Slant blade

[Sisonpyh]

I am new to wet shaving, I have never heard of it until a few days ago on another forum. I have been looking into this a great amount for the last few days and will hopefully order within the next couple weeks.

After looking at dozens of razor reviews and going to multiple online stores I was curious why it would not be recommended for a beginner to not get a slant razor? It seems as there is a lot of people agreeing that the slant gets a closer shave than a DE, what does everyone think about that?

Thanks in advance! I am really excited that I found out about wet shaving! This seems much smoother and more eloquent than the Gellette fusion that I have...

 

[thunderball]

I think the slant requires a more careful technique than a regular DE razor and beginners would most likely end up either giving up or cutting themselves up were they to begin with a slant instead of something a little more tame. Having said that I've yet to try a slant myself...more experienced folk will chime in momentarily.

 

[Luc]

I think the slant requires a more careful technique than a regular DE razor and beginners would most likely end up either giving up or cutting themselves up were they to begin with a slant instead of something a little more tame. Having said that I've yet to try a slant myself...more experienced folk will chime in momentarily.

+1

You do need to be a bit more careful with a Slant. It's a great razor but to start with and learn all the good habits, a Tech or superspeed is more appropriate. If you want to stay with Merkur, HD is your best bet.

 

[blahhblahh]

I started with a merkur classic and cut myself the first few times. I've been doing this for about a year now and just had my first slant bar shave and am glad I didnt start with it. I have my technique down with a regular DE razor and I cut myself twice with the slant and am expecting some razor burn tomorrow. Definitely start conservatively and work your way up. You won't get as close of shaves with a regular DE compared to a slant bar but you wont get a ton of irritation either.

 

[bordeaaj]

I went to the Slant/Feather combo from an Merkur HD less than a week into DE shaving with no trouble, whatsoever...something many of us who have jumped right into Feathers and/or Slants have experienced. Just use the slant exactly like the HD. It seems that many who take the longer "safer" route from the less to more aggressive razors and/or blades often have problems that result in extending transitions from one razor and/or blade over months or even years. It may well be that starting off with less aggressive razors and blades encourages the development of razor and blade specific habits that actually require the use of different angles and pressures which may be less than acceptable for the newer razor/blade...habits which you pay for in a nick or two and must then unlearn each and every time you change to a different razor and/or blade. Whatever razor you had decided to start out with, I suspect it would have taken about the same amount of time to learn the proper angles and pressures...so if anyone is thinking of making a transition I would encourage them to go for it sooner rather than later.

 

[Sisonpyh]

I think the slant requires a more careful technique than a regular DE razor and beginners would most likely end up either giving up or cutting themselves up were they to begin with a slant instead of something a little more tame. Having said that I've yet to try a slant myself...more experienced folk will chime in momentarily.

Thank you all for the fast replies! That is pretty much the norm of what people were saying in reviews over the slant, that in may be to much for a beginner. I guess they were mostly talking about stricter technique, and that a regular DE is already much above the razors that mold, rotate to ones face.

Luc- I think I would go with one of the Murker's. Probably the HD or 38C. Thanks for the tips.

blahhblahh- Sorry to hear about the not bbs, I could see where one would need to be more careful or redefine technique with a slant. Happy to hear the slant does give a closer shave though.

bordeaaj- Thank you for the detailed description of your thoughts. I can see the psychology behind what you are talking about. It makes sense that one would have to totally redefine technique from a regular razor to a DE or a slant, so it would not matter which one chooses. Ironically it seems that people that went strait to a slanted said that it was not as bad as it was made out to be. It is going to be a hard choice.

Any other opinions? Either one is going to be better than the Gellette.

 

[bordeaaj]

As for BBS shaves with regular vs slant...it still takes me at least 3 -4 passes and sometimes even a polishing pass even with a slant.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Order the Slant and some blades.

Then this weekend get yourself to a flea market and get yourself a cheap safety razor. I got my first one at such a place, a cheap plastic gillette, but it did the job.

Then I moved on to the Slant

 

[HerrHepcat]

I've been wetshaving for a few months and got a few cuts with my first forray to the slant. I'm going to wait a little longer and pick it up again another time.

Close shave yes.

Better technique needed.... YES.

