The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year 2

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

You guys see the FOCS and the Wunderbar and the Stealth as having about the same level of efficiency?

I'd say the Wunderbar is more efficient than the FOCS, but not much more. Still, I'd say the Wunderbar is at least "significantly" more efficient. Does that translate into anything useful on a daily basis? I'm not sure. The FOCS is easier to use and less prone to biting and more comfortable, but that's not a knock on the Wunderbar.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Tanuki]

You guys see the FOCS and the Wunderbar and the Stealth as having about the same level of efficiency?

As a shave intellectual in good standing, I stand ready to write a white paper on the many dimensions of Razor Efficiency. As a confessed Shave Crazy Brother I'm looking for a good joke on the topic and a place to hide from the nursing staff after delivering it.

But in short, these razors have similar levels of efficiency in some ways, but different ways of delivering it. How about some naturalistic/poetic metaphor to illuminate it?

The FOCS and the Wunderbar are similar enough to compete for the same place in my den. Smaller, more agile. Fox, bobcat, coyote, or deer. But OC (alternating tiny gap with infinite gap) versus SB (uniform, regulated gap).

The Stealth is a bigger beast. Cougar, bear, moose. Give it room, some tougher prey or taller browse, and it will lay waste. When swatted with a high mass paw attached to a brawny beast, the gap between the claws is not the biggest factor. I have seen a bear take the heavy bark off a tree with a casual swipe. Nothing stealthy about that, which makes me think 'Stealth' may be a misnomer.

The Stealth was the first DE razor to demonstrate to me the particular virtues of high mass. Heavy grind straight razors had started to make that point. Perhaps the next generation of truly top end engineered DE razors will forget about high cost polishing and put the money into low profile titanium caps mated to depleted uranium base plates. High head mass, concentrated below the blade. Eureka. Helical slants, of course. It will be a fine picnic.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

As a shave intellectual in good standing, I stand ready to write a white paper on the many dimensions of Razor Efficiency. As a confessed Shave Crazy Brother I'm looking for a good joke on the topic and a place to hide from the nursing staff after delivering it.

But in short, these razors have similar levels of efficiency in some ways, but different ways of delivering it. How about some naturalistic/poetic metaphor to illuminate it?

The FOCS and the Wunderbar are similar enough to compete for the same place in my den. Smaller, more agile. Fox, bobcat, coyote, or deer. But OC (alternating tiny gap with infinite gap) versus SB (uniform, regulated gap).

The Stealth is a bigger beast. Cougar, bear, moose. Give it room, some tougher prey or taller browse, and it will lay waste. When swatted with a high mass paw attached to a brawny beast, the gap between the claws is not the biggest factor. I have seen a bear take the heavy bark off a tree with a casual swipe. Nothing stealthy about that, which makes me think 'Stealth' may be a misnomer.

The Stealth was the first DE razor to demonstrate to me the particular virtues of high mass. Heavy grind straight razors had started to make that point. Perhaps the next generation of truly top end engineered DE razors will forget about high cost polishing and put the money into low profile titanium caps mated to depleted uranium base plates. High head mass, concentrated below the blade. Eureka. Helical slants, of course. It will be a fine picnic.

One of my favorite posts ever, John.

As a shave intellectual in good standing, I stand ready to write a white paper on the many dimensions of Razor Efficiency. As a confessed Shave Crazy Brother I'm looking for a good joke on the topic and a place to hide from the nursing staff after delivering it.

 

[Tanuki]

If I had any GIF chops, I would find one of Goofy blushing and saying "Aw, gawrsh".

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

If I had any GIF chops, I would find one of Goofy blushing and saying "Aw, gawrsh".

 

[Old Hippie]

Perhaps the next generation of truly top end engineered DE razors will forget about high cost polishing and put the money into low profile titanium caps mated to depleted uranium base plates. High head mass, concentrated below the blade. Eureka. Helical slants, of course. It will be a fine picnic.

Tungsten, brother. Massy, and much less of a nightmare to work with than DU. And yeah, helical.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Two, Shave No. 4: RazoRock Stainless Stealth Slant, Version 3

I was standing in the Shave Cave this morning, slappin' on the lather and driving this chunk of stainless around, hearing Captain Beefheart in my head:

"Fast and bulbous!"
"That's right, The Mascara Snake, fast and bulbous."
"Also, a tin teardrop."
"Bulbous; also tapered?"
"That's right."

I'm coming to the conclusion that the Fast and...errrr...Stealth is a bit of an underappreciated gem. Lovely shave again this morning.

O.H.

