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Slant DE razor worth a try? Suggestions?

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Understood, and appreciated. Let's just say I've known myself long enough to know that I can get kinda rusted-on to my opinions when there's an underlying issue that I don't want to acknowledge. In this case, I have a pretty stubborn nature. Mostly I try to be mindful of when it's activated, but sometimes I forget to take that step back. More than one fight has started that way, and that's a habit I'm really trying to break.

So recognizing my problem I went ahead and applied a chrome FOCS to cure it. It'll be here before the end of the Tilted Picnic so I'll probably just slide it in and see how it goes.



The funny thing is that I truly do know that if I don't like it I can sell it on in a heartbeat. If I really like it I may collect the set! I decided not to buy a Tedalus Essence, so that frees up enough potential cash to buy six FOCSes, shipping and taxes included. :letterk1:

You're a good friend -- you called me on it and did so in a very gentlemanly manner. I've learned to recognize opportunities to be a better person, and that was one for sure. Thanks again!

O.H.


You might be giving me too much credit. I certainly wasn't trying to call you on anything. Mostly I wanted to make sure the OP wasn't talked out of a FOCS should he be so inclined. It's an inexpensive and, in my opinion, good slant. In fact, it's one of my very top razors in the Daily Driver category.

It will be fun to see how the FOCS fits in with the Picnic. So far, it's been delightful to me, and, I'm sure, to plenty of other slant fans.

It's interesting to me how I used to think slants were aggressive or advanced or not for beginners or hard to use. Used just like any other DE razor slants are very easy razors (or some of them are), but you already know that full well.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
You might be giving me too much credit.

Don't think so, but we'll agree to disagree on that. Cheers!

And BTW: Fatip thread pitch -- which I just looked up -- is M4.5x0.75. Oddball, for sure, but I should be able to find a tap for it and whip out a handle that may work better in my hands. Or I'll swap for another Fatip handle if that seems congenial. We'll see. Now that I finally jumped into this crowded pool I'm excited to see how it goes. I even sprang for expedited shipping; something I almost never do.

O.H.
 
They are definitely worth a try. From my FOCS experience, when I got the shave right it rivaled my high end razors, but it was the most inconsistent razor I have encountered. For some reason it gave me constant weepers. The ATT S1 I tried in the past is much better shaver, smoother but doesn’t get as close as the FOCS. It was too mild for me so I sold it. I may have to try the FOCS again in the past as my suspicion is that I got a faulty FOCS as one side of the razor performed flawlessly and the other side seemed off to me .And you waste alot of time to align the blade. Just my opinion but it works great for others and it’s quality brass not zamak.
Thanks. The alignment issue is turning me off to the FOCS. It's like the lottery--will you get a good one or a bad one? Crazy. Plus constant weepers are not good.
 
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I gave my SLOC to a newish shaver, a sixteen year old having horrible trouble with cartridge razors. The SLOC solved all his problems and he feel in love with it. Of course I had to buy another for myself. I think it extremely easy to use, very mild and smooth feeling, and surprisingly efficient.

The FOCS is much the same, but more so.

I've used a few slants and will comment on a few of them.




The various Slantember threads (2018, 2019, 2020) are loaded with reviews of all sorts of slants.

This post sums up my impressions at the end of the Slantember 2020. Everything changed when the FOCS came on the market.

The Wunderbar is an incredible razor in that it's ultra smooth and quite efficient. However, it bites. The more you use it the better you get at it, but it still bites in my experience of it. I've used it daily for at least a month and it still bites. I mean bites hard! I would love to master the Wunderbar but I've not been able to.

The X3 is very smooth and a lot more efficient than some people say it is. I might use it more but for the FOCS. The X3 can bite.

Nothing much wrong with the ATT slant, or the PAA plastic slants, but they're not the FOCS.

It might be you could learn the Wunderbar, but you won't have to learn the FOCS.

Just my view of things of course. There are literally hundreds of slants I've not ever used. Most are rare.

Happy shaves,

Jim
Thanks a lot. Enjoyed the Slantember posts. Great photos too.
 
The "Semi-Slant" is Parker's name for their slant razor. It's a helical design rather loosely based on the Merkur 37. I'll note here that I seem to detect similarities-in-common with many slants. Some hark back to the Merkur 37 or 39. Others look to various vintage European slants for their design. One or two started with a fresh sheet of paper and those are truly interesting.

Keep in mind that very few razors are a dramatic departure from any particular design. A slant razor can be an aggressive whisker-demolishing beast, but so can a regular DE that is designed to be that way.

Of the (now) three slant types, I've tried the two most traditional: helical and tilted DE. I have an ATT X1 in hand but have not yet used it. I'm actually on the fence about that one -- either I can start it on Monday because I'm ready to take up the next razor in line for the Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, or I can wait four weeks while I get the last two razors I already had lined up out of the way.

