Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

It sure does look great Eric.  Congrats!

Thank you Mike!

I have been going back and forth on wanting to have my Fatboy re-plated. I've had it since I was 19 and It's got almost as much "Patina" as me.
Posts like this one make me want to. Dang you Eric.

'64 Gillette Slim, Steampunk design by Delta Echo Razor Works (sadly shuttered now)
Personna CC (2)
Black Tie #13 unscented soap
Trotter Handcrafts Nacar Oscuro with AP Shave Co 2BED synthetic



My favorite Gillette gave me a most memorable shave! I have never gone higher than 7, which I recall feeling harsh on my face, but I recently read of some gents saying 9 is very smooth. So I girded my loins and set to the task on setting 9. And no harsh feeling! I achieved a glass-like finish with minimal irritation (irritation probably due to me not having used the Slim in months!). I am very pleased with my "new" Slim!

Bouki and HighSpeed, here are my thoughts on the titanium Vector. I am replying in my Journal rather than in Dave in KY Journal in order for me to keep track better and to cause less clutter in Dave's space!

First, yes, there is plenty of room at the trough! But the price for a seat at the trough can be steep. Six years ago, I could not imagine paying $100 USD for a razor! 

Second, like everything to do with shaving, your experience may be nothing like mine. Over on B&B there is a thread, Thoughts on Vector vs. Vector Ti, that is a good read for seeing this play out. Some guys like the SS version better and some like Ti better. I think some even mix and match parts to get the weight they want!

Is the Ti Vector too light for me? No. I like using vintage injectors and they are really light. I have not used an aluminum razor, so I don't have a good comparison. 

I have only used the Ti Vector with Schick Proline blades, which Shane no longer lists as compatible on Blackland's website, as too many users say that the Prolines don't fit right. I have not experienced that issue with either the SS or the Ti versions. I do have 2 types of Kai blades and some Feathers, but haven't tried any in the Ti Vector yet. 

So, my experiences with the Vector. The first time I saw one posted, I remember thinking that is one cool looking razor, but the head is SO BIG!! Like a windshield wiper! And I read how they gave such close shaves. But there was also mention of them biting, hard, if you were not careful. I back burnered the Vector for some time. Fast forward to last Fall. I took a sudden interest in single edge shaving. I entered into some communication with Dave and bought a Parker injector from him. To quote Rush from "Jacob's Ladder":

All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams

Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…


Angels may have also sung, but I was in a daze and don't fully recall. Dave being the great guy he is, sent me a package of GEM razors. And lent me his Blackland Sabre. And later his Vector! DE razors fell to the back of the shave drawer. 

The Vector was a beast, but I thought I tamed it and there were no stitches needed. I bought when off the BST. And then the trials and tribulations started, lasting five months. I could not, no matter what blade I used, get two comfortable shaves 2 days in a row. And many shaves left me feeling raw. I cleaned it up and sold it. 

Then Shane wrote a piece about how titanium can totally change the face-feel of a razor. I read it several times, and found some posts on the very subject. In fact, I think Dave bought a Ti Blackbird and had that similar experience Shane wrote about. I started looking for a Ti Vector on the BST. Obviously I found one! 

It is wonderful feeling on my face. I shaved 7 days straight with it and NO IRRITATION. I'd be shaving with it now but I decided to participate in a Vintage April thread over on B&B.

As for the weight, I believe it is heavier than a Schick injector. I like the lighter, nimbler feel that the titanium gives it. But now the bite comes from the carelessness of feeling like it won't bite me! I can get any razor to bite me if I get to care-free, and this Vector sort of promotes that feeling, compared to the white-knuckled, hold your breath and hope for the best feeling that the SS Vector gave me!

Others will have different opinions. Some will use a different handle. But I like it just the way it is!

Bouki and HighSpeed, here are my thoughts on the titanium Vector. I am replying in my Journal rather than in Dave in KY Journal in order for me to keep track better and to cause less clutter in Dave's space!

