You might try another blade... duds do happen sometimes. It's rare, but it happens.
B.O.S.S. Brotherhood of Slant Shavers
- Thread starter RailroadMan
- Start date
A couple of pages back on this thread Lamboy thought we ought to place the reviews of slant razors done in the thread in a wiki. Until that happens I thought I would inventory what has been done to date with a page and post citation for location and a mention of the razor involved. So here goes:
Page 3 #56 Italian Barber (partial)
Page 6 #111 Full and complete review of the Merkur 37C and 39C
Page 17 #336 The Valencia 3 piece open comb
Page 18 #354 Black no name plastic slant
Page 19 #361 Krect 3 piece
Page 19 #366 "A" Logo slant
Page 19 #374 Schotz Slant
Page 19 #377 JTE Hobby plastic
Page 20 #394 Fasan clear plastic
Page 22 #429 Punktal Slant. Solingen head
Page 22 #432 BRW/Merkur Slant. "Cooncat Bob"
Page 22 #437 Flip top diagonal slant. Apollo Fix (?)
Page 23 #446 Valencia 2 piece
Page 24 #474 Grey Bakelite Sipo (?)
Page 25 #495 Walbusch B5
Page 25 #511 Fasan All Metal
Page 26 #516 Golf German Bakelite
Page 27 #521 Mulcuto plastic body metal cap
Page 28 #545 Eros Bakelite
Every so often I will update this summary with notations of reviews that happen subsequently. There have been quite a few so far but hardly a dent has been made in the inventory of what could be reviewed. 4 or 5 people have been the major contributors but anyone with a slant razor not so far reviewed should weigh in and let us know the particulars, with pictures, and the shaving characteristics of the tool. The more razors reviewed the better the knowledge base beyond the Merkur 37 and 39. I know the Ikon will generate a lot of comment and we should have a thoughtful review here that endeavors to deal with its strengths and weaknesses, if any, and cost to performance.
Page 3 #56 Italian Barber (partial)
Page 6 #111 Full and complete review of the Merkur 37C and 39C
Page 17 #336 The Valencia 3 piece open comb
Page 18 #354 Black no name plastic slant
Page 19 #361 Krect 3 piece
Page 19 #366 "A" Logo slant
Page 19 #374 Schotz Slant
Page 19 #377 JTE Hobby plastic
Page 20 #394 Fasan clear plastic
Page 22 #429 Punktal Slant. Solingen head
Page 22 #432 BRW/Merkur Slant. "Cooncat Bob"
Page 22 #437 Flip top diagonal slant. Apollo Fix (?)
Page 23 #446 Valencia 2 piece
Page 24 #474 Grey Bakelite Sipo (?)
Page 25 #495 Walbusch B5
Page 25 #511 Fasan All Metal
Page 26 #516 Golf German Bakelite
Page 27 #521 Mulcuto plastic body metal cap
Page 28 #545 Eros Bakelite
Every so often I will update this summary with notations of reviews that happen subsequently. There have been quite a few so far but hardly a dent has been made in the inventory of what could be reviewed. 4 or 5 people have been the major contributors but anyone with a slant razor not so far reviewed should weigh in and let us know the particulars, with pictures, and the shaving characteristics of the tool. The more razors reviewed the better the knowledge base beyond the Merkur 37 and 39. I know the Ikon will generate a lot of comment and we should have a thoughtful review here that endeavors to deal with its strengths and weaknesses, if any, and cost to performance.
Blade change fixed problem. Thanks! Now I have to go back and test some of my razors that i thought were rough and make sure it wasnt a blade issue.
My 39c is easily my favorite razor. Closest and least irritation. FINALLY got to try a feather blade in it after using Astra SP and Shark blades. Holy smokes. Best shaves ever with a DE. So stoked I dropped the extra for 100 feathers. Can't wait till the ikon slant comes out.
+1!!
