Are slants all that aggressive? The issue I have , as all of us men have is my facial hair growing in different directions. I am not dissatisfied with my current Set up, A Weber with Reds, But I would like to broaden my horizons. I have read that they can be Aggressive but any information would help.
I found the slants I have used to be more intimidating in appearance and in HYPE than in reality. Much has been said in forums and online reviews about those killer face-eaters, Slantbar razors. In my experience, I found they WILL give one a close, highly-efficient shave— a 2-pass BBS, sometimes. Great razors—and if one uses good technique and prep, one will be rewarded with a truly great saving experience. Now that I am currently slant-less, I am on a mission to rectify that problem. Slant razor: The bark (look) is worse than it's bite….
In my experiences, I have found that I need to be a little more attentive with a slant over a non slant when shaving my head. On my face, i get a great shave every time.
I got a Merkur 37c on my birthday last year with money from two of my sons. I really like it. It looks intimidating, but if you have good technique and experience, you should have no real problems with it. It is not my favorite, but is is one of my favorites.
I have a 37C as well and have to say it is a nice shaving razor. It is nowhere near as aggressive as a Muhle or similar open comb razors. I think choice in blade is more of a factor than the slant design.
As was said above Slants, like other razors(SB & OC) can be aggressive depending on who made them or the particular model.....I have a vintage Merkur slant, that looks like a 37C but the handle is normal sized rather than BullDog style..For me at least it's a light razor....I get a very mild shave out of it, not overly aggressive at all!! In fact the OC's(Gillette Old Style and NEW and a Cadet) I have are much more aggressive I.M.O...
A little bit more than a DE with safety bar Can not compared to any Open Comb,it's something in the middle. Worth to have one "just for change" as we say.
Just had another great shave from my 37C slant. This model is pretty heavy compared to other razors I have. I don't know if I would like a heavier slant. To me the 37C is as heavy as I would want to go. If you don't have one invest the 40 bucks and get one. I think most people would like it.
I'm actually expecting my first slant to arrive in the next few days. Is orientation to hair growth as important with a slant as it is with a 'normal' DE? The main problem with my neck is that the hair grows in a swirl pattern on either side. This requires at least 3 pass and touch ups to get a visually decent shave (but usually not bbs). I was hoping that the more efficient slant design might be able to mow down those pesky trouble spots without so many passes.
I find that the 37C doesn't really shave any closer than a typical closed comb razor. I still do two passes on the face and three on the neck with a few touch ups afterward. If you want a closer shave you will need to move up to an open comb. The Muhle 41R is insanely close. A single pass on the face is almost the same as two with a closed comb. My neck looked like I had used a cheese grater on it. Not for the faint of heart. If you later want to go with a little more aggressive razor I am really impressed with the Cadet TTO open comb razor. A nice compromise.
The Slant should help with your neck due to the head weight. I have the same issue and heavier razors help. You may want to try J-hooking as well if you havent already. Takes practice but works very well.
I don't think the problem is that I'm not getting close enough. It's just that I spend a good amount of time maneuvering my razor around those two areas on my neck where the hair grows in a swirl pattern. I guess I'll have to test it out when my slant actually gets here. J-hooking does help but I'm not too good at executing this maneuver at some of the angles needed on my neck. Is it safe to J-hook with a slant?
I get my closest shaves easiest with my slant, a 37c. It still takes three passes, but no (or almost no) touching up is required, and I get no irritation at all (unless I really space out and screw up). J-hooking is fine with a slant, I do it all the time. To compare, I also have guard bar, closed comb and open comb razors, both DE and SE. I can get as close with a couple of my SEs, but they are a bit more finicky, need more careful attention to avoid irritation and usually need a bit more touching up. (That could be down to having less experience with the SEs, though.) The magic of the slant seems to be that it's aggressive in that I get an extremely close shave, but mild in that, as long as I avoid excess pressure, it's very forgiving and unlikely to bite or burn. I think open comb vs. guard bar is a bit of a red herring; aggressiveness is due to blade gap and exposure and geometry, but whether the guard is a solid bar or a series of teeth doesn't in itself make a ton of difference.
I've been wet shaving for about 9 months with a EJ89, just purchased a Merkur 37c and have used it once. I have a heavy beard so I use feather blades with no problems (one blade for 5 shaves) The slant is a very good shave! 2 passes is all it takes for me, the smoothest shave I've ever had!
I've never had or used one. What is the purpose of a slant? What's it do that a 'regular' razor can't?
See here for some basic, although somewhat inaccurate, info: What is a Slant? The angle of the blade is the main difference for a standard solid bar razor. Think of a guillotine blade (angled blade) versus a standard right-angle cutting blade. Because of the angle, the cutting action is more of a slicing through hair rather than an abrupt 'chopping.' With a light touch, I found the slant bar razor to be highly efficient in getting an extremely close shave (two-pass BBS!) with no discomfort. With proper technique (good angle and light touch), the user can get great results from a slant bar, whether they are an experienced wet-shaver or a relative newcomer (despite what the linked article above states, the slant is NOT just for those heavy-bearded shaving vets). I have a light beard and loved my slant bar. Great razors.
Thanks! The more I find out about them, the more intriguing this become. I think a slant may be my next big razor purchase.
Another great shave from the slant tonight. I had about a week of growth and it mowed it down like nothing. I don't find that the Merkur Slant shaves any closer than an open comb. In fact, I think that open combs shave a bit closer.
