Blackland Showdown: Dart vs. Blackbird

I have shaved with both of these several times now. Today I did another grossly unscientific comparison, and shaved with both.

First some basic specs from Blackland:

                                                                                                                                    The Dart

Aggressiveness: 6/10

Weight: 99.5g, Head: 29g, Handle: 70.5

Handle length: 92mm

Material: 303 Stainless Steel

The Blackbird Brass:

                                                                                                                                                                                    Aggressiveness: 7/10

Ideal shaving angle: 18-35°

Weight: 103.5 g

Handle length: 85mm

Material: Brass (The stainless version specs out the same and is 303 Stainless)

Aggressiveness and Feel:

Interestingly, the Blackbird feels less aggressive than the Dart despite being rated slightly higher in aggression. With the Blackbird, it felt very smooth with pretty much zero blade feel. On the other hand, the Dart had a little bit of blade feel. I also heard a little bit of blade feedback with the Dart. The Blackbird was silent. Needless to say, both shaved great. BBS shave on both sides. No irritation or any discomfort with either razor. Post shave feel was great and no burning or irritation on either side. There was also no burning or stinging with the balm and splash. 

Construction, Finish, And Design:

The construction on both is definitely excellent. Very solid. I have the polished finish on both and they are both have a great shine. One thing I did notice and I think this may play a role in the performance. The cap and base plates have different designs and hold the blade in place very differently. (See pic below). The Dart has round posts that fit through the base. The Blackbird has (not sure of the shape) either rounded rectangular posts or long ovals? The holes for the post on the base plate do not go though the base. The design on the Blackbird definitely makes for a much snugger, very secure fit. The first time you load the blade, you will hear it clamping down on the blade. I believe it is applying more torque on the blade, which I believe affects the shave and the efficiency. This is perhaps why it is a 7/10 but feels milder than the Dart? I’m speculating based on my limited knowledge of these subjects and I am still learning. When you take the razor apart, you will see the blade has taken on a different shape and looks pushed into the cap. Be careful, it is more difficult to remove the blade. The Dart is not designed this way, but it it is snug and secure. 

Final Thoughts:

Both razors are great and I use them both regularly. They both feel great in your hand and have a nice secure grip. While the Dart does have some blade feel, it shaves great. I find the Blackbird to be milder and incredibly smooth. The Blackbird is also available in other metals such as Stainless and Titanium (these are a bit pricier than the SS or Brass). The Titanium Blackbird is 54g which is just a hair shy of being half the weight of the Brass and Stainless versions which both which weigh 103.5g. The Stainless and Brass are available in machined and polished finishes, the Titanium is only available in a machined finish at this time. 

 * Unfortunately, the Dart is discontinued and no longer in production. It’s a shame, it was a great razor at a great price. The Titanium version of the Blackbird is currently sold out, but there will be a drop of some new machined ones in a week or so.*

Mike, thanks for a useful review.

Well done, Mike. Please continue to post your thoughts on these razors as your impressions evolve.
Enjoy your shaves

Thank you for the encouragement, Gentlemen. I'm at the point where I feel confident enough to do it. I don't know everything, but feel I have developed some knowledge and experience where I can hopefully put some useful info out there.

(06-08-2021, 03:20 PM)Mike Distress Wrote: Thank you for the encouragement, Gentlemen. I'm at the point where I feel confident enough to do it. I don't know everything, but feel I have developed some knowledge and experience where I can hopefully put some useful info out there.

Mike, you're definitely posting useful information.

(06-08-2021, 04:00 PM)TheLegalRazor Wrote:

(06-08-2021, 03:20 PM)Mike Distress Wrote: Thank you for the encouragement, Gentlemen. I'm at the point where I feel confident enough to do it. I don't know everything, but feel I have developed some knowledge and experience where I can hopefully put some useful info out there.

Mike, you're definitely posting useful information.

Thank you, Sir!