You have a lot of material choices to consider when choosing your next razor. Stainless steel, brass, aluminum, zinc alloy, copper, etc. It's a long list and while each of these metals has its merits, a titanium razor just might be the optimal choice with the perfect balance between comfort and efficiency. They don't come cheap, but here are five reasons why you should consider titanium for your next safety razor purchase.
Titanium decreases blade feel
Blade feel is a term that describes how noticeable the blade in your razor is while you are shaving. A razor with a high amount of blade feel will make you aware of the blade and that feedback will tell you how much pressure you're applying and exactly where the blade is at any given moment. Some users value that immediate feedback and find that it allows them to adjust their technique. Other users find the ever-present sensation of a blade on their skin to be uncomfortable and even unnerving.
The Blackbird is an example of a safety razor that provides a lot of blade feel. It is designed with positive blade exposure which means that the blade sticks out beyond the head of the razor. Many shavers think that positive blade exposure alone translates directly to a razor with a lot of blade feel, but that's not the full story.
Since titanium is about half the density of stainless steel, it only weighs half as much. That reduction in weight means the head of a titanium razor presses the blade into your skin with less force than an equivalent stainless steel razor, reducing the amount that you feel the blade. The razor has the same design and the blade exposure remains unchanged, but the material makes all the difference and that difference can be transformative. For this reason, many users find titanium razors to give a smoother shave than similar stainless steel razors.
Titanium is as efficient as stainless steel when you need it to be
You might be thinking that the reduced pressure of a titanium razor means that a titanium razor is always less efficient than a stainless one. And you would be right, at least partially. Without adjusting your technique a titanium razor would be a bit less efficient than the same razor in stainless steel. This can be a huge benefit for a razor like the Blackbird which is designed to be highly efficient so it has some efficiency to spare. For this reason, many users may actually prefer this reduced efficiency since it comes with the benefits listed previously. However, while it's hard to remove pressure from a heavy razor, it is easier to add it back to a lighter one. So when you need a little extra efficiency, the titanium razors have your Back! Just add in a bit more pressure for those trouble spots to match the efficiency of stainless steel. Then lighten up for the rest of your shave to get that incredible smoothness and glide of the titanium - the best of both worlds.
Titanium is light, but not too light
Much of titanium's benefits are related to weight reduction, but there is a point where reducing weight can negatively impact the quality of a shave. A razor that is too light can lack the momentum needed to cleanly cut through thick, coarse hair. Instead, a too-light razor can be stopped by the hairs, resulting in a tugging sensation rather than a clean cut. Or, without enough weight to keep it planted, a light razor can lift off the skin when it encounters hair, cutting the hair higher up or skipping over it altogether.
These negative impacts of light razors are common in aluminum which is about half the weight of titanium. While aluminum razors can certainly be tamed, a titanium razor requires less care to get equivalent performance. Titanium is the perfect middleweight for a safety razor - not too heavy, not too light.
Titanium increases glide and maneuverability
Lighter things move more easily and razors are no exception. A light, titanium razor glides more easily because the lighter weight means it will have less friction with the surface of your skin. Less friction means more glide.
Titanium razors are also just easier to handle and maneuver, which is especially beneficial for head or body shavers who need to access tough-to-reach areas and hold the razor for a longer amount of time.
Titanium has no risk of corrosion
Stainless steel is highly resistant to rust, but it is not impervious. A stainless steel razor needs to be taken care of reasonably well to ensure that rust from a wet blade does not transfer to the razor itself. With titanium, the risk of rust is effectively zero. So if you insist on leaving a razor in the shower, let it be a titanium one.
P.S.
If you're in the market for a titanium safety razor, the Blackbird Titanium should be on your list. With a blade-forward design that gives it extreme efficiency combined with the smoothness of titanium, it just might be the best combination of comfort and closeness of any razor on the market.
