Slant Razors and the Gillette "Slide"

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by eddieb20842, Jun 10, 2018.

  1. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    If you shave with a slant razor (https://sharpologist.com/2017/01/slant-bar-razor-discussion.html), DO NOT use the Gillette "Slide" technique ("The Gillette Slide – this technique is a slightly different cross between a WTG and ATG stroke. Starting with the razor in position to make a WTG stroke, move the razor down and across in a downwards diagonal motion, keeping the head of the razor perfectly horizontal and the handle pointing directly down vertically, using a normal length stroke. Be careful to move more down than across to avoid slicing the skin with the blade. This technique has the potential to create longer cuts if performed incorrectly and should be approached delicately."). Why? Because between the angle of the slant head added to the angle of the the slide movement, you get a dangerous slicing action. Take it from me...I nearly filleted my face once!
     
  2. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    Slants are simply a hardware solution for a lack of technique knowledge. Great write up.
     
  3. Ron R

    Ron R Well-Known Member

    I like slant razors and the Gillette slide is Incorporated into the slant razor and there is no reason to try this maneuver IMO. Just shave normally and enjoy is my opinion.
     
    Jorvaljr and Herm2502 like this.
  4. Jorvaljr

    Jorvaljr Operation Daytona 8000

    FYI,
    an automatic transmission is a hardware solution for lack of driving technique knowledge
    Lol :happy102:
     
    brit, Eeyore, PLANofMAN and 6 others like this.
  5. Jrdelgado

    Jrdelgado Well-Known Member

    Hahahahahahah!
     
    brit, Dansco, Zykris and 1 other person like this.
  6. Tallships

    Tallships Well-Known Member

    Never really thought of terminology like "Gillette Slide" when teaching my sons and nephew how to shave. My dad thought me how to shave with the show and tell method. In the 50+ years I've been DE/SE shaving I never heard of a Slant Razor till I joined The Shave Den, now it is easier to answer questions when my grandchildren come over and they check out my shave collection. Thanks guys.

    Happiness is a BBS, Denis
     
    brit likes this.
  7. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    Hi Tallships,
    Are you from Massachusetts by any chance?
     
  8. Tallships

    Tallships Well-Known Member

    I live in Maine, originally Brooklyn, NY
     
  9. Engblom

    Engblom Well-Known Member

    I disagree. I do use the slide technique with slant razors too. It is nothing dangerous and it is just giving a bit bigger slanting angle, which I like. I am doing this each shave and I never had a problem nor an accident.
     
  10. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    I'll get boo'd for this but I've never bought the logic behind slants. The way the slant's blade chops through each hair is no different than a normal razor's action; it's just twisted a bit but I don't see how there's any angled slicing involved.

    Now, the slide motion Gillette promoted may give an actual slicing of hairs along a small length of the blade's edge (like a knife through a loaf of bread) vs chopping through them at just one point on the edge, as with typical shaves. But given the minute width of hairs, the action seems so negligible that I have never seen the point of doing slide either.

    But all this is just my opinion. More power to the slant and slide lovers!
     
    brit likes this.
  11. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    That's fine...but remember, this is a Shaving School thread. I posted the information as a caution for the "newbie" crowd!
     
    wristwatchb and Ron R like this.
  12. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    I always thought using a slant with normal strokes was recreating the slide, i have never had to use the slide technique, i will j hook once in awhile. I get really good shaves from my german 37.
     
  13. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    It does recreate "The Slide". I wrote this because Newbies may have a slant, read about the slide and attempt it not realizing that the shaving angle is compounded. This could result in a slicing, rather than a shaving motion.
     
    PLANofMAN likes this.
  14. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    As a European ... wholeheartedly agreed :-D :-D

    --
    Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.
     
    Jorvaljr likes this.
  15. Jorvaljr

    Jorvaljr Operation Daytona 8000

    Lol
    and because this is the Internet... because I wrote it, it’s true and a fact.. ;)
     
    Jim99 likes this.
  16. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    Thats what i thought, i have read people stating they still do the slide with slants. As long as I can find the right angle there is no need for me to use the slide.
     
  17. Ron R

    Ron R Well-Known Member

    It is a good idea for :whacky024: 's to understand that pushing something to Maxium is not always fruitful and enjoyable.
    Gillette slide (2).jpg Some are curious about the Gillette slide this is what Gillette suggested their customers to do instead of purchasing a slant. Gillette did not want to MFG a slant and they could of easily IMO, King Gillette was very successful in his shaving ventures as we all know.:lam:
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
  18. Terry

    Terry Tool Admirer

    Ok
    The reason I am using a slant is it seams to shave well with many different blades compaired to a non slant type. I have tried some blades that tug and pull right out of the wrapper. Then some give a good 1 or 2 shaves before the tug of war starts. Using the 37 slant seems to help these blades cut more so than the non slant. I am going thru another sample of about 20 blades including the ones that drugstores and walmart sell and finding that I have a larger selection to choose from using the Razorock German slant.

    Don't know how or why.
    Don't care how or why.

    IMHO, maybe the king G should have desinged a blade and razor that works like a slant dose, only better. Might have been the next "big" evolution in DE shaving. Who knows, might see the plastic go slant someday.

    Stranger things have happened.

    tp
     
  19. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    I have noticed that a lot of blades that dont normally give me a great shave in other razors perform well in my rr german 37. That said i find myself using my slim and tech most often.
     
  20. Terry

    Terry Tool Admirer

    Well....
    A Phoenix Bakelite Open Comb Slant just arrived. Waiting on the Bakelite Alpha Ecliptic Slant Razor, say that 3 times fast:whacky011:
    Put them in the line after my muhle r41 run :happy088:
    tp
     

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