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The Gillette Slide

There are many mentions here of a technique known as "The Gillette Slide," but no explanation of just what it is. Here's a description copied from westcoastshaving.com:

The Gillette Slide: This is named after a shaving ‘technique’ seen in many Gillette ads from the 50’s and 60’s, where the man would hold the safety razor so the blade itself was parallel with the jawline/floor, but would complete the stroke not up to down, but rather across, from the ear to the corner of the mouth. This is accomplishing a very similar task as that achieved by a slant razor: using a “slicing”, rather than chopping approach to the hair.

However, you must be very careful with this technique, as swiping with too horizontal an angle could result in a very nasty cut! Some may use this for a full shave, but it is best used for areas with tricky growth. Individuals will find that the coarse hair on their neck is removed more easily with this technique. In this image, you can see the orientation of the razor head, with the arrow indicating the direction the head will follow.
 
There are varieties of the Gillette slide, and I think the one demonstrated by Mantic 59 above is the older variant.

Gillette also had this in Collier's magazine:
gillette slide.jpg


I'll say that the one shown in the picture above that's the first one on the left (the "new" Gillette slide) generally works best for me, but I use all the stroke types they show on different parts of my face and neck.
 
There are varieties of the Gillette slide, and I think the one demonstrated by Mantic 59 above is the older variant.

Gillette also had this in Collier's magazine:
View attachment 1793851

I'll say that the one shown in the picture above that's the first one on the left (the "new" Gillette slide) generally works best for me, but I use all the stroke types they show on different parts of my face and neck.
Good info in this thread. Will have to try this stroke.

I will say I am skeptical about the claim that the blades were tested by inspectors 'who get a bonus for every blade they discard'. Seems to me this would be a perverse incentive. Sounds like marketing talk to me.
 
Good info in this thread. Will have to try this stroke.

I will say I am skeptical about the claim that the blades were tested by inspectors 'who get a bonus for every blade they discard'. Seems to me this would be a perverse incentive. Sounds like marketing talk to me.
I wouldn't put much stock in any of Gillette's marketing, no matter which year's it from, but the stroke techniques in the picture are good and easily tested.
 
More seriously, aside from increasing my desire for a Ranger Tech, that ad informed me about Probak razors which I don't remember reading about before. There's a bit of interesting discussion here:

 
There are varieties of the Gillette slide, and I think the one demonstrated by Mantic 59 above is the older variant.

Gillette also had this in Collier's magazine:
View attachment 1793851

I'll say that the one shown in the picture above that's the first one on the left (the "new" Gillette slide) generally works best for me, but I use all the stroke types they show on different parts of my face and neck.

That's the one I use, but and also with straight razors.
 
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