This comes up from time to time and you're right in describing how to load the blade. In this thread here, there is a response from Anne Rothstein at Dovo (Merkur) detailing how to load the Slant.
Merkur Slant proper blade alignment
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This comes up from time to time and you're right in describing how to load the blade. In this thread here, there is a response from Anne Rothstein at Dovo (Merkur) detailing how to load the Slant.
Crazy...but I'm not even going to worry about this.
Here's what Barrbasol has to say about how to align a blade. I would never have guessed it.
Just got my slant from WCS today - I asked Kevin @ WSC which picture was correct - I was told the correct loading is picture #2
I agree with Brucered that there is way too much play in the way a blade site in a modern Merkur razor. I have never tried a slant, but my Progress can and does load the blade crooked, even if I load it upside down as described by many in this thread.
And that IS the way I load the blade, by the way.
But after loading, I have to check to make sure it is straight. Sometimes it's spot on, but more often I ab
a have to mess around with it for a while to get it right.
And that IS the way I load the blade, by the way.
But after loading, I have to check to make sure it is straight. Sometimes it's spot on, but more often I ab
a have to mess around with it for a while to get it right.
By trade I am a patent attorney, so while at work I checked out what the some of the old patents for slants look like. It seems that the intention of the inventors was to have the blade aligned to the top cap. The "benefits" of the slant include a more rigid blade which is torqued on a bias, and also the guillotine action described above. I like the Merkur instructions for proper alignment, I also read in a thread a while back that grasping the non-sharpened exposed edges of the blade and pulling the entire blade toward the top cap help in alignment as well. I have used both methods, and find that they both work very well. I have to agree with the earlier posters, alignment may be a personal preference thing, but I just feel like the razor shaves smoothest when my blade is square to the top cap.
No. I agree with bottom plate alignment.
+1
This is very interesting. Thank you!
Perhaps debating the correct alignment is unnecessary. Surely by taking the razor apart and examining it, it should be obvious what is supposed to happen when the blade is loaded? I don't have mine to hand right now though.
When is Tradere's slant coming out? I've heard that Ikon is putting one out soon. I had planned on getting one of the Ikons; but if Tradere's is coming in the next few months, I'll wait.
Also, I put mine in upside down and insure the blade is aligned with the top cap. My 39c is my favorite razor.
Also, I put mine in upside down and insure the blade is aligned with the top cap. My 39c is my favorite razor.
+1- 39 C
+1- Load upside down & parallel to top cap.
+1- Load upside down & parallel to top cap.
Who cares? All I know is the design works, and it works very well!
I align mine with the top cap, aligning with the base plate leads to irritation.
I'll be referencing this thread soon. Slant is on the way!
I think you are right! I looked at the geometry of the 37C and looked the the clamp points for the blade. They are parallel to the cap which to me suggests that the blade should be loaded parallel to the cap. If you load the blade parallel to the safety bar, the blade overhang would be uneven and may lead to chatter or deflecting of the blade edge. Okay chatter may be an exageration but you see what I am driving at.
I draw the razor perpendicular to the safety bar so the slicing action is maintained. It's my best razor but the Progress is a very close second.
has to aligned with top cap. Otherwise some servere nicking and lack of control will result.
If perfectly aligned with top cap (which happens mostly by itself), the slant is perfect. The entire head and top cap makes for a twist in the blade itself. Nothing to do with alignment or not.
If perfectly aligned with top cap (which happens mostly by itself), the slant is perfect. The entire head and top cap makes for a twist in the blade itself. Nothing to do with alignment or not.
To be honest, after months of loading the blade the "correct" way (parallel to the top cap) the desire arose to try it the "incorrect" way.
I was prepared to abandon the attempt after even a single stroke if I felt that things were not progressing to my liking.
As always for experimental work, I used a blade that was 2 shaves old, a safe practice that I have learnt over time.
Lo and behold, the efficiency of a dulling blade is pushed up a notch with no perceptible change in aggressiveness. The razor remains its old tame, efficient self. Maybe this blade alignment "issue" is more of a "non-issue" elevated to "issue" status.
That was my unbiased observation.
It is now standard for me to use the brand new blade aligned "correctly" for the first two shaves with a ragged new edge and then switch it to the so called "incorrect" position for the the rest of the 6-8 shaves as the case may be.
Blades used: Feather, Astra SP, British Wilkinson Sword, Supermax Platinum Plus.
I was prepared to abandon the attempt after even a single stroke if I felt that things were not progressing to my liking.
As always for experimental work, I used a blade that was 2 shaves old, a safe practice that I have learnt over time.
Lo and behold, the efficiency of a dulling blade is pushed up a notch with no perceptible change in aggressiveness. The razor remains its old tame, efficient self. Maybe this blade alignment "issue" is more of a "non-issue" elevated to "issue" status.
That was my unbiased observation.
It is now standard for me to use the brand new blade aligned "correctly" for the first two shaves with a ragged new edge and then switch it to the so called "incorrect" position for the the rest of the 6-8 shaves as the case may be.
Blades used: Feather, Astra SP, British Wilkinson Sword, Supermax Platinum Plus.
