I picked up a cheap, old Gillette ball handle open comb razor on eBay. I was curious what it would be like after reading a lot of talk of how it was excellent for heavy beards. I don't really know what kind of beard I have, but I do know that my experience with it has been comparable to my Merkur Slant 37g and that is close. What I'm not sure of is if blade exposure is as significant? Might it be an eBay cheap way to find out if you want to go slant?
Slants vs Open Comb?
- Thread starter jebib3
- Start date
I have shaved with a couple of vintage open combs and they don't shave like the Merkur Slants at all. That's been my experience. I have the Merkur 37G and 39C and sold the Open Combs.
BTW: I have never shaved with a Gillette "Old" Open Comb, which supposedly is the most aggressive vintage Gillette.
BTW: I have never shaved with a Gillette "Old" Open Comb, which supposedly is the most aggressive vintage Gillette.
I enjoy open combs, both Merkur and Gillette, though I haven't used mine in a while. Agree they are nothing like a slant. I have a Gillette new and an older Gillette model which was almost falling apart, in that the end tooth was bent inward and the handle had a crack so the top portion would pull out when trying to unscrew the razor. The older Gillette was a low cost ebay special, which I relegated to the shower, but it was probably the most aggressive DE I ever owned. I liked it, but it was harder to use than other DE razors. The Merkur open comb was different, it was my favorite DE, in that it I was able to get a nice close shave with it without thinking about it.
I love shaving with a Hoffritz slant, and yesterday I tried a New Improved from a Richwood set I recently aquired for the first time and loved it. I got a close shave comparable at every pass to the slant. I also found it very aggressive, but handled with a light hand I got unexpected excellent results. To me the heft of the New Improved feels comparable to the Slant. Haven't tried the Old type yet, but it certainly feels quite light in the hand.
My safety razor progression went:
The open comb worked well and was plenty aggressive but the slant is a much better "cutter" and for me it prevents ingrowns on my neck. I think you're comparing apples and oranges here, and that your slant will continue to deliver you best shaves.
- Weishi
- Merkur 11C (Open Comb)
- Merkur 37C (Slant)
The open comb worked well and was plenty aggressive but the slant is a much better "cutter" and for me it prevents ingrowns on my neck. I think you're comparing apples and oranges here, and that your slant will continue to deliver you best shaves.
I prefer a British New OC to my Slant. For some reason my face always feels burnt after using the Slant, even when I use a really smooth blade.
I have 1 Merkur slant and 2 'Old Type' Bull Mastiffs in my collection. The slant has been put away under the sink. Don't get me wrong, I got good shaves w/ it, but it was just too much trouble in the nooks and crannies. The OCs get used regularly. Closest shaver I have next to the str8s. Besides, I like the blade buffing for cleanup and being able to use the same lather for a couple of passes is a lot simpler.
JMHO
JMHO
The Merkur 39C is on my must-have list. Unfortunately, I won't be able to fulfill anything that list until I get back on my feet again, but is there any shame in lusting over pictures of it on the Internet? 
I'd also like to try the Merkur 25C and see how the open comb compares to the Slant.
I'd also like to try the Merkur 25C and see how the open comb compares to the Slant.