I used the Bakelite Slant that Italian Barber used to carry for the first time today. I was really impressed 
Very smooth with no skipping (something I usually feel from lighter razors). The razor felt well made and the Bakelite (or what ever it's made of) was of good quality. With a Feather blade and 3 passes, I got a great shave that rivaled that of the 37c. Not bad for a light weight razor I didn't have any trouble shaving under my nose either (a common beef that some shavers have had with this one). Only the first shave I know, but it felt a tad smoother than my Fasan OC. I say it belongs in every Slant collector's shave den
Very smooth with no skipping (something I usually feel from lighter razors). The razor felt well made and the Bakelite (or what ever it's made of) was of good quality. With a Feather blade and 3 passes, I got a great shave that rivaled that of the 37c. Not bad for a light weight razor I didn't have any trouble shaving under my nose either (a common beef that some shavers have had with this one). Only the first shave I know, but it felt a tad smoother than my Fasan OC. I say it belongs in every Slant collector's shave den Bakelite was one of the early plastics. It became more expensive to produce and due to it's brittleness, is a crappy material. Many bakelite objects have become collectables. I dropped my Bakelite slant and it shattered into a dozen pieces. I got another for my slant collection but really don't care for it's performance.
Today's shave was with a French slant, The ILE de France. It was made in two versions, Bakelite and chromed metal. I have the Bakelite version. The razor has a Walbusch type head and employs a proprietary razor blade.
The plastic tool weighs in at a light 22 grams compared to the Italian Barber plastic slant at 17, which most of us have tried. The head of the razor takes some getting used too because of the platform slant geometry and the raised cap. The hardest place to shave is the upper lip, the cap projection was bumping into my nose, but with diligence it can be accomplished. The ILE de France is probably the most popular DE slant razor in France during its time, the 1930's, and today is the most commonly available Bakelite slant of French manufacture. The metal version is much more difficult to find because fewer were made.
One of the problems shaving with the razor is that you have to use 80+ year old proprietary blue blades which have special notches to mate with the cap. This arrangement can be seen in one of the pictures. Beside being scarce they are not the modern stainless steel Teflon coated wonder blades that we have today. I had a first shave with the blade a couple of days ago as a trial to see if they could even be used. The shave was acceptable but not distinctive in any way. I hand stropped (carefully) the blade on an old pair of jeans and the difference was amazing. All of a sudden the 80+ year old blade felt normal, on a par with a Derby or any other medium sharp stainless blade.
So the actual shave routine was my normal WTG, ATG and an across pass on my neck. All of this went well and was very comfortable with no nicks, weepers or abrasions. Had to do some clean-up around the mouth and use more strokes than normal during the entirety of the shave because the blade is just slightly narrower in width than my normal Astra SP. Used Mike's Lemongrass and Eucalyptus soap which provided a nice cushion and a Semogue well broken in boar brush. Will have an opportunity to review the metal ILE de France in a week or so. A member is loaning it to me to shave with and discuss here. Anticipate that the metal razor will shave better because of the increase in weight, but we will see.
[FONT=&]There is no mention of the razor or a manufacturer in the Waits Compendium.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
The all metal version of the ILE de France:
[/FONT]View attachment 350360
The plastic tool weighs in at a light 22 grams compared to the Italian Barber plastic slant at 17, which most of us have tried. The head of the razor takes some getting used too because of the platform slant geometry and the raised cap. The hardest place to shave is the upper lip, the cap projection was bumping into my nose, but with diligence it can be accomplished. The ILE de France is probably the most popular DE slant razor in France during its time, the 1930's, and today is the most commonly available Bakelite slant of French manufacture. The metal version is much more difficult to find because fewer were made.
One of the problems shaving with the razor is that you have to use 80+ year old proprietary blue blades which have special notches to mate with the cap. This arrangement can be seen in one of the pictures. Beside being scarce they are not the modern stainless steel Teflon coated wonder blades that we have today. I had a first shave with the blade a couple of days ago as a trial to see if they could even be used. The shave was acceptable but not distinctive in any way. I hand stropped (carefully) the blade on an old pair of jeans and the difference was amazing. All of a sudden the 80+ year old blade felt normal, on a par with a Derby or any other medium sharp stainless blade.
