The 'real vintage' Merkur Slant?

[Oel]

Hello!

I came across this vintage Merkur slant a while back and wonder if this could be an early version maybe 'the' early version of the Merkur slant everybody knows.

Here are some pics, I'm interested to find more information about this one:

On the first pic you can see that the head of the razor is a littlebit heavier constructed than the head of the current one. The second pic shows that the head is more slanted than the head of the Merkurs or all the rebranded Merkur razors (Hoffritz, Pomco, Lunawerk, Coles). This makes the razor more agressive, but it gives a really clean shave. The blade gap is larger. Please notice the different Merkur-engraving at the bottom of the handle. Has someone here a Merkur-razor with the same looking engraving?

The last pic shows the screwing: The razor has the long screwing like the Chessman-slants an the same, thin handle.

Any ideas or maybe a member here who has one too, in the original box etc?

Thanks,

 

[GatorShaver]

That looks like a more intense slant to the head than either my vintage Merkur or the current production ones, so I would guess it's at least older than mine (which I also can't date).

Also my vintage has a different knurled bottom and comes apart as a two piece, not with the removable bottom "barrel" of the handle.

It's at least a different vintage than mine and I would guess older.

 

[dirtdog]

That looks like a more intense slant to the head than either my vintage Merkur or the current production ones, so I would guess it's at least older than mine (which I also can't date).

Also my vintage has a different knurled bottom and comes apart as a two piece, not with the removable bottom "barrel" of the handle.

It's at least a different vintage than mine and I would guess older.

My guess is that it isn't supposed to come apart and is missing a c clip

 

[mblakele]

That is an interesting razor - thanks for the pictures. I can't suggest a date, except that it was probably made after 1930. I say that because the modern, thinner blades came in around then, and that aggressive blade curve wouldn't have worked with the older, thicker blades. In fact Gillette was said to have problems with the thick blades cracking or splitting, even with the relatively gentle curvature of the Old Type and New Improved heads.

Do you think the plating is nickel?

 

[Sledgehammer39]

I gotta say that is a really great looking Slant. Makes my current Merkur Slant look like a fuzzy bunny. Nice Score

 

[mandoman]

NICE

 

[Ace$N8s]

My vintage, 50's-60's slant comes apart the same way, but does not have that aggressive slant.

 

[Oel]

The only razors I found here that look like they could be made at the same time are the 3-piece Hoffritz slant here

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=99638&highlight=Hoffritz

or the open comb slant here

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=80343&highlight=Slants

Yes, these look different in details, but the open comb slant for example looks like it has the same top cap and the Hoffritz looks exactly like the vintage Merkur slant but has a different top cap also. But both of these razors have the short screwing.

Is there a member here who has such a Merkur slant like the one on the pics here?

For the c-ring: I would have guessed that the ring is missing if I did not had Chessman-Slants with the thin handle and the long screwing. Both do not have the c-ring too. So this is surely constructed without c-ring. This ring was used only in the thicker handle like the current HD slant or the latest Hoffritz slants have.

For the plating: it looks to me like this one is nickle plated. But the plating is very thin as it is typical for old Merkur razors and comes off.
I would really give it away for replating, but from what I understand the head, which is made out of zamak is not replateable. I'm not sure if this is right.

Thanks for the hint with the thicker pre 1930ies blades. I can say that the head is so strong slanted that it would be impossible to slant a thicker blade in this head. The handle is is so thin, that it would probably crack if one loads a thick blade while screwing the bottom knob.
Many thin handles have a crack but this one is without crack.

 

[raisindot]

I once had one exactly like yours. It came from the estate of my friend's father.

Ended up selling it on Ebay for $50.

Jeff in Boston

 

[mmack66]

How well does it shave?

 

[Haiku]

My guess is that it isn't supposed to come apart and is missing a c clip

Agreed. It looks like there is a space above the knob for a clip just like the current Merkurs.

But boy, what a great looking razor. Too bad it's missing the clip. Makes the razor utterly worthless, and probably dangerous to use. The knob might fall out for example and scratch your bathroom sink, or maybe even dent your shaving soap. How about I take it off your hands? I'll pay the postage.

 

[Oel]

How well does it shave?

I loaded a vertical Derby for the first shave with this one. The blade felt sharper than a Derby normally does. I got a BBS shave it was excellent. When I shave with my HD slant the shave is good for 8 or 9 hours after 2 passes, then I can feel my beard growing again. The shave with this one was good for about 11 hours and I was really impressed. But this razor bites rather than the HD slant does, so every time I use it I have to be carefully. Changing the blade is a littlebit more difficult than changing the blade in the HD slant because the blade becomes more slanted.

 

[dirtdog]

Agreed. It looks like there is a space above the knob for a clip just like the current Merkurs.

But boy, what a great looking razor. Too bad it's missing the clip. Makes the razor utterly worthless, and probably dangerous to use. The knob might fall out for example and scratch your bathroom sink, or maybe even dent your shaving soap. How about I take it off your hands? I'll pay the postage.

I'd bet if one called Merkur they would send him a c clip

 

[Haiku]

I'd bet if one called Merkur they would send him a c clip

Not worth doing. Better he sends it to me to look after.

 

[Oel]

I'd bet if one called Merkur they would send him a c clip

To be honest, believe it or not:

All the vintage Merkur's with the thin handle look like this one at the bottom knob and have no c clip. There is no space for a c clip in this thin handle while there is in the thicker handle of the HD slant or the Hoffritz slant.

 

[Oel]

Agreed. It looks like there is a space above the knob for a clip just like the current Merkurs.

But boy, what a great looking razor. Too bad it's missing the clip. Makes the razor utterly worthless, and probably dangerous to use. The knob might fall out for example and scratch your bathroom sink, or maybe even dent your shaving soap. How about I take it off your hands? I'll pay the postage.

I'm sorry, but postage would be 500 Dollars, I'm afraid.

 

[auk1124]

That thing looks like it could take the hide off a Wooly Mammoth.

 

[dirtdog]

To be honest, believe it or not:

All the vintage Merkur's with the thin handle look like this one at the bottom knob and have no c clip. There is no space for a c clip in this thin handle while there is in the thicker handle of the HD slant or the Hoffritz slant.

Thanks for the clarification on that

 

[Haiku]

I'm sorry, but postage would be 500 Dollars, I'm afraid.

I deserved that.

 

[NeverOne99]

My dad has an old Hoffritz that looks just like that Merkur. You can shave with them and not even use a blade.