The Tilted Picnic, Year Three

[JAHE]

I didn't do the S1, but the S2 showed up in at least one of the earlier versions of the Tilted Picnic.

For its innovative design the ATT S-series is a very nice slant. Possibly a bit less "slanty" than some, but nonetheless a slant. Blade insertion is easy, and the blade is held in exactly the right position every time. In fact, adjusting it is impossible. The OC S2 combines that design with a nice mild shave. It's my grail razor and the standard against which I judge every other razor I've tried. So much so, in fact, that it's also my bailout razor for those times when the shave is going pear-shaped.

O.H.

What a great series of reviews on the Konsul, thank you!

The ATT S2 has become my favorite modern slant razor (with the RazorockGerman 37 being at sight).
Both are capable to give me satisfying shaves.

Now the general consensus on the Konsul seems to be it shows a rather mild blade feel (at least if compared to the Rex Ambassador, which I have never shaved with; same goes for the Wunderbar).

Which of the Konsul's setting reminds you of the blade feel you get with either the S2 or the German 37?

I'm aware the S2 is an OC razor (and nothing can beat first hand experience when it comes to evaluating razors), however, I just seek to find out if the Konsul is too "mild" for my liking on lower settings (say 4.5 to 2) or not.
I don't want to end up with an adjustable I don't adjust

Any input is highly appreciated
Have a great weekend.

 

[Old Hippie]

What a great series of reviews on the Konsul, thank you!

You're welcome! And thanks for posting questions. If there are things I can answer I want to do that.

Which of the Konsul's setting reminds you of the blade feel you get with either the S2 or the German 37?

I'm aware the S2 is an OC razor (and nothing can beat first hand experience when it comes to evaluating razors), however, I just seek to find out if the Konsul is too "mild" for my liking on lower settings (say 4.5 to 2) or not.

That's an interesting comparison. I have both the RazoRock German 37 and a vintage Merkur 37 and they share a common trait for me. I have slight muscle damage in my left elbow, mostly I don't notice it. However with a fresh blade in either the G37 or the 37 I occasionally, maybe once in a month of shaving, get a "touchdown nick" at the beginning of a left-handed stroke. That happens if I get a little pain at just the moment that I'm putting the edge down. It's always a bit amusing, in the sense that most times I touch down a little hard on the bar or comb but sometimes I can hit the edge just right. (You may wonder about what amuses me. Mostly, my own failings.) I find both the original and the copy to be otherwise pretty mild shavers.

In contrast to the Konsul, by the way, the quality and ease of the shave seems to go down a bit faster with the sixth shave being a good reminder that the blade should be in the bin. It's not a huge difference but I noticed.

The ATT S2 is less prone to giving me a touchdown nick in that specific situation. My personal observation is that the S2 shaves more smoothly with a fresh blade, feels a bit milder but shaves more closely as the blade ages, and still feels like there's some life left in the blade at the end. What that really tells me is that the variables line up a different way than with the other two razors.

I'd say that I find 4 and up a little to be similar to the 37, and 3 or so to be similar to the S2. I need to use a bit of technique to ease into the first strokes of an ATG pass with these razors. I find that they shave close if I don't try to overlap my strokes too much, but those first few strokes don't have any already-reduced area yet. Once I've got the first few strokes done then I can take "little bites" and have a pretty comfortable shave ATG.

With the Konsul I can set it to a milder presentation rather than riding the cap. I thought I might be one of those shavers who settled on one setting, because I have a preference for finding what works and sticking with it rather than continuing to explore just to see what happens. Not the case, however. Pretty quickly I figured out how to adjust. One thing I've seen is that my usual shave routine tends to run right about 40-45 minutes. With the 37ish razors it's about 45 minutes. With the S2 I usually get done in about 35 minutes. The Konsul turns in an excellent shave in 30-35 minutes. What's the difference? Probably taking a milder ATG pass on 2 before dialling it up to 4 to finish it off. I'm taking full-width strokes with minimal overlap instead of little nibbles to reduce pulling and irritation.

Also cranking it all the way open to 6 for the WTG pass helps by taking off great hunks of hair and leaving less to deal with ATG. All the way open it feels like a slightly milder Wunderbar. Using the WB ATG for me is a wonderful excuse to practise extreme mindfulness.