So the actual shave routine was my normal WTG, ATG and an across pass on my neck. All of this went well and was very comfortable with no nicks, weepers or abrasions. Had to do some clean-up around the mouth and use more strokes than normal during the entirety of the shave because the blade is just slightly narrower in width than my normal Astra SP. Used Mike's Lemongrass and Eucalyptus soap which provided a nice cushion and a Semogue well broken in boar brush. Will have an opportunity to review the metal ILE de France in a week or so. A member is loaning it to me to shave with and discuss here. Anticipate that the metal razor will shave better because of the increase in weight, but we will see.
[FONT=&]There is no mention of the razor or a manufacturer in the Waits Compendium.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&]The all metal version of the ILE de France:
[/FONT]View attachment 350360
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Metal is definitely the way to go. I prefer more heft and if dropped, would rather the razor do damage than be damaged. It's too bad that more metal slants (other than Merkur) weren't produced. I like my Bakelite slants, but I would love if they were made of stainless, or even tungsten
Merkur 39c is my main go-to razor.
- Thread starter
- #571
Had a wonderful shave for date night tonight. Used the Hoffritz with the new Ikon Bulldog II handle. A little MdC, T&H Moonjava best Badger, Personna Lab, alum, witch Hazel, and finished with Bleu de a Chanel for a nice scent. No nicks, weepers, or cuts.
I scored a Neo Lux Ultra Slant the other day for 35 bucks. Super stoked anyone shave with one of these before?
anyone shave with one of these before?
I have been on vacation since the 4th of July, but I came back to some goodies 
. A nice apollo No.160 slant and what looks like a black bakelite slant similar to a fasan.The comb and angle is different as well as the handle. I will be shaving with them both over the next couple weeks to get a good idea of how they feel for a review.
Here is a a bad picture for a tease until I can get a good camera here .
. A nice apollo No.160 slant and what looks like a black bakelite slant similar to a fasan.The comb and angle is different as well as the handle. I will be shaving with them both over the next couple weeks to get a good idea of how they feel for a review.Here is a a bad picture for a tease until I can get a good camera here .
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I have been on vacation since the 4th of July, but I came back to some goodies
Here is a a bad picture for a tease until I can get a good camera here .View attachment 351199
Very nice Apollo No.160. Looks like it is NOS
The all metal Ile de France is quite different from its plastic/Bakelite brother. It weighs 57 grams, compared to 22 grams and has quite a different head design. The platform diagonal slant gives way to a curved base plate which achieves the diagonal tilt through the handle attachment hole which is cast or machined at an angle. The top of the handle is 90 degrees which results in an approximate 30-35 degree slant in the razor head. It results in a smaller cap which is more maneuverable in the difficult to get to face positions.
The metal razor, like the Bakelite, takes the proprietary Ile de France blade with a similar but different configuration. Modern DE blades can not be used without major modification of the blade. (compare the undersides of the caps to see this difference)
The razor looks chrome plated over zinc. There were no signs of brass on the head or handle. I used the proprietary blade (3) hand stropped on cotton and shaved normally which is WTG, ATG and across on the neck. I did have to throw in an across pass above the jaw line because I had a hard time finding the correct shaving angle. There was not much blade exposure, so while the shave was mild, it did not make for a lot of noise which, for me, made the angle harder to determine. The Bakelite brother was easier to shave with in this regard at least until I became comfortable with its shaving angle. Still a very good result from a nicely designed razor and the weight of the razor helping with no pressure, providing the feel of a sturdy shaving tool.
I believe the Ile de France is the most popular and prolific slant razor in France. It is generally available in the Bakelite version and tougher to acquire in metal. While both look similar there are design differences which allows the plastic model to be slightly more efficient. Though to be fair, I should use the metal razor with a fresh proprietary blade. (as fresh as anything can be that is 75+ years old.) Will report back on this. The Bakelite is an exact copy of the Walbusch head while the metal is a more streamlined and elegant design. The razor is owned by wscottb7862 who allowed me to borrow it to review. Unfortunately, I have to return it.
