This makes the most sense to me. I invariably use the Gillette slide during a shave. It is a terrific stroke.
You aren't wrong with your understanding!
I agree. I just purchased that awesome razor myself and used it for the first time on four days growth. I have and use the 34C as well but I say the 37C has a definite edge in terms of efficiency. There are skeptics but I believe their really is something to the slant design.
Not a gimmick but it's subjective. Some things work for some and don't for others. I've tried 3 of them and they weren't anything special. My SB razors work better.
If they made it in stainless, I'd be in heaven! A step down in toothiness, compared to the Wunderbar.This was my SOTD about ten months ago:Fine Aluminum Slant. I generally don't like aluminum razors, but the Fine design is just so fine!
When I got serious about shaving as a hobby in 2010, the first two razors I bought at a cutlery store were the Merkur 34c and the Merkur 37c. Love 'em both. Rating the comparison of increasing aggressiveness with a 3-pass shave on a scale of 10, with 5 being average, I rate the 34c as a "4" and the slanted 37c as a "7."
As I was reading the thread I was thinking to myself, “I hope @Old Hippie chimes in”. One of the best explanations that I know I’ve read before likely in the Tilted Picnic.There are technically three types of slants. Well...four if you count that rusty coffee can full of Gillettes down at the antique mall that all look like they got dropped on the floor, but they didn't start out slanted.
Tilted slants like the PAA Alpha Ecliptic and the iKon Shavecraft 102 simply "put the head on at an angle." Aside from the slantiness they are just like a plain DE razor in how they clamp the blade.
Single Edge slants such as the ATT X1 are a subvariant of tilted slants, simply because it's impossible to torque an AC blade. Again, otherwise just like a non-slanted single edge.
Helical slants are where I think the magic really happens. They can be quite mild, such as the Parker or they can be more aggressive but they all share that extra longitudinal twist they give to a blade.
The extra twist adds tension to the blade, making the edge less likely to chatter. There are several variables in motion, but that's it in a nutshell. I've got a couple of severely helical slants that can still chatter because of those other variables. A well clamped plain DE with minimal reveal can outshave a slant with less robust clamping, as witness among others the RazoRock BBS (a very fine razor in its own right).
The other thing to account for is the relative stiffness of modern stainless blades compared to vintage carbon blades. Stainless blades are stiffer for comparable thickness, which means a slant razor with a stainless blade is going to have a less noticeable effect compared to a plain DE. Blades are getting thinner, though, so stiffness is reduced and thus a helical slant razor is going to have a more noticeable effect.
There are many variables -- more than we can account for or even in most cases even identify. My personal experience is that I get the best shaves of all from slants. I can get decent shaves from other razors, but a highly helical slant razor just does the trick.
I usually recommend starting with the Merkur 37 (if you like short handles) or the Parker SemiSlant (if you like longer handles) or the RazoRock German 37 which allows for handle choice. All three are good slants. Not in my mind the best slants, but that's a personal evaluation. I have had all of them.
O.H.
Hey hi...so what is your favorite / go to slant? Cheers BFXThere are technically three types of slants. Well...four if you count that rusty coffee can full of Gillettes down at the antique mall that all look like they got dropped on the floor, but they didn't start out slanted.
Tilted slants like the PAA Alpha Ecliptic and the iKon Shavecraft 102 simply "put the head on at an angle." Aside from the slantiness they are just like a plain DE razor in how they clamp the blade.
Single Edge slants such as the ATT X1 are a subvariant of tilted slants, simply because it's impossible to torque an AC blade. Again, otherwise just like a non-slanted single edge.
Helical slants are where I think the magic really happens. They can be quite mild, such as the Parker or they can be more aggressive but they all share that extra longitudinal twist they give to a blade.
The extra twist adds tension to the blade, making the edge less likely to chatter. There are several variables in motion, but that's it in a nutshell. I've got a couple of severely helical slants that can still chatter because of those other variables. A well clamped plain DE with minimal reveal can outshave a slant with less robust clamping, as witness among others the RazoRock BBS (a very fine razor in its own right).
The other thing to account for is the relative stiffness of modern stainless blades compared to vintage carbon blades. Stainless blades are stiffer for comparable thickness, which means a slant razor with a stainless blade is going to have a less noticeable effect compared to a plain DE. Blades are getting thinner, though, so stiffness is reduced and thus a helical slant razor is going to have a more noticeable effect.
There are many variables -- more than we can account for or even in most cases even identify. My personal experience is that I get the best shaves of all from slants. I can get decent shaves from other razors, but a highly helical slant razor just does the trick.
I usually recommend starting with the Merkur 37 (if you like short handles) or the Parker SemiSlant (if you like longer handles) or the RazoRock German 37 which allows for handle choice. All three are good slants. Not in my mind the best slants, but that's a personal evaluation. I have had all of them.
O.H.
