First dance with a slant

[Locham]

I've been wet shaving for almost 3 months now, and have slowly built a small contingent of various razors, blades, soaps, creams, and splashes (I'm lagging in brushes...). Yesterday afternoon, I received my new (to me) 37C, courtesy of Triad, and a NEW. With a 2-day growth, I was looking forward to how the slant would take it on.

I prepped my normal way this morning - shower, face scrub, Proraso Pre. Face lathered my go-to soap, Cella, with an Omega boar. I dithered a bit on choosing a blade - I had most recently used a Gillette 7-O'Clock yellow in my DE89 and wasn't too impressed. My first thought was to use an Astra platinum, but went against my better judgement and slapped in a Bolzano Superinox.

First pass WTG was great. I don't think I've ever had a closer, more comfortable, irritation-free first pass than with the 37C. Finding the angle wasn't as easy as with the DE89 or my first DE, the long-handled Merkur 23C, but I got along with it alright.

I cleaned off the remnants, and lathered my second pass, also WTG. I think my error here was that I didn't load up enough Cella...the soap was the right consistency, but not thick enough...particularly for the Bolzanos. I felt the drag, had an even harder time finding the angle, and knicked myself in a couple of places. I should have stopped there - it's the weekend - but I wanted to do a cleanup.

For the 3rd pass, XTG, I made sure I loaded more Cella, and built a good cushion. No knicks this time, but I did cause a pretty mean weeper underneath my nose.

My alum block took care of the mess and also informed me that I had been a bit aggressive along my neck. I finished with Neutrogena balm to take care of the irritation rather than my usual Floids splash.

So...slant users out there - thoughts on Bolzanos in your slant (which I know is a very subjective issue), and avoiding knicks underneath your nose/avoiding irritation on your neck? I'm all ears on improving my technique!

Cheers.

[Krona Kruiser]

The Slant can be a smooth operator or an irritater. It took me a few shaves with the Slant to get the right feel for it especially with the heft of the 37C (tendency to add unwanted pressure). The Slant functions more like a scythe/guillatine. To make use of this, longer strokes work well with this razor. The feedback also has a slighty different sound than your even bar razors. You're going to experiment with blades but I've found that the Slant (like R41) really expresses each blade's personality. Once I got the hang of it, I could load Feathers and have smooth shaves.
So:
-Practice finding the correct angle
-Pay extra attention not to add pressure
-Try longer strokes
-Experiment with blades
-Enjoy

[Locham]

Thanks, Krona. Indeed, I was using relatively short, tentative strokes, and I had to catch myself from putting down too much pressure a few times. I'll make some adjustments tomorrow.

[Whilliam]

Welcome. Learn. Enjoy!

[Sledgehammer39]

The Slant is an effective razor!

[rivieraranch]

I have just secured a Merkur 39C, but I plan to wait until I have a little more experience before I try it out.

[turtle]

The slants are both very nice daily users. Once you get it "dialed in" you will put your other razors away.

To help mitigate razor burn and cut down on nicks and weepers, you should use your off (free) hand and stretch your skin in the area you are shaving.

Grab your skin at the base of your side burns and pull up for your back cheek area and puff air into your cheeks for shaving around the front of your cheeks.

Grab your throat with the flat of your hand below your lather an pull down for your neck and throat, moving your hand around as you shave to stay below your razor.

Grab your cheeks and pull back to stretch your chin.

You can make silly faces to help stretch areas that are hard to reach

If you find you have a difficult time holding where you have lathered, rubbing your fingers on an alum block will give them enough grip to hold on to a wet or lathered area

This will help your razor glide over your skin instead of bunching it up in front of the blade as you move it.

When shaving try to use short rapid motions, not long slow ones. You want to cut your beard not mow it down.

Try to lock your wrist and elbow and move the entire arm that is holding the razor from the shoulder. This will help you keep a consistent blade angle as the entire razor will move in one plain since you are not adding several additional movements with your wrist and elbow

[rivieraranch]

What you have written makes a lot of sense. Stretching the skin taut transfers the energy of the blade to the whiskers, not to pulling the skin along. Also, I had not thought of locking the wrist and elbow and moving the entire arm.

[RobAtSGH]

+1 to what's been said so far.

I find that even though it's got a scary looking blade gap, the shaving angle of the slant is very precise. For me, it naturally fell into place.

Try getting a feel for the angle without a blade loaded. I guarantee there's an angle at which you can feel the plane of the top cap and the ridge of the safety bar perfectly aligned and gliding along. Ride a slant up onto the bar and start applying pressure and you're asking to get bit.

I also prefer very sharp blades in my slant-bar. I use Personna med/lab blades almost exclusively, and they're brilliant in the slant.