 

[efsk]

The Stealth was the first DE razor to demonstrate to me the particular virtues of high mass.

Which is interesting as both my Stealth are aluminum and weigh next to nothing for such a large razor. Wasn't aware of there being a heavy Stealth as well. I'll need to find one.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Which is interesting as both my Stealth are aluminum and weigh next to nothing for such a large razor. Wasn't aware of there being a heavy Stealth as well. I'll need to find one.

My Stealth is stainless steel.

Here ⬆ its head is pictured next to a Wunderbar head. Plenty of mass in the SS Stealth.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Old Hippie]

Which is interesting as both my Stealth are aluminum and weigh next to nothing for such a large razor. Wasn't aware of there being a heavy Stealth as well. I'll need to find one.

As noted, the stainless version clocks in around 140 grams. Very forgiving, though. I like it!

O.H.

 

[Tanuki]

This is turning into a very interesting picnic!

 

[efsk]

As noted, the stainless version clocks in around 140 grams.

46 for the aluminum one.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Two, Shave No. 5: RazoRock Stainless Stealth Slant, Version 3

...in which a mild-mannered razor continues to impress with subtle charm.

I was noticing that there are a couple of spots on the razor where the tooling marks indicate that the mill was feeding just a tad fast. I bring that up because there was a recent conversation about the Wunderbar having the same defect. Doesn't affect how the razor feels, just indicative of efforts to be as efficient as possible in the manufacturing process.

Another lovely shave. Not quite a BBS, but darn close. The blade's showing some use, but there's only one more run for it so no worries.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Two, Shave No. 6: RazoRock Stainless Stealth Slant, Version 3

I put the final shave off yesterday due to having some pressing business to handle in town, so spending a relaxed half-hour or so in the Shave Cave wasn't on the agenda. This morning was a Friday shave on a Saturday, but because of the extra growth it was a Monday shave on a Saturday. Hmmm. If you followed that I'd like some of whatever you're taking. Looks a little convoluted to me.

Anyhow, it was a fitting way to kill off the blade. I ended the run on a DFS.

Looking back, I had some initial doubts about using such a heavy razor. It's almost 50 per cent massier than my preference. In the end I found it a non-issue once technique accommodated to it. I find it easier to use a heavier razor than my preference than to use a lighter razor. The difference seems to be that with a heavy razor I'm just taking a little more care with the same no-pressure technique; while with a lighter razor I often need to add a bit of pressure. Since adding pressure isn't a firm part of my technique, I don't have much practice at it so at the moment it doesn't end well.

After using it for the last two weeks I really appreciate the stainless Stealth. Ol' Fast and Bulbous ain't particularly "stealthy" -- it's the largest safety razor I own. But conceptually it flies under the radar as a fairly mild-mannered slant in a world where a lot of slant makers seem to want to go for maximum aggression.

In contrast to last year when the Tilted Picnic was aimed at keeping me somewhat sane during the pandemic, this year I'm also interested in some other razors. That, plus having a fairly long run of slants to get through, makes me want to take a break for a week or so to use some barber straights. That will also give me time to line up another interesting feature for this year's Tilted Picnic: a "generational" shave across two or three razors that are related to each other.

I think that will be the Fasan Double Slant v.1, the Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements El Fantasma (specifically modeled on the Fasan), and the Windrose helical slant, also inspired by the Fasan Double Slant. Should be interesting.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Three, Shave No. 1: Fasan Double Slant, Version One

I thought I'd be back to this a little earlier, but there've been some disruptions involving doctors and hospitals. There may be more, but for now I think things are stuck back down.

What we're into now is what I'm calling a "Generational Shave" across three razors. There's another one coming after this one, just to put you on alert. So what's this "Generational Shave" thing?

Let's take a moment for the overview stuff:

In this case, we'll start with the "Oh-Rijinnal and still Cham-Peen" Fasan Double Slant. This is the first version, all-Zamak razor. I have seen speculation that the second version is slightly more helical, but as you can see the first version puts some serious mojo on the blade.

The Double Slant is iconic -- there are darned few slants that are as helical. In fact, not to be a spoiler or anything but since the Fasan Double Slant there really aren't many slants that come even remotely close. There are more aggressive slants, but to my somewhat critical eye many of the slants on the modern market are rather bland in the sense that they all seem to derive their genetics from the Merkur 37. Not to diss the 37, but getting the same excellent razor over and over tends to make the pool look a little shallow.

At this point I'll shout out to Above the Tie, who are producing some excellent modern slants that are a total re-think of the breed. Again, however, not to criticize other makers unduly. In the niche market we call wet-shaving you either gamble on something and maybe lose your shirt, or you stick to some version of what everybody else is making because people will at least recognize it.

