Vikings BladeAdjustable Double Edge Safety Razor + Luxury Case. Smooth, Reusable, Eco-Friendly (The Emperor “Frosted Chrome”)

When I realized how much money you save using a safety razor and how you can get a just as good or better shave from a safety razor than a multiblade cartridge razor, I decided to switch. I wanted a safety razor that had a butterfly opening for the blade and was adjustable. This one had a great price. After I ordered it, I looked at the negative reviews where people showed pictures of receiving defective razors with scratches on the shaving head. I almost cancelled the order, but I realized it was a tiny percentage of those who reviewed the razors and most of the reviews were excellent, so I figured I'd see what I get and could always send it back. The razor came in perfect condition without any scratches on it. I got the frosted chrome version, and it looks and feels beautiful. It seems to be extremely well made. It has a nice weight and feels like a premium metal product, especially after using plastic cartridge and disposable razors. And shaving with a safety razor isn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. At first it requires being just a little more careful than when using a cartridge razor, but that is because you have more control over the razor. The first time you use it start with the least aggressive setting. Pay attention to the angle and feel of the blade, and shave in short strokes. Don't press the blade to your face. And I didn't go all out with special creams and soaps. I used regular shaving cream from a can, and it worked fine. I like that the razor is adjustable and the shaving head has two different sides, so you can really fine-tune the shave. And I had no problem with the open tabs. I didn't really notice them. Also, it was a pleasant surprise to get a pack of five blades with the razor.