 

[Sisonpyh]

Wow this seems like quite the controversy! Thank you everyone for the replies. Still seems that those who have gone right to a slant have adjusted rather fast, but I can also see the slant before more dangerous. And I am so used to the Gillette Fusion which I can take over the same spot a dozen times with no worries . That I can see is not going to go so well with a slant.

I am trying to find a razor off of westcoastshaving as they have have the sample packs and a shavemac finest brush which would be my other choice besides Savile Row best which QED wont have until next month from what he said in an email. Many of their razors are hd, including the slants, curious on how much different that would be than a non hd slant? I might just take the more safe route and go with a traditional 38c but I am not sure. But I know I will end up with 10 razors in a month, so it may not matter

 

[highball]

As for BBS shaves with regular vs slant...it still takes me at least 3 -4 passes and sometimes even a polishing pass even with a slant.

I agree, I get a better shave from a New Standard then a slant

 

[wizard]

Wow this seems like quite the controversy! Thank you everyone for the replies. Still seems that those who have gone right to a slant have adjusted rather fast, but I can also see the slant before more dangerous. And I am so used to the Gillette Fusion which I can take over the same spot a dozen times with no worries . That I can see is not going to go so well with a slant.

I am trying to find a razor off of westcoastshaving as they have have the sample packs and a shavemac finest brush which would be my other choice besides Savile Row best which QED wont have until next month from what he said in an email. Many of their razors are hd, including the slants, curious on how much different that would be than a non hd slant? I might just take the more safe route and go with a traditional 38c but I am not sure. But I know I will end up with 10 razors in a month, so it may not matter

Your going about it in the right way by gathering as much information about it as you can on the forums. I think no matter which razor you get as long as you understand (1) Growth patterns of your beard (2) The applied Pressure rule to your face, (3) Angle of the razor/blade to your skin you will do fine. I purchased a couple books about shaving when I first started & I think that Leisureguy's Gourmet Shaving is a great book to start with. I found much of the information to be very helpful about what to use & start out with & even understanding techniques. Although I think he said to start out with a HD & that your 2nd razor should be a slant. I started with a Gillette Superspeed because that is what I had bought before reading anything. I did get a slant next though. I have now found that I prefer a open comb Gillette "New" & am still trying to settle on a blade combo with the New.
I think your right about the 10 razors in a month I bought a Superspeed, Slant, Vision, Schick Injector & Gem single edge razors within the first week!
Enjoy & just have fun with all the choices that are at your disposal...

 

[Sisonpyh]

Your going about it in the right way by gathering as much information about it as you can on the forums. I think no matter which razor you get as long as you understand (1) Growth patterns of your beard (2) The applied Pressure rule to your face, (3) Angle of the razor/blade to your skin you will do fine. I purchased a couple books about shaving when I first started & I think that Leisureguy's Gourmet Shaving is a great book to start with. I found much of the information to be very helpful about what to use & start out with & even understanding techniques. Although I think he said to start out with a HD & that your 2nd razor should be a slant. I started with a Gillette Superspeed because that is what I had bought before reading anything. I did get a slant next though. I have now found that I prefer a open comb Gillette "New" & am still trying to settle on a blade combo with the New.
I think your right about the 10 razors in a month I bought a Superspeed, Slant, Vision, Schick Injector & Gem single edge razors within the first week!
Enjoy & just have fun with all the choices that are at your disposal...

Thank you, I really try to do a lot of research when I am buying something new, especially something I have known nothing about until the last week. I am trying to figure out the growth pattern of my face, I might do the cotton ball test that I saw somewhere. And for the first time today, I put lighter pressure when I shaved and much to my delight, no razor burn on my neck for the first time ever! Not the closest shave I have gotten but I only went over my face once and this is with a Gillette that I have never changed the cartridge on! Still a very nice shave. Good luck with the blade combo. Haha but I am a poor college student! I might need to switch to top roman to get more razors , any pills that will result in less spending on razors?. I think I am going to get the Merkur 37c from vintageblades. Now time to decide on a brush, another topic...

Thank you all that have posted!

 

[wundergussy]

I have been at wetshaving for a month or so and today is my second day using the slant I just acquired. Besides the patch on my jawline that I always get weepers on, I did not receive any pain or irritation from either shave so far (having said that, I will no doubt hack my ear off tomorrow). In fact, I was surprised at the lack of learning curve with this razor, and found it less aggressive than any of my super-adjustables set above four. I started with a super speed, and own about nine Gillettes and a Merkur 12c that has become my go-to (unless the slant usurps it). I think as long as you are confident in your approach and let the razor do its thing, you will be fine.

