Slants

[gvw755]

Okay, let's cut to the chase - SLANTS - who got them, who likes them, who thinks they look strange.

I will start off, I guess. I started off with a Merkur 39c. Then came the great Slant Renascence a couple of years ago when everyone everywhere were releasing slants. There were low cost ones like the PAA BOCS and the Fine Superlite, and the more exotic ones like the RR Wunderbar, the Ikon DLC, and ATT S1/S2 and a bunch in between. I limited myself to four slants which meant if I wanted to get a new one, I had to get rid of one that I didn't think was performing up to par. One day I just decided to give up on the idea and so now I have about 16 slants both vintage and modern, with some waiting to be sold and some packed away for occasional use because of plating loss. Right now I have more slants than regular DE razors and so I have to call my razors slant and non slants because my regular razors are slants.

Just want to see what the rest of you think.

 

[Spider]

I’ve got a couple of vintage slants. A Pomco and a Merkur I believe. Haven’t used them in years. Too aggressive at the time. Probably should try them again.

 

[SteveChuckFrank]

I'd like to try one. From what I understand they give a great shave...of your technique is up for the challenge haha.

I haven't had the guts to give one a shot yet though. I've eyed a few up online a couple times, but always chickened out haha!

 

[Quijote]

I have used a 37, but that was in a passaround. I liked it, but never actually bought one. I will at some point. It is pretty far down on the last of wants right now. Many soaps and straights above it.

 

[BrickHud]

I was pretty skeptical about the whole slant concept. But of the half-dozen or so slants I've tried, I've yet to have other than a great shave. I still don't know if the slant physics played a role, or whether these have been just more great razors. But I've definitely suspended my disbelief.

Qualification: I didn't get along with Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Bakelite Open Comb Slant. But I think that was a Bakelite issue. Super lightweight razors like that tend to skip over my beard, losing skin contact, so I don't assume it was a problem with geometry.

 

[gvw755]

I was pretty skeptical about the whole slant concept. But of the half-dozen or so slants I've tried, I've yet to have other than a great shave. I still don't know if the slant physics played a role, or whether these have been just more great razors. But I've definitely suspended my disbelief.

Qualification: I didn't get along with Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Bakelite Open Comb Slant. But I think that was a Bakelite issue. Super lightweight razors like that tend to skip over my beard, losing skin contact, so I don't assume it was a problem with geometry.

Try swapping the handle for a longer and heavier one. I started out this way and it worked wonders (kind of like training wheels on a bike). I now enjoy the lightness and maneuverability of a pure bakelite.

 

[BrickHud]

Try swapping the handle for a longer and heavier one. I started out this way and it worked wonders (kind of like training wheels on a bike). I now enjoy the lightness and maneuverability of a pure bakelite.

Thanks, Les. I appreciate the tip. But there are so many great razors out there, I don't feel the inclination to MacGyver razors that aren't working as originally sold.

 

[Cvargo]

I was gifted a Merkur 37c, and I always think maybe its time to PIF it on, but then I use it and I fall back in love. I just always forget about it. I do get a good shave though when paired with an Astra SP

 

[Tetraodon]

Ive used a slant, the only noticble effect for me was on my cheek with almost 2 week growth, so I'm just sticking with my maggards and slim

 

[Gagi]

When I started this hobby, I hated the idea of slant blade, and I was wrong... As your beard is thicker and your skin more sensitive you'll appreciate it more. Right now I don't own one, I'm waiting to see what Fatip will make...

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

I have a Maggard Slant & a Merkur 37C in my rotation and generally like the results I get with them. These two don't seem to be radically more or less aggressive (in general) than my other DEs. I think they are both slightly more aggressive than the DE89, but less than the Maggard V3, V3A, & V3OC. And the performance/ aggressivenss of both vary with blade selection - like any other DE. Between the two the Merkur 37C feels milder than the Maggard Slant with most blades (at least, to me.)

Not certain about the efficiency of the slant vs straight blade in shearing off the whiskers. The rationale seems feasible, but I can't tell the difference between a slant edge and straight edge when I'm shaving. I think it's just one part of the overall geometry & design features that make one razor shave differently than another.