VIKINGS BLADE ‘The Emperor’ ReviewTLDR: Nirvana, maybe.I really want to make sure everyone here understands that while I’m very partial to this brand by now, and that you’ve seen me heap praise on them, I don’t get one single thing from VIKINGS BLADE. Nada. Nothing. If I ever did, I’d be very up front about that, but as it is, this is a completely honest an off-the-cuff observation of the razor as I know it right now (I’ll be updating this tomorrow).Okay, now that the official ‘I don’t work for them or get kickbacks’ statement is out of the way, lets get on with the observations.Close your eyes and take yourself back to your best Christmas; the one you were most excited about. You just knew that you’d be having the greatest day ever, tomorrow. Tomorrow… it seemed so very far away, and you were just giddy with excitement. That’s me. Tonight. But the day didn’t start out that way. But let’s back up almost a month, because that’s where this all begins.One of my most treasured friends, a big ‘ol Texas boy had a birthday coming up. He’s a good bit younger than I am, but we share a lot of common ground, and he’s recently become a daddy, and I adore his wife, she’s an incredible person. I can only imagine how much I’d dote on his little one if I were nearer. This is a beautiful family. I suppose I am doling out praise to show how much he means to me. He’s a good man. In fact, he’s a member of this group.Anyway, being that it was the occasion of his birthday, and knowing his overt love of all things masculine I was searching my brain trying to dig up something he might enjoy. That’s when it dawned on me that a razor might be the deal. Very masculine, and very much something that if you like, becomes something you have for ages and continues to be useful and enjoyable.What razor? I’ve already gotten a couple of different razors by this point though I was still figuring all of this out, but I had some idea about what things to look for. I know what makes an adequate one and what makes a nice one. I have discovered the VIKINGS BLADE and since he’s genuinely a descendant of the Vikings (ethnicity, not football team) I can’t resist landing on that brand. Hmmm… what to get… Awww hell, why not? I go for the Emperor. Why? I dunno, it just seemed like one that’d be worth having; a really nice gift. And in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t really all that expensive. A worthy investment, I think. I pull the trigger.Secretly, I kept wondering what that one was all about. I bought the Chieftain JR and loved it. Then I bought the Baili Classic Long Handle which is identical to the VIKINGS BLADE Godfather (which sells for more than 3x as much), and I’ve recently purchased their Vulcan, which is, in a word, incredible. On a whim, I succumbed to the curiosity and ordered an Emperor for myself. I really wasn’t overly excited about getting it as I loved my Vulcan so much. To be honest, I almost forgot I’d ordered it and checked on something else, from work, when I noticed that it was supposed to deliver today. “Hmm, well, we’ll see” I thought, and dismissed it.When I walked through the front door I saw the silicone whiskey ice cube molds that I’d ordered (I’ll be putting that to good use in a bit), a bunch of surprisingly robust metal decanter labels, and the box for the Emperor. There it was. Something in me lurched a bit, you know, when you know you have a treat waiting but you hold off and savor the anticipation. And yes, I fully recognize that I’m a weirdo for getting excited about a razor. Shut up.I wash out the cube trays and fill them, then walk them out to the garage to the freezer. I unpack my stuff from the day, put my keys in their assigned cubby along with my sunglasses. I give the pups a little love and say hello to the boys, who know full well what that box contains and are completely aware of my recent obsession with razors. They don’t quite get it, but that’s okay. I’m fine with this. They have theirs and they seem happy enough with them.But there sit I. Now looking at the box. Okay, let’s do this. I walk over and pick the box up. Whoa. This box is *heavy*. Why is it so heavy? What’s in there? I sit down at my little rough-reclaimed wood table, flip on the overhead light, and begin unboxing. The design on the box is different than the Vulcan, and I’m impressed by that. It’s a bit of nice art. It doesn’t really amount to anything except for the experience of opening it for the first time, and I really, truly appreciate when manufacturers do that. It really does make things special for a person like me who’s excited to be doing this.Sliding the inner box out of the outer jacket finds me greeted with a nicely crafted and finished brown faux leather box with a magnetic flap to keep it shut. A brown ribbon protrudes by which to pull the flap up. I accept the invitation and pull it open and what I reveal is… it’s just beautiful. I am not writing hyperbolically when I tell you this is truly a work of art. The Vulcan is a beautiful razor, but this is in a completely different class. The most striking difference is its frosted finish; it is matte silver. It looks for all the world like a warrior’s weapon which has been crafted by a very skilled smith. I admire it for a moment, in the box, and observe the markings on the butterfly doors as well as the adjustment knob at the top of the handle just under the base.I read the label affixed to the top of the box, with the handle bright in the dark foam beneath. Again, I’m enjoying the experience of this (though to be honest I think they could have done better with that label; it was an afterthought among the rest of the kit). Once read, I decide to lift this out. I’m fully prepared to be deeply disappointed. There’s no way this razor is as heavy as the box suggests; surely there’s some hidden weight in the box. As I put the box in one hand, and lift the razor free with the other, I’m absolutely floored by the realization that it is, indeed, the weight of the razor which has suddenly shifted from the box hand to the now razor-equipped one. And the handle is very thick. And I can tell straight away that the grip simply won’t be compromised in the slipperiest of situations. My primary criticism of the Chieftain JR is that the chrome plating rounds the edges, which ultimately compromises the grip (though I’ve never dropped it). This has no such compromise. The thickness of the handle coupled with the sharply checked and slightly frosted finish (which is quite similar to my SUPPLY razor) ensures that you won’t be dropping this thing unless you intend to, and you’d never intentionally drop something so handsome.You’ve heard me go on about razor handle length. It doesn’t mean much at all when you’re shaving, yet the mind does tend to want a longer handle for whatever reason. This is longer than the Chieftain JR but shorter than the Vulcan and the Baili Classic Long Handle. And a good bit shorter than the Vikings Revolution razor. It is dead in the middle of handle length but is far and away the fattest of the bunch. Frankly, this feels like the Goldilocks handle; it’s just right. It’s better than right, but there aren’t adequate words for that and I’d feel a little absurd describing how much I enjoy the fat shaft in my hand. Yeah, I know you’re thinking it. No worries. $10 is $10.The adjustment runs smoothly, and it is interesting to see how it articulates the head (I’m not helping myself any, am I?). It has a rather large head (seriously, stop) and is quite sturdy. As I fingered the adjustment on the bottom the butterfly opened (see, told you to stop) and I was amazed at the smooth, precise, fluidity. The Vulcan is a very well put-together razor handle, but this… This is completely in its own league. The Vulcan is a top of the line Toyota, but this is well into the top of the line Lexxus. They’re related, to be sure, but the engineering is something completely superior. This was a handle that was truly engineered by people who were talented and really enjoyed this work. It shows. It is art.So now that I’ve gushed all over this thing, I’ll tell you how it shaves. Tomorrow. I want to let my beard grow in, until I have the normal shave length before writing an actual shaving review on it. But for now, I hope you enjoy the pictures.

For the $26 USD price, this is a great razor and a good value.Pro tip: As with all DE shaving, let just the weight of razor’s head do the shaving. Do not press the head down with a finger like we do with cartridge razors.The razor is well made. Good fit & finish. And looks great. Unlike a lot of other cheap DE razor, this one has a solid heft to it. So you can let the razor head do the shaving without applying any pressure.I shaved my face with the setting on 3. And cranked it up to 6 to shave my head. All good. No nicks or cuts at all. And not even much burn when I put aftershave splash on afterwards.Read the instruction insert before first shave. It tells you how to properly open the butterfly doors and place a blade. Most complaints here due the user error.On little weirdness - the brand (not sure who, what, where Vullion Group is) wrote the place of manufacture as PRC. I thought this is bit cheeky.

The razor has an excellent heavy feel in the hand allowing for a lighter touch of the head on the face and neck, and the shave with the platinum blades....DAMN! This is the shave you've been searching for, smooth controlled and clean in one light smooth pass. The adjustable function allows for a more aggressive blade exposure and effective clearing of soap and hair without compromising the safety feature, no nicks , no cuts, no problems. All my buddies are getting one of these for Christmas If you're tired of pressing a multiple blade plastic razor across your face only to have to repeat the pass to get a close shave and razor burn...you might want to invest in something that actually does the job the first time.