Another thing, while I'm thinking of it. When I started the test with the Konsul I had damaged my skin a bit testing some ideas on another razor. The Konsul hit a few of the bumps and removed them in fine style . The 37s or the WB are razors I can't use all the time. I can get a couple of weeks easy on a 37 before I have irritation or little nicks that need a change of pace to heal. I can get about three shaves with the WB before the same thing, but they're darn close shaves. That's why I tend to change razors whenever I change blades. Shaving two weeks with the Konsul was no problem. The damage from earlier healed up just fine within a couple of days. The Konsul didn't lay down any new damage, nor did I suffer any touchdown nicks.

Long answer to a short question, but I've been thinking about it.

O.H.

 

[JAHE]

Thank you very much for taking so much time to describe your experience so comprehensively, I really appreciate it (that's always the case with your meaningful answers, by the way ).

Your response gives me reason to believe the Konsul could definitely be a razor worth diving deeper into reviewing...

Besides, what's your take on the finish of the baseplate? Do the machine marks bother you?

Thanks again!

 

[Old Hippie]

Besides, what's your take on the finish of the baseplate? Do the machine marks bother you?

It hasn't bothered me. There are more machining marks under the cap than on the baseplate. I prefer a machined finish rather than polished. Nothing against shiny, but I find polished razors sometimes give me a bit more drag.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave One: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Monday March 14, 2022 (Pi[e] Day!)
Razor: Merkur "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Brush: Omega 10005 Boar
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

Lovely first shave with a fresh blade! Aside from that it was pretty much back to the foot of the line this morning. Switching from a razor that likes a slightly steeper angle to a razor with the "shave window" in a different spot will do that.

My first observation about the "Super Slant" is that in many ways it feels like a hot-rodded 37. Not suprising, as the handle is the very same one. I have to get used to a short handle again; I have my little finger waving in the breeze where normally I will put it on the end of the handle. Not a huge problem, simply a data point.

With apologies to the guys who are shaving with 18th-century straight razors, this thing really is an old-school razor. It's not as loose as my Fasan Double Slant, but from the first stroke it had that "high, tinny crinkle" sound that doesn't happen in razors that both clamp well and have minimal blade reveal. The clamping on the "Super Slant" is better than on the Fasan Double Slant (version 1), and the blade reveal is also less. But it's still significant and the proof is in the sound.

The interesting thing about this highly helical razor is that by comparison to the 37 (and "37-ish" copies with similar presentation) it feels much smoother. The feeling is borne out by reality. Taking my usual WTG pass had a bit more drag from cutting hair than the 37, also took off a bit more. The ATG pass was interesting, in that unlike the 37 I didn't have to get up on the cap to start reduction. As I think about it, I believe the "Super Slant's" helicality gives even more choice of edge presentation than the 37 has. Somewhere on that grinning expanse of steel is the perfect edge for any moment. One just has to know how to find it!

O.H.

 

[Champion of Capua]

Wonderful thread!
I’m sitting patiently for the ATT X1 SE review. It is my favorite razor at the moment, but I am always interested in other opinions.

 

[Fedsbackhand]

@Champion of Capua
It's my best razor that doesn't accept GEM blades right now
SE1 a close second
X2 might change everything

Has anyone ever made a slanted GEM razor?

 

[Old Hippie]

X2 might change everything

I'd really like to see that, especially if it's not turned into an overly aggressive razor.

Has anyone ever made a slanted GEM razor?

Only by accident.

Like the X1 it would be a tilted slant. SE slants would be a third type of slant. Some guys complain about helical slants because "one side of your face is always shaved going the wrong way!" They're not wrong, but I'd never looked at it that way. A tilted DE slant answers that complaint by allowing the user to switch it up just by spinning the razor around.

In the case of a tilted SE slant there's no spinning the razor, so the observation is once again valid that half your face gets shaved going the wrong way.

O.H.

