It is attractive razor but it is hard to reconcile it coming in at more the double the cost of a RR Mamba in a good but lesser grade of stainless. Razorock does intentionally put less into the finishing and polishing to keep costs down so that might be part of it. In the current climate I am obliged to stick with and support the truly excellent Canadian product but would like to have one these to try at some point.
So, I couldn't resist and earlier today I caved and purchased a Blackland Dart. Did I need to? Absolutely not. I just had to buy it. I've had an excellent experience with their products before, specifically the Sabre with both the L1 & L2 plate that shaves wonderfully with a GEM blade. Shane, the founder and owner of Blackland states that the Dart is between a Sabre with an L2 plate and the Blackbird, with a touch less of blade feel and efficiency than the Blackbird. All in all, can't wait to try this razor out.
Congrats. I'll be watching your posts on this razor as I leave tomorrow for a business trip (training seminar) and won't be able to try the Dart until I get back next week. Looking forward to reading your impressions on the Dart.....
Looking forward to the reviews on this razor. Especially since @Str8on2 and @Linuxguile both have the Razorock GC and Mamba. Be useful to see how it compares.
Perhaps a fairer comparison will be with the RazoRock 0.9mm Game Changer, once that is available, since the 0.68mm base plate is a milder razor. I hope RazoRock offers a safety razor with only the 0.9mm base plate, instead of requiring one to have previously purchased the current Game Changer with the 0.68mm base plate. I've come across several pre-liminary reviews and some say the Dart gives a comparable or better shave than the Rockwell R6, Karve D, Timeless 0.95 and Paradigm 17-4, while still being smooth. Given the price difference, the Game Changer ($50-$55) undoubtedly won't match the overall machining quality of the Dart ($99), but I'm (perhaps) more interested in seeing if the Dart or the 0.9mm Game Changer is a smoother and more efficient safety razor. Regardless, both are a great introduction to lower priced premium level safety razors.
I don't understand the part about product price indicating machining and quality superiority. why should the GC price be an indicator of machining quality. The GC is clearly using superior 316L stainless steel and is tumble finished. I think it's a wrong assumption that a pricey razor means better quality ! Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk
Looks a mild shave. Ya like Desertime says it will be good to compare those razorock razors to this one...
I returned home early from my business trip (training seminar) and my Lovely Lady had this package set on the table (She’s an RN, crazy hours). Of course, I tore into the thing and was pleasantly impressed by the overall packaging and presentation. Was it needed? No, but it shows that Shane over at Blackland is serious about his product and cares on how it’s presented to us, the consumer. Mad props for the guy for doing a little bit extra as that gets points for me in my book. I’ll be shaving with it later on this evening and will post a brief first shave report/thoughts in a bit on how it shaves. As for the presentation, see for yourself....
If you've had it for more than 10 minutes and haven't shaved with it yet, you will be penalized. You'll need to send it to me.
Just finished my shave and first time use of the Blackland Dart. To be truthful, I did not know what to expect from the Dart as the first preliminary reviews have been all over the place from “mild, but efficient” to “the most aggressive razor I’ve tried”. Nothing to really sink your teeth into and honestly, it’s tough to go on a mere sampling of thoughts and early reports that just aren’t consistent. It seems that reports are now either the razor is to mild or it’s to aggressive. And somewhere in between those two mediums, we blurred the lines on what a good comfortable yet fairly efficient razor could or should be. Truly, YMMV is the rule when getting into a description of a particular shaving product, regardless of costs. ` Now, that being said, lets get into the Dart. And I’ll just say it outright, this thing can shave. I was shocked at how little blade reveal you see from the end of the top cap to the sb guard. Yet, you get a very good feel of the blade with just enough positive blade exposure to provide an excellent feeling and efficient shave. Finding the angle was very easy and intuitive and keeping it there during the stroke is as natural as it gets. The balance was excellent with a good feel in the hands and yet, it did not feel as heavy as I thought it would be or looked. The blade is supported rigidly and almost fully between the top cap and base plate. It’s as stable as they come with a vise like hold on the blade. The blade lines up perfectly between the 2 posts and thread stud with utter precision, aligning the blade perfectly on both sides of the head. Sandwich the blade between the 2 pieces, grab the handle and screw it into the stud with a very nice turning action and you hear the blade semi “crunch” into its ready state of reducing whiskers. It was a 3 pass shave, one tiny weeper on my throat, the slightest of irritation on my neck near the jawline for a BBS finish. Weeper and irritation I chalk up to just getting to know the razor and I think after a shave or two that will be non existent. This razor is nothing like a RR Gamechanger or RR Mamba. The Dart is supremely more efficient than either of them at the cost of losing a bit of smoothness to the GC and even more so to the Mamba. But the efficiency makes up for that in spades and with positive blade exposure, it’s an excellent mid aggressive razor. I only have one other Blackland product, the Sabre with both the L1 & L2 baseplate. I love my Sabre and will never part with it. I like the Dart on the first go round and I can really see myself digging this razor too. More shaves to follow.....
Really well written review. Your first paragraph mimics some of the better written reviews of the Blackbird, which just makes me want to order a Dart more and more.
The razor certainly looks interesting. Blackland designs are unique, taking a traditional shaving tool and turning into a work of art; he certainly has an eye for aesthetics. I read from the owner of Blackland that he also has an AC style razor near completion as well. As the Colonial SS General remains the best razor I've used (even with all my recent experiments with new razors), I'd be especially interested in what Blackland comes up with.
