so i'm interested in trying a slant bar.. but i'm not really too interested in a plain ol' merkur.. what are my other options?
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so i'm interested in trying a slant bar.. but i'm not really too interested in a plain ol' merkur.. what are my other options?
Vintage Hoffritz,not alot else around.
The slant , also known as 'twisted head' is my favorite safety razor. I have a collection of them by various makers. Actually the Hoffritz branded slants were made by Merkur. Also the Coles, Lunawerke and Pomco were all rebranded Merkurs. There are vintage slants by Apollo, Ben Hur, Fazan, Krect and others with many being "no name" slants but IME they are not as well engineered as the Merkur.
The Merkur slant began as a 3 piece with a handle copying the early Gillette but sometime in the '50s (I think) the handle was changed to the thicker model we know today with the head attached making it a 2 piece with a top cap. I've shaved with all of the above and more slants. For me the geometry of the Merkur, the weight and balance is the perfect slant. Of course someone else might prefer a different one.
Below are examples of the Merkur 3 piece mentioned above with the more familiar 2 piece. Another oddity, a Pomco variant that was made by a company unknown to me. It has a slant head on one side and a standard head on the other and was marketed as a "ladies" razor. Finally, a number of no name slants in a spoon rack. DEs can get to be an AD too. :)
great info,Thanks
lol I knew Jimmy "the slant man" HAD would be able to produce the goods when it comes to his slant collection :)
Anyway, what's wrong with Merkur? They're nicely built, dependable razors.
thanks guys.. i do have a merkur34c in my rotation.. it's a very nice shaver.. i have nothing against merkur.. i just wanted to see my options..
merkur it is.
Just out of interest: what's the point of a slant bar? And does the other side of the bar slant the other way?
I believe it is to hold the blade at a slight angle to the hair. that way instead of the blade cutting straight through the hair, it is acting more like a guillotine and slicing it at and angle
That Pomco's "slant" side reminds me of the old ladies Gillete Curve Fit razor. The curved shape on those was engineered to shave armpits, does the similar shape of the pomco give any benefits when face shaving?Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
Kees, I think straightshot's explanation is correct. Check out the photo of the slant with the 'Diagonal Razor' card in the box. It basically says the same thing. The slant of the bar is mirrored from one side to the other. Most slant high left to low right but I have a few that are the opposite depending on the manufacturer.Quote:
Originally Posted by straightshot
It is a weird razor. TBH it scared me when I first tried it out. It is basically like any slant but I don't like the fact that it only slants on one side. It has a lot of exposure too. Slants vary in blade exposure and angle by manufacturer. Some are too aggressive and others are not aggressive enough .... for my personal preference. The Merkur seems to have gotten the perfect balance for my particular whiskers and skin.Quote:
Originally Posted by porridgeorange
Ikon Razors is coming out with one Mid-2013...I am anxiously awaiting so I can purchase one myself!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops!
Very interesting. I don't know if I could resist in spite of what will undoubtedly be a high $ tag. Here is what they have on the Ikon site to show ;Quote:
Originally Posted by groomingguru
Attachment 127922
If you're looking for a slant that's a little different; The Merkur 4 piece travel razor used to available as a slant. I have a Hoffritz branded one. You could find one of those and add one of the fancy after-market heavy handles to it. (Tradere, Ikon, etc.)
It produces a slicing motion with the blade and also makes the blade stiffer as a result of the twist.
There are a lot of obscure slants... Neo Ras, Neo Lux, Mulcuto, Valencia, Abercrombie I THINK, Sonnal, Lutz, Apollo, russian examples, a couple of british examples, the KRECT spiral curve, miller, fasan super slants, etc.... I sell old Lutz razors and those are interesting, they have different aggression on each side of the slant. I would say in general, slants aren't any more aggressive than a typical razor, but they get everything there is to get out of any given de blade.
I bought the iKon slant. It is a lovely razor, and looks great in the den.
The shave was pretty rubbish, however. It was like shaving with a Tech ---- a very expensive Tech. Complete waste of money for me. However, some people do like it, and if you're looking for a non-Merkur slant, it's something to consider.
For me, my Merkur will do fine. That, and my Fasan OC slant.
