Blackbird Ti polished

I’m hoping that Shane is busy getting his new Blackland Era “pre-orders” out the door.
The Era shipments appear to be an even bigger project than getting 100 billion Covid vaccines produced and on a truck.
I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

Amen

I’m hoping that Shane is busy getting his new Blackland Era “pre-orders” out the door.
The Era shipments appear to be an even bigger project than getting 100 billion Covid vaccines produced and on a truck.
I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

Amen

I messaged him about the Blackland Ti Polished as I had a few questions regarding is the polishing done in house or outsourced and my other question was is it is outsourced does polishing effect the shaving characteristic of the basic finished Ti and he did respond quickly and said that some were done in house and some at the machine shop so not 100% clear as he didn't answer the last question about effecting the shaving characteristics. So still a bit confused. Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish?

Thank you

I’m hoping that Shane is busy getting his new Blackland Era “pre-orders” out the door.
The Era shipments appear to be an even bigger project than getting 100 billion Covid vaccines produced and on a truck.
I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

I’m worn out just from hearing about how difficult the production and fulfillment of Era “pre-orders” is…?

Amen

I messaged him about the Blackland Ti Polished as I had a few questions regarding is the polishing done in house or outsourced and my other question was is it is outsourced does polishing effect the shaving characteristic of the basic finished Ti and he did respond quickly and said that some were done in house and some at the machine shop so not 100% clear as he didn't answer the last question about effecting the shaving characteristics. So still a bit confused. Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish?

Thank you

I can't speak with regard to Blacklands razors that have been polished. My experience ones I have had polished is it does change the shave characteristics. I don't care what anybody says but if you polish something enough you're removing metal as well even if you're careful. That can change the geometry even slightly and make a difference in the shave and having a polished one glide quicker can change the feel of the shave. That's been my experience and that's all I can speak to.

Okay I just got an email from Shane and yes he said he was busy with hundreds of orders for the ERA. Like Patriot and I think others have said.
    Apparently he's telling me, from the polishing of the bottom  part of the handle it changes the tolerances to the stand if it's over polished. 
  He stated the fact that the bottom of the handle had a smaller flat surface to sit on most handles, as JimmyH  said .
   So he's sending out a new handle that's polished less in that area, and a 10% refund. I'm good with that, it makes sense and I'm good. 
   I really am enjoying the Blackbird razor, great shaves from the first.

Dragonsbeard  when you say *Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish" 
 I'm assuming you mean the polished versus the machined finish. 
Unless I'm missing something I would not consider the finish a high polish, I'd say mine is a low polish.
   As for myself I really can't tell without having both Razor side by side, and I sold the machined version off. 
Really like the way that polished razor shaves. 
   Maybe that's an advantage of a less polished razor, less chance of changing the shave.

Dragonsbeard  when you say *Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish" 
 I'm assuming you mean the polished versus the machined finish. 
Unless I'm missing something I would not consider the finish a high polish, I'd say mine is a low polish.
   As for myself I really can't tell without having both Razor side by side, and I sold the machined version off. 
Really like the way that polished razor shaves. 
   Maybe that's an advantage of a less polished razor, less chance of changing the shave.

I had a machine finished Ti Bird. I decided though I thought it shaved great, it was too light in weight for my hand. Sold it. Time past and I regretted selling it. A DFS member put one up on the BST saying it had been polished by non other than AlanH81. So I went looking for Alan's usual post showing his skills with this blackbird and found none. 

So I bought it anyway. After examining it ( it was obvious from the seller's photos that there were still machine marks) I messaged Alan asking what the story was. 

His (edited) reply ;

"I couldn’t polish that Blackbird due to the fact it’s abrasion and bad finish. I had been pretty clear on this particular razor not much I could do except just to spin in on muslin wheel for extra shine…

hope you understand and if I could do anything on that blackbird I would but wet micro wet sanding that texture would change Geometry and wouldn’t not be worth it as it would take hours and days of work for that perfection."