 

[Champion of Capua]

ATT said they plan on making the X1 SE an open comb option, but might take a year.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave Two: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Thursday March 17, 2022
Razor: Merkur "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (2)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

As is my usual tradition, I greet the day with a hearty "Alba gu Brath!" (and yes, I know what it means ). I will have a good meal of corned beef and cabbage; I'll also have a good meal later of haggis, clapshot and possibly a cream crowdie. Or maybe a gut buster of fish, black and white pudding and chips. Eating like that will definitely make you feel like you've passed your "best before" date.

I think it's important to shave a little longer-term with any razor I'm reviewing. There are a couple of reasons in my mind at the moment. One is that today is Thursday, not a usual shave day for me. I skipped yesterday because I had to get some things done starting early. I could either try to make a fast shave, use an electric, or simply say "I'm retired and I can shave on an 'off' day without getting all wound up about it." Having time to get things done without rushing because I took a nice long shave trumped it for me. That's Thing One.

Thing B is something I referenced earlier. I notice that often if not usually the first shave with a new-to-me razor and a fresh blade is a pretty good shave. So easy to say how wonderful it is. I'm not knocking that, but rather I'm saying I get a better idea of how the razor goes if I do more shaves with it. With a new razor and fresh blade I'm usually pretty mindful even if it feels mild. I always kind of expect the second shave to be just as good, though frequently it's not. A sharp blade covers up some of the little technical tweaks that are unique to each razor. Once the first sharpness is off, then I can see where I need to focus more on particular aspects of technique. Learning the razor is mostly a matter of giving it time to settle into muscle memory.

Partly because from the "neck down" this razor is the same as a 37 I keep forgetting that from the "neck up" it's definitely not a 37. My technique keeps defaulting to what works for the 37. That's beginning to adapt.

One thing I think I'm noticing has to do with razors like this one that have larger blade reveals. "Reveal" is the amount of blade that shows from under the cap, and is not the same thing as "exposure" which accounts for whether the edge protrudes past a plane from the cap to the bar/comb. The Super Slant has positive exposure (feels like, anyway...) and a fair amount of reveal. The 37, by contrast, has less reveal.

I've noted that blades in razors with more reveal tend to be more prone to chattering when the going is a bit thick. I speculate that one reason is that the blade, while it may be well clamped and torqued, is not as well supported out at the edge. With a larger reveal the clamping is closer to the centre of the blade. Blades being thinner now than formerly also makes clamping closer to the edge more desirable.

To be clear, I'm not displeased. I'm beginning to figure out the specific context of this razor. It needs a slightly different technique than a razor that has less reveal. It's a good "period piece" that gives me a look at an older aesthetic in razor design.

The shave? Ausgezeichnet.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave Three: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Saturday March 19, 2022
Razor: Merkur "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (3)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

While I was shaving this morning, I was thinking over some of the circumstantial evidence that may (or may not) point toward a possible deeper understanding of this Merkur product. I tend to think of it as "The Razor That Time Forgot" but clearly if it did that was fairly recently. But first a short piece of context.

One of the persistent complications in any hobby that has historical aspects is what is known among warbird fans as "rivet counting." Rivet counting is an obsessive focus on fine detail. In many cases, the fine detail under discussion turns out not to be significant, but in the absence of complete information hobbyists tend to try to sort things out using observable nuance.

My observable nuance this morning was a reflection on the language used in a 1956 Merkur catalog which has been scanned and is available online. I've said that 1956 probably is just a couple of years after the "Super Slant" was pulled from production for whatever reason, since we can see it for sale in Hoffritz and Coles stores among others in the mid-'50s but it's not noted in a Merkur catalog with a 1956 date.

There's also a matter of terminology. We can see that Merkur used the term "long screw" to refer to what we now call a "two piece" razor, obviously because the screw under the cap is long in that style of razor. They likewise used the term "short screw" in reference to what we now call a "three piece" razor. In their welter of model numbers they gave separate numbers to every iteration. The 37 is a long-screw SB slant, the discontinued 36 is a short-screw SB slant. The 39 is a long-handle version of the long-screw SB slant. All three have the same head.

I have to go away from slants for a moment to point out another "rivet." They also gave separate model numbers to otherwise identical razors to indicate SB vs. OC plates. The 42 is an SB, the 41 is an OC for instance. So far we've got a good understanding of how Merkur does things, explaining why the "Super Slant" has got to have at least four model numbers since we know from examples that they produced long and short screw, SB and OC versions. OK, now follow me down this rabbit hole...

