Why a slant?

[FreeFlyFreak]

Genuine Question from someone who's has never used a DE razor before.
Could you not get the same effect as a "slant" by holding a regular DE razor at an angle to the direction of movement?
In other words is a slant not just a regular DE razor with the blade held at a slight angle to the handle, why not just hold a regular DE razor with the handle slightly off parallel to the direction of travel to get the same effect?

Am I missing something?

I appreciate your patience if this appears a stupid question.

My first DE razor will be here Monday, its a Razorock Game Changer 68P

 

[FarmerTan]

You do kind of get that effect. The only problem for "maroons" like me is the chance of slicing my face, by going sideways by accident instead of mostly straight downward.

A slanted razor is most often"twisted" slightly by the clamping method. Which kind of gives you a guillotine effect on the whisker(s).

That is my best answer, so you just need to know I'm an artist by nature, not a Mathematician.

Welcome to Badger and Blade my (new to me) friend!

 

[Jens]

Genuine Question from someone who's has never used a DE razor before.
Could you not get the same effect as a "slant" by holding a regular DE razor at an angle to the direction of movement?
In other words is a slant not just a regular DE razor with the blade held at a slight angle to the handle, why not just hold a regular DE razor with the handle slightly off parallel to the direction of travel to get the same effect?

Am I missing something?

I appreciate your patience if this appears a stupid question.

My first DE razor will be here Monday, its a Razorock Game Changer 68P

Hello @FreeFlyFreak ,

Sometimes the best questions are the "stupid" ones that no-one dare to ask.

I have been wondering about the exact same thing before. Indeed, these days I generally hold regular DE razors at a slight angle as you describe it, because it feels like I am achieving a more "slicing" effect this way, and so a smoother shave.

Many people believe (it seems) that you achieve the same thing by using a slant, and that this is all there is to a slant razor.

BUT, more recently I have discovered that there is another dimension to a slant.

The catch here is the extra rigidity of the blade's cutting edge that is achieved when the blade is slightly twisted/torqued (a bit like a cork screw), as you mount it in a slant. This extra blade rigidity may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a big difference both for how a blade performs, and for shaving comfort.

In fact, a razor like the RR GC you will own shortly, can achieve something a bit similar to this, even though it is not a slant, because it clamps down the blades very firmly, this also gives strong blade rigidity.

 

[FarmerTan]

Hello @FreeFlyFreak ,

Sometimes the best questions are the "stupid" ones that no-one dare to ask.

I have been wondering about the exact same thing before. Indeed, these days I generally hold regular DE razors at a slight angle as you describe it, because it feels like I am achieving a more "slicing" effect this way, and so a smoother shave.

Many people believe (it seems) that you achieve the same thing by using a slant, and that this is all there is to a slant razor.

BUT, more recently I have discovered that there is another dimension to a slant.

The catch here is the extra rigidity of the blade's cutting edge that is achieved when the blade is slightly twisted/torqued (a bit like a cork screw), as you mount it in a slant. This extra blade rigidity may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a big difference both for how a blade performs, and for shaving comfort.

In fact, a razor like the RR GC you will own shortly, can achieve something a bit similar to this, even though it is not a slant, because it clamps down the blades very firmly, this also gives strong blade rigidity.

See, I knew someone around here that speaks English would come along with help!


In nursing skool I'd always tell the class "remember, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people."

It seemed to help cut the tension a little.

 

[kingfisher]

If you have a razor that clamps the blade well, and if you know how to do the 'Gillette slide' and J-hooking, etc, I don't think a slant does anything.

Personally, I have had slants in the past but sold them all. I don't really like them much.

 

[SharpieB]

If you have a razor that clamps the blade well, and if you know how to do the 'Gillette slide' and J-hooking, etc, I don't think a slant does anything.

Personally, I have had slants in the past but sold them all. I don't really like them much.

Same.

