Fatip Lo Storto compared to RR Superslants (?)

[carloverfast2]

G'day Sirs,

I am looking at getting one or both of these razors and am looking for opinions on their respective merits. I"m a black man, with light brown skin. My beard is similar to my hair in that it grows extremely curly. I have a continual red hue to my skin where I shave. I've used several razors and liked the results of the merkur open combs. I think a more regular shaving schedule might help with the ingrowns and overall skin damage as I've read not allowing my hairs to grow too long and my face being more accustomed to shaving can help.

I think that a slant can help these problems as the angle of the cut hair is "smoother" after from using a slant? The idea of fewer passes from the slant appeals to me. Do any of you guys have both, used both and can tell me the differences between the two models of slants?

Thanks, Car

 

[Iridian]

The FOCS / Lo Storto is good, but it can't hold a candle to the Wunderbar or Superslants.
The Superslant/Wunderbar replaced my Merkur and Fatip slant, not just because of their shaving qualities I must admit, I like my razors to be made of stainless steel or titanium. I don't want to trash these razors either, but they are simply a league below the Razorock slants. Everything IMO, ofc.

I have no experience with ingrown hairs or what your skin could handle, but given that you used a Merkur OC, a Superslant L2/L2 OC plate might be a viable plate for you.

 

[JL 52]

I haven’t gotten around to trying any slants yet, but your thought process is correct in my opinion. More aggressive razor with fewer passes = less irritation.

I’m black with similar skin and hair. I only shave my head and lower neck below my beard. My head is fairly resilient and gives me some leeway to experiment with different razors and blades without too much consequence, my neck on the other hand is highly prone to ingrowns.

For my neck I switched to using shavette razors to minimize the amount of blade contact I have in that area and it seems to have been a good solution for me. With a shavette it’s easier to be extra mindful of the blade angle and pressure compared to a safety razor. Paying attention to the direction your hair grows in is another key for preventing ingrowns, and I also have an easier time doing this with a shavette.

Go ahead and try out a slant razor to see if it works for you, just pay extra attention to the amount of blade you have on your sensitive areas and try to only cut in the same direction to prevent ingrowns. Also learn to quit when you’re ahead for your problem areas; leaving just a little stubble behind is a good way to prevent ingrowns.

 

[Jens]

Slants are not of one piece. I went through 3 or 4 before I found the first my skin agreed with. The RR superslant has an excellent reputation, but there are other excellent slants around. You really need to try a few, and build your own experience, rather than relying on what other people say.
It's not so much the guillotine style angle of the cut that makes slants special, it's more the way the blade is torqued. This has the effect of steadying the blade, minimizing blade flexing, and this can significantly reduce skin irritation and make for a smoother shave.

The three slants I like best these days are Merkur 37C, the Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Bakelite Open Comb slant ("PBOCS"), and a Danish made 1930s vintage open comb slant that is hard to get your hands on these days. Incidentally, I haven't tried either the superslant or the Fatip "Lo Storto" (I am a big fan of Fatip OCs though). But that doesn't really matter in regard to the advice I give you here. You can read so many reviews, but you need to get your hands on some slants to find out what works for you. And don't forget to try out different blades in them too, familiar blades behave differently in slants. Good luck..!

 

[carloverfast2]

Thanks Jens, Iridian and JL! I appreciate the suggestions- will do

 

[Calyshaver]

For about $105 you can get an assortment of the three slants mentioned here. It does require trying out different slants so I would not jump into the expensive ones just yet until you see if you even like the slant shaving. I have all the below, and love them all. Blades is another rabbit hole.

Fatip Slant - $32 (solid brass)
Merkur 37C - $45 (brass handle, Zamak head)
Phoenix Artisan Monster Slant - $27 (all plastic but some of them glow in the dark )

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I own or have owned the Fatip Slant, Merkur 37C and RazoRock SuperSlant. The only one I still have is the SuperSlant L3. I tried one or two other base plates for the SuperSlant, but for me the L3 is wonderfully smooth and extremely efficient. The only thing that I don't really like about the SuperSlant is its bulk. It takes some practice to get it into tight spaces, like my uppper lip under my nose. It is, however, considerably more expensive than the Fatip or Merkur slant. For that reason you might want to try one of those two first. If they don't work for you, I'm sure that you could get most of your money back by selling them on the BST. On the other hand, it's probably even easier to sell the SuperSlant if you buy it and it doesn't work well for you.
Good luck!

 

[Jens]

PS: there are several slant threads here on B&B which you might want to peruse too ... just to get more information on the mechanics of slants, and some of the well reputed slants out there.

 

[NorthernSoul]

And now for something completely different...

If you have a lot of problems with ingrown whiskers, you may be better off not shaving too close to the skin. A more aggressive razor will usually allow you to make fewer passes, and that may help reduce irritation if your technique is sound. But shaving too close may encourage ingrown whiskers.

A slant razor is not more aggressive than a conventional razor just because it is a slant. The idea behind a slant is more to give a smoother, more comfortable shave for the person with a heavy beard. Slants can be mild, medium or aggressive just like conventional razors.

The Fatip Slant has more of a medium aggressive feel. The Superslant is on the more aggressive side, but with the different plates, you can choose the level of aggression you want.

 

[Hopalong]

FOCS, with a GSB blade, is like magic for me.
Efficient and smooth. I've given three away as gifts to first time users and they all love the razor.
Just bought three more.
The Gold Lo Storto Originale cost $27.00 at Connaught Shaving in UK.
I just had three of them, and 200 GSB blades, shipped to California for less than $10.00, no tax.
The fact that there is no tax basically means that the shipping was free.
How can you lose?

 

[Filudo]

Wunderbar #1
RR Superslant CC L3++

For me

and a very distant position the Fatip.

But for the same price, a German Slant is probably better than the Fatip (for me).

 

[carloverfast2]

This is helpful! Steve (or whomever may have a take), can you tell me which of the SuperSlant base plates approximates the Fatip LS? I'm going through the FLS thread and am taken by how often "smooth" comes up. Maybe getting the best of both can be had. might do the "wise" thing and get both-ha! Just wondering if there's some overlap. thanks again