That's how I see it anyway. But - to quote Dennis Miller - "That's just my opinion. I could be wrong." And - as always - YMMV....

 

[Jaidmaster]

Qualification: I didn't get along with Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Bakelite Open Comb Slant. But I think that was a Bakelite issue. Super lightweight razors like that tend to skip over my beard, losing skin contact, so I don't assume it was a problem with geometry.

This was the only slant I've tried and I also could not get a good shave with it... If I applied enough pressure to keep it from skipping, I got a lot of irritation. Gave up after a couple weeks and got rid of it...

 

[McVeyMac]

I got the ATT S2 as soon as it was released, and I have to say that I was underwhelmed. It is probably my poor technique using it, but I never could get a close shave result from it as easily as I can with the H2 head.

 

[dangerousdon]

I tried a couple slants out a couple years ago. I liked them but just never went back to them...

Maybe I need to give them a try again.

 

[Highspeedlane]

I have the 37C and a Hoffritz. I need to try a Treet black carbon steel blade in them sometime.

 

[gvw755]

Nacets are my blade of choice for my slants. When I first started shaving with slants, I used medium grade blades (India/Pakistan/China manufactures) thinking that the slant will compensate for the lack of blade performance. It did to an extent and I was satisfied until it was pointed out to me that if I used a high end blade, I would get excellent results. I loaded a Nacet in my RR37 one day and got a two pass near BBS. Since then, it was Nacets in the slants. Last night I loaded one in my Mulcuto bakelite diagonal and did achieve a two pass BBS, which equaled my REX shave the night before that, and beat my OneBlade shave on Sunday.

 

[kingfisher]

I tried an iKon 102, but it wasn't a real slant, the head is just held at an angle (it doesn't torque the blade at all). I had spent a lot of time practicing Gillette slides and the like with my regular DEs, so this slanted head thing just messed everything up, so I sold it.

I picked up a vintage Hoffritz travel slant on vacation last July. On a regular handle, this is a fantastic head. The head is the same as the one pictured in Highspeedlane's post, above, and the handle has the same color, too. I don't use it much, but I really like it when I put it into the rotation.

 

[gvw755]

I tried an iKon 102, but it wasn't a real slant, the head is just held at an angle (it doesn't torque the blade at all). I had spent a lot of time practicing Gillette slides and the like with my regular DEs, so this slanted head thing just messed everything up, so I sold it.

I picked up a vintage Hoffritz travel slant on vacation last July. On a regular handle, this is a fantastic head. The head is the same as the one pictured in Highspeedlane's post, above, and the handle has the same color, too. I don't use it much, but I really like it when I put it into the rotation.

Actually, there are two types of slants, and both are legitimately classified as such. There is the Torsionshobel - twisted planer (as in a carpenter's plane). These are the ones most folks think of when you say "slant". They bend or contort the blade so that the cutting edge is at an angle. Examples of these are the ones that Lane showed pics of, the ATT S1/S2, and the Razorock Wunderbar.

The other type is the Schragschnitt - askew cut. These basically are regular heads, but are at an angle when you put them together. Examples of these would be your Ikon 102, the PAA Alpha Ecliptic, and the vintage Mulcuto bakelite. The Mulcuto and the Ikon (which is a clone of the Mulcuto) has the screw post at an angle and the hole on the base plate tapped at an angle. One side of the top cap is also thicker than the other side. The PAA has a straight screw post and the hole on the base plate is tapped regular. The base plate itself is built with one side angled higher than the other, and the top cap is very tilted to one side. The purpose is to give you a natural Gillette slide angle while shaving regularly.

Used properly (as in shave like you would any other razor), the slants will give a smooth and efficient shave that will surpass most non slanted DE razors.

 

[G'ville Ute]

How well do slants work on the neck? I have hair that grows sideways on my neck and I can’t cut xtg and so it is always rough compared to the rest of my face.
Was thinking a slant may help with that.

 

[Spider]

It could help. I’m not a fan of slants myself, I find them too aggressive, but it’s asl been ages since I tried one. But if you enjoy aggressive razors, it might be worth a try.