39c Slant?

How does this razor work?

As I look at the razor in my right hand and use it to shave the right side of my face I see that the comb is less open at my nose and more open at my check.

This make sense.

I would have guessed that if I flip the razor 180 degrees I would find again that the closed comb would be at my nose and the open comb would be at my check.

This is not the case. As I turn the blade 180 I find the open comb at my nose and the closed comb at my check.

Why is this optimal? It seems to me to be incorrect and less than optimal. I would imagine that a slant bar should start narrow at the center of the face and increase angle toward the check.

What am I missing?

Thank you,
--Shoki

As I understand it the blade head is angled so that it is making a guillotine stroke when manipulated as you would a razor with a standard head. Of the DEs the slant by Merkur is my favorite. Shave with it a bit and see how you like it. I found that a very sharp blade such as a Feather, or better yet, the old Gillette Swedes were my favs.

I have been shaving with this quite a bit. I like the results. I just think it would be a better razor if the slant was opposite. The way the razor is now the angle is the same when you rotate the blade 180 degrees.

Bought one at a flea market for $5.00 (one of my best purchases), not sure how I felt about the shape, I thought maybe it was a design attempt that failed and was discontinued. Did some research and found that many really liked it and was still available. Used it with Gillette 7 o'clock blade, got a great shave.
Has a great feel and weight.

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Originally Posted by sleek2oh

Bought one at a flea market for $5.00

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Wow that's a steal!

i love the looks of the slants.. do you get really that much greater of a shave than with a standard de.. as of now.. my favourite de is a 62 slim adjustable.

The idea is it's supposed to more closely approximate a straight. I've never used one but from what I've read they are very aggressive razors and the right blade is probably more important with this razor than with most other DEs

Victor,

For me, the Slant shaves pretty much like any other DE safety razor.

The shave with my Slants is not closer, nor does it achieve the results in less passes than my other DEs.

They are an interesting razor, that I enjoy using from time to time :)

For me, the best safety razor shaves come from the GEM/Ever-Ready SE razors.

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

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Originally Posted by PhatMan

For me, the best safety razor shaves come from the GEM/Ever-Ready SE razors.

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With all due respect to Russ, my experience couldn't be more diametrically opposed. I've gotten the best safety razor shaves with the Merkur slant and a Feather and the worst with the Gem type. The Pella coated blades in a couple of different Gems not withstanding.

This illustrates for me one constant I've observed in the sport of wet shaving, different strokes for different folks and YMMV. The important thing is that we all enjoy our shaves regardless of our choice of tools. :beer1:

Jimmy,

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

This illustrates for me one constant I've observed in the sport of wet shaving, different strokes for different folks and YMMV. The important thing is that we all enjoy our shaves regardless of our choice of tools. :beer1:

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How right you are :)

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I used a slant for a while and it was too aggressive for me. I liked the idea and that's the fun of experimenting with the different styles available to us. Definitely helps our RAD !

I still have a slant bar, and pre-conversion to straights I used it a lot with Feathers. I did find, however, that my skin paid a price over the long haul. The combination of aggressive razor and sharp but less than smooth blade was the problem. Derby Extra blades worked better, but eventually I returned to the old reliable Murker HD and Swedes for shaves that, IMO, were just as good with less damage to the skin. As I gained experience with DEs I found that a Tech, a mild shaver, will provide excellent shaves when used with a good blade. I've not used the slant bar for along time now, and I really should release it back into the wild.