I'm gonna let that decision ride until tomorrow while I'm making lather. I've got the Windrose Tilted slant up next, but then again, "New Toy!" :001_rolle



Heh. You don't find a Grail Razor. It finds you. You'll know when that happens; don't rush it. The journey itself is worthwhile.

This is all completely in your hands, but let me make a friendly suggestion. I would pick up a relatively inexpensive slant and try it. Since we've brought the Parker Semi-Slant into the conversation, I'll say that it's a really good slant and shouldn't cause you any trepidation to try it. They're around $40 if I remember.

The RazoRock German 37 is very similar to the Parker -- they've both got "Merkur genes" but there are some differences. Mostly I think the Parker is even less likely to nick you than the German 37, and the German 37 is slightly less likely to nick than the Merkur. Frankly, the Merkur 37 is not that scary so you can see all this is quite relative. The German 37 runs about the same as the Parker, I think.

If you've been using a Merkur 34 then paying about $80 for a Merkur 37 would give you a razor that pretty much feels familiar. That can be a real benefit. You already have your technique dialled for a razor with that mass and distribution.

All three of those -- Parker, RazoRock and Merkur -- will "run well out of the box" with no need for tweaking the shave. A good smooth blade like my favourite the Astra SP and some well-hydrated slick lather and you're ready to go.

That will tell you whether there's anything to it for you.

If you're interested in getting swamped by other people's YMMVs, then check out the Brotherhood of Slant Shavers subforum. Last year's Tilted Picnic is in there; this year's is in the DE subforum. Lots of good information and pictures.

O.H.
Thanks a lot, Hippie. Good logic about the slants. And I needed to hear this too-->
Heh. You don't find a Grail Razor. It finds you. You'll know when that happens; don't rush it. The journey itself is worthwhile.
I think I'll pass on the Brotherhood of Slant Shavers for now. Let my head stabilize a bit from all the info rushing at it. :)
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
RR G37 is great. Good price too. Fatip slant is a nice one as well. I like the PAA plastic slants too. Ikon makes an inexpensive slant but I have no personal experience with it. If I had to pick just one it would be the G37
Everyone will complain that it's got a Zamack head. Oy! I took all the money I saved on my RR G37 and sent it to Africa to feed Rhinos. True story doggone!
(Never did get a thank you for that....)

But that razor is SO EASY to operate that it's actually boring. I shaved with my eyes closed once with that razor. Unless you are reckless, it's impossible to hurt yourself with it.

But it is INCREDIBLY efficient! I think the last time I used it I had a GSB in it with over 50 shaves on it! It can make a DERBY efficient!

But that pot metal head will probably fail sometime after my great grandson inherits it, so I should probably pitch it out!
 
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FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I gave my SLOC to a newish shaver, a sixteen year old having horrible trouble with cartridge razors. The SLOC solved all his problems and he feel in love with it. Of course I had to buy another for myself.

Happy shaves,

Jim
How incredibly kind of you brother. Well done.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
@FarmerTan, I thought you were strictly an SR guy now. Are you waffling?! Does Arkoman know about this?
Life just got busy. I think I also screwed up the edge learning to strop, or something.... I need to get another Straight too.... I kinda would like to keep the one @Herrenberg sharpened and cleaned up for me as a gift for my son, or someone else in the family, as it was my Great Grandpa's! (My mom is THRILLED by the way that I used it! I mean REALLY thrilled. Made my day.) So now that I've used it I just feel like I want a newer one, and to learn how to hone.... And I can't see my life slowing down enough until winter, when the estate is settled....

How's THAT for making excuses!

Short answer: I'm NOT giving up on the Way of the Straight! Just need more practice and encouragement my friend! Because I will say this: shaving like that is like THERAPY for my soul! And THAT is NO exaggeration.
 
MPO I find Slants to be 'unnecessary, when it's just as easy to slant your DE or SE razor (Angling the razor as if it was at a guillotine angle) And shave as you would normally, straight up or down and sideways always keeping the razor on a slant. It's easier than people think.
Sometimes I like to use my Gem MMOC or 1912 and I'll use them like a Slant too.
 
I'm not at all a fan of slant razors, and I'll tell you why. I spent a lot of time shaving with regular DEs. I have thick growth and coarse whiskers, so I perfected the Gillette slide, J-hooking, and a number of other techniques to get good shaves. All these techniques have me focusing all my attention on the head of the razor, especially the Gillette slide.

Slant razors have all that stuff built in to them, but in order to take advantage of it, I have to ignore the razor head and instead focus on the handle. After all these years of focusing on the head it is next to impossible for me to focus on the handle. I find myself subconsciously "straightening out" the razor head and using the same techniques I use with non-slant razors. Well, doing that makes the slant bring absolutely nothing to the table. Trying to focus, instead, on the handle just makes me frustrated.

So, I have pretty much decided that slants are not for me.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Just ordered a RR German 37 Slant.