I still have a Parker Slant that I never use (PIF coming maybe) and I have used a couple of others. Meh. They do nothing for me. To each their own though.

 

[Goblin]

Could you not get the same effect as a "slant" by holding a regular DE razor at an angle to the direction of movement?

In a word, yes.

See the "Gillette Slide" in the video I that I most often link to new shavers who are having trouble getting a comfortable shave due to having heavy growth.

He says these techniques are aggressive, but I would say they aren't aggressive "per se" provided you have a sufficiently delicate touch. They are efficient and will help to get through heavy growth that regular strokes can't deal with. He does them with a cartridge razor, but really I consider them "DE shaving techniques" - I would feel more worried about trying them with a cartridge.

Note: If you never used a DE razor before do not try any of this stuff for at least the first 6 months!

 

[Jens]

If you have a razor that clamps the blade well, and if you know how to do the 'Gillette slide' and J-hooking, etc, I don't think a slant does anything

This is related to the conundrum of why any of us has more than just one razor, as long as it gives a decent shave.

I guess part of the answer many of us have found is, we like variety, like exploring, and like to chase yet higher echelons of shaving-Zen.

If you are among those who can justify owning more than one razor, a slant is worth considering, even though you will already have a very good razor when you receive your GC.

Next consideration is, a slant is not just a slant.
There is great variety between slants (as there is between other razors). You haven't quite tried them all, when you have tried a couple. I only started to truly appreciate what a slant can do upon acquiring my fourth specimen. The first three had (I can now see in retrospect) too much blade gap, open comb that didn't work for me, too little weight (bakelite), etc.
But my fourth slant is a true hit ...! I am talking about the widely esteemed Merkur 37C. RazoRock appears to make some very nice looking ones too. ... (yes, I am tempted to buy yet another one ...)

Down the road, it's worth trying slants if you at all like exploring. But do some research before you push the button, pick your slant advisedly.

 

[Trollky]

Another effect of applying torque to the blade with a slant is that the angle of the blade and the blade-gap changes slightly along its length. This will yield a slightly different shave experience from the left-hand part of the cutting edge compared to the right-hand part. Whether that is beneficial or not I guess comes down to preference.

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

In a word, yes.

See the "Gillette Slide" in the video I that I most often link to new shavers who are having trouble getting a comfortable shave due to having heavy growth.

He says these techniques are aggressive, but I would say they aren't aggressive "per se" provided you have a sufficiently delicate touch. They are efficient and will help to get through heavy growth that regular strokes can't deal with. He does them with a cartridge razor, but really I consider them "DE shaving techniques" - I would feel more worried about trying them with a cartridge.

Note: If you never used a DE razor before do not try any of this stuff for at least the first 6 months!

Interesting video thanks

 

[dotKomo]

If you have a razor that clamps the blade well, and if you know how to do the 'Gillette slide' and J-hooking, etc, I don't think a slant does anything.

Personally, I have had slants in the past but sold them all. I don't really like them much.

Yup. Slants just haven't done it for me. I got rid of them.

 

[Beefdrippings]

I love slants. I just think they’re neat. I don’t know if they do anything a straight bar couldn’t do and, I don’t care. Small price to pay for a few moments of happiness I get from just seeing them there, or using them.

 

[nemo]

The catch here is the extra rigidity of the blade's cutting edge that is achieved when the blade is slightly twisted/torqued (a bit like a cork screw), as you mount it in a slant. This extra blade rigidity may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a big difference both for how a blade performs, and for shaving comfort.

This.

 

[Old Hippie]

The catch here is the extra rigidity of the blade's cutting edge that is achieved when the blade is slightly twisted/torqued (a bit like a cork screw), as you mount it in a slant. This extra blade rigidity may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a big difference both for how a blade performs, and for shaving comfort.

Yup, THIS. As @nemo also pointed out...

[K-Tel Voice] But that's not all! [/K-Tel Voice]*

I was noodling over this the other day while labouring in the furrows.