I must say, that although it wasn't close to the perfection AlanH81 achieves in many examples I've seen him post, that simple 'spin on a muslin wheel' has it looking really very nice to my eyes, and I'm very happy with it in all regards. 

Note above, the text in BOLD (by me) where Alan opines that too much sanding/polishing can indeed change geometry.

Dragonsbeard  when you say *Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish" 
 I'm assuming you mean the polished versus the machined finish. 
Unless I'm missing something I would not consider the finish a high polish, I'd say mine is a low polish.
   As for myself I really can't tell without having both Razor side by side, and I sold the machined version off. 
Really like the way that polished razor shaves. 
   Maybe that's an advantage of a less polished razor, less chance of changing the shave.

I had a machine finished Ti Bird. I decided though I thought it shaved great, it was too light in weight for my hand. Sold it. Time past and I regretted selling it. A DFS member put one up on the BST saying it had been polished by non other than AlanH81. So I went looking for Alan's usual post showing his skills with this blackbird and found none. 

So I bought it anyway. After examining it ( it was obvious from the seller's photos that there were still machine marks) I messaged Alan asking what the story was. 

His (edited) reply ;

"I couldn’t polish that Blackbird due to the fact it’s abrasion and bad finish. I had been pretty clear on this particular razor not much I could do except just to spin in on muslin wheel for extra shine…

hope you understand and if I could do anything on that blackbird I would but wet micro wet sanding that texture would change Geometry and wouldn’t not be worth it as it would take hours and days of work for that perfection."

I must say, that although it wasn't close to the perfection AlanH81 achieves in many examples I've seen him post, that simple 'spin on a muslin wheel' has it looking really very nice to my eyes, and I'm very happy with it in all regards. 

Note above, the text in BOLD (by me) where Alan opines that too much sanding/polishing can indeed change geometry.

Happy to hear that you’re happy with the Blackbird Ti JimmyH . AlanH81 did his very best, believe me. Me and him went back and forth with many emails and he did a much better job polishing than I expected due to being Titanium and the machined finish. In fact I just purchased a Blackbird Ti polished from Blackland and the AlanH81 Blackbird Ti is better polished (fact). I’m still happy with the Blackbird Ti because of how it shaves. For a $400 razor I was expecting at least Timeless titanium polishing levels. I have to say my Wolfmans has me spoiled and set the new gold standard of how polishing should be done. My 2 cents. Shane customer service is excellent. He replaced my inferior Vector Ti polished to a new polished Ti Vector.

Dragonsbeard  when you say *Anyone had any experience with the high polished version vs the standard finish" 
 I'm assuming you mean the polished versus the machined finish. 
Unless I'm missing something I would not consider the finish a high polish, I'd say mine is a low polish.
   As for myself I really can't tell without having both Razor side by side, and I sold the machined version off. 
Really like the way that polished razor shaves. 
   Maybe that's an advantage of a less polished razor, less chance of changing the shave.

I had a machine finished Ti Bird. I decided though I thought it shaved great, it was too light in weight for my hand. Sold it. Time past and I regretted selling it. A DFS member put one up on the BST saying it had been polished by non other than AlanH81. So I went looking for Alan's usual post showing his skills with this blackbird and found none. 

So I bought it anyway. After examining it ( it was obvious from the seller's photos that there were still machine marks) I messaged Alan asking what the story was. 

His (edited) reply ;

"I couldn’t polish that Blackbird due to the fact it’s abrasion and bad finish. I had been pretty clear on this particular razor not much I could do except just to spin in on muslin wheel for extra shine…

hope you understand and if I could do anything on that blackbird I would but wet micro wet sanding that texture would change Geometry and wouldn’t not be worth it as it would take hours and days of work for that perfection."

I must say, that although it wasn't close to the perfection AlanH81 achieves in many examples I've seen him post, that simple 'spin on a muslin wheel' has it looking really very nice to my eyes, and I'm very happy with it in all regards. 