After getting some time in on the Double Slant, we'll pick up the Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements "El Fantasma." This razor is an explicit homage to the Fasan, more so than PAA's bakelite OC slant, but it has some important differences. As a plastic razor (ABS) it is extremely light -- which doesn't play well with my preference for a little more mass. I've changed to a stainless handle, which adds mass but also changes the balance of the razor. After trying several handles the RazoRock UFO seems to keep the balance as close to neutral as I can get it.

The final razor in this series is the Windrose helical slant. The advertising says this razor is "inspired by" the Fasan Double Slant. We can see that somewhat -- it's a helical OC slant, however in direct comparison to a Fasan it is not as deeply helical as you can see. It is an OC razor, so even if the geometry appears at first (to me) to be similar to the generic Merkurs I mentioned above, it's going to be an interesting shave.

Of the three, the Windrose is the one I've never used so the review will reflect the discovery process.

Time to go to mass...

The Fasan, as a two-piece razor, is what it is and we just deal with it. 38 grams.

The PAA head, in ABS plastic, clocks in at 7 grams while the razor with the handle I use, all-up, is 71 grams.

The Windrose was purchased as head-only and masses 36 grams, while the addition of an ATT Kronos handle brings the total up to 109 grams.

Let me grab my boar brush and a cake of Yardley Almond soap and whomp up some lather...

For the next six shaves I'll be using the Fasan.

With a fresh Astra SP blade this razor feels competent. Whazzat mean? It means it feels well enough designed to hold a blade firmly, though it IS a vintage razor from a time when blades where different than they are now. Like the transmission on an old pickup truck, there's a little looseness in the mechanism. This allows the user to set up the blade exposure just the way they want it.

I discovered first off that the Fasan does not like doing a two-pass shave, even with a fresh blade. The blade exposure is wide enough that the edge can jink around. Gradual reduction is your friend here. Just pay attention and if it helps, groove on the thought that you're shaving with an actual Fasan.

The blade sings more, and higher, than most other razors because of that exposure. It also gets pretty close in those three passes. I thought to see some irritation but it was minor and had faded even before the after-balm went on. If the soap had more shea butter and lanolin it'd be a little less drying, but it's not bad as it is -- certainly not for the price.

Oddly, although the Wunderbar clamps a blade like it was caught in a bank vault door, that razor seems more prone to nick than the Fasan. The Fasan's tendency for the blade to jitter a little means more cleanup at the end, or else a SAS/CCS instead of a CCS/DFS.

Gitcher self a box of popcorn and siddown. This'll be interesting!

O.H.

 

[Tanuki]

At this point I'll shout out to Above the Tie, who are producing some excellent modern slants that are a total re-think of the breed.

+1? Nah, plus at least 10!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Three, Shave No. 1: Fasan Double Slant, Version One

View attachment 1258595

I thought I'd be back to this a little earlier, but there've been some disruptions involving doctors and hospitals. There may be more, but for now I think things are stuck back down.

What we're into now is what I'm calling a "Generational Shave" across three razors. There's another one coming after this one, just to put you on alert. So what's this "Generational Shave" thing?

Let's take a moment for the overview stuff:

In this case, we'll start with the "Oh-Rijinnal and still Cham-Peen" Fasan Double Slant. This is the first version, all-Zamak razor. I have seen speculation that the second version is slightly more helical, but as you can see the first version puts some serious mojo on the blade.

The Double Slant is iconic -- there are darned few slants that are as helical. In fact, not to be a spoiler or anything but since the Fasan Double Slant there really aren't many slants that come even remotely close. There are more aggressive slants, but to my somewhat critical eye many of the slants on the modern market are rather bland in the sense that they all seem to derive their genetics from the Merkur 37. Not to diss the 37, but getting the same excellent razor over and over tends to make the pool look a little shallow.

At this point I'll shout out to Above the Tie, who are producing some excellent modern slants that are a total re-think of the breed. Again, however, not to criticize other makers unduly. In the niche market we call wet-shaving you either gamble on something and maybe lose your shirt, or you stick to some version of what everybody else is making because people will at least recognize it.

After getting some time in on the Double Slant, we'll pick up the Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements "El Fantasma." This razor is an explicit homage to the Fasan, more so than PAA's bakelite OC slant, but it has some important differences. As a plastic razor (ABS) it is extremely light -- which doesn't play well with my preference for a little more mass. I've changed to a stainless handle, which adds mass but also changes the balance of the razor. After trying several handles the RazoRock UFO seems to keep the balance as close to neutral as I can get it.

