Good evening, everyone!
First shave with the Blackland Batch 004, and my first impression is that this is a very capable razor. The overall feel is excellent, and the fact that it felt a little harsh initially—especially ATG—I put down mostly to the GEM blade, since GEM blades always feel a little rougher to me during their first couple of shaves, probably because the blade has virtually no flex.
The weight caught me a little off guard. My Sabre V2, which I normally use with GEM blades, is titanium, so it has spoiled me somewhat with its almost autopilot-style shaving. That certainly doesn't mean the Batch 004 didn't give me an excellent shave—quite the opposite. I just need some time to get accustomed to its weight.
The grip also takes a little getting used to. My brain has become so accustomed to conventional round handles that the first few passes over the lather and whiskers immediately triggered an alarm! After a little while, though, I discovered that the handle is incredibly comfortable and versatile. You can hold and manipulate it in dozens of different ways that simply aren't possible with a traditional razor handle.
Negatives:
One negative I found is that, when shaving heavier growth, the blade-clamping design tends to collect whiskers underneath, between the razor and the blade. It isn't really a problem during the shave, though, and everything comes out once the blade is removed for cleaning afterwards.
Another negative is that, because of its unusual shape, there really isn't a conventional stand you can place the razor in between passes or while leaving it out to dry.
Overall—and this is what matters most to me—the razor left me with a smile on my face when I finished the shave. That's exactly what I'm looking for.
The rest of the shave:
Soap & ASL: BBS Ostara
Blade: Accuforge GEM Stainless Coated — 1st use
Brush: CFShaves Premium Boar
That's all from me!
First shave with the Blackland Batch 004, and my first impression is that this is a very capable razor. The overall feel is excellent, and the fact that it felt a little harsh initially—especially ATG—I put down mostly to the GEM blade, since GEM blades always feel a little rougher to me during their first couple of shaves, probably because the blade has virtually no flex.
The weight caught me a little off guard. My Sabre V2, which I normally use with GEM blades, is titanium, so it has spoiled me somewhat with its almost autopilot-style shaving. That certainly doesn't mean the Batch 004 didn't give me an excellent shave—quite the opposite. I just need some time to get accustomed to its weight.
The grip also takes a little getting used to. My brain has become so accustomed to conventional round handles that the first few passes over the lather and whiskers immediately triggered an alarm! After a little while, though, I discovered that the handle is incredibly comfortable and versatile. You can hold and manipulate it in dozens of different ways that simply aren't possible with a traditional razor handle.
Negatives:
One negative I found is that, when shaving heavier growth, the blade-clamping design tends to collect whiskers underneath, between the razor and the blade. It isn't really a problem during the shave, though, and everything comes out once the blade is removed for cleaning afterwards.
Another negative is that, because of its unusual shape, there really isn't a conventional stand you can place the razor in between passes or while leaving it out to dry.
Overall—and this is what matters most to me—the razor left me with a smile on my face when I finished the shave. That's exactly what I'm looking for.
The rest of the shave:
Soap & ASL: BBS Ostara
Blade: Accuforge GEM Stainless Coated — 1st use
Brush: CFShaves Premium Boar
That's all from me!