A Push-To-Open Razor? Ariana And Evans B1 Lancer Razor Review

Ariana And Evans is mainly known to Sharpologist readers for their excellent shave soaps. But did you know they have a safety razor with a unique razor opening feature as well? Read on to find out more about their razor with a nod to an aircraft bomber, the B1 Lancer.

My Experience With The Ariana And Evans B1 Lancer Razor

[Note: I purchased a B1 Lancer razor from Ariana And Evans. The opinions here are mine and have not been reviewed or approved by Ariana And Evans.]

Presentation

The B1 Lancer razor arrives in an attractively-designed cardboard box. No blades are included with the razor. The fit-and-finish of my razor is quite good.

The razor is a bit lighter (75 grams, about 2.6 ounces) than my personal preference but certainly acceptable and it feels nimble in my hand. The alloy head combined with the aluminum handle give this razor a center-of-gravity heavily biased toward the head, a balance I like.

Even though the handle length (91 mm, a little over 3.5 inches) is fairly typical for safety razors, the slightly-larger-than-typical circumference of the handle gives me a feeling of security with this razor. The handle knurling accentuates that feeling. I don’t think this razor will have trouble slipping from my fingers.

The unique (as far as I know) push-to-open head is engaged by pushing the bottom of the razor handle towards the head. The most convenient way for me to use this feature is to hold the razor by the handle with one hand and push it down on a hard surface (like a bathroom counter or sink). Then I use the other hand to drop in a blade. It’s actually pretty convenient for me. The spring that engages the head opener is quite strong and when it’s closed I find that it holds the blade securely. Ariana And Evans states that the spring is good for 25,000 cycles.

The Shave

Ariana And Evans states that the B1 Lancer razor’s shave characteristics as medium-aggressive but the specs also say it has a blade gap of 0.60 which in my experience is more toward the mild end of the range. It’s also why blade gap should not be taken as the sole indication of “aggressiveness.” In actual use I find the razor is indeed more toward the medium-aggressive range. I would give it a six on a one-to-ten scale.

While the Ariana And Evans B1 Lancer razor is a bit more aggressive than my preference I find it easily controllable as long as I’m mindful of the pressure put on the razor. Getting into tight spots like under my nose is not a problem. The razor’s “sweet spot,” the range of angles that the razor can be held and still get a good cut, is reasonably generous.

I find lather and water flow-through to be very good and I have not had any lather-clogging problems with this razor.

Background

From the Ariana And Evans website:

…This is our very first large scale production offering… I believe this is the first incorporating a spring to open doors, which are reminiscent of the payload doors of the B1 Lancer Bomber. The heavy duty spring is rated at 25,000 cycles. The machine gun color adds to the impressive design, along with the brass pin towards bottom of our handle.

Specifications

• Total Length: 91mm, razor head 44mm x 25mm
• Weight: 75g
• Head: Zinc alloy
• Handle: Aluminum

Blade Gap: .60 (med-aggressive and very efficient)

Summing Up

While Ariana And Evans is known for their “software” offerings (shave soaps, aftershaves, toners, etc.) they are beginning to diversify into shaving “hardware” as well. Their B1 Lancer safety razor features a unique push-to-open blade loading feature, is well-built, and provides a great shave. The B1 Lancer is razor is available at the Ariana And Evans website and these vendors.