Note above, the text in BOLD (by me) where Alan opines that too much sanding/polishing can indeed change geometry.

Happy to hear that you’re happy with the Blackbird Ti JimmyH . AlanH81 did his very best, believe me. Me and him went back and forth with many emails and he did a much better job polishing than I expected due to being Titanium and the machined finish. In fact I just purchased a Blackbird Ti polished from Blackland and the AlanH81 Blackbird Ti is better polished (fact). I’m still happy with the Blackbird Ti because of how it shaves. For a $400 razor I was expecting at least Timeless titanium polishing levels. I have to say my Wolfmans has me spoiled and set the new gold standard of how polishing should be done. My 2 cents. Shane customer service is excellent. He replaced my inferior Vector Ti polished to a new polished Ti Vector.

Yeah I like my TI bird very much, and it has a panache with the machine marks lightly polished that the standard one I had lacked. At least to my eye. Shane has to depend on outsourced craftsman and I guess that's hit or miss. Timeless is a family business and all in house. Perhaps that accounts for the  excellence of their polished finish. 

As you say, James Dufour is the gold standard of polished razors, and from what I've seen in photos perhaps AlanH81 is close, if not equal. I was on the wait list for the Karve polished SS that never came to production beyond a prototype. I guess a good polishing job is more difficult than some think. 

What I want to see come down the line is a Ti Charcoal Goods made in house by Brian Twilly.

I had a machine finished Ti Bird. I decided though I thought it shaved great, it was too light in weight for my hand. Sold it. Time past and I regretted selling it. A DFS member put one up on the BST saying it had been polished by non other than AlanH81. So I went looking for Alan's usual post showing his skills with this blackbird and found none. 

So I bought it anyway. After examining it ( it was obvious from the seller's photos that there were still machine marks) I messaged Alan asking what the story was. 

His (edited) reply ;

"I couldn’t polish that Blackbird due to the fact it’s abrasion and bad finish. I had been pretty clear on this particular razor not much I could do except just to spin in on muslin wheel for extra shine…

hope you understand and if I could do anything on that blackbird I would but wet micro wet sanding that texture would change Geometry and wouldn’t not be worth it as it would take hours and days of work for that perfection."

I must say, that although it wasn't close to the perfection AlanH81 achieves in many examples I've seen him post, that simple 'spin on a muslin wheel' has it looking really very nice to my eyes, and I'm very happy with it in all regards. 

Note above, the text in BOLD (by me) where Alan opines that too much sanding/polishing can indeed change geometry.

Happy to hear that you’re happy with the Blackbird Ti JimmyH . AlanH81 did his very best, believe me. Me and him went back and forth with many emails and he did a much better job polishing than I expected due to being Titanium and the machined finish. In fact I just purchased a Blackbird Ti polished from Blackland and the AlanH81 Blackbird Ti is better polished (fact). I’m still happy with the Blackbird Ti because of how it shaves. For a $400 razor I was expecting at least Timeless titanium polishing levels. I have to say my Wolfmans has me spoiled and set the new gold standard of how polishing should be done. My 2 cents. Shane customer service is excellent. He replaced my inferior Vector Ti polished to a new polished Ti Vector.

Shane has to depend on outsourced craftsman and I guess that's hit or miss.

Nope. We polish in-house currently.

It's important to remember that titanium does not polish to the same mirror finish that stainless does.

The handle in this thread should not have been shipped, simply put. The Blackbird handle/stand interface in particular is very sensitive to polishing due to the very small amount of surface area on that part of the handle. There's not much for the stand to contact so removing even the smallest amount of material from this area creates unwanted wobbling which is what happened here. For handles with more surface area that contact the stand, you can be more liberal with material removal because it doesn't impact fit. For the Blackbird, decreasing the diameter by a fraction of a mm causes problems so we don't have much leeway.