Blade Alignment in Slant Razors

**blue_titan** · 03-04-2010, 03:36 PM

I have read many posts regarding the proper blade alignment in slant bar razors and it is generally accepted to have its edge parallel to the blade guard when viewed from the top of the razor.

I am curious to know why this is considered the proper position for the blade?

I am new to using slants as I've had less than one week's worth of shaves with a 39c. However, now that I actually have one in my hands and can see it up close it appears more intuitive to me to instead have the blade in a position more angled than the position described above.

Since the purpose of the slant is to angle and twist the blade to create a slicing motion, wouldn't a blade position with more angle create even more of a slice? Further, wouldn't a blade that has more angle also have the effect of evening out the gap between the blade's edge and the lower guard rather than the uneven gap that exists with the positioning described above?

rainman · 03-04-2010, 04:12 PM

I've also thought of posting this same question some time ago. I have actually tried my slant a couple times the way you mention. In the end I just went the safe and easier way with the crowd and aligned the blade straight.

**blue_titan** · 03-04-2010, 07:03 PM

Thanks very much for your reply. Did you notice any difference in the shave?

I have been using the 39c every day since getting it about a week ago. Today, my 5th or 6th shave in a row with this razor, I repositioned the blade to be more angled and I found it shaved beautifully. I guess everything is YMMV and you should just go with what works for you, but I am still curious to know the logic behind preferring the blade in a more straight position.

**garyg** · 03-04-2010, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by blue_titan

I have read many posts regarding the proper blade alignment in slant bar razors and it is generally accepted to have its edge parallel to the blade guard when viewed from the top of the razor.

I am curious to know why this is considered the proper position for the blade?

I am new to using slants as I've had less than one week's worth of shaves with a 39c. However, now that I actually have one in my hands and can see it up close it appears more intuitive to me to instead have the blade in a position more angled than the position described above.

Since the purpose of the slant is to angle and twist the blade to create a slicing motion, wouldn't a blade position with more angle create even more of a slice? Further, wouldn't a blade that has more angle also have the effect of evening out the gap between the blade's edge and the lower guard rather than the uneven gap that exists with the positioning described above?

Good question, I use a Sledgehammer Slant once a week or so, I have seen the alignment posts also, but your logic makes sense. I confess to just dropping in the blade & turning down the screws - with no ill effects so far ..

So I will be interested in what the experts say

**Haiku** · 03-04-2010, 08:34 PM

On first blush the logic makes sense, but on reflection I think you'll find it doesn't. If the blade isn't aligned properly, there will be more exposure at one end than the other. That's a recipe for getting cut.

The "slicing" effect that makes the slant special is that if you use the razor like you would any other the blade slices the hair in a guillotine blade type of way.

Look here for a traditional mandoline type of food slicer:

http://www.surlatable.com/gs/super-b...tlery-12.shtml

That type of blade set up is the most efficient for cutting. And that's the effect of the twisted blade.

The genius of the slant design is that it takes a blade that isn't a guillotine type of blade and by twisting it, the straight edge of the blade works just like it would if it were a guillotine type.

**blue_titan** · 03-05-2010, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Haiku

On first blush the logic makes sense, but on reflection I think you'll find it doesn't. If the blade isn't aligned properly, there will be more exposure at one end than the other. That's a recipe for getting cut.

The "slicing" effect that makes the slant special is that if you use the razor like you would any other the blade slices the hair in a guillotine blade type of way.

Look here for a traditional mandoline type of food slicer:

http://www.surlatable.com/gs/super-b...tlery-12.shtml

That type of blade set up is the most efficient for cutting. And that's the effect of the twisted blade.

The genius of the slant design is that it takes a blade that isn't a guillotine type of blade and by twisting it, the straight edge of the blade works just like it would if it were a guillotine type.

That's an interesting point about blade exposure. It would seem obvious to want an even blade exposure and an even blade gap for a straight bar DE razor to avoid irritation and cuts.

Since the guard on the slant is designed with a slope having an even blade exposure you have to accept an uneven blade gap. Conversely, trying to even out the blade gap means you have to accept an uneven blade exposure. Actually I've been thinking that the twisting of the blade in a slant may actually mitigate the exposure a bit since the twisting is greatest where the blade is exposed the greatest, but I have no visual proof of this.

Therefore, could it be more a function of YMMV, where you just pick your poison? You have to either accept an uneven blade gap, or an uneven blade exposure, because you can't have both?

