Merkur 37C Slant - Not Too Aggressive After All

[Renato1]

This is one comment by a local retailer about the Merkur 37C,
"........ is a rather aggressive razor that requires an experienced hand and a light touch - beginners need not apply."

So I looked at my new 37C with trepidation when it arrived. It looked mean. Eventually I steeled myself, reminding myself that it couldn't be as bad as my Shavette.

So I put a SuperMax Stainless Steel blade into it, and lathered with Trumpers cream.

Much to my surprise, I really couldn't tell much difference between it and my Merkur 333C, other than I seemed to be speed-shaving for some reason. The closeness of shave was the same as for the 333C, I didn't get one nick, the Alum block showed up about as many minor stings as I get with the 33C head.

So to me, both the 37C and the 33C are milder razors than the Merkur Bakelite.

Why isn't the 37C as mean as some describe it? Have I done something wrong?
Regards,
Renato

 

[jamesspo]

That's because it's not all that aggressive, really. It's got a big scary looking blade gap, but the actual exposure (amount of blade sticking out past the cap / guard tangent) is actually very little. Thus, it's not very aggressive feeling. It's a great shaver though.. I don't think anything else cuts hairs off quite as easily as the slant does, and that includes the R41.

This is one comment by a local retailer about the Merkur 37C,
"........ is a rather aggressive razor that requires an experienced hand and a light touch - beginners need not apply."

So I looked at my new 37C with trepidation when it arrived. It looked mean. Eventually I steeled myself, reminding myself that it couldn't be as bad as my Shavette.

So I put a SuperMax Stainless Steel blade into it, and lathered with Trumpers cream.

Much to my surprise, I really couldn't tell much difference between it and my Merkur 333C, other than I seemed to be speed-shaving for some reason. The closeness of shave was the same as for the 333C, I didn't get one nick, the Alum block showed up about as many minor stings as I get with the 33C head.

So to me, both the 37C and the 33C are milder razors than the Merkur Bakelite.

Why isn't the 37C as mean as some describe it? Have I done something wrong?
Regards,
Renato

 

[PFP_Dad]

I tried a OC slant I bought off the BST for the first time this morning and didn't find that nearly as aggressive as expected. It definitely looked intimidating, but gave a remarkably smooth comfortable shave. I think they just get labeled aggressive due to the overall look.

 

[Renato1]

That's because it's not all that aggressive, really. It's got a big scary looking blade gap, but the actual exposure (amount of blade sticking out past the cap / guard tangent) is actually very little. Thus, it's not very aggressive feeling. It's a great shaver though.. I don't think anything else cuts hairs off quite as easily as the slant does, and that includes the R41.

Thanks. Yes, it sure does shave fast.

Perhaps it should have been called the Merkur UltraSpeed.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

I tried a OC slant I bought off the BST for the first time this morning and didn't find that nearly as aggressive as expected. It definitely looked intimidating, but gave a remarkably smooth comfortable shave. I think they just get labeled aggressive due to the overall look.

It sure seems that way.
Regards,
Renato

 

[gus1942]

I probably get my longest lasting BBS with the 37c and the 39c but honestly can,t choose a favorite between the two. Sometimes I'm in the long handle mood and sometimes short handle. Use the Astra SP and Feather in these razors and prefer the Astra slightly.

Gus

 

[AceByTerror]

I loves me my slants! All of them! Managed to track down one of the last new 37g's from a retailer tonight actually. Looking forward to some gold slant awesomeness

 

[Renato1]

I probably get my longest lasting BBS with the 37c and the 39c but honestly can,t choose a favorite between the two. Sometimes I'm in the long handle mood and sometimes short handle. Use the Astra SP and Feather in these razors and prefer the Astra slightly.

Gus

There shouldn't be any difference between the two - should there?
I just notice that with longer handles it's a bit easier to keep my hand rigid and shave with my arm, whereas I always want to do the incorrect thing with short handles, and shave with my hand motion rather than with arm motion.

The Astra SP will be the next blade I put into the 37C.
Regards,
Renato

 

[goose819]

I just had my first shave with my new 37c and I have to agree with your opinion that it is very smooth. It cut through the easily. There was no tugging or pulling. I wasn't going to go against the grain but after the first two passes it was so smooth I went ahead and did it. This is starting to make me want to try the R41 to see if it is as aggressive as they say it is or if it is just really efficient like the slant.