Basically we have two kinds of slants: tilted and helical. There is that technique known as the "Gillette Slide" that purports to achieve a similar result.

One of the things we're doing with a slant is introducing a bit of "draw" to the cut. A straight-on attack with the blade edge is a chopping stroke. If the edge is canted a bit, or the razor is moved slightly on an angle, then the edge meets the hair at a small angle, which simultaneously pushes the hair to the side while also cutting it. The edge moves across and through the hair, rather than chopping into it. Cavalry sabres and katana swords are excellent examples of the draw cut. You can draw-cut with a straight sword, but like the Gillette Slide you have to make an extra movement since the edge isn't designed to do that kind of cutting.

Tilted slants are razors with the "Gillette Slide" baked in, so to speak. They're essentially a "normal" DE razor with the head mounted onto the handle at an angle.

There is some special magic with a helical slant. The head is mounted four-square to the handle, but the razor is built to not only curve the blade like most DE razors do but also to twist the blade. What makes blades rigid enough to cut well is what we call tension. Tension, in this case, is provided by the clamping as well as that extra twist.

Most of us these days use stainless blades, but when slants first came out I'm not sure there were any stainless blades. Carbon steel blades are significantly less stiff than stainless, so slants definitely stepped up the game with their geometry.

Like any razor, there's a lot of things that all need to line up just so. A tilted slant, because it does not twist the blade, has to rely only on the clamping of the cap against the baseplate to provide a firm edge. There are good ones and not-so-good ones in both vintage and relatively modern designs.

Helical slants can have varying degrees of twist. The Merkur 37 is about average. Some have more twist; others less. One result of the twist is that often the blade looks all wonky with more reveal on one end than the other. We can (and have!) debated that little feature nearly endlessly, but I submit that if you simply shave with it it'll be fine.

I have used examples of all three kinds of slant -- tilted and helical DE, and tilted SE. I find for my own personal preference that a helical slant gives me good shave. I keep a couple of tilted slants around to remind me that they're good, too. It looks like most of the modern DE slant makers are into the helical slant platform.

Better or worse than plain DE? Money-waster? Man, not even going there. They work for me. I get better shaves with my slants than with my plain DE razors (which, since they didn't make me happy, are now somebody else's problem). I still have a devette, but that's another story. My advice is to either borrow one or just go ahead and buy one and give it a whirl.

O.H.

*For those who missed that particular cultural moment, K-Tel Records was a company that put out compilations of popular songs and sold them on late-night TV in the US. They had really cheesy-sounding announcers doing the voice-overs.

 

[ButterfaceX]

Everyone has a slanted view.
Just do what's good for you.
Be open, be safe, be smart. focus on the process, hone your skills, be patience, be consistent and have a hell of a lot of fun.

You are or will be the master of the tool..
Thier is no one magic wand..
I have many...lol..

BFX
Welcome

 

[BBSSBOSS]

A slant razor’s engineering is designed to make them cut hair from an angle instead of straight-on...creating a more “effective” motion and result. Thus little pressure is even more preferred while using such a razor, also denser or thicker stubble benefits from this style of razor

 

[BigJ]

If you have a razor that clamps the blade well, and if you know how to do the 'Gillette slide' and J-hooking, etc, I don't think a slant does anything.

Personally, I have had slants in the past but sold them all. I don't really like them much.

+1! This summarizes my experience also! The few slants I tried were no improvement. But YMMV for sure.

 

[ButterfaceX]

The way the slant is designed, in general. Is that the blade is closer to the skin, the angle gives it a lower angled - guillotine cut.
Which for me, on my select den slants give me a closer and the stubble takes longer to grow back.
But yes, it does not work for all for various reasons, thank the shave gods for that....more slants for options for me...lol..
I don't not use slants all the time, I pick the right tool for the job/growth/experience desired.