**Luc** · 03-05-2010, 12:54 PM

I usually look at this thread for the slant... I never had any problems that way...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=87841

I think the uneven blade gap is how the razor is made... I wouldn't like the uneven blade exposure (mild on one side and aggressive on the other)...

**DE Shaver** · 03-05-2010, 01:05 PM

According to some of the illustrative diagrams I've seen regarding the slant, if you look down upon the head of the razor, the blade should be evenly set with both edges looking approximately the same. If that is not the case you have some parts of the blade to far exposed while other parts not exposed enough, giving you a uneven blade exposure. This can make it difficult to shave without mishap.

**Radar O\'Reilly** · 03-26-2010, 07:00 PM

OK, just so I know, and stop driving myself crazy, the blade in my slant should be loaded like in picture 1, and NOT loaded like picture 2, where there is MORE blade exposed in relation to the end of the top plate on one end vs. the other?

**DunEdinRanger** · 03-26-2010, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Radar O\'Reilly

OK, just so I know, and stop driving myself crazy, the blade in my slant should be loaded like in picture 1, and NOT loaded like picture 2, where there is MORE blade exposed in relation to the end of the top plate on one end vs. the other?

You're right Jim. That's how it should be loaded.

The only time I shaved with the HD Slant using an uneven blade exposure as in the second photo, my face felt bruised for hours. It was a BBS shave though, iirc.

**Haiku** · 03-28-2010, 05:20 PM

Exactly right. Excellent pictures. Your pictures show the "dots" of light that are reflected off the top of the safety bar. You'll note that they're square in shape which makes aligning the blade very easy. I find it takes a few seconds at most.

Some slants apparently come from the factory with tight tolerances and they load like your first picture without the user having to do anything. I've had three slants and they all need me to make the adjustment.

If I use the slant loaded like your second picture, I get scraped very badly.

**DE Shaver** · 03-28-2010, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Radar O\'Reilly

OK, just so I know, and stop driving myself crazy, the blade in my slant should be loaded like in picture 1, and NOT loaded like picture 2, where there is MORE blade exposed in relation to the end of the top plate on one end vs. the other?

Yes, I concur with the others, picture 1 is the correct loadout.

**blue_titan** · 03-29-2010, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Radar O\'Reilly

OK, just so I know, and stop driving myself crazy, the blade in my slant should be loaded like in picture 1, and NOT loaded like picture 2, where there is MORE blade exposed in relation to the end of the top plate on one end vs. the other?

Well, I would say experiment with it a little as I have done, and find what works for you. I believe that there is an intuitive argument (as I've stated above) to be made for a different alignment than what is generally accepted as "proper". From all the comments that I've read on the subject it seems to really be more about personal comfort. In other words, it's just like anything else related to DE shaving...YMMV!

**cf1** · 10-01-2010, 09:57 AM

Revisiting "one" more time- please help....

It is assumed that the slant/blade in both Pics a and b are tightened down?

It seems you either have
Pic A(correct). even exposure(blade even with the cap) but have uneven blade gap(space between blade and bottom guard bar - view from the side)
or
Pic B(incorrrect). uneven exposure and have an even gap?

Please let me know if what I said is true or not. Thanks. (you would think that Merkur would have a site or some sort of directions for this?)

**Haiku** · 10-01-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by cf1

Revisiting "one" more time- please help....

It is assumed that the slant/blade in both Pics a and b are tightened down?

It seems you either have
Pic A(correct). even exposure(blade even with the cap) but have uneven blade gap(space between blade and bottom guard bar - view from the side)
or
Pic B(incorrrect). uneven exposure and have an even gap?

Please let me know if what I said is true or not. Thanks. (you would think that Merkur would have a site or some sort of directions for this?)

Right, one more time. And your question is a good one. The slant is completely counter-intuitive. It's different than any other razor out there, and it doesn't come with instructions.

The edge of the blade is to be aligned with the guard looking at the razor from a bird's eye point of view. If you try to align it with the edge of the cap you'll find it's just too difficult.

And yes, the blade will look like it has uneven exposure when the cap is tightened down and when you look at the razor from the side.

The top picture is of a correctly slant. The picture however was taken at a bit of an angle and so the blade looks like it's incorrectly loaded. One of these days I'll just have to get out a camera and take some pictures, rather than complaining. The pictures above are in fact rather good.

If you look at the slant from a bird's eye point of view and align the blade using the guard, the flat "combs" on the guard will reflect light and because they're square they reflect light in a straight line. Use the line to align the blade. You can see the line of lit up "combs" in the pictures above.

