The Slant - a gimmick?

So I purchased a slant and used it for the first time today. I got a very close, comfortable shave. It's a nice razor, no doubt about it. But I don't think it really performed any better than my Merkur 34C. Since I've only used it once I will withhold final judgement (I plan to continue using it on a daily basis for a while).

Does anyone think the slant is just a gimmick?

One thing I definitely didn't like about it is that the head/top is very bulky and therefore I had some trouble getting into that area on my upper lip under the nostrils. I'll continue to use it and experiment.

I don't think it's a gimmick, BUT, I prefer my straight heads.

Daily basis? It I used a slant everyday I would have some serious razor burn. I PIF my slant a couple of months ago. I don't think there a gimmick... there just not for me.

I'd like to sell it on BST maybe. But the band around the inside/housing is all bent - didn't affect performance, but I doubt anyone would want to buy it.

I've never tried one. However, I can easily mimic the scythe action of a slant with a regular safety bar razor. For example, when doing a straight N-S pass, I hold the razor so it looks like I'm going to go slightly from ear-to-nose, then I go straight down instead. This imparts the same action to a regular razor.

I have a Slant and really like it. I personally don't think it is a gimmick but don't know that I could argue convincingly about that.

It's no gimmick. For me, my 39c was very aggressive and almost demanded sharper blades. The slant/feather combination was very aggressive and unforgiving. I credit it with improving my technique but to get there I shed some blood and had more than a few razor burns. At the beginning of the year I went back to less aggressive razors but nothing got me as close with fewer passes than the slant.

kingfisher said:

I've never tried one. However, I can easily mimic the scythe action of a slant with a regular safety bar razor. For example, when doing a straight N-S pass, I hold the razor so it looks like I'm going to go slightly from ear-to-nose, then I go straight down instead. This imparts the same action to a regular razor.

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Eeek, all I can think about is the razor accidentally moving sideways a little and slicing! I won't be trying this method, but YMMV.

Quietville said:

Eeek, all I can think about is the razor accidentally moving sideways a little and slicing! I won't be trying this method, but YMMV.

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Shaving does require a sure, steady hand, but Gillette has this technique in their shaving instructions. It's usually refereed to as the Gillette Slide. I do the same thing when planing difficult wood. It's more slicing then chopping.

Many state it is not the same action as a slant, I always thought it was though. I'll have to dig out one of my slants tonight and think about it.

-jim

Not a gimmick really, I personally get a better shave with an old Open comb.

I don't think it is a gimmick I can feel the difference from my Slant and 34C. Also my stubble comes out nicer with the Slant.

I use the Slant on a regular basis. It IS an aggressive razor. I sometimes wonder how it would be with the same properties but without the slant. I wonder if it would shave about the same. I just bought a 38c on BST and it's in transit. To me, the Merkur 38c seems to have some of the aggressive and weight attributes of a Slant without the slant. I'll be interested to see if it shaves as well.

There is no doubt that the Slant can deliver a very close shave and that it IS an aggressive razor. The question is whether the slant-feature contributes to any of that. I've used one (two actually) for several months and I still cannot answer that question.

kingfisher said:

I've never tried one. However, I can easily mimic the scythe action of a slant with a regular safety bar razor. For example, when doing a straight N-S pass, I hold the razor so it looks like I'm going to go slightly from ear-to-nose, then I go straight down instead. This imparts the same action to a regular razor.

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Not quite the same. A slant doesn't just tilt the blade, it twists the blade giving it a slight curve. Holding a non-slant razor on an angle does not mimic the action of this curved blade as the blade itself is still a straight line.


I was sceptical at first, but I have been using one for about 10 days now and it's no gimmick.

KM-instructor said:

Not a gimmick really, I personally get a better shave with an old Open comb.

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+1

I just think that all being the same the slant is a bit smoother, but requires a little more buffing than my single ring.

I don't care what the Slant is it works great. Better than anything else I've ever used.

Brian-M said:

Does anyone think the slant is just a gimmick?

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I don't think that word means what you think it means. "Doesn't work for me" != gimmick. There are countless shaving products that won't work for any given individual. That doesn't make them gimmicks.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gimmick

1
a : a mechanical device for secretly and dishonestly controlling gambling apparatus b : an ingenious or novel mechanical device : gadget

2
a : an important feature that is not immediately apparent : catch b : an ingenious and usually new scheme or angle c : a trick or device used to attract business or attention <a marketing gimmick>

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Glad I looked it up. 1B works for me. It's not a gimmick, it's a gadget!

-jim

Not a gimmick, definitely more aggressive. And as others have noted requires a different blade; my HD works well enough with most blades, but the slant needs one of the sharper blades (feather, kai, and the like). But efficient as well, if I have 3 days or more to shave off I always reach for the sledgehammer.

nyfinest said:

Daily basis? It I used a slant everyday I would have some serious razor burn. I PIF my slant a couple of months ago. I don't think there a gimmick... there just not for me.

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I can't us it every day either but it does get used once or twice a week (thanks nyfinest, that was a great PIF!).

Pbalkan said:

I use the Slant on a regular basis. It IS an aggressive razor. I sometimes wonder how it would be with the same properties but without the slant. I wonder if it would shave about the same. I just bought a 38c on BST and it's in transit. To me, the Merkur 38c seems to have some of the aggressive and weight attributes of a Slant without the slant. I'll be interested to see if it shaves as well.

There is no doubt that the Slant can deliver a very close shave and that it IS an aggressive razor. The question is whether the slant-feature contributes to any of that. I've used one (two actually) for several months and I still cannot answer that question.

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~~~I have both razors...38c and a 39c. The 38c was my first new razor having started out with an older Krona and FWIW I have also shaved with a bunch of vintage gillettes... speeds, techs, adjustables. SE's too (GEM's,6 of them?), half a dozen straight razors. The 39c was acquired recently. As to comparing the 38c and 39c, both are similar in length and weight. Heads w/o looking at them now and from memory are similar except for the twist of the slant. No doubt, I get a closer shave from the slant. That said, for me, I've always gotten closer safety razor shaves using my GEM SE's vs any DE razor. That is until I shaved with the Merkur 39c

But to answer your question "To me, the Merkur 38c seems to have some of the aggressive and weight attributes of a Slant without the slant. I'll be interested to see if it shaves as well." The slant in my experience delivers a closer shave


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.