VIKINGS BLADE Double Edge Safety Razor for Men + 5 Swedish Steel Blades + Luxury Case. Long Handle. Smooth, Reusable, Eco-Friendly (The Vulcan)

I am a long time disposable cartridge shaver, but I wanted to try shaving with one of the old fashioned safety razors. I started looking around and the choices were many. I bought this one based on number of purchases and user reviews, and that it was a good beginner razor for people starting out. It's labeled as Viking Blade but is made in China. The razor itself operates very smoothly and has a nice heft to it and beautiful chrome finish. I don't have big hands and it works well for me, the handle is long enough for me and I would think someone with bigger paws than mine.I thought it might be brass under the plate but have since learned that it is zinc alloy or more commonly referred to as Zamack. Some people in the online forums where I learned about this said that the metal is subject to corrosion, i guess time will tell. The blades might be Swedish steel but are made in China too. They seem fine to me but I don't have anything to compare them too.

I have an Irish ruddy complexion. It wasn't always that way, but as I get older, I get more Irish Lol.About 1 1/2 years ago or so I began to notice that I was always getting razor burn on the sides of my upper lip and on the sides of my chin just below my mouth on either side. I tried all kinds of lotions, after shaves and different cartridge disposable razors, and while some helped it never went completely away and would irritate me even a day later.I had come to the understanding that my skin had become more sensitive as I had gotten older.So after some reading and talking with my barber, I decided to try going to an "old fashioned" double edge like my dad used many years ago. I was a little trepidatious, because the last time I used his razor (in like 1979), I came away looking like I had been in a slasher film.After a lot of looking at the available DE razors, I decided on the long handled Vikings Blade "Vulcan", because it seemed like the best fit going by the other reviews and also because it would come with their more mild blade that is recommended for beginners.One side note here: I like a company that has confidence in their product and Vikings Blade even recommends two of their competitor's razor blades for when you are ready for a more aggressive blade.That's confidence!I also ordered the Vikings Blade "White Knight" shave brush.So far here is the review;I showered first and then rubbed some pre-shave oil on my face. I whipped up my Poraso shave soap with my White Knight brush. it went on pretty much the same as I have seen in videos, so I reached for the razor.I have been practicing the 30 degree angle with my disposable for a few days so I went with what seemed a pretty good angle (with no pressure and the razor resting on my face) I went through my first pass (downward strokes) allowing the weight of the razor to do the work, noting a few tugs, but no grabs and overall it went pretty smooth, and most importantly no nicks or cuts or irritation.I re-lathered and went for the second pass (horizontal strokes, from ears to mouth direction)and it was also going very well until I had one small nick in one of my trouble areas. I finished my neck very carefully and then felt my progress and went for the third pass (upward against the grain). In the end I had the one small nick (I attribute it to needing more practice with the razor), but otherwise the shave was great. My face felt great and I did not need another shave for two days, with almost no stubble during that time.Best of all, Even with that, I had absolutely no razor burn at all. If you see some reddish area in my pic, that is leftover from my shave 2 days before.So when it comes to recommendations I would absolutely say that the Vikings Blade "Vulcan" razor and the "White Knight" brush are both top notch and met all of my expectations. I would also recommend the Poraso shave soap and the Cremo Post Shave Balm. It was very cooling and had a nice scent at a reasonable cost.As far as the VB mild razors...so far so good, they are very good for practice, but I will be ordering a variety pack of razors so that I can try out different brands and hone in on the one that will suit me best.Best of luck with your shaving experiences and remember...Don'T PreSS on The RazoR!!

all jokes aside.. great weight, works very well, super easy to change the blades, just wish the handle was maybe an inch or two longer.

