Thread: Slant vs adjustables

What are the differences between the two? Which one is more aggressive? What are the best models of slant razors? I know that only Merkur produces adjustables these days.

The difference is that the adjustable can be far more aggressive depending on the setting. That is from using a Gillette Fat Boy set at 9 and a Merkur 37C slant both with feather blades.

The Merkur slant is in no way the blood letting instrument some make it out to be IF you know how to shave with a DE. A beginner DE shaver can hack themselves up with virtually any DE.

Could not tell you what the "best" slant is having only used the Merkur one. I can only say that the Merkur slant is a very competent shaver that is on the aggressive side but not overly so.

Bob

What Bob said is spot on. I've been collecting various slants for 7 years and, having shaved with a bunch of them, I think Merkur is the best of the bunch. Amazing how nuances of head design can effect the feel and results of the shave. Not that some of the other named, and no named, slants aren't good. They are, but AFAIC, the Merkur design is the best for a combination of aggressiveness, without being too much so, and efficiency in getting the job done. Of course YMMV kicks in, and someone else may prefer an Apollo or a Ben-Hur ....... if they can find one.

I too agree with Bob's post. Both the fatboy and Merkur 37C are good, aggressive shavers. I seldom go past 7 on the fatboy (depends on blade--I like yellow 7 o'clocks); thus I find the Merkur 37C maybe a tad more aggressive than that setting with that blade (YMMV). If I use Feather blades, then I dial the fatboy to 6 and the Merkur while more aggressive, is still a good shave.

Gents:

I never use slants and I been in this for long time. But I do have for example a vision and progress used for me in the most opening setting that to me gives me the most comfortable shaves ever.
Try one of those and you will see.
thanks
Ken

I just got a Lutz slant that has two aggressions and the more aggressive side is for sure more aggressive than a Gillette slim set on 9

I like your first question, alex, that is what im curious about. What is the difference? Agressiveness seems to be more dependant on the technique, prep and blade, IMHO, but what about the defining key features that sets them apart? In other words, besides an adjustable being able to, well, adjust, :P what else separately defines each one?

I only have an antique gillette adjustable as a reference, so my opinions on what is best is more or less negligible

Originally Posted by Alex7

What are the differences between the two? Which one is more aggressive? What are the best models of slant razors? I know that only Merkur produces adjustables these days.

Hi @Alex7

1) An adjustable moves the baseplate of the razor head to create a larger blade gap.
A slant is a razor which holds a blade that is 'slanted'. It could be slanted by a twist (eg Merkur 37C/39C) or via a hump & slanted head (eg Shavecraft #102).

2) Neither is more "aggressive". Aggressive is a term used a lot in shaving but people mean different things by it. It's better to speak of efficiency. (How efficient can this razor remove hair?) There are several factors in a razor to determine this:
- blade angle (how much angle does the head have?)
- blade exposure (how much blade is exposed if you look top down?)
- blade gap (distance between base plate and top cap)

A razor can be both efficient and comfortable, or efficient and uncomfortable, and be called "aggressive". So best not use that term unless you define it.

3) There are heaps of slants available now:
- Merkur 37C (or longer handled 39C)
- Merkur Bakelite slant
- Razorock Stealth Slant
- iKon Slant
- IKon Shavecraft #102
- Lutz slant
- Hoftwich vintage slant
- Above the Tie slant baseplate

It is not true that there is only Merkur slants...

They vary in terms of comfort mostly, but some are judged slightly more efficient than another.

My suggestion is that you try a few different razor styles:
- an adjustable
- a slant razor
- an open comb

Also worth considering is an open comb razor. It exposes more of your hair to the blade and so efficiently cuts it. It is different to a slant and adjustable. Some prefer it since it is very good at not clogging with several days worth of growth.

It is worth noting that while there are many slants, many of the brands of vintage slants are re-branded Merkur slants. Hoffritz, Lunawerk, Coles, and the more common variation of the Pomco, are all Merkur 137Cs with a different company name stamped on the handle.

Earlier Merkur Slants, some branded Merkur, Pomco, Brammi (made in West Germany) had the same head but were 3 piece razors with a thinner, sort of Gillette clone handle. IMO these, even though they have the same head, are a milder shave than the thicker handled 137C we know today.

I am thinking people can and do use the terms mild and aggressive as a quantifier of efficiency. The head design of some razors because of the blade gap, blade exposure and blade angle make them more difficult to use to get a comfortable shave with.

I mean my Muhle R41 2013 version will give me a longer lasting shaves than my Merkur 37c slant. The Merkur slant is much easier to use as it is more forgiving of the angle it is used at and pressure applied compared to the Muhle R41. Both will give comfortable shaves for me. To me the Muhle is more efficient/aggressive as it gives a longer lasting shave.

So basically some DEs by their head design become so aggressively efficient at removing stubble they are more difficult to get a comfortable shave from. To a large extent efficiency and aggressiveness can be the same thing. I mean even what is considered a mild head like the Gillette Tech can give uncomfortable shaves for a beginner at the start.

Where aggressive and efficient diverge is in the skill level of the user. You can't change the head specs of a DE, with the exception of the adjustables, so the efficiency remains the same. The user may not be able to properly use the efficiency of a DE head design so it is too aggressive for their skill level leading to uncomfortable shaves.

Bob