposure and blade feel for me, and I thought it might have been a mistake. Then I noticed how much better my skin felt AFTER the shave. Hmmmm.

Fwiw, I do find that I can use a SOMEWHAT milder blade in the BB than I would use in a milder razor. With negative exposure, my blade of choice is Bic, and I’d use Feather if it didn’t lose its edge so quickly. In the BB, I find that the Bic is a bit uncomfortable, but a wide range of popular blades work great: Personna, GSB, Astra, Voshkod, etc.

sgarnett i agree but have found one exception to exposure in a razor, the Lamba Athena does a great job for me with neutral blade exposure.  Other than that, if it isn't positive I can't use it.

My favorite remain the normal Blackbird.