New Blackland Sabre 2024

Fridays with Frank

Friday September 20, 2024
Razor: Blackland Sabre Plate #3
Blade: Gem SS
Brush: Paladin 28mm Ivory Chief
Soap: Ethos Dragonsbeard
AS : Witch Hazel + Ethos Dragonsbeard
Consecutive Daily Shaves - # 2,144

Just a quick note. I’ve put in 16 shaves total with this one tonight and the GEM has delivered smoothly & effectively. I did feel a slight bit of tugging on the initial first two strokes but, it smoothed out from there and not a single issue nor shave drama to report. I’ll try one more and hopefully it can deliver another solid shave. If not, 16 is a real good number for me and in this new Sabre, it has exceeded my expectations on longevity as 10-12 shaves for me is an acceptable number and anything after is just gravy. Nearly a full month has gone by and sans a few weepers and minor irritation early on, this new/revamped Sabre has proven to be exceptional at every stage of the shave for me. L1, L2, L3 & L4 have gone from providing a mild yet efficient shave to mid-aggressive with an upgrade in blade feel & cutting effectiveness without losing shave composure or feeling out of the norm and unnatural. I say that and I can’t stress the fact that this is just my experience and I can not speak for anyone else. However, this razor in the L3 & L4 configuration will leave its mark if one gets too comfortable and forgets that this pup has teeth and with a GEM SS blade, one can make it ugly if there is a careless or nonchalant demeanor in using this razor. Those two plates are just stating the simple fact that if one wants a nice & deep shave, these two will get you there without a hitch. And with a good hand it will do it comfortably & easily.

Great shaves to all…

Saturday September 21, 2024
Razor: Blackland Sabre Plate #2
Blade: Gem SS
Brush: Wolf Whisker Beehive/Badger
Soap: B&M Nordost
AS : Witch Hazel + B&M Nordost
Fragrnce: Amouage Sunshine Man
Consecutive Daily Shaves - # 2,145

Shaved with the L4 Thursday morning and loved it. In use still smooth with an uptick in blade feel but I really love more aggressive razors. For me, I have no need to even try the L1 or L2 plates as the L3 and L4 will always be my go to. This is just my opinion and I am going to use my most aggressive Wolfman WR3 today which is a .86 gap in copper if I remember correctly. Interested in feeling the difference. I will use the same blade that I have used for the last two shaves in the Sabre.


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Sunday September 22, 2024
Razor: Blackland Sabre Plate #2
Blade: Gem SS
Brush: Prometheus Handle/Long Shaving Reserve VI Badger
Soap: Stirling Deton-8
AS : Witch Hazel + Stirling Deton-8
Fragrance: Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb
Consecutive Daily Shaves - # 2,146
https://youtu.be/0u-AzsGoUyA

Well, 17 was the # on this particular blade and I’m not complaining a bit. The shave was starting to show its age as I felt some tugging from time to time throughout the whole shave. Nothing uncomfortable nor fearful but, I was coaxing this GEM blade to the finish line. No nics or cuts and just the slightest bit of heat as I buffed the chin area to clear out stragglers. A testament to the newer design of the Sabre with the L3 guard plate as this would have been a bit more difficult or uncomfortable with the OG Sabre & L2 configuration. 17 shaves is still a heck of a number but, in hindsight I should have called it at 15 and definitely at least at 16 shaves in. However, I just wanted to see for my own gain and purpose how far this combo could take me in the event of a shavepocalypse and all I had were the new Sabre & GEM SS blades. It passed with flying colors.

In conclusion, I will say that as far as my experience is concerned, this is the best SE out of the house of Blackland (haven’t sampled the Vector Ti) over the Vector SS which I own and cherish immensely. However, the options provided in terms of customizing one’s shave gives this tool the edge in my eyes. It takes the best of what the GEM SS ptfe blade has to offer in terms of sharpness, smoothness & longevity to another level of shave optimization & real time performance. The overall feel that the new Sabre provides is pride in ownership but, more importantly, it will deliver the shave results regardless of the level of shave gap one pursues or requires. That’s the beauty of the design as it practically gives the user 4 levels of customization or 4 razors in 1. No moving parts nor a dial to adjust gap spacing. Just unscrew the handle, swap out the guard plate or flip retightening the handle and a done deal. Magnets do an excellent job of holding the guard in place with precision and the quartet of parts creates a single whole that is formidable against any & most whiskers if not all. The new Sabre has the ability to take on easy peach fuzz growth or a light graying shadow at the end of the day for daily users as well as take on dense and more thicker growth regardless of how many days since one’s last shave. It’s the complete package and one can argue the ultimate one for those that prefer GEM bladed razors. Simultaneously, it can hang with the best of them regardless of blade format & razor configuration.

Love them or hate them, the team over at Blackland produces innovative shaving tools that actually do the work to ease the shave regime for an individual. Thinking outside the box is how one overcomes challenges and puts themselves on the road to eventual success. No easy feat for anyone, let alone in the niche world of wet shaving artisan razor producers. No, not everything will turn to gold nor be a complete success but, with the New Sabre, Shane over at Blackland with his crew have definitely produced a top notch performer that is adaptable to nearly all shavers and in my eyes a success that has superseded expectations and is competitively priced among the premium razor makers in the business. 

Great shaves to all…

Simply a superb shaver from A to Z. If you want easy & mild? Check. Looking for efficient and still smooth? Check. You want almost balls to the walls performance without being extra? Check. Check. I’ve already stated in previous posts how good the razor is and it is quite a substantial improvement over the original version. But, words nor a description can’t manifest nor inspire the feeling or emotions when one picks up a razor and knows that from the start, they have a razor tool that can deliver at every stage one may potentially desire or create without fear of disappointment or repercussions. The New Sabre has performance to cater to every level of shaver from newbie to seasoned veteran with a simple flip of a guard plate. There are no shortcomings in the overall package on what the New sabre was designed to do & deliver. One just simply has to try it to get a full understanding on how and what it does to near perfection. Will it be the best shaver that you have ever tried? I don’t know but, I will tell you that as a GEM designed razor it is perhaps the best that has ever been produced to date. Quality, alloy, rigidity & adjustability with solid customer support to back one up if needed.

If you’re a GEM fan like I am because of the OG Sabre, then the New Sabre is one to be sampled as I consider it to be the pinnacle of GEM razor design in performance & craftsmanship in my experience. I can’t think of another GEM razor that brings the performance attributes along with shaver user options mentioned above to the GEM razor arena. Just a fantastic razor to use, period.

Great shaves to all…