Are We Doing It Wrong?

Bogeyman

Bogeyman

Joined
Monday August 31, 2015
I am unabashedly taking this from another forum as it has made me pause to think somewhat. It's from a Gillette 1925 pamphlet chock full of pointers on what was (then) considered the right way to shave. I thought I'd post it here and let the chips fall where they may as I'd wager most of us are doing it as shown Fig. 1 & Fig. 2. That's the way most people shave on Youtube videos as well from what I have seen. I have done what the Sharpologist calls the Gillette "slide", but he says to do that only after your first pass or two. :confused: For the record, I cannot see how Fig. 3 shaving is any better than Fig. 2 except that perhaps they believed then in the "guillotine" concept that gave birth to the slant razor which we now know today does not really cut any better despite what many may believe.

Let the fur......er hair fly!! ;)

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I long ago thought that the supposed advantage of using a slant razor could be achieved by tracking the razor diagonally across the face. Do I do it? No. Why not? Because the practice gains for me no advantage.

I used the Merkur Slant daily for ten years years and formed the opinion that its strengths a do not arise from the diagonal slice, but from its particular semi open comb head geometry, its given blade exposure, and maybe even from the fact that a blade twisted into the head gains rigidity.

Now why does the diagonal slice make no difference? Because the blade is not attempting to shear a single solid mass but a matrix of cylinders. With both straight and diagonal tracking of the beard the blade contacts (in an idealised beard) each cylinder straight on. At the point of each individual whisker cut the blade is not slicing but chopping.

I no longer use a Merkur Slant but an open comb razor with a much more aggressive geometry - the R41

What do you all think?
 
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Labarum said:
...What do you all think?
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I agree totally with your opinion on the slant. As well, most of us have hair on the neck that goes in "Wonkavator" directions, i.e., every which way.

My first pass WTG is always like Fig. 2 & my XTG pass is exactly like Fig. 1. Rarely, I will do an ATG pass on my cheeks which is almost horizontal from ear to chin, however I really don't need it. My method works for me as I almost always get a DFS and more importantly no irritation and no ingrown hairs. YMMV of course.
 
I've started seeing the benefits of the 'Gillette Slide' on my neck passes. On my face (cheeks) it makes no notable difference in post-shave feel but my neck is undoubtedly more comfortable if I take diagonal passes, regardless of what razor I use (though, I only have a Supply SE and Muhle Rocca). FWIW, this style does work with the SE, too.

Edit: that doesn't mean I can't shave like Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, just I get better results on my neck with a Fig. 3 type of stroke.
 
Yes I do it, with a straight. In fact I was doing it before I even heard of the Gillette slide, it was just a natural progression of technique.

I cant believe Gillette would attempt to take ownership of something many people were doing anyway and had done for centuries without the need for a name.. No, not at all :D
 
I read something about it and tried it. Makes things easier in certain sections of my neck because of the various directions of hair growth.
 
Rohleder said:
Yes I do it, with a straight. In fact I was doing it before I even heard of the Gillette slide, it was just a natural progression of technique.

I cant believe Gillette would attempt to take ownership of something many people were doing anyway and had done for centuries without the need for a name.. No, not at all :D
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Where is Gillette attempting to take ownership? Missing this.

Anyway, I do this.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
Rohleder said:
Erm, by calling it the Gillette slide. Or is that something invented by forums? I'll have a look and see if I can find any reference to it.
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Please do. I could be mistaken but I've never seen a Gillette reference to the technique calling it that, only guys on forums and YouTube. I believe Mantic59 made it up.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
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Rohleder said:
Erm, by calling it the Gillette slide. Or is that something invented by forums? I'll have a look and see if I can find any reference to it.
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A quick search reveals nowt, fair enough... I take it back. I can find no reference to any "Gillette slide" outside of modern forums. All Gillette literature merely says "this is how you should do it..."

My bad :)
 
Rohleder said:
A quick search reveals nowt, fair enough... I take it back. I can find no reference to any "Gillette slide" outside of modern forums. All Gillette literature merely says "this is how you should do it..."

My bad :)
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Yeah I just looked at the Mantic59 video, he says he coined it himself.

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