First, yes, there is plenty of room at the trough! But the price for a seat at the trough can be steep. Six years ago, I could not imagine paying $100 USD for a razor! 

Second, like everything to do with shaving, your experience may be nothing like mine. Over on B&B there is a thread, Thoughts on Vector vs. Vector Ti, that is a good read for seeing this play out. Some guys like the SS version better and some like Ti better. I think some even mix and match parts to get the weight they want!

Is the Ti Vector too light for me? No. I like using vintage injectors and they are really light. I have not used an aluminum razor, so I don't have a good comparison. 

I have only used the Ti Vector with Schick Proline blades, which Shane no longer lists as compatible on Blackland's website, as too many users say that the Prolines don't fit right. I have not experienced that issue with either the SS or the Ti versions. I do have 2 types of Kai blades and some Feathers, but haven't tried any in the Ti Vector yet. 

So, my experiences with the Vector. The first time I saw one posted, I remember thinking that is one cool looking razor, but the head is SO BIG!! Like a windshield wiper! And I read how they gave such close shaves. But there was also mention of them biting, hard, if you were not careful. I back burnered the Vector for some time. Fast forward to last Fall. I took a sudden interest in single edge shaving. I entered into some communication with Dave and bought a Parker injector from him. To quote Rush from "Jacob's Ladder":

All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams

Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…


Angels may have also sung, but I was in a daze and don't fully recall. Dave being the great guy he is, sent me a package of GEM razors. And lent me his Blackland Sabre. And later his Vector! DE razors fell to the back of the shave drawer. 

The Vector was a beast, but I thought I tamed it and there were no stitches needed. I bought when off the BST. And then the trials and tribulations started, lasting five months. I could not, no matter what blade I used, get two comfortable shaves 2 days in a row. And many shaves left me feeling raw. I cleaned it up and sold it. 

Then Shane wrote a piece about how titanium can totally change the face-feel of a razor. I read it several times, and found some posts on the very subject. In fact, I think Dave bought a Ti Blackbird and had that similar experience Shane wrote about. I started looking for a Ti Vector on the BST. Obviously I found one! 

It is wonderful feeling on my face. I shaved 7 days straight with it and NO IRRITATION. I'd be shaving with it now but I decided to participate in a Vintage April thread over on B&B.

As for the weight, I believe it is heavier than a Schick injector. I like the lighter, nimbler feel that the titanium gives it. But now the bite comes from the carelessness of feeling like it won't bite me! I can get any razor to bite me if I get to care-free, and this Vector sort of promotes that feeling, compared to the white-knuckled, hold your breath and hope for the best feeling that the SS Vector gave me!

Others will have different opinions. Some will use a different handle. But I like it just the way it is!

MaineYooper, this is a brilliant explanation! Thanks for taking so much time to describe your experience with Blackland's Vector razor. Anyone who can work Rush into a discussion on single-edged razors scores pretty high in my book! You're great. 

And you told me just what I wanted to know about the Vector. I, too, had read the articles on how the stainless version had a tendency to bite, and since I have a light beard, I decided to pass on the razor. But then your comments on the Ti version re-stoked my interest.

That head is enormous, though. Two swipes and I'd be done with it all. But the thought of getting seven shaves in a row with no irritation ... that's tempting. That's very tempting!

Thanks again for your report. It was wonderful!

MaineYooper, this is a brilliant explanation! Thanks for taking so much time to describe your experience with Blackland's Vector razor. Anyone who can work Rush into a discussion on single-edged razors scores pretty high in my book! You're great. 

And you told me just what I wanted to know about the Vector. I, too, had read the articles on how the stainless version had a tendency to bite, and since I have a light beard, I decided to pass on the razor. But then your comments on the Ti version re-stoked my interest.

That head is enormous, though. Two swipes and I'd be done with it all. But the thought of getting seven shaves in a row with no irritation ... that's tempting. That's very tempting!