They are a lovely razor. Which handle did you choose? I have tried three RR handles with mine: the HD handle, their version of the UFO, and the Bulldog. Of the three I like the UFO with the G37 -- it's balanced and long enough for my hands.

If you really like it, I'll warn you that you've just opened a can of worms for yourself. There are some very good modern slants on the market right now, and there are still a number of vintage ones kicking around, too. It's a good time to get interested in slants!

Oh, and obligatory nit-pick: I totally get it that RazoRock calls this slant the "German 37" however the Merkur 37 is a two-piece razor, not a three-piece like the G37. Merkur did make a three-piece slant, now discontinued, that was the Merkur 36. Therefore an homage to the three-piece should be the "German 36" but then nobody would know what they were referring to...

What I really, really want to find is an actual Merkur "Super Slant" for which I have no verified number, but it was cranked to a degree equalled only by the second version of the Fasan Double Slant.

Slants are so much fun that to me it doesn't matter if they do anything your ordinary plain-jane DE can't do. They seem to, and I just can't work up any enthusiasm at all for a regular DE razor so I'll keep putting slant reviews up as long as I find new razors to try.

O.H.
 
They are a lovely razor. Which handle did you choose? I have tried three RR handles with mine: the HD handle, their version of the UFO, and the Bulldog. Of the three I like the UFO with the G37 -- it's balanced and long enough for my hands.

If you really like it, I'll warn you that you've just opened a can of worms for yourself. There are some very good modern slants on the market right now, and there are still a number of vintage ones kicking around, too. It's a good time to get interested in slants!

Oh, and obligatory nit-pick: I totally get it that RazoRock calls this slant the "German 37" however the Merkur 37 is a two-piece razor, not a three-piece like the G37. Merkur did make a three-piece slant, now discontinued, that was the Merkur 36. Therefore an homage to the three-piece should be the "German 36" but then nobody would know what they were referring to...

What I really, really want to find is an actual Merkur "Super Slant" for which I have no verified number, but it was cranked to a degree equalled only by the second version of the Fasan Double Slant.

Slants are so much fun that to me it doesn't matter if they do anything your ordinary plain-jane DE can't do. They seem to, and I just can't work up any enthusiasm at all for a regular DE razor so I'll keep putting slant reviews up as long as I find new razors to try.

O.H.
Thanks Hippie. I got the Bulldog handle. You were very instrumental in me finally ordering one.
 
Promised review of first shave with Razorock German 37 Slant. Used a new Astra SP. Loaded up on Cella Crema Da Barba All Aloe Vera shaving cream and was very careful due to the first time ever shaving with a slant.

Review: Wow. I got this because of all the encouragement that it's hard to cut yourself with, but my first impression is that this razor shaves close! This is one of the closest shaves I've ever had. One pass (that's all I ever do). A tiny little nick in the chin area (which I always need to be careful with) but other than that a phenomenal, close shave. Finished with Pinaud After Shave lotion and felt ready to take on the world!

I recognized the closeness of the shave right away and so was extra careful. At this early stage I would have to say anti-cut-wise I feel more comfortable with the SLOC, but it wasn't like this shave was a high-wire act either.

Bottom line: You BBS maniacs out there, this is the razor that will get you there in a hurry. Safety freaks, proceed a little more cautiously.
 
👏 Thanks @100pctFragranceFree for the review. I’m already a fan of slants (love the FOCS, Wunderbar and my Seygus) and I had put a 37 in with my last IB order, but have spent all my time using the Lupo I got in the same order. I think I need to give the German 37 a try sometime soon.
 
Promised review of first shave with Razorock German 37 Slant. Used a new Astra SP. Loaded up on Cella Crema Da Barba All Aloe Vera shaving cream and was very careful due to the first time ever shaving with a slant.

Review: Wow. I got this because of all the encouragement that it's hard to cut yourself with, but my first impression is that this razor shaves close! This is one of the closest shaves I've ever had. One pass (that's all I ever do). A tiny little nick in the chin area (which I always need to be careful with) but other than that a phenomenal, close shave. Finished with Pinaud After Shave lotion and felt ready to take on the world!

I recognized the closeness of the shave right away and so was extra careful. At this early stage I would have to say anti-cut-wise I feel more comfortable with the SLOC, but it wasn't like this shave was a high-wire act either.

Bottom line: You BBS maniacs out there, this is the razor that will get you there in a hurry. Safety freaks, proceed a little more cautiously.

Yes, slants are efficient. I like my ATT S1/S2 because I can get a closer shave with less irritation and less buffing/clean up. A milder blade like Bolzano or Derby Premium might work well for you if you eventually find the G37 too aggressive.

I just placed an order for the G37 with bulldog handle. I love my ATT slants but wanted to get something cheaper in cost for traveling. Seems like a no-brainer for the price.
 
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