#81
(This post was last modified: 05-21-2021, 12:04 PM by Mtt02263.)
Got a shave in this morning on 3 days of growth and what a fantastic shave it was. This razor reminded me of why I used a Blackbird exclusively for close to two years before going off the rails trying everything in existence. Very blade forward and yet somehow it avoids the harshness that I always feel with extremely efficient razors. For my technique, this razor just works and you almost get a sensation of the head being suctioned to the skin. Problem areas are non-existent, the Blackbird simply wipes them away, there's almost no need for follow-up passes. Efficiency is firmly above a WR2 1.25 or a P076 for me, but I have little experience on the higher end of things, so my comparisons sort of end there. The head isn't cumbersome in the way a Timeless can be and I had no areas that were difficult to access, but it's definitely not nimble in the way that a WR1 is. I never felt like it came close to biting and I had almost zero irritation afterwards or noticeable aftershave burn. This is firmly my favorite high efficiency razor and it's actually been awhile since I've gotten this type of shave, purely BBS everywhere with an almost silky skin feel. Two passes, almost no touchups, no buffing required. It feels good to have a BB back in hand.

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#82
So I’ve been reading about how some members compare the Blackland Ti to the different higher gap Wolfman WR2’s so I thought I’d do a side by side Shave Off using the 1.35 SB side of my 1.25OC/1.35SB WR2 Ti and see how they compare. At least to me on my face. 

So finish on these two razors are totally different. The BB is a matte/brushed finish ( not sure what Shane calls it ) and the WR2 is the Mirror finish which I like and hope to add a high polished BB Ti as soon as their available. 

Weight judged by feel ( scales at the lab ) but it is pretty clear to me that the WR2 has more weight to it than the BB. Of course with both of them being Titanium their both lightweights compared to the SS versions. The WR2 with the HR2 handle feels a tad bit handle heavy as far as balance goes when compared to the BB which to me feels very well balanced and while I’m at it also a bit more maneuverable which I felt during the Shave Off. 

I decided to do a non traditional 3 pass Shave taking medium length strokes with moderate skin stretching. So I did a WTG pass followed by a reverse WTG pass and ended it going ATG. 

On the first WTG pass which btw was on two and a half days growth I started with the WR2 on my right side and the WR2 had no problem taking down a good amount of my whiskers on this first pass. Blade feel was there but certainly not a ton of it. Only thing that kind of bugs me about the Wolfman SB’s are the little notches that although they look good I feel that if the SB didn’t have them the razor would have even better face feel and therefore be a bit smoother. So went from my sideburns all the way down to my jawline and shaved halfway around my mouth and on my chin and stopped. Picked up the BB Ti and went over to my left side and did the same thing and a couple of things noticed. I felt the BB had a tad less blade feel and a bit better face feel and definitely was more maneuverable around my mouth. I want to be clear it wasn’t by leaps and bounds but I noticed these characteristics between the two and I wasn’t looking for them because honestly I didn’t know what to expect in this head to head.  After doing my left side of my face with the BB still in hand I went over to the right side of my neck and this is the side where my nasty cowlick resides but from the past couple of shaves I’ve had with the BB Ti this razor is able to send them hair under my skins surface in two passes. A task only a few razors in my den can achieve. So an excellent pass. Picking up the WR2 I headed over to my neck on the left side and this is an easy to shave area and the WR2 had no problem waltzing through my growth with ease. So an excellent pass from the WR2. So now it’s time to do the reverse WTG pass and normally when I just using one razor and not focused on analyzing the shave I go a lot faster so I don’t rinse and larger but rely on the residual slickness of the shave soap to get me through it but in this case with all the time it takes the lather was drying up which I’d expect so rinsed and lathered up. BTW the T&S is an excellent shave soap which provides excellent slickness and protection in my opinion. So starting with the BB at the base of my neck on the right side I started to go upward with my skin stretching and following with the razor but still taking downward strokes. I love doing reverse WTG oases especially for a quick work shave as some razors can get me a very close shave in this lather only once don’t stop taking strokes shave. My Ikon Tech can actually take me to an entry level BBS with some aggressive skin stretching using this technique. 
Anyway moving on both razors excelled on this pass with the slight differences as I mentioned before. So finished up, rinsed and lathered up for my final ATG pass. Again I stared at the base of my neck on my right side with the BB and headed north right up to my jawline where the WR2 took over to finish the right side. Then took the WR2 over the the base of my neck on the left side and did a the same. Last ATG pass was on the left side of my face using the BB Ti and that was it. Rinsed and blotted dry and before putting any post shave product on I did a face feel. Both razors had sent my whiskers hiding under my skins surface for a solid BBS. So now the wait begins to see which areas start showing growth first to see which one of these two fine razor gave me the longest lasting BBS shave. 

So sone thoughts. If price were an issue for some I’d surely recommend you go with the BB Ti.  If your impatient and don’t want to wait I’d also say go with the BB.  If you don’t mind the price difference or the wait then it’s just a matter of what razor appeals to you. Based on the total shaving experience of this shave up to this point I’d have to give the nod to the BB Ti for the me it’s exhibits a bit better balance and for me more maneuverable which is a trait I happen to like in a razor and face feel wise it was a tad smoother for me as well. Efficiency wise we will have to wait on that before determining which razor was more effective. I’ll edit this post and add those results when I’m I have a clear winner in that area. 
If by some chance the BB comes out on too I have another WR2 Ti that’s also a DC that’s a 1.45 SB one side and a 1.55 SB in the other side. 

