(06-05-2020, 10:27 PM)don\tfeartheweeper Wrote: Please don't give up on the Dart. But if you do, let me know; I'll buy a spare.
What is the Dart? It's the best stainless steel razor on the market for under $100. Now, I haven't tried stainless razors that are even less expensive, though I've seen a few. But I'm willing to go out on a limb and argue that the Dart is peerless at its price.
It's also not at either extreme of the scale as far as efficiency. The Feather AS-D2 is extremely mild for my face and beard. I have not used it daily for a few weeks but the only real advantage it offers me is that I can easily shave daily with it, even twice a day, without irritation or weepers. But getting a true BBS shave with it is quite difficult and close to impossible. For me. I've never tried the R41 but that seems to be the Mother of All Aggressive DE Razors.
The Dart reminds me a bit of my early shaves with the ATT M1. Supposedly a mild razor, with some finding it too mild, I found it far from mild. It wasn't aggressive, but it could feel harsh. Weepers were easy to come by. I was surprised that Stan felt it was comparable to a SuperSpeed, and that the R1 was his idea of what most shavers would use as the daily driver.
The Dart, though, feels far smoother than I remember the M1 feeling. And this is no knock on the M1, which I love.
So what's the Dart's market? Experienced DE users -- people with at least a year or two using DEs -- who want to step up from their pot metal razors to a superb stainless razor that doesn't cost a fortune. Please note that I said "experienced" users, not "expert" users; you don't have to have your own youtube channel to love the Dart. But it's probably not for those who are just starting to use DE razors. Why not? Because novices will invariably press the razor against the face. It takes a while to learn to use no pressure. So the use of pressure combined with what might be a poor angle and less than optimal face prep mean that a newcomer should probably use a Merkur 38C or the equivalent from Jagger, Muhle, Maggard's, etc.
It's like learning to drive. I wouldn't put a sixteen year old in a fancy car until he or she masters the skills and is truly comfortable driving in any weather, on any road, etc.
The Dart is the perfect razor for the committed DE shaver who wants the very best without paying an exorbitant price. Within that are subcategories you mentioned, such as those who know they want a mild razor and those who like it rough and rugged. Those groups you can guide to the appropriate razors.
For the rest of us, the Dart is the answer.
This is one man's opinion, your mileage may vary, avoid prolonged use if you find yourself having psychotic episodes involving white rabbits trying to shave your whole family, don't operate after ten martinis, etc.
Awesome write-up! Thank you for taking the time to share that. The Dart isn't going anywhere for now because we produced so many of them, but you might consider picking up an extra this calendar year or so. At the end of the day it just doesn't sell as well as it should at this price point. That's a shame, but, hey they can't all be winners!