The final razor in this series is the Windrose helical slant. The advertising says this razor is "inspired by" the Fasan Double Slant. We can see that somewhat -- it's a helical OC slant, however in direct comparison to a Fasan it is not as deeply helical as you can see. It is an OC razor, so even if the geometry appears at first (to me) to be similar to the generic Merkurs I mentioned above, it's going to be an interesting shave.

Of the three, the Windrose is the one I've never used so the review will reflect the discovery process.

Time to go to mass...

The Fasan, as a two-piece razor, is what it is and we just deal with it. 38 grams.

The PAA head, in ABS plastic, clocks in at 7 grams while the razor with the handle I use, all-up, is 71 grams.

The Windrose was purchased as head-only and masses 36 grams, while the addition of an ATT Kronos handle brings the total up to 109 grams.

Let me grab my boar brush and a cake of Yardley Almond soap and whomp up some lather...

For the next six shaves I'll be using the Fasan.

With a fresh Astra SP blade this razor feels competent. Whazzat mean? It means it feels well enough designed to hold a blade firmly, though it IS a vintage razor from a time when blades where different than they are now. Like the transmission on an old pickup truck, there's a little looseness in the mechanism. This allows the user to set up the blade exposure just the way they want it.

I discovered first off that the Fasan does not like doing a two-pass shave, even with a fresh blade. The blade exposure is wide enough that the edge can jink around. Gradual reduction is your friend here. Just pay attention and if it helps, groove on the thought that you're shaving with an actual Fasan.

The blade sings more, and higher, than most other razors because of that exposure. It also gets pretty close in those three passes. I thought to see some irritation but it was minor and had faded even before the after-balm went on. If the soap had more shea butter and lanolin it'd be a little less drying, but it's not bad as it is -- certainly not for the price.

Oddly, although the Wunderbar clamps a blade like it was caught in a bank vault door, that razor seems more prone to nick than the Fasan. The Fasan's tendency for the blade to jitter a little means more cleanup at the end, or else a SAS/CCS instead of a CCS/DFS.

Gitcher self a box of popcorn and siddown. This'll be interesting!

O.H.

I really like this razor (but also wish it had some weight). I like it a lot more than the PBOCS (which I also like pretty well).

Really liked your post above!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Three, Shave No. 2: Fasan Double Slant, Version One

The blade smoothed out quite a bit after last day when it was brand new. Today's shave came up better, too. Who knows? Humidity? Lather consistency? Technique? A day ending in "Y"? Hard to say.

Even though the Fasan is a little lighter than my preference with a shorter handle it's a nice razor and I can easily accommodate it. Not so light that I'm tempted to add pressure, yet heavy enough to let me know I'm actually holding something.

I've come to understand that "I could use this thing every day" is probably one of the best possible recommendations. I could use this thing every day.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Three, Shave No. 3: Fasan Double Slant, Version One

Best shave in the blade, whether DE or Gem. First day I did a traditional 3-pass (WTG/XTG/ATG) shave and it was good. Second day I decided to take a run at two passes (WTG, ATG) and it worked with a bit less irritation but with some trepidatious moments getting that first bit started ATG. Once I had that I could go with large overlaps and it wasn't so rough.

I was whomping up some lather this morning and thinking about how this razor's blade exposure really makes it like a very thin straight. That got me thinking about what I've learned with barber straights: to take two WTG passes before going ATG. Well, what the hell. I've got all this lather; might as well have some fun with it.

I got less irritation (though it was low anyway) than from an XTG pass, and ATG was noticeably easier. I kind of got to grooving on how things were smoothing out, so I ended up with a nice DFS.

The metal Fasan is a nicely balanced razor. It has a more "interactive" aesthetic to it, unlike for instance the ATT S2 in which the blade is automatically held the exact same way, every time. I don't mind adjusting the blade and cap as I tighten things up. It lets me tweak things one way or another, though mostly I just line everything up dead centre and flail away.

Halfway through this round...

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic, Year 2. Round Three, Shave No. 4: Fasan Double Slant, Version One

Picked up a couple of nicks. Probably I just got cocky because this razor feels fairly safe in use. That seemingness is at odds with the springy, jittery nature of 0.9 mm thick stainless with lots of blade exposure and indifferent clamping.

I also know that hitting that same spot two days later is going to bleed like crazy, so I took a day off. Rather than try to make it up at some point, I consider it part of the ongoing learning curve and probably just what should be expected. Final shave with this one tomorrow, then it'll have a well-deserved rest for a while.

O.H.