Btw I used two brand new Polsilver blades in these two razors for this Shave Off. Also neither of these two razors exhibited any blade chatter or skipping during this shave. 

Also I’d like to note. This is not my BB Ti but a friends as I’m waiting and hoping to get the high polished BB Ti and honestly I can’t wait to have my own.  

I also have no affiliation with Blackland or Wolfman razors nor have I ever gotten any free goods from either company. 


Great shaves all. 


[Image: 3vjsr2g.jpg]

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#83

Member
Wisconsin
What a fantastic review Frank.  
I am a Wolfman agnostic, so I have no sense of the different gap/plates offered.
I’d be interested to have you compare both those razors to the Stirling razor. (and/or to a different BB)
I find the Stirling to be a real challenge for me, even with the milder plate.
So I wouldn’t suggest a blind shaving test with the Stirling…?

Dragonsbeard likes this post
#84

Member
Indiana
Nice review Frank.
I got BB Ti and WR2 Ti 1.45 lately. I hasn't made side by side comparison yet.
I think efficiency is same for both. Both easily clean under jaw line. Long lasting BBS..
BB Ti has less blade feel, and I can easily add pressure to BB Ti. BB is smoother.
I tried BB with both narrow and steep angle, they worked great. I can only use steep angle for Wolfy.
I will keep both. I really like WR2 Ti, it became my #1 but I found BB Ti more comfortable.
I think my new #1 is BB Ti.

Dragonsbeard, Shavemd, Nicolas and 5 others like this post
#85
Great review Dragonsbeard and thanks for sharing CK89. I thought my brass BB would suffice but now I’m thinking I need to try the Ti!

Dragonsbeard likes this post
Tony
#86
(This post was last modified: 05-22-2021, 01:30 PM by Dragonsbeard.)
(05-22-2021, 05:24 AM)Patriot Wrote: What a fantastic review Frank.  
I am a Wolfman agnostic, so I have no sense of the different gap/plates offered.
I’d be interested to have you compare both those razors to the Stirling razor. (and/or to a different BB)
I find the Stirling to be a real challenge for me, even with the milder plate.
So I wouldn’t suggest a blind shaving test with the Stirling…?

Thank you my friend!

Be glad to if I had the Stirling in my den. I was a tester for it back when and used both plates. From memory I’d say it has more blade feel than either of these two razors but without a side by side I wouldn’t want to make a statement that not be accurate.

AQU likes this post
#87
(05-22-2021, 12:57 PM)AQU Wrote: Great review Dragonsbeard and thanks for sharing CK89. I thought my brass BB would suffice but now I’m thinking I need to try the Ti!

Don’t think you’d be disappointed. I find it noticeably smoother and more maneuverable than any BB I’ve ever used. Maybe it’s just me but I’m calling it the way I see it or should I say feel it lol Awesome razor!

AQU likes this post
#88
(This post was last modified: 05-22-2021, 02:37 PM by Dragonsbeard.)
(05-22-2021, 06:04 AM)CK89 Wrote: Nice review Frank.
I got BB Ti and WR2 Ti 1.45 lately. I hasn't made side by side comparison yet.
I think efficiency is same for both. Both easily clean under jaw line. Long lasting BBS..
BB Ti has less blade feel, and I can easily add pressure to BB Ti. BB is smoother.
I tried BB with both narrow and steep angle, they worked great. I can only use steep angle for Wolfy.
I will keep both. I really like WR2 Ti, it became my #1 but I found BB Ti more comfortable.
I think my new #1 is BB Ti.

Thank you!

I agree the BB Ti was smoother than the Wolfe and after 8 hrs the areas where I used the BB Ti the hairs have not shown up yet but I’m getting just a tiny bit of regrowth showing up in some spots where I used the WR2 so I’m thinking you are probably spot on comparing the 1.45 to the BB and out of curiosity I think I’ll have to pull mine out and repeat this Shave Off.

CK89 and keto like this post
#89

Living on the edge
The head that a Blackbird SS most reminds me of is the SS WR1 0.94 SB

If anyone is in a position to run the 0.94 WR1 against the BB Ti, I would be interested to hear their thoughts.

Dragonsbeard likes this post
#90
(05-22-2021, 01:42 PM)Dragonsbeard Wrote:
(05-22-2021, 06:04 AM)CK89 Wrote: Nice review Frank.
I got BB Ti and WR2 Ti 1.45 lately. I hasn't made side by side comparison yet.
I think efficiency is same for both. Both easily clean under jaw line. Long lasting BBS..
BB Ti has less blade feel, and I can easily add pressure to BB Ti. BB is smoother.
I tried BB with both narrow and steep angle, they worked great. I can only use steep angle for Wolfy. 
I will keep both. I really like WR2 Ti, it became my #1 but I found BB Ti more comfortable.
I think my new #1 is BB Ti.

Thank you!

I agree the BB Ti was smoother than the Wolfe and after 8 hrs the areas where I used the BB Ti the hairs have not shown up yet but I’m getting just a tiny  bit of regrowth showing up in some spots where I used the WR2 so I’m thinking you are probably spot on comparing the 1.45 to the BB and out of curiosity I think I’ll have to pull mine out and repeat this Shave Off.
Many thanks for the excellent review. I'm also a fan of the BB Ti though I haven't had the good fortune to score a WR in Ti ... yet ... 

Help an old guy out ... What is "reverse WTG" ? I cannot visualize it, and I don't recall running into that term in the past.

Also, please don't update your former shave comparison post with the results of which leaves a longer BBS result, 'cause I'll probably miss it. Do a stand alone post with those results.

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