Well I've just enjoyed my first shave with the Yaqi Raster and I'm seriously impressed by it. First WTG pass took down three days growth and I was almost BBS. A fantastic performance! Smooth, effortless and efficient, with that thin head making the top lip and under the nose no challenge whatsoever. What great value for the price!
New YaQi 50mm
- Thread starter Bogeyman
- Start Date
Just completed my 7th Shave with The Raster V2. It is an excellent daily Shaver,and fitted with a Kai CT Mild Pink delivers shaves as good as any I get from my other AC Razors - I do not have a Vector !!
Today I fitted it with a Standard razor handle, and it did not affect its performance in any way.
Today I fitted it with a Standard razor handle, and it did not affect its performance in any way.
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What’s the difference between the Raster and the Excalibur?
Is it the handle?
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- 15,898
- Location
- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
I think it's just what the vendor calls it ...
Yaqi call it the Yaqi AC. Maybe they also called it the Raster?
Yaqi Australia (now Wet Shaving Co) called it the Raster V2.
Nice4Shaves (on eBay) is calling it an Excalibur. That's the first I'd seen of this name when I bought my second from them.
Same razor, same handle. FWIW the razor is/was available as both matte chrome (also called space grey by Yaqi/Yaqi Aus) and polished chrome.
Raster would seem like the right name, since both raster and vector are types of the same thing (graphics) and the Raster was er-hum inspired by the Vector.
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Much appreciated Paul. Cheers.
Got my second Yaqi AC Razor yesterday, named as Yaqi Excalibur. My other one from OZ is called The Raster V2. I think the main difference is the quality of internal finish to blade lugs & recesses, and a slant on the handle screw post.
Tried the Excalibur today with a Schick Proline blade, a wickedly good Shave which was a surprise as others have not rated this blade in it. The Shave today was as good as those I have had in The Raster, with The Kai Pink, and Protouch MG on board. This has to be my bargain buy of 2021 so far.
Tried the Excalibur today with a Schick Proline blade, a wickedly good Shave which was a surprise as others have not rated this blade in it. The Shave today was as good as those I have had in The Raster, with The Kai Pink, and Protouch MG on board. This has to be my bargain buy of 2021 so far.
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- 15,898
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- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
Hmmm ... I quite like this:
Although the handles are massively oversized for the daintiness of the heads, there's a nice balance with these empty core handles.
Although the handles are massively oversized for the daintiness of the heads, there's a nice balance with these empty core handles.
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Wow...that's the most perfect looking handle fitting for the razors I have seen so far...absolutely awesome!!Hmmm ... I quite like this:
Although the handles are massively oversized for the daintiness of the heads, there's a nice balance with these empty core handles.
Hope it shaves as well...
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- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
I'll try it out this evening ...
D
Deleted member 12673
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is this the yaqi that is suppose to be the blackland vector copy? remember reading something about it a few month back if i remember correctly?
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- 15,898
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- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
Yep! Cheap enough to try out the format. The thing with these razors is, the head is not made of stainless steel like the Blackland Vector and we do suspect that the threaded tab that passes through the blade might well lose its thread and become inoperative relatively quickly. I guess when that happens and folks feel this as a loss, they'll look more seriously at perhaps spending the money with Blackland.
D
Deleted member 12673
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yea what sort of blades do these razors take?
btw what does AC razor stand for exactly?
sorry never used one of these razors so im a noob :/
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AC = Artist Club
FEATHER, the Japanese razor company, developed a straight edge razor that took disposable blades. That razor (or group of razors) was/were called Artist Club razors and so the blades are referred to as such as well.
FEATHER Safety Razor Co., Ltd.MADE IN JAPAN
Feather carries out thoroughgoing management of all of the products at the factories in Japan without relying on overseas production, and Feather will continue to pursue the quality that can only be made in Japan and that can only be created at Feather as ever.
Over time, other manufacturers have taken to the blade format and manufactured both razors and blades to suit. While we have seen T-Type razors (called so because they resemble the letter T) that accepted these blade going back a good few years, say the Cobra, it's a reasonably recent thing to see these T-Type razors in such proliferation.
You know what injector blades look like. AC blades are longer. In fact, it is possible to clip AC blades down in size to fit injectors.
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D
Deleted member 12673
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It looks like they'd be good for a head shave due to its width, how are they at cutting straight lines? Like for example cutting a crisp clean sideburn line?AC = Artist Club
FEATHER, the Japanese razor company, developed a straight edge razor that took disposable blades. That razor (or group of razors) was/were called Artist Club razors and so the blades are referred to as such as well.
FEATHER Safety Razor Co., Ltd.MADE IN JAPAN
Feather carries out thoroughgoing management of all of the products at the factories in Japan without relying on overseas production, and Feather will continue to pursue the quality that can only be made in Japan and that can only be created at Feather as ever.www.feather.co.jp
Over time, other manufacturers have taken to the blade format and manufactured both razors and blades to suit. While we have seen T-Type razors (called so because they resemble the letter T) that accepted these blade going back a good few years, say the Cobra, it's a reasonably recent thing to see these T-Type razors in such proliferation.
