Leaf Branch Review: Months In With Leaf's New SE Razor

Welcome to my channel. This one’s a big one. A few hours before I hit record, Leaf launched a brand new single-edge razor. It’s called the Branch, and it’s been sitting in my kit since the start of June.

What’s in the Box

The Branch comes in a kit box with a paper insert, the razor itself, a matching stand, and a silicone cover for the head. Take the razor out and the first thing you notice is the handle. It’s the same length as the Twig and the Thorn, but a lot thicker, with a honeycomb pattern running down it and a knob on the end with some real grooving cut into it. Easy to hold. Easy to find your grip even with wet hands.

The silicone piece is a travel cover, and it’s a smart one. Pull it off, and you can store it with the blade still loaded inside. I travel more than most guys I know, and having a cover you can just snap on and toss in a bag beats wrapping a blade in a paper towel and hoping for the best.

Loading and What’s Different

Blade gap on this one is 1.1mm. The Twig sits at 1mm, the Thorn at 1.2mm, so the Branch splits the difference right down the middle. Loading works the same way it always has with Leaf: twist the handle, the head pops up, there’s a magnet in there that helps guide the blade into place, then you close it back down, and you’re set.

You get five blades in the box, plus that stand with little silicone feet on the bottom so it doesn’t scratch your counter.

Where This Came From

Back in May, Laura from Leaf reached out and asked if I’d try their newest razor. Prototype, no name yet. I said yes. What showed up in June is, as far as I can tell, the same razor now sitting on shelves as the Branch. This is Leaf’s new single-edge razor, and the Twig and the Thorn step aside for it.

In the set, you get the razor, the silicone travel cap, the stand, and five blades. That’s a solid package for the price.

Months of Actual Use

I’ve had this razor since the start of June, and I’ve put it through about ten shaves at this point. I really, really like the thicker handle and the knurling. The Twig always felt a little slick to me when I was opening it up, a little harder to grip. I love the Twig, don’t get me wrong. But this one’s got more meat on it. A good bit heavier for the same length, and that extra weight gives me more to work with in the hand.

My daughter gave it a try too, just picking it up and holding it, not shaving with it yet. She likes the thicker handle, and she likes the grooved knob on the end. She’s a shower shaver who uses the Twig, and her read was that the extra width would be easier to hold with wet hands. I promised her a real turn with it once I’m done filming.

Feel-wise, it’s in the same family as the Twig and the Thorn, just heavier. That weight gives me a sense of more control, because I can lean on the razor’s own mass instead of muscling it through the pass. Some guys will tell you that’s not really a thing. For me, it is.

I’ve heard people say they can’t get along with the Thorn because it’s too aggressive, and they stick with the Twig instead. The Branch splits that too. It carries the feel of the Twig with the efficiency of the Thorn. A mix of both, and a good one.

Is It Worth It

Is this an upgrade? It is. Is this worth getting? It is. I don’t have an affiliate code, nothing in it for me either way. This is just what I think after using the thing for months. No dislikes so far. Not one.

It sits flat on the counter if you don’t want to use the stand, doesn’t tip over easy. Gives me a bit of a Robocop vibe, matte black and all business. Whether other colors show up down the line, I honestly have no idea, but I wouldn’t rule it out. What I do know is the grip is good, the flared end sits right in my palm, and I haven’t found anything about this razor I’d change. It doesn’t need a sleeve. The honeycomb texture keeps it from getting slippery, and the way the handle flares out at the bottom gives my fingers something to hook onto.

I’m curious to hear what head shavers make of this one. The extra control this handle gives you seems like it’d help back at the base of the skull where things get tricky to steer. Not my area of expertise, since I shave my face, but under the nose was no problem at all with this razor, and that’s usually where a razor shows its weaknesses.

My daughter’s already talking about getting a couple of her friends into Leaf razors after seeing this one and hearing what she had to say about it. I’ll help make that happen. Handing off gear and walking someone through loading a blade for the first time is one of my favorite parts of this hobby.

I finished this shave with Stirling’s Lemon Chill Glacial balm. Barely anything needed, a small amount goes a long way, though I always end up reaching for a touch more anyway.

Thanks for watching. Thumbs up, subscribe, share it with someone who needs to see it. We’re not obsessed. We’re dedicated.