From a design standpoint the metal razor resembles its namesake, a French North Atlantic passenger liner launched in 1927 and scrapped in the 1950s. The Ile De France had the first Art Deco designed ship interior. (The razor definitely has Art Deco design elements.) It was the last passenger ship to leave France prior to the war and was interned in New York after the crossing. She served in World War II carrying troops and material back to Europe. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia the Ile de France helped rescue passengers from the Andrea Doria sunk off Newfoundland after being rammed in fog on its way to New York in 1956. All the dimensional materials for the razor and blade reference the ocean liner. So we can assume the razor was manufactured sometime after 1927, probably the 1930s. Waits Compendium does not list a manufacturer, nor does the box or blades.
Shaved with the razor this morning with an unused Ile de France blue blade. Very smooth for an 80+ year old product with no obvious rust or weathering form age. The razor is still mild but very efficient and no irritation or tugging from the old blade. Minimal blade exposure and the gap makes it difficult to find the proper angle and shave certain areas of my face. I think 3 shaves is probably the maximum on any one blade unless stropped on leather then may 5 or 6.
The metal razor, like the Bakelite, takes the proprietary Ile de France blade with a similar but different configuration. Modern DE blades can not be used without major modification of the blade. (compare the undersides of the caps to see this difference)
The razor looks chrome plated over zinc. There were no signs of brass on the head or handle. I used the proprietary blade (3) hand stropped on cotton and shaved normally which is WTG, ATG and across on the neck. I did have to throw in an across pass above the jaw line because I had a hard time finding the correct shaving angle. There was not much blade exposure, so while the shave was mild, it did not make for a lot of noise which, for me, made the angle harder to determine. The Bakelite brother was easier to shave with in this regard at least until I became comfortable with its shaving angle. Still a very good result from a nicely designed razor and the weight of the razor helping with no pressure, providing the feel of a sturdy shaving tool.
I believe the Ile de France is the most popular and prolific slant razor in France. It is generally available in the Bakelite version and tougher to acquire in metal. While both look similar there are design differences which allows the plastic model to be slightly more efficient. Though to be fair, I should use the metal razor with a fresh proprietary blade. (as fresh as anything can be that is 75+ years old.) Will report back on this. The Bakelite is an exact copy of the Walbusch head while the metal is a more streamlined and elegant design. The razor is owned by wscottb7862 who allowed me to borrow it to review. Unfortunately, I have to return it.
From a design standpoint the metal razor resembles its namesake, a French North Atlantic passenger liner launched in 1927 and scrapped in the 1950s. The Ile De France had the first Art Deco designed ship interior. (The razor definitely has Art Deco design elements.) It was the last passenger ship to leave France prior to the war and was interned in New York after the crossing. She served in World War II carrying troops and material back to Europe. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia the Ile de France helped rescue passengers from the Andrea Doria sunk off Newfoundland after being rammed in fog on its way to New York in 1956. All the dimensional materials for the razor and blade reference the ocean liner. So we can assume the razor was manufactured sometime after 1927, probably the 1930s. Waits Compendium does not list a manufacturer, nor does the box or blades.
Shaved with the razor this morning with an unused Ile de France blue blade. Very smooth for an 80+ year old product with no obvious rust or weathering form age. The razor is still mild but very efficient and no irritation or tugging from the old blade. Minimal blade exposure and the gap makes it difficult to find the proper angle and shave certain areas of my face. I think 3 shaves is probably the maximum on any one blade unless stropped on leather then may 5 or 6.
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A couple of pictures of the the Ile de France
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- Thread starter
- #577
Zeppelinkarte, you really are making this thread enjoyable. Thank you for all of your time and in depth reviews.
Hi All!,
Just ordered my 2nd slant--, a 37c. I would like to thank ,Zepplinkarte, for peaking my interest in these fascinating razors and to all that post pics of these.
Just ordered my 2nd slant--, a 37c. I would like to thank ,Zepplinkarte, for peaking my interest in these fascinating razors and to all that post pics of these.
I scored a Neo Lux Ultra Slant the other day for 35 bucks. Super stoked
I haven't. Would love to see some pics and possibly a review though.
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