[gus1942]

+1 to what's been said so far.

I find that even though it's got a scary looking blade gap, the shaving angle of the slant is very precise. For me, it naturally fell into place.

Try getting a feel for the angle without a blade loaded. I guarantee there's an angle at which you can feel the plane of the top cap and the ridge of the safety bar perfectly aligned and gliding along. Ride a slant up onto the bar and start applying pressure and you're asking to get bit.

I also prefer very sharp blades in my slant-bar. I use Personna med/lab blades almost exclusively, and they're brilliant in the slant.

Wish I had used a slant earlier in my shaving career. Incredibly smooth and easy to use. I have both 37c and 39c. Take your pick. Feather and Astra SP do the job. My other go to razor is the LC New open comb.

Gus/BOTOC/Arkolyte

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

.....My first thought was to use an Astra platinum, but went against my better judgement and slapped in a Bolzano Superinox.

.......So...slant users out there - thoughts on Bolzanos in your slant (which I know is a very subjective issue), and avoiding knicks underneath your nose/avoiding irritation on your neck? I'm all ears on improving my technique!

Cheers.

A long time slant user here.
For me, a slant just provides a superior DE shave. I just get better feedback while using one.
While I prefer mine loaded with a Feather blade, my other choices are KAI,Bolazno and IP reds....
Bolzano blades are sharp blades to me and, not unlike Feather blades, seem to give me a smoother shave on their second and third shaves.
I can not say enough about the need of good shave prep....
Also, like it has been said here, stretching the skin and shaving against the grain with just the weight of the slant gives me a really satisfying and close shave. Some claim that using a DE and stretching the skin causes them to get ingrown hairs...never has happened to me.

[drfong]

The Slant can be a smooth operator or an irritater. It took me a few shaves with the Slant to get the right feel for it especially with the heft of the 37C (tendency to add unwanted pressure). The Slant functions more like a scythe/guillatine. To make use of this, longer strokes work well with this razor. The feedback also has a slighty different sound than your even bar razors. You're going to experiment with blades but I've found that the Slant (like R41) really expresses each blade's personality. Once I got the hang of it, I could load Feathers and have smooth shaves.
So:
-Practice finding the correct angle
-Pay extra attention not to add pressure
-Try longer strokes
-Experiment with blades
-Enjoy

Krona Kruiser gives great advise.
I have the 39c slant (the long pole). I only use a feather with this razor, the two combined dispatches 2-5 day hair growth. Very aggressive.
Medium to to long strokes work best with this razor.

But because of its aggressiveness, I buffer up on my 2nd and 3rd passes with a DE89L (using a blade something other than a feather).

[Locham]

Also, like it has been said here, stretching the skin and shaving against the grain with just the weight of the slant gives me a really satisfying and close shave.

James, are you saying I should consider doing ATG passes with the slant? That scares the hell out of me! Maybe in a month or two if I'm feeling froggy...

It sounds like it'll take some getting used to, and with more face stretching than I've been doing with my 'tamer' razors. I'll try some dry runs without a blade to work on angle, and go from there. I'm pretty committed to making it work - despite some irritation, I've had less stubble here late at night than I normally do during the course of a day.

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

James, are you saying I should consider doing ATG passes with the slant? That scares the hell out of me! Maybe in a month or two if I'm feeling froggy...

It sounds like it'll take some getting used to, and with more face stretching than I've been doing with my 'tamer' razors. I'll try some dry runs without a blade to work on angle, and go from there. I'm pretty committed to making it work - despite some irritation, I've had less stubble here late at night than I normally do during the course of a day.

Yep, except for a 'Fool's Pass' (I don't ATG above top Lip) A boring bloody story....

"A dry run" is a good idea.
Try an IP Red or Astra blade with that slant till you get acquainted with it better.

With probably 10 or so shaves, you will find the angle that is right for your face. It has been said here many, many times:
"Use only the weight of the razor for pressure"...really good advice for a hefty slant. Remember, safety razor shaving is all about reduction passes. Don't keep going over the same area over and over on any single pass. You will get the whiskers on the subsequent passes or a touch up pass. I usually always do a WTG,XTG and ATG passes and sometimes even a touch up pass under my chin.
HTH

[dpmtherrien]

The slant is a great razor, but it takes some time to get its use down really good.

Just go slow with it, watch the angles, and be sure to use no pressure at all.

[Locham]

I significantly reduced pressure this morning, and it seems to have helped. Also made sure I used more Cella on the 2nd pass, which probably contributed to a smoother shave. My neck is a little irritated, though. I'm having a harder time finding the right angle on my neck with the slant than with my safety-bar razors - a WTG pass for my neck is almost parallel to the floor. Thanks for the encouragement, gents. I'll keep working on it!