I picked up a Merkur 39c Slant last week and as my first foray into using a slant, I now have a couple of shaves with it under my belt. All the talk about slants being really aggressive and how you need to be really careful that you don't slice your face off, had me a little bit...........cautious, shall we say. I wasn't scared or nervous, but rather offered up a healthy dose of respect towards the razor. I loaded it up with a Voskhod blade and smeared MWF on the mug. I went for it without any hesitation and ended my first shave without any weapers at all. My second go with it left me with one weaper on my neck, but a DFS both times. I like this razor very much and I found it not aggressive at all, but rather mild and smooth. I'm sure my technique has a lot to do with it's performance, as I think I have my technique down, and I always have nice smooth shaves with the Voskhods. I would definitely recommend this razor to absolutely anyone who wants to try a slant, whether they be a newbie or an experienced shaver. As long as you adhere to your proven technique and respect the razor as you would any other razor, you should do just fine and end up with a great shave.
Welcome to the slant users club! (I just made that up:laugh042) My Hoffritz slant, which was made by Merkur, is one of my favorite DE razors. Great shave, nice heft, and handsome looking razor.
I, too, love my 39C Sledge Slant. I originally tried it with a selection of blades, and it did a respectable job, but once I started using Feathers in it, it has been BBS every single time. An effortless glide. So effortless in fact, that it's tempting to slack off on your technique, which is a no-no. Distraction will reward you with a cut or two, but keep your mind on the task, and it's smooth sailing all the way. I alternate with a 38C, loaded with a Personna Lab blade, which also gives me BBS. The two razors, while identical in size and weight, feel entirely different, although my end result is the same. I like the alternating variety. If I had to choose one over the other - desert island scenario - I'd opt for the Slant.