I'm puzzled by some incidental language in the catalog that references "soft" versus "hard" slants. There are no model numbers attached to that, which is causing me to speculate that Merkur used a third metric (soft vs. hard). Unlike what I expect from their apparent taxonomy, the fact that the 1956 catalog references hard and soft slants without noting model numbers may indicate that the "Super Slant" was considered a "hard" slant within a particular model range. In other words, perhaps one could buy a 37 in either "hard" or "soft" configuration.

OK. Just tossing that out there to see if any of our more committed slant enthusiasts have any insight. Unless somebody can come up with some records or an interview transcript, we'll never know. I'm OK with that, but I would like to know!

Obviously I've achieved a certain comfort level with the "Super Slant" if I can go that deep while navigating a razor around. This morning's shave was fairly comfortable and ended up being a DFS. I'm good with that!

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave Four: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Monday March 21, 2022
Razor: "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (4)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

A couple of years ago I was looking at a used car. The woman who owned it said to me, "Comfortable, but it's hard on gas." Considering that it got about twice the fuel economy of what I had been driving, I wasn't too concerned. Gee, Dad, is this another pointless "Dad Story?"

So this morning I had Shave Four with the "Super Slant." My first thought was, "Comfortable, but it's hard on blades." While not discounting the possibility of a dud blade, I've seen this happen with a couple of other razors. That caused me to speculate, and of course I came to the only right answer.

I think it may be partially due to that reveal I mentioned earlier, combined with blade clamping that is a little less than perfect. Even with the additional tension introduced to the blade by the helicality of the razor, or maybe because of it, the edge is getting "plucked" by hard hair. As the edge deforms and then snaps back, it skips a very little bit before being plucked again. Every time it skips it isn't cutting, so the razor doesn't shave as smoothly as one might hope. Noticeably smoother than the 37, however, so there is a positive to be found. The negative, though, is that the blade seems to be ready for a change after three (now four) shaves.

That's not a deal-breaker. It's a data point. I've got other razors that can knock the edge off a blade in three shaves; I've got razors that can still deliver good shave past my usual six-and-done limit. Good to know where this one fits.

Even though the blade really didn't like doing it, managed a nice DFS this morning. Two shaves left in the round. I don't feel like I've been "bucked off" but rather I feel willing to accommodate the razor's quirk. Spending a blade for two more comfortable shaves doesn't really break the bank.

O.H.

 

[Champion of Capua]

I don’t even try a fourth shave with a blade, I’m lucky to get three, and that third is always in a slant or it gets tossed. I’m sure I’m in the minority on that, but I like my routine and I hate if I have to change a blade during a shave.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave Five: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Wednesday March 23, 2022
Razor: "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

Looks like the "Super Slant" -- in my hands, anyway -- is a razor that gives three great shaves on a blade. With a fresh blade this morning it was a lovely DFS with almost no cleanup.

I was thinking about the slant design while I was shaving. It's all kinds of wrong! Variable blade reveal, inconsistent gaps, blade presentation is different at every point along the edge...et endless cetera. But somewhere in that hot mess there's always a good shave waiting. The trick is knowing that and being willing to pay attention and go looking for it. And remembering where that spot was, of course.

In contrast to what Mom used to say, sometimes wrongs do make a right.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

The Tilted Picnic Slant Circus, Year Three. Round Two, Shave Six: Merkur "Super Slant"

SOTD: Friday March 25, 2022
Razor: Merkur "Super Slant"
Blade: Astra SP (2)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: OH Cedar Savage

Well, that's a wrap. I'm always a bit on the fence about a vintage razor, and that's a complicated place to be. It's a used razor; in this case well-used and so there is wear and plating loss and resultant corrosion. That inevitably degrades performance. It's also built to a different aesthetic, intended to be used by a demographic that had a completely different context on shaving than most of the current demographic.