Thanks again for your report. It was wonderful!

You are very welcome, it was my pleasure to have a chance to pull my thoughts together.

And I have been a Rush fan since 1980! My coworkers are not at all surprised at how I can work Rush into a conversation!

Back from Chris at Back Roads Gold in its new nickel plating, my Karve Overlander!


It did a bang-up job, and I couldn't be happier!


Karve Overlander, now nickel plated
Personna CC (1)
The last of the Hub City Birthday Suit (didn't think I'd ever see the bottom!)
G5A Zombie Genes

10/10, just fantastic. As I said in the Acquistions' thread, I couldn't be more pleased. Glides so well and still feels the same as before. The only difference I feel is less drag/vacuum effect when the lather has been removed and I am touching up without rewetting or relathering. Nothing drastic, and it is an improvement from before the plating.

And being brass, it still retains heat well! I use a basin of warm to hot water most days, so as I am relathering the razor is immersed and warming up again. SS razors warm up but cool done a lot faster. Brass must have a lower heat conductivity, if I am thinking about this correctly, allowing it to retain heat longer than steel. Cast iron is really retentive, as anyone knows who burned a finger grabbing a pan that hadn't been on the stove for some time!

Love the work Chris did on this razor and am just tickled with the results and that nothing seems to have changed!

Gorgeous! I do love the feel of nickel, especially when it's polished and as smooth looking as your Overlander. Chris did some work for me, too. He revamped a pre-war Tech and plated it in nickel. Looks fabulous. And I was impressed by how quickly he finished the project.

Bouki and HighSpeed, here are my thoughts on the titanium Vector. I am replying in my Journal rather than in Dave in KY Journal in order for me to keep track better and to cause less clutter in Dave's space!

First, yes, there is plenty of room at the trough! But the price for a seat at the trough can be steep. Six years ago, I could not imagine paying $100 USD for a razor! 

Second, like everything to do with shaving, your experience may be nothing like mine. Over on B&B there is a thread, Thoughts on Vector vs. Vector Ti, that is a good read for seeing this play out. Some guys like the SS version better and some like Ti better. I think some even mix and match parts to get the weight they want!

Is the Ti Vector too light for me? No. I like using vintage injectors and they are really light. I have not used an aluminum razor, so I don't have a good comparison. 

I have only used the Ti Vector with Schick Proline blades, which Shane no longer lists as compatible on Blackland's website, as too many users say that the Prolines don't fit right. I have not experienced that issue with either the SS or the Ti versions. I do have 2 types of Kai blades and some Feathers, but haven't tried any in the Ti Vector yet. 

So, my experiences with the Vector. The first time I saw one posted, I remember thinking that is one cool looking razor, but the head is SO BIG!! Like a windshield wiper! And I read how they gave such close shaves. But there was also mention of them biting, hard, if you were not careful. I back burnered the Vector for some time. Fast forward to last Fall. I took a sudden interest in single edge shaving. I entered into some communication with Dave and bought a Parker injector from him. To quote Rush from "Jacob's Ladder":

All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams

Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…


Angels may have also sung, but I was in a daze and don't fully recall. Dave being the great guy he is, sent me a package of GEM razors. And lent me his Blackland Sabre. And later his Vector! DE razors fell to the back of the shave drawer. 

The Vector was a beast, but I thought I tamed it and there were no stitches needed. I bought when off the BST. And then the trials and tribulations started, lasting five months. I could not, no matter what blade I used, get two comfortable shaves 2 days in a row. And many shaves left me feeling raw. I cleaned it up and sold it. 

Then Shane wrote a piece about how titanium can totally change the face-feel of a razor. I read it several times, and found some posts on the very subject. In fact, I think Dave bought a Ti Blackbird and had that similar experience Shane wrote about. I started looking for a Ti Vector on the BST. Obviously I found one! 