**cf1** · 10-01-2010, 11:09 AM

Thank you. We are dealing with millimeters and even in person you have to stare at it for a couple of secs and see through reflexions and glare.

No directions and Merkur decided to allow enough slop in blade movement to align it either way which is frustrating for a newbie like me.

And yes, the blade will look like it has uneven exposure when the cap is tightened down and when you look at the razor from the side.

Did you mean uneven exposure or gap with respect to the blade and the bottom guard bar? I just wanted to be sure the terms we used were the same.

even exposure = (blade parallel with the cap with same exposure on each side after tightened down)
even gap = (look at it from the side and the gap space is consistent between the blade and bottom guard bar after tightened down)

**kingfisher** · 10-01-2010, 11:14 AM

Why don't they just make the dang thing so the blade can only be loaded and tightened down properly? I don't get why it's possible to get some much variability.

I've never used a slant, but looking at the pictures in this thread, I would definitely not try to shave with it the way it looked in picture B. Yikes.

**Haiku** · 10-01-2010, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by cf1

Thank you. We are dealing with millimeters and even in person you have to stare at it for a couple of secs and see through reflexions and glare.

No directions and Merkur decided to allow enough slop in blade movement to align it either way which is frustrating for a newbie like me.

And yes, the blade will look like it has uneven exposure when the cap is tightened down and when you look at the razor from the side.

Did you mean uneven exposure or gap with respect to the blade and the bottom guard bar? I just wanted to be sure the terms we used were the same.

even exposure = (blade parallel with the cap with same exposure on each side after tightened down)
even gap = (look at it from the side and the gap space is consistent between the blade and bottom guard bar after tightened down)

The blade will be properly loaded (meaning that it will have even exposure) when the edge of the blade is parallel with the edge of the guard. Don't use the cap as a guide. Use the guard.

The "gap" when you look at the razor from the side will not be even.

**KaiserKrebs** · 10-01-2010, 11:59 AM

I think we need to take a moment and reflect on the fact that the majority of Slant bar razors were designed and built by Germans. German engineers to be more specific....anybody who has known, lived with, or worked with the typical engineer archetype knows that they are a little bit different personality wise.

This fact has led me to believe that the potential for blade mis-alignment in the German made slants was left like that on purpose, in order to demonstrate to us all another principle....Schadenfreude. Malicious or smug pleasure taken over some one else's misfortune or bad luck.

I imagine a conversation like this taking place many years ago, in the Merkur labs.

Fritz: ( abruptly pushes open door to lab, carrying a stack of papers) " Herr Professor, I believe I have found an error in our calculations regarding the blade exposure of the slant razor."

Max: " Was ist das?" Impossible!

Fritz: It's true, I've gone over the figures many times Herr Professor. Somehow we have neglected to account for the fact that the razor blade may shift during tightening of the razor's head."

Max: " Quickly, bring me the prototype" ( goes through several cycles of tightening razor
head, allowing the blade to shift to the incorrect position)
Max: " Mein Gott, it's true"

Fritz: " Men, will possibly cut themselves severely if we continue with this design."
" Shall we reconfigure, and change tooling?"

Max: ( leans back in office chair, removes monacle...polishes it with handkerchief. Puts
puts monacle back in place)
" Nein, alles Gut...No retooling is necessary."

Fritz:" Was? Professor, are you sure?"

Max: " Ja ...... Schadenfreude."

Fritz: " Shadenfreude?"

Max: " Schadenfruede."

Fritz: " Ahh, Schadenfreude... (stifles, laugh) " Jawohl, Herr Professor...Schadenfreude!"
( exits lab, as footsteps echo in the hallway, can be heard laughing, and
repeating.
" Shadenfreude, Schadenfreude...sehr Gut."

Anyway....that's how I imagine it went down. Still a great razor, one of my favorites. I'm just careful to get the blade alignment...in spite of Max, and Fritz.

**cf1** · 10-01-2010, 12:30 PM

Mike H
So then the blade is aligned in parallel with the bottom bar "teeth" - even spacing on both sides? From what i can see, you cannot have it parallel with the top cap and the bottom bar and from what Haiku said just worry about the bottom bar which results in some uneven blade exposure which he stated.

I don't believe Pic 1 is super accurate as the blade looks parallel with the top cap and is almost parallel with the bottom bar which looks to be impossible in my 37c slant. (but pic may be at a slight angle)

(This is way harder than it should be!)