 

[Renato1]

I loves me my slants! All of them! Managed to track down one of the last new 37g's from a retailer tonight actually. Looking forward to some gold slant awesomeness

Can I take it that you're an enthusiast?

Hmmm - a gold one would be really nice.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

I just had my first shave with my new 37c and I have to agree with your opinion that it is very smooth. It cut through the easily. There was no tugging or pulling. I wasn't going to go against the grain but after the first two passes it was so smooth I went ahead and did it. This is starting to make me want to try the R41 to see if it is as aggressive as they say it is or if it is just really efficient like the slant.

Glad you liked it too.
That's pretty much unanimous agreement so far.
After my last thread here on the Weber DLC, where it was pretty much unanimous disagreement, I was almost starting to wonder if there was something weird with my face.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Member357]

I don't really find it aggressive. I do find it efficient and very, very, effective.

 

[dharasick]

efficient

Key word here.

 

[j033]

I agree with this 100%. I feel no difference between the 37c slant and the 33c I was using. I bought the 37c expecting something really aggressive because I have thick beard growth, but I just wasted my money and feel let down. I eventually bought an r41 a few weeks later and the aggressiveness of that blade is definitively not overrated like the 37c! The r41 has become my daily razor, and I'm quite pleased with it.

 

[Renato1]

I don't really find it aggressive. I do find it efficient and very, very, effective.

Thanks. Interesting perspective.
Renato

 

[Renato1]

I agree with this 100%. I feel no difference between the 37c slant and the 33c I was using. I bought the 37c expecting something really aggressive because I have thick beard growth, but I just wasted my money and feel let down. I eventually bought an r41 a few weeks later and the aggressiveness of that blade is definitively not overrated like the 37c! The r41 has become my daily razor, and I'm quite pleased with it.

Thanks, it's always good to see 100% agreement.
Fortunately for me, that level of aggression from both the 37C and 33C is about as high as I like to go. I've hardly used the more aggressive Bakelite model.
Regards,
Renato

 

[gus1942]

There shouldn't be any difference between the two - should there?
I just notice that with longer handles it's a bit easier to keep my hand rigid and shave with my arm, whereas I always want to do the incorrect thing with short handles, and shave with my hand motion rather than with arm motion.

The Astra SP will be the next blade I put into the 37C.
Regards,
Renato

+1 Renato

 

[Judge Dredd]

I use the slant every day, ATG as well, and get very good results with it.

I find it to be much more comfortable than the HD. There are many threads around here that try to explain why - the best theory (IMHO) is that the slant applies torque to the blade which minimises it's vibration/wobble as it attacks the hair, making the cut more predictable (i.e. efficient, as an earlier poster above has described it).

I am by no means an expert in quantum mechanics (or whatever physics applies at the point where steel meets hair), but common sense and my own experience suggest the slant just works better, even with the sharpest blades like Feathers or SIs.

Possibly, in some respects, because I "feared" the slant, it probably forced me to use a lighter touch, and that in itself may have been a huge factor in why I found improvements in my shaving results. Whatever the reason, it works for me.

 

[dreadpirate]

A slant is always advertised as a razor for a heavy beard. I think that's nonsense. A slant is a smooth shaver suitable for everyone.

 

[Renato1]

I use the slant every day, ATG as well, and get very good results with it.

I find it to be much more comfortable than the HD. There are many threads around here that try to explain why - the best theory (IMHO) is that the slant applies torque to the blade which minimises it's vibration/wobble as it attacks the hair, making the cut more predictable (i.e. efficient, as an earlier poster above has described it).

I am by no means an expert in quantum mechanics (or whatever physics applies at the point where steel meets hair), but common sense and my own experience suggest the slant just works better, even with the sharpest blades like Feathers or SIs.

Possibly, in some respects, because I "feared" the slant, it probably forced me to use a lighter touch, and that in itself may have been a huge factor in why I found improvements in my shaving results. Whatever the reason, it works for me.

Hi fellow Melbournite,
You raise some interesting points, two of which I hadn't read before (vibration & fear factor). While I started off fearful though, I quickly got over it before I was half way through doing the first half of my face.

I'm going to have fun the next month seeing how it compares to my favourite mild razors, using same blades in each.
Regards,
Renato