But again, it is not exclusively one thing. Shaving has a lot of variables.
Like technic, consistency, growth, skin type, face mapping, prep, process, post process.
Tool, having the right tool that works best for, and the right blade.
No magic here, have fun and enjoy the shave...
BFX

 

[sternej]

Yup, THIS. As @nemo also pointed out...

[K-Tel Voice] But that's not all! [/K-Tel Voice]*

I was noodling over this the other day while labouring in the furrows.

Basically we have two kinds of slants: tilted and helical. There is that technique known as the "Gillette Slide" that purports to achieve a similar result.

One of the things we're doing with a slant is introducing a bit of "draw" to the cut. A straight-on attack with the blade edge is a chopping stroke. If the edge is canted a bit, or the razor is moved slightly on an angle, then the edge meets the hair at a small angle, which simultaneously pushes the hair to the side while also cutting it. The edge moves across and through the hair, rather than chopping into it. Cavalry sabres and katana swords are excellent examples of the draw cut. You can draw-cut with a straight sword, but like the Gillette Slide you have to make an extra movement since the edge isn't designed to do that kind of cutting.

Tilted slants are razors with the "Gillette Slide" baked in, so to speak. They're essentially a "normal" DE razor with the head mounted onto the handle at an angle.

There is some special magic with a helical slant. The head is mounted four-square to the handle, but the razor is built to not only curve the blade like most DE razors do but also to twist the blade. What makes blades rigid enough to cut well is what we call tension. Tension, in this case, is provided by the clamping as well as that extra twist.

Most of us these days use stainless blades, but when slants first came out I'm not sure there were any stainless blades. Carbon steel blades are significantly less stiff than stainless, so slants definitely stepped up the game with their geometry.

Like any razor, there's a lot of things that all need to line up just so. A tilted slant, because it does not twist the blade, has to rely only on the clamping of the cap against the baseplate to provide a firm edge. There are good ones and not-so-good ones in both vintage and relatively modern designs.

Helical slants can have varying degrees of twist. The Merkur 37 is about average. Some have more twist; others less. One result of the twist is that often the blade looks all wonky with more reveal on one end than the other. We can (and have!) debated that little feature nearly endlessly, but I submit that if you simply shave with it it'll be fine.

I have used examples of all three kinds of slant -- tilted and helical DE, and tilted SE. I find for my own personal preference that a helical slant gives me good shave. I keep a couple of tilted slants around to remind me that they're good, too. It looks like most of the modern DE slant makers are into the helical slant platform.

Better or worse than plain DE? Money-waster? Man, not even going there. They work for me. I get better shaves with my slants than with my plain DE razors (which, since they didn't make me happy, are now somebody else's problem). I still have a devette, but that's another story. My advice is to either borrow one or just go ahead and buy one and give it a whirl.

O.H.

*For those who missed that particular cultural moment, K-Tel Records was a company that put out compilations of popular songs and sold them on late-night TV in the US. They had really cheesy-sounding announcers doing the voice-overs.

Old Hippie. I thoroughly enjoyed your post here. Love when I come away from my time spent here feeling like I'm learning something. Quik question: You mention helical slants and tilted. The one slant I own is a Phoenix Artisan 'Filament'. I love it because a) The shave is simply fabulous and one pass for me equals two passes with any other straight bar razor I've ever used, period and b) It is not visible on X-Rays and therefore makes a great carry on Travel razor. This razor is called by Phoenix a "Double Slant". Does that label mean anything? Is it extra twisted or something?

 

[NorthernSoul]

...This razor is called by Phoenix a "Double Slant". Does that label mean anything? Is it extra twisted or something?

The PAA Filament razor is a fairly faithful reproduction of a 1930s Fasan razor called the Double Slant. So, the name hearkens back to that Fasan vintage razor.

The Double Slant aspect, AFAIK, relates to the fact that the blade is both slanted at an angle and twisted into a helical (corkscrew) shape. The Fasan twist is more extreme than many of the other slant razor designs out there.