There are a lot of shavers who didn't grow up in that earlier world and who have a whole different take on what's a good shave. One reason to explore vintage razors -- if they can be found in good condition -- is to see what earlier shavers experienced. We can only get a dim idea, as DE blades for one thing aren't anything like they were when this razor was current. But a brush is a brush, and soap is soap and although we may be evolving another set of thumbs to enable faster texting we are still pretty similar to the lumbering proto-humans of the 1950's.

It occurs to me that the largest difference has been in the philosophical context -- that is, when the "Super Slant" was new shaving was something one did with a certain fairly common tool set on a fairly routine basis. Today we have some really good tools for delivering a perfect shave every time, along with an artisanal focus on small-batch soaps, premium brushes, a global selection of blades and all manner of perfumes and potions to make our skin smoother and more beautiful. Put any two of us in the same room and we are not going to be sharing any of the tools, because one guy uses a DE while the other uses a slant, or an SE, or a straight or a shavette or carts or an electric of some kind.

So what did I think of the "Super Slant?" I think Merkur shoulda kept making it! Considered across the range of razors Merkur still makes, it outshaves them all. I'd like to try out an OC version to see how that does -- sometimes "more blade" is the answer. I am coming more and more to view Merkur's products as a good window on the past. That's not a criticism but a recognition of where they seem to be aiming in the marketplace. Now they're down to essentially three head designs. While it's a business strategy to identify your core products and "create efficiencies" around that core, I argue that Merkur feels a bit like they're circling the drain and need a Hail Mary shot to pull them back up. Sometimes a gamble pays off, sometimes you lose; but "you can't win if you don't play."

I am ending this run with the "Super Slant" as I began it; of mixed mind. Certainly it gives me much to think about! The shaves were great, for the most part and considered in context. Compared to a small-run modern benefitting from CAD and CAM and premium materials? Perhaps I should say it's amazing that a used 70-year-old Zamak razor can even play on the same level.

Aside from the razor, which I've gassed on about now for two weeks solid, what's the take-away?

Here it is, y'all: Explore vintage razors. I don't mean just go to the antique mall and buy the first $10 MMOC or Gilette you find, I mean look around and learn about them. Why was it made that way? What are the benefits? What are the problems? Some vintage razors (and some moderns) are really only marketing ploys, with proprietary blades and all kinds of mumbo-jumbo. I'm not saying this'll change your life, but great for you if it does. Rather, it's a way to see the ways shaving has been part of life through the years, and how the assumptions about how and why men (and women) shave have evolved across that time.

Up next: the Above the Tie X1.

O.H.

 

[jmd]

So the Super Slant is hands down better than anything Merkur has in production? Good grief. Where are my waders? Anyway. Thanks for your work here, really enjoying it.

 

[thombrogan]

I don't mean just go to the antique mall and buy the first $10 MMOC or Gilette you find

Yes. Just buy the MMOC and save up for a nice slant. Unless you do bad, bad things to the Gillette and end up with a slant.

Thank you for part one of this year’s picnic, @Old Hippie Looking forward to the return of the X1 to The Lather Pit.

 

[Old Hippie]

So the Super Slant is hands down better than anything Merkur has in production? Good grief. Where are my waders?

What you should be thinking is, "The subjectivity is strong in this one."




My opinion only. I'd say, "one hand down." Merkur is a solid brand. Like any razor company, they have their core demographics. Their slant demographic seems to be the smallest community, with the adjustable folks and the plain DE drivers above that.

Anyway. Thanks for your work here, really enjoying it.

You're welcome. I'm enjoying it, too!

O.H.

 

[jmd]

If you want to say nutty things, I'm an ally.

There's a question embedded in your super slant mark up.

Is the super slant the coproduct of an emerging manufacturing process or was it precisely the aim of a manufacturing process?

Bring it. Old Hippie.

 

[Champion of Capua]

The great thing about slants or any other razor, is that if it’s in good working order and you know half way what you’re doing, you are going to get an excellent shave. I shaved with an old Aristocrat yesterday, first time in a long time. I had to adjust to a steeper angle, but it was as good of a shave as I’ve ever had. Is it as “efficient“ as my other razors, nope, but it was enjoyable and the end product was excellent.

I don’t know if one razor is better than another, but they sure are different and I love hearing about their differences on this thread.