new Slant.. and questions about HD, Progress

[nichhel]

Got my new slant yesterday. Didn't shave with it though because I had a barbershop appointment. The barber butchered my face AND left it unshaven. Wondered if I should use the slant, since my face was so raw.

So this morning loaded it up with a Derby (reputation for smooth/mild -ness) and did lots of passes, a nice leisurely Saturday morning -- not quite BBS, but even with 5 passes NO irritation. And trouble spots are no longer trouble spots!

Can't wait to try Feathers and Sharps in this razor

What I didn't like: the cap of the Slant had very sharp edges -- is this normal? It seemed sloppy to me, almost sharp enough to cut yourself with.

What I liked: the Slant makes it easy to find the right angle. Unlike the rounded Gillette superspeeds, there are two flat planes on each side -- is the HD the same? I can see how it would be the perfect beginners razor if so.

This might just be the perfect razor -- a no-brainer to get a smooth shave with. Wish I'd gotten the gold but Lee didn't have it when I ordered.

Can any slant user report on what they thought of the progress? I think I'm on a Merkur-trying kick now

 

[jduffy]

Check the Reviews tab at the top for info on Merkurs.

BTW how did the barber hurt your face? What was he using?

More info please.

 

[castlecraver]

I've been thinking about getting a Slant bar as my 2nd razor, and this is certainly good to hear. Where are your normal trouble spots?

 

[Leisureguy]

The Progress apparently requires a very different angle, as shown in Mantic's video on DE shaving. But I am just going to try it, so I'll see for myself. The Progress, unlike the Slant and the HD, has a proper head orientation: you can put the head on backwards if you don't line up the little line (on one end of the head) with the little triangle (on one end of the base).

I've had a couple of Slant Bars and I don't note the sharpness to which you refer. --- Just went to check. No sharpness. Maybe email the vendor and ask about the problem, perhaps an exchange?

 

[nichhel]

Jim,

I wasn't sure I should write up that experience (don't say anything unless it's good), but I've done it and posted it in the General section, just in case any BBers should go looking for a shave in Iowa.

Leisureguy,

I'm going to go you one better and recommend slant+feathers as a newbie's first razor

The cap of the Slant had very sharp edges -- primarily the underside of the cap, which I know won't (in normal use) come into contact with your skin. Unless, you don't have a razor in there and are just practising, or you're lifting off the cap and holding it -- then it feels horrible. I can see how this could come from casting in a brand new mold, but feel it'd be much more professional if they sanded, buffed it down a bit.

I don't like the angle on my 40s superspeeds, which seems similar to Mantic's angle. It gives a decent shave but nowhere near smooth. Now that I'm so impressed with the HD's stubbiness and double planed surfaces, I want to see whether Merkur's other approaches work (very impressed with the futur too, except it's too smooth, because there was a lack of feedback) -- that's the only reason I want to try a Progress, and maybe someday a Vision which I expect to be similar to a Futur in it's cap-smoothness.

Castlecraver,

With the 25+25 slant-feather deal I'd say go for it and be prepared to never buy a razor again. Uh, I mean never _need_ to buy a razor again

Trouble spots are some odd growing stubble under the jaw joint on either side, under the chin on either side, and some around the adams apple where it can't be seen, but I can feel micro-stubble (only the feather's been able to make this BBS so far).

Oh and I find it's much smoother against the grain too, which I attribute to the slicing rather than chopping action. This is one razor that just doesn't catch and pull! I'm just a little disappointed that the head feels so crude (perhaps my expectations were wrong -- this is my first HD type of razor, before this I had a Futur which is a work of art, and several SS, with smooth shiny caps even after 50 years of existence).

 

[castlecraver]

Castlecraver,

With the 25+25 slant-feather deal I'd say go for it and be prepared to never buy a razor again. Uh, I mean never _need_ to buy a razor again

Trouble spots are some odd growing stubble under the jaw joint on either side, under the chin on either side, and some around the adams apple where it can't be seen, but I can feel micro-stubble (only the feather's been able to make this BBS so far).

Oh and I find it's much smoother against the grain too, which I attribute to the slicing rather than chopping action. This is one razor that just doesn't catch and pull! I'm just a little disappointed that the head feels so crude (perhaps my expectations were wrong -- this is my first HD type of razor, before this I had a Futur which is a work of art, and several SS, with smooth shiny caps even after 50 years of existence).

Uugh. Thanks for that. I'm up to my BBS neck in __AD enablers.

Now where did I put my credit card...

 

[Leisureguy]

I tried again, and the chrome Slant Bar does have a little sharpness---though not much on mine---whereas the gold has none. So go with the gold.

 

[JMT]

Can any slant user report on what they thought of the progress? I think I'm on a Merkur-trying kick now

I have personally bought and sold a Progress, a Futur, a slant and an HD. I guess that tells you what I think of the Merkur line. I am not trying to bash Merkur, but it seems that for me, the old Gillette fixed head razors just work better.

Of course, YMMV.

 

[With The Grain]

...

 

[nichhel]

Sorry I'm so late coming back.

JMT: is it quality of the Merkur's or that they don't shave well?

WTG: thanks, I'll remember that. With my 60s SS I get good shaves, but hold it perpendicular. With the SS I get bad shave, but I've been holding it the way Mantic does in his video with a Progress. My bad, I'll give the SS another shot.

 

[brando]

I do not have a Slant but I can tell you what I think of the Progress. I Just had my first shave with my recently proqured Progress and it was fantastic . BBS w/ zero irratation. Even on my neck (which is a trouble spot for me).

 

[Leisureguy]

What setting and what blade did you use? Just curious...