Current Merkur Slants vs Vintage Merkur/Hoffritz - same head geometry?

**jamesspo** · 10-04-2011, 11:11 AM

I love my 39C. It's very efficient, in that it cuts hairs effortlessly, especially multi-day growth. However, I find it lacking in aggression. Yeah, it's got a big blade gap (well, on one side of course), but there seems to be near zero blade exposure, beyond a line tangent to the cap/guard. I was thinking of giving the vintage slants a try to see if they are any more aggressive. The pictures I've seen of the Hoffritz slants look very, very similar to the current day Merkur, in terms of the head design. So, if someone has both that they can look at, are they identical? I know it's not obvious what the blade exposure is just looking at it, but if the head geometry is different at all, I may try grabbing one, just to see if it shaves differently.

And yeah, before anyone mentions it... I have thought of trying the R41 ..that is a thing of beauty (as well as other more aggressive regular razors)! My vintage gillette adjustables turned up aren't really cutting it for me either. I'm probably headed for a Futur or R41 at some point.

**Haiku** · 10-04-2011, 11:52 AM

I have a vintage Merkur slant with a white handle and of all things it is a cased NOS one with a new looking cardbord shipper at that.

The geometry of the head is identical to the new slant. It even has the same moulding imperfection on the right side just above the last tooth as the new slant. The only difference is the design of the cap. It's smooth rather than "toothed" like the new one.

If I were you, I would not rule out a Mer Progress. Get the one with the short insert in the handle. Great razor, beautiful balance, and it can be dialed up as aggressive as you like. If it doesn't work for you, I suspect you'll get much or even most of your money back if you sell it on the BST.

**onotoman** · 10-04-2011, 12:11 PM

I would agree that the vintage slants made by Merkur (including the rebranded Hoffritz and Coles etc) are just about identical in terms of use to the new Merkur Slants.

The vintage ones were EPNS (Electro-plated Nickel Silver) plated whereas the modern ones are Chrome Plated, this is just a cosmetic difference though and does not affect the use of the razor.

Hope this helps.

**jsj_297** · 10-04-2011, 12:14 PM

The Futur is one heck of a razor my friend....I think you are heading down the right path.

**xraygun** · 10-04-2011, 12:18 PM

**Haiku** · 10-04-2011, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by xraygun

Look at the bottom picture of the chrome slant. At the very end of the teeth at the left end, you'll see a piece of metal that should have been removed after the razor head was cast. My vintage merkur looks like that so does my new one. Seems to me they're using the same mould and they're still not filing out this particular imperfection.

So it seems to me that the vintage Merkurs and the new ones are pretty much identical.

**xraygun** · 10-04-2011, 12:30 PM

The Chrome one has a "3" as a casting mark and the gold one a "1" on the comb part. There are probably 4 molds in the production set. I don't think they've changed anything from the Hoffritz production other than the cross hatching on the handle. It's finer on the Hoffritz.

Now if i could just find a donor chrome barrel shaft for my set. Mine is cracked probably due to being stored wet and freezing.

**jamesspo** · 10-04-2011, 12:35 PM

Excellent..thanks for the quick info guys. Off to swim in the more aggressive sea :) .

I'll check out the Progress and Futur. On the Futur... the one thing that turns me off is the apparent lack of grippy handle. I'm a sloppy shaver, and my hands are always wet, despite how much I try to keep them dry. It's hard enough to keep my 39C in my hands by the end of my shave. I think I'd need to hack some kind of grip for that handle. The Progress looks nice and grippy though, and looks even nicer in Mergress form.