You know what injector blades look like. AC blades are longer. In fact, it is possible to clip AC blades down in size to fit injectors.
Also do these AC blades come in just the one single edge or double edge too?
How do they compare to see blades or injector blades?
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I'll preface this with a health warning!!!
AC blades are seethingly sharp and it is VERY easy to cut yourself really quite badly with a FEATHER AC razor while learning. I'd say the experience on balance is more dangerous for a newcomer than traditional straight edge shaving.
That said, yes, I think the format is ideally suited to head shaving and styling. It is a professional product (in other words, a Barber razor) and I think that is indeed exactly what it is designed for.
The blades are single edge. There used to be a good few other formats on the market - proprietary blades in single and double edge. I'm thinking of the old Dovo and BurMax formats. They were thinner, more flexible blades though, but also fitted into straight edge type razors. Compared to injector blades, I'd say they're a LOT sharper. Seriously, Saj, they're surgically sharp and the potential for serious damage is right there.
Perhaps a new thread about the suitability of the FEATHER AC system for your purposes? Hopefully, attract other head shavers to gauge their experiences.
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The comparison of Yaqi Excalibur (E) and Blackland Vector (V).
As you can see, the heads are quite different in size and geometry (the Chinese one is on the right).
E holds the blade almost perpendicular to the axis of the razor, while the blade is less covered by the cap than on V.
However, the American razor has a much shorter safety bar.
As a result, these razors require different angles for efficient operation.
I use Yaqi with a Chinese titanium handle exclusively.
Accordingly, the weight of E with this handle (without blade and washer) is 56 g, head only - 18 g
The weight of V is 76 g, head only - 17 g
The geometry of the V handle is less intuitive than the usual 'Super Knurl' replica of my E, but you get used to it quickly.
Plus, it encourages you to hold the razor more "correctly": closer to the tip.
The balance of the razors is therefore quite opposite.
E is balanced towards the head (the stock aluminum handle intensifies this even further).
V is balanced clearly to the bottom of the cone-shaped handle.
An important difference between these razors is the ease of loading.
Here V is definitely ahead of E. The blade easily and clearly falls into place.
With my E I need to tinker to insert the blade properly. Moreover, the blade may be clamped even only in one position, on one particular side.
I believe the quality of workmanship should not even be compared.
The main thing is how these razors shave.
Tested them with fresh Schick Proline blades.
As it is already clear, the razors feel differently in the hand, they need different approaches and angles of attack.
But frankly, these blade holders shave rather similarly.
The blade feel is more pronounced on E. I can't say whether it provides higher efficiency though.
Due to the balance of the razors, V flies a little easier over the skin.
I emphasize that the differences are minimal.
Both razors shave very well: smooth and close. Very comfortable and "fast".
And yes, Yaqi razor became my "entry drug" to Blackland. I've sold my Hawk v.3 set and purchased Vector because I liked such geometry immensely more.
As you can see, the heads are quite different in size and geometry (the Chinese one is on the right).
E holds the blade almost perpendicular to the axis of the razor, while the blade is less covered by the cap than on V.
However, the American razor has a much shorter safety bar.
As a result, these razors require different angles for efficient operation.
I use Yaqi with a Chinese titanium handle exclusively.
Accordingly, the weight of E with this handle (without blade and washer) is 56 g, head only - 18 g
The weight of V is 76 g, head only - 17 g
The geometry of the V handle is less intuitive than the usual 'Super Knurl' replica of my E, but you get used to it quickly.
Plus, it encourages you to hold the razor more "correctly": closer to the tip.
The balance of the razors is therefore quite opposite.
E is balanced towards the head (the stock aluminum handle intensifies this even further).
V is balanced clearly to the bottom of the cone-shaped handle.
An important difference between these razors is the ease of loading.
Here V is definitely ahead of E. The blade easily and clearly falls into place.
With my E I need to tinker to insert the blade properly. Moreover, the blade may be clamped even only in one position, on one particular side.
I believe the quality of workmanship should not even be compared.
The main thing is how these razors shave.
Tested them with fresh Schick Proline blades.
As it is already clear, the razors feel differently in the hand, they need different approaches and angles of attack.
But frankly, these blade holders shave rather similarly.
The blade feel is more pronounced on E. I can't say whether it provides higher efficiency though.
Due to the balance of the razors, V flies a little easier over the skin.
I emphasize that the differences are minimal.
Both razors shave very well: smooth and close. Very comfortable and "fast".
And yes, Yaqi razor became my "entry drug" to Blackland. I've sold my Hawk v.3 set and purchased Vector because I liked such geometry immensely more.