Cajun Blade ACR1 and The Cutter: Coast Guard Tribute Review
Hey, what’s up, folks. Mike here, back in the shave den. Welcome to Long Island Shaving. I know it’s been a minute. A lot of you have been reaching out asking how I’m doing, so I’ll just say it: I spent 20 years with a media company in advertising, sales, and marketing. The opportunity came up to take a buyout and move on. I’m young enough to want something different, and I’m going to take that shot. There’s uncertainty in it, but I’ll be fine. I have the support of family, friends, and a lot of you checking in on me, and I genuinely appreciate every one of you. I’ll figure out what I want to do when I grow up.
More shave videos are coming. In this shave, my buddy Eric over at The Cajun Blade Store was kind enough to send me a sample soap set and a 2 oz aftershave splash of his new release, The Cutter, along with his brand new ACR1 aluminum double-edge safety razor. Let’s get into it.
The Cutter
Eric developed The Cutter in collaboration with active-duty Coast Guardsman Zack to commemorate the 236th birthday of the United States Coast Guard, celebrated each year on August 4th. The whole concept is a tribute to the service’s maritime heritage and the men and women who stand the watch. Good reason for a soap.
I had the aftershave splash on my face the day before filming. That’s my first impression, before I even loaded the soap. This is a really nice, modern aquatic. Good projection. Honestly, it might be one of the best aquatics I’ve smelled in a long time. Others around you will appreciate it too. Eric has been on a strong run. His Bay Rum is excellent. His St. Patrick’s Day soap was great. Jude of Oud is excellent. The Cutter belongs in that company. The star of the show is the aftershave splash. If he doesn’t have an EDP version of this one yet, this fragrance warrants it.
The soap is his Brangus 2.1 base, which is a beef tallow formula. First time actually lathering it during the shave, I noticed how the fragrance opens up in the base. Really nice.
Scent notes from the product page:
Top: marine notes, bergamot, green mandarin, blackberry. Heart: green fig, cypress, lavender, rosemary. Base: driftwood, musk, amber, sandalwood, cedarwood.
Those marine notes come through right at the top. You get the bergamot. In the heart, the lavender keeps it from going too sharp. The base has a warm, woody quality. Driftwood, amber, sandalwood, and cedarwood together land grounded and warm. If you like aquatics that don’t stay flat and one-note, you’re going to love this one.
The soap comes in a 5 oz tub or 2 oz Gentleman’s Tub. The aftershave comes in 3.38 oz or a 2 oz Gentleman’s Splash. Both at The Cajun Blade Store.
The ACR1
The ACR1 is a three-piece, medium to aggressive double-edge safety razor. Eric’s first DE razor. He sent one along with a blade already included in the box. Specs from the product page:
- Length: 95 mm
- Weight: 58 g
- Blade gap: 0.68 mm
- Blade exposure: positive
- Body: aluminum alloy, with a zinc alloy thread stud on the top cap
That zinc stud deserves a callout. Most aluminum razors go aluminum all the way through, which can mean stripped threads over years of blade changes. The zinc stud is specifically there for durability. Good design call.
Available in silver and gunmetal. Made in China, assembled and quality-checked by Eric himself.
This is not a beginner razor. Eric says it, and I’m saying it too. Medium to aggressive, positive blade exposure. If you’re new to DE shaving, start somewhere milder. This one is for shavers who already know what they’re doing, or for those who have the natural feel to pick things up quickly with a light touch.
For experienced shavers, $28 for this build quality is a genuinely good deal. The knurling is solid. It has decent weight for an aluminum razor. At $28, it’s also a strong travel option. You don’t want to put a $150+ razor through airport security. This one fits in the kit without stress.
Four Days of Growth
I came in with four days of beard growth to give the ACR1 a real test. I lathered The Cutter in my Captain’s Choice bowl, a bowl I used to reach for constantly and hadn’t touched in a while. True Till Death brush from Cody, G5C knot. Loaded a fresh blade from the pack Eric included.
First pass: you feel it. Blade feel is immediate on the ACR1. Positive exposure and a 0.68mm gap don’t leave you guessing. Four days of growth came off clean with no effort. Efficient. I liked it from the first stroke.
A word on pressure: don’t use any. Let the blade cut. I learned this lesson myself years ago with a Rockwell 6S. Came out the next day with a red face because I was used to pressing down like a cartridge razor. With the ACR1, same rule. Light touch, let the razor do the work. You won’t hurt yourself unless you press. Even experienced shavers can fall into that habit when trying something new.
I liked the ACR1 enough that I’m considering throwing it in my bag on my next trip. Easy call at $28.
Thanks for all the kind messages while I’ve been dealing with things on my end. They meant a lot. More coming soon. Happy shaving.