SLANTS FOR SEPTEMBER
Even before there were safety razors, barbers practiced a slanted or diagonal stroke for a smoother, more efficient shave.
As the safety razor gained more and more acceptance, and men were increasingly shaving themselves rather than relying on the barber's skilled hand, the challenge of replicating this stroke is a recurring theme. Almost as soon as there was a safety razor there were competing designs that sought to simplify the slanted stroke. The ads for the Young "Any-Angle" Razor from the early 1910s are some of my favorites in this area for their pitch to put diagonal strokes within anyone's reach.
Over the years we've seen all different kinds of slanted razors. Some just took the standard razor head and tipped it up on an angle, others used proprietary blades with angles built into them. The slants that have made it through to us in the present day are, so far as I know, all torsion slants: razors that twist the blade to slant its cutting edges on both sides. The twist also has a secondary effect of further stiffening the blade against flexing.
Whether you've got a new-production slant or an old crazy one, let's see your pictures and hear your stories. Do you have questions about using them, or want to share tips that you've learned along the way? Whether you can't stand 'em or you think they're the greatest thing since sliced whiskers, we want to hear what you think. Let's live life on the tilted edge this month.