 

[burnwood]

Get yourself an adjustable and set the learning curve yourself.

 

[Mainecanefan]

Whether you use it immediately or not, you might as well buy a Slant now because, before long, the pull is going to be ridiculously strong to use a Slant. You'll be happy that you have it on hand ready to answer nature's call when it happens. Of course, you could be like me and order the Slant as your first razor. No doubt, the first week was akin to hell, but man did it make me learn technique wicked quick. I have tried other razors over the last year as a comparison but I have yet to find anything that shaves remotely as good as a Slant. If you start with a Slant, do not, and I repeat, do not, start with a Feather blade. Work up slowly.

 

[Sisonpyh]

I have been at wetshaving for a month or so and today is my second day using the slant I just acquired. Besides the patch on my jawline that I always get weepers on, I did not receive any pain or irritation from either shave so far (having said that, I will no doubt hack my ear off tomorrow). In fact, I was surprised at the lack of learning curve with this razor, and found it less aggressive than any of my super-adjustables set above four. I started with a super speed, and own about nine Gillettes and a Merkur 12c that has become my go-to (unless the slant usurps it). I think as long as you are confident in your approach and let the razor do its thing, you will be fine.

That is great news hearing that! Yeah you probably jinxed yourself on that . Wow, that is many razors, hopefully you did not go bankrupt in a week. I am a full time college student, so hopefully I will not have the same razor addiction as everyone else . I am pretty confident that I will be fine, I really am not to worried about this. I will just take it slow for the first week before I start getting more comfortable with the adjustment. Glad to hear it went well for you!

Whether you use it immediately or not, you might as well buy a Slant now because, before long, the pull is going to be ridiculously strong to use a Slant. You'll be happy that you have it on hand ready to answer nature's call when it happens. Of course, you could be like me and order the Slant as your first razor. No doubt, the first week was akin to hell, but man did it make me learn technique wicked quick. I have tried other razors over the last year as a comparison but I have yet to find anything that shaves remotely as good as a Slant. If you start with a Slant, do not, and I repeat, do not, start with a Feather blade. Work up slowly.

I am glad to hear this as well! I think it would really build on me if I did not start with a slant, and I really don't want to go and buy another razor. Even if the first week is terrible, like you experienced, I would learn technique pretty fast. Thats great! Hopefully this will be the only razor I will need to buy. Thanks for the tip, I was planning on using Israelis or Derby's that come in the sample pack before going on to the feathers, I wont get that cocky.

 

[scottish steve]

The Slant's not that mental, but I think the problem is that if you're really unlucky and dig into the skin, you're likely to do more damage as it could scythe through your cheek etc. This is unlikely but possible

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Or you could, early in the morning, have a lapse in concentration as you go for the removal of some hairs on the upper lip especially close to the Schnozz. In an instant, you have given yourself what I refer to as a "self Induced Nostrilectomy"

 

[BroJohn]

Sisonpyh --

Here's a 're-run' of an earlier post I made on starting with a Slant. Go ahead and pick one up since you're motivated to go with a slant. BTW, a GEM SE, particularly of the 1912 patent design will be as comfortable and as close as the slant, and is more forgiving.

OK, here goes...

Starting with a Slant is a little unusual, but OK in the long run. You'll just have to be attentive (as you should be in any case).

I wouldn't consider the Slant as 'aggressive' necessarily; the only thing is that the slant pretty much requires good technique. The slant induces a twist to the blade, and this results in more of a shearing action during the shave that provides an exceptionally close and smooth shave.

Generally, the results when using a slant are 'amplified'. A slant 'amplifies' the shave of an experienced shaver and affords a truly exceptional shave result. OTOH, a newer shaver with tentative technique, poor blade angle, inappropriate pressure, inadequate beard prep, &c, has his experience 'amplified' as well. In this circumstance, the slant can be very unforgiving.

For this reason, the slant is regarded by most as a poor choice for a new or inexperienced DE shaver, tho some have indeed started out with them and successfully made the transition.

Just be sure to embrace accepted practices, prep well, take your time, and you'll experience about the best shaves possible.

Have fun.

-- John Gehman