It is wonderful feeling on my face. I shaved 7 days straight with it and NO IRRITATION. I'd be shaving with it now but I decided to participate in a Vintage April thread over on B&B.

As for the weight, I believe it is heavier than a Schick injector. I like the lighter, nimbler feel that the titanium gives it. But now the bite comes from the carelessness of feeling like it won't bite me! I can get any razor to bite me if I get to care-free, and this Vector sort of promotes that feeling, compared to the white-knuckled, hold your breath and hope for the best feeling that the SS Vector gave me!

Others will have different opinions. Some will use a different handle. But I like it just the way it is!

What a wonderful write up Eric.  Thank you very much!

You are correct about the weight too.  Over time, I have owned and weighed 10 vintage injectors - 1 PAL, 2 Ever-Sharp branded, and 7 Schicks.  Among them are a handful that I enjoy increasingly, and they are den leaders for me.  All 10 weigh(ed) under 33g on my scale.  In contrast, the titanium and steel Vectors are listed at 44.5 and 77g respectively, and by way of calibration, Dave's Vector (Dave in KY) weighed 77.5g on the same scale.  

My own deliberations started from there, and they came into sharp focus after reading Eric's review and doing a bit more homework.  They involved looking at other razors that have stood the test of time for me, plus the very few titanium razors I can evaluate.  For example, I enjoy the Razorock V3 much more when I swap out the stainless handle for a Timeless titanium one, resulting in a hybrid weight of 80g.  My most favorite of many GEMs is a 33g Featherweight, followed by a Clog Pruf and an MMOC, both at 64g.  And all of these SEs can go toe-to-toe with the DEs that have visited my den.

At the moment, what all this looks like in my brain is this:  First, I know from experience with Dave's Vector that an SS Vector would be a delight.  (Thank you again my friend!)  Second, I too am gravitating increasingly towards SEs over time - about 75% of my last 50 shaves have been SE - and among SEs, the lighter ones generally work best for me.  Third, after thinking it over, nothing about DEs seems relevant to which Vector I might buy.  Fourth, I do not doubt that as luxuries go, a Vector would be worthwhile to me at this stage in my life (by adding joy to my days), and not just a trinket.  Fifth, OT1H I am not sure which Vector would suit me better, but OTOH it is not an irrevocable decision.  Sixth, my next stop will be the B&B discussion that Eric mentioned.

Finally, Eric:  I cannot thank you enough.  Reading about your experiences facilitated things coming together for me.  What turns out to be our common experience with injectors, your comparisons of your SS and Ti experience, and especially the Ti seven day daily driver run and the light weight aspect.  I completely rethought my concerns about the Ti Vector's weight after reading how similar our injector experiences were and examining my own tables and logs.  Mille grazie.

HighSpeed
Mike, thanks so much for kind words! I am very pleased to have been helpful!

Yesterday's shave with the Steampunk Slim on 9 was amazingly close. I had enough stubble to shave this morning but wimped out on repeating the full-bore approach and dialed it back to 6 (which used to be my standard start, then dropped to 5 for rest of the shave. I still felt as if I were being daring!) 



PAA Moonscape brush warmer (in use with most synthetics. I blame thank Tim MilkCrate for bringing this to my attention!)
'64 Steampunk Slim
Personna CC (3)
Black Tie #13 (of note, both the blade and the soap are courtesy of our fabulous mrdoug! Thanks Paul!)
apshaveco SynBad (Pillowy cloudlike softness) in a Knothead Brushworks handle (another great Tim! Thanks for making this beauty of a handle!)

I was wary of shaving too soon after a very close late morning shave yesterday, so to be safe, and because my rosacea seems to be flaring, I dialed it back to a known comfort level. A great shave and I am so enjoying my rediscovery of the Slim. As much as TobyC may have opened a can of contentious worms on another thread, I have to fully agree, the Slim, even in its Steampunk apparel, is one razor full of soul! I love the gadgetry feel and the smooth shaving it gives!