EDIT 17SEP19: Sadly, I'm going to reduce this to 4 stars. On a recent trip I needed to change blades and the tightening mechanism stopped working. It seems something is "stripped" in the internals. Luckily, I had a disposable razor on-hand but I am now optimistically cautious about using this handle in the future. I work in a field where I MUST shave every day. Waking up to a faulty razor is not an option. After editing this review I will be contacting Vikings Blade for warranty return, but I am concerned that the next handle may leave me in a lurch. Carrying two razors (Vikings and a cheap disposable) is not what I expected. As for the actual blades? They're top tier.Bottom Line Up Front: The Vulcan razor with mild blades are a solid pairing for new to DE shavers IF you take your time to start. The quality of the razor handle is superb, and the blades are extraordinary. 100% recommended for new users.(TANGENT) Tbh, I'v had DE safety razors for years and didn't use them. They were cheaper vintage razors previously owned by my grandfather and have now been gifted to my college-aged son. What made me look into safety razors? After the politicization of men's products in the US, I decided that I'd rather just enjoy my shave than start every morning feeling like a poster-boy for someone's social campaign. It's not just my razor and not just one political viewpoint, I avoid all products these days that outwardly espouse a political view through advertising. They charge consumers extra for advertising and then ignore discussing quality in lieu of how your choice of razor effects the Hairless Dwarves of Copper Mountain. I may agree that those Hairless Dwarves shouldn't be embarrassed when I shave, but...man-scaping. Look, I just want a good enjoyable shave without feeling criminalized because I went with SHTICK instead of PENNYSHAVECLUB. So, if you're like me, or if you just want to cut cost and get a nice shave then you should check out Viking.-REVIEW-This review is focused more on new to DE shavers.WEIGHT: I used my grandfather's old razors with blades bought at the local big box store. The pairing did well. Adequate, I think, is a good word. The RAZOR HANDLE had no heft (weight), though. It's really hard to explain if you haven't used a DE before, but weight is important for control. You have to "use" a disposable razor. With a good heavy DE, the weight, quality of blade, and angle of the pair does most of the work.BLADE QUALITY: The store-box starters that I got were made in Germany and seemed like they were good quality. That is, until I used the "Mild" Viking blades. Truly, there's nothing wrong with the box-store blades. They didn't list a type (Mild-Aggressive). If I had to venture a guess, I would say they were mild. They just didn't give me a close shave. I was feeling rough at noon and had a 5 o'clock shadow at 5 pm. I usually get a 5 o'clock at 5 the following morning. With the Viking blade and Vulcan pairing I get a shave that exceeds the best disposables I have ever used. After shaving, my face is ridiculously smooth.ANGLE/AGGRESSION: This is specific to the Vulcan/Mild pairing. The Vulcan is listed as Aggressive-Mild. The blades I use are Mild. I'm glad my wife picked this handle for me because I feel like it can "grow" with me if my face/hair changes with age. The mild blades in the Vulcan cut close, but I feel like they allow the beginner a little room for error. Keep the handle at 30 degrees, let the blade and handle heft work, and keep the blade clean between passes.HANDLE LENGTH: Most DE handles are much shorter than you may be used to using. The Vulcan handle is about the same length as a typical disposable. They are listed for people with "big" hands. However, I don't have what I would consider big hands (long fingers). They form cinder blocks when I make a fist, though. I prefer the long handle to the shorter.OVERALL QUALITY: There are plenty of images online so I'll not bore you with mine. Suffice it to say that the quality after a month of use exceeds the other products I have used by a good margin. You can feel it when you pick it up, and in the positive lock on the blade.VIKING SHAVING CREAM: I can't comment on this as I have an abundance of shaving cream from a different brand. One thing that I can say is that you need to use a quality shaving cream, and based on Viking's blades and handles I would not balk to recommend their products if you need something.COST: I currently have $37 in this razor with 4 of the 5 blades shipped with the handle left to use. I will be purchasing the 50 blade pack for $15 very soon. I shave 4-6 days a week and I've used the first blade for three weeks (read care), and Viking touts the 50 blade pack to be up to a 12 month supply. My old razor cost $20+ for 10 blades that lasted roughly 2 weeks each. Roughly 26 blades a year. Close to $60 annually just for blades. I saved close to $10 this year for a lifelong handle and 2 years' worth of blades. Also, for those wondering, I tried the MONEYSHAVECLUB. It's cheaper, yes, but I'd get a better shave lathering with goose poop and shaving with a butter-knife.CARE: I was once told that to keep a razor sharp for as long as you can that you need to dry it after every use. So, as far as care goes, I admit that I didn't even read what Viking recommends. I make sure that I remove as much shaving cream, hair, and moisture from the razor assembly as possible, and put it back into it's original package. My blade has lasted 3 weeks.HOW I SHAVE: If you've read his far, then you've probably looked up "how to shave" with DE razors. As my wife has told me based on her brother's research/belief, "You only ever shave downward..." Well, BS. If that's the case then no one would use rotary-based electric razors. How you shave is more like a religious tradition than the sock-sock-shoe-shoe decision. So, I won't tell you how to shave, just how I shave and what I've learned.My hair is pretty fine. On my cheeks it grows straight down. Under my nose and on my lip it grows sideways. On my neck?? It's like a meteor strike event. Some grows up, some down, and some to the sides. I could get a good (adequate) shave with a disposable going down as long as I was okay with my neck hair pulling at my collar early in the day. The same can be said for my Viking. If I don't shave up on my jaw line and at an angle on my neck then I leave the hair longer there. In short, whatever you do now, try that first and modify if you need to. The biggest adjustment for me was the area directly under my nose. Big "Roman" nose. The second biggest was when I shaved, and the shave prep.With disposables, I would shower and then shave. I used the hot water to prepare my skin and hair. The Viking blades are too sharp for that (for me). If I shower first and then shave, I will nick my face...a lot. These aren't bad nicks, but just enough that a little blood forms. Similar to overusing a disposable razor (dull) that pulls my hair. My new routine has changed to mimic my dad's. I place a hot wash cloth on my face for about a minute. I lather up my face and shave. Then I shower. I truly believe that with the quality of the Viking blades my skin and hair need less prep. The hot shower was causing both to be too soft. Since I made that small adjustment, I haven't had a single nick or cut.END OF REVIEW BOTTOM LINE:If you've never tried a DE razor and want to try one then buy a Viking and don't look back. I strongly suggest the Vulcan with Mild blades. Purchasing a cheap handle is akin to buying a base 1994 VW Rabbit when you're considering a 2019 Passat. If I had purchased a cheap handle and cheap blades and cut myself time and again then I'd throw them in the trash and go with the goose poop option. So, my recommendation? Buy it. It costs less than one year's worth of the super fast Air Force razors. Take a couple of weeks and experiment with it. If you haven't learned how to shave with it by then, contact the Angry Robert Guy (actually, he sounds pretty cool) that sends you an email requesting your experience. Regardless, buy with confidence.

This is the perfect item to get a teen to move from disposable twins to the comfort and closeness of a real wet shave. The product is well made, and should last long enough for the siblings to get started. It comes with mild blades that help alleviate some of the learning curve, but it will still nick ya.I didn't get the advantage of having my dad pass down the art of a wet shave to me. With this razor, it will be easier for me to pass it down to my kids as there will be less apprehension concerning nicks and cuts. The milder blade doesn't shave as closely (but sill better than a disposable twin), but it does seem to be less forgiving of the inexperienced handling of a 17-year old.