Vikings Blade is a family owned company that has been around for a while (family-owned for 4 generations), but it wasn’t until 1985 that they started making safety razors and shaving brushes. Before that, they just focused on making high-quality shaving soaps and shaving creams.
Vikings Blade makes a few different safety razors, but today we are going to focus on what I think is their most popular: the Chieftain. They first introduced the Chieftain in 2015, so it’s one of the youngest safety razors on the market. But it is also one of the most popular and well-reviewed safety razors on the market.
The Chieftain is particularly well-liked by first time buyers. I think the Chieftain is kind of looked down at by wet shaving elitists not because of its performance but just because they like to use the “classics”. But men new to wet shaving really like the Chieftain.
Another reason why I think some wet shaving elitists scoff at the Chieftain is because Vikings Blade has a much “louder” marketing strategy than most razor companies. They really sell their product well. Most safety razor companies don’t put much thought or effort on marketing and just hope their product sells. Additionally, Vikings Blade offers some of the best packaging and customer service you will find.
Alright, let’s get into the review and see if the Vikings Blade Chieftain is the best safety razor for you.
Pros
- First-rate design
- Made with high quality materials
- Fast and easy blade replacement
- Premium travel case
- Moderate aggressiveness is sweet spot for most men
Cons
- Very durable, but the butterfly-open design is more susceptible to breaking
Product Overview & Specs
- Length: 3.75 inches
- Roughly 2.9 ounces
- Complimentary pack of 5 Swedish 13C26 steel mild blades
- Comes with a leatherette traveling case
Key Features
Top Quality Design and Materials
Vikings Blade is a company that has really shown commitment to producing great safety razors. How so? Well instead of outsourcing the manufacturing to another company, they actually purchased a razor manufacturing company. This allows them to have complete control and oversight of the manufacturing quality and process. And it shows.
The Chieftain is one of the best designed safety razors on the market. The handle is long with great grip. It has a good amount of weight with an excellent balance point. There really are no big design flaws or weak spots.
However, it’s not just the design and manufacturing process that makes a razor good and durable. It also needs to be made with high quality materials. And the Chieftain passes this test as well as it’s made from a combination of brass and bronze alloy with a really nice looking chrome finish.
And FYI, there are some Chieftain knockoffs out there that look nearly identical to the Chieftain. And while they might look the same, they are not nearly as high quality and don’t offer the same smooth shave.
Moderate Aggressiveness (4/10)
The Chieftain is right in the sweet spot for most men when it comes to aggressiveness. It’s not overly aggressive, but it’s also not too mild. This feature makes it a very versatile safety razor. How so? Well you can either turn the aggressiveness up even more by using an ultra-sharp blade like a Feather. Or you can dial the aggressiveness way down by using a very smooth blade like a Shark.
The Chieftain has a pretty sizable blade gap, but the closed comb and blade angle are what keeps it moderately aggressive. The “Microcomb” bar does a really good job of protecting your face from being irritated but still allowing the razor to glide smoothly and effortlessly over your shaving cream or soap.
Easy to Maneuver
The Chieftain has great weight distribution and balance point. The balance point is about ¾ of the way up the handle and this really allows you to let the weight of the razor to do the work and use great form while shaving. The Chieftain is an excellent safety razor for beginners to learn how to wet shave with good form.
I also really like the overall size of the Chieftain, particularly the size of the handle. At 3.75 inches long, it’s long enough to be able to handle comfortably without feeling big and bulky. This size also allows you to hold the Chieftain in a variety of grips.
Every wet shaver has a different opinion on what is the optimal size and weight, but I really think Vikings Blade nailed it with the Chieftain.
Leather And Suede Case
The travel case that comes with the Chieftain is probably the most premium case out there. It’s made from leather and suede and even has a small mirror affixed on the inside. But to be honest with you, this case doesn’t make me like the Chieftain anymore or less. It’s really nice, I just don’t think it’s real practical. Why?
Because it’s pretty bulky. The only time I would ever use this case is when I travel, but it takes up too much room in my Dopp kit. There’s no doubt that the Chieftain case is high quality, I just don’t ever see a need to use it. But if you do need a sturdier case to protect your safety razor while traveling, this one will certainly do that.
Top Quality Presentation and Packaging
The overall packaging and presentation of the Chieftain is second to none. Vikings Blade does a really good job of making it feel like you’re opening a cool new toy/gadget instead of just a boring razor.
We’ve already touched on the leather travel case it comes with, but the Chieftain also comes with complimentary blades as well as some instructions on how to wet shave if you’re new to safety razors. Will this make you an expert wet shaver? No. But it is a nice touch for beginners.
Lifetime Warranty
The Vikings Blade Chieftain comes with a lifetime warranty. I don’t use my Chieftain all that often but it definitely seems built to last. This isn’t a cheap plastic budget safety razor that will break on you after several months. But it is nice to know that Vikings Blade gives you a warranty as well.
Comes With 5 Blades
The Chieftain comes with 5 double-edge blades that are very mild and in my opinion perform very similarly to Shark Super Chrome blades. These blades will help you get started wet shaving ASAP, but I highly recommend picking up a sample pack of de blades as well so you can really figure out what you like best. You might be surprised at what you like.
Who Do We Recommend The Vikings Blade Chieftain For?
The Vikings Blade Chieftain is a really good safety razor. A lot of the marketing focuses on the travel case and complimentary blades and other stuff which is a shame because all of that sometimes can overshadow how good this safety razor actually is.
The Chieftain is a really solid, durable and high-performing safety razor. If you know how to use good form, it will provide an incredibly close and smooth shave. The Chieftain is a great razor for beginners to use and learn proper technique with. But it’s also a great razor for any wet shaver looking for a mild to moderately aggressive shave.
And just a reminder, stay away from those knockoffs. They may look the same in images, but they definitely won’t provide the same quality of shave. What would be some other good options to consider though? Let’s take a look.
What Are Some Other Good Safety Razors To Consider?
Vikings Blade Godfather
The Godfather is Vikings Blade other popular safety razor. The Godfather’s design is very different from the Chieftain. It has a much more modern, sleek look and reminds my somewhat of the Merkur Futur in that there’s very little grip/texture on the handle.
The Godfather is a 3-piece safety razor and it’s about 4.5 inches long. And while its design is very different, it does have a very similar level of aggressiveness and performance to the Chieftain. So if you want something heavier with a sleek, modern look and moderately aggressive, this is a great option.
Merkur 33c “Classic”
The Merkur 33c is a very popular safety razor. It is a little shorter (3.3 inches) and lighter (2 ounces) than the Chieftain, but it’s 3-piece design is incredibly durable.
The Merkur 33c is slightly more aggressive at 5/10, but if you put a mild blade in it, you can definitely turn down the aggressiveness and still get a close comfortable shave.
The Merkur “Classic” is a great option for beginners, but I know several veteran wet shavers that use this as their daily razor. It has a classic safety razor design, it’s durable and it offers a close, comfortable shave. What’s not to like about the 33c?
Feather “Popular”
The Feather “Popular” is my favorite budget safety razor. It actually has a lot in common with the Chieftain: butterfly open, moderately aggressive, good grip. One of the biggest differences though is that it is quite a bit lighter because the handle is made from plastic.
If you have a very limited budget, the “Popular” is probably the best bang for your buck you can find. I think it’s also a great backup to use as your travel safety razor. It won’t set you back much money to buy this and then you can just leave it in your Dopp kit so you always have a razor ready to use when travelling.
Need a little more help figuring out which safety razor to buy? Then I recommend reading my guide on the what I think are the best safety razors on the market right now. It has all the information you need to find the right safety razor for your budget.
