Show us your slants

@gvw755 - Not so amazing: back in the day there was money for R&D for DE razors, and some designs and models proved to be excellent in practice, so naturally enough new DE models use the knowledge inherent in those designs, sometimes with tweaks. There are some new designs (in DE razors in general, the Rockwell 6S is an example) but building on previous knowledge is how things work: Newton (among others) said that "If I have seen farther, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants." And, as a practical matter, designs are not copyrightable, and any patents have long since expired.

I have used a slant of a totally new design, 3-D printed in brass (or a brass casting was made from a 3-D model—I don't know the details). It was a terrific slant, but getting new razors to market is harder than it looks from the outside (cf. the Rockwell story).

Once a design has been proven, it tends to be replicated a lot—all violins now look pretty much alike (though there is some new research).
 
As @Leisureguy says:That may have to do with the older designs being the inspiration for the newer ones. The unbranded version of this globusmann was the basis for the Razorock Stealth series. The proven concept of the Merkur 37 is now copied left and right. All iKon-razors are based on classic razors.
The only present day production slant that is truly new in design is the ATT S1/S2, and there's 3 slants available via Shapeways that are 3D-printed models. Quite good actually.
 
Just a question on slants. How do you position them on your face? I guess you have to go with that angle of the sloping blade. They look a bit scary and awkward with that angle and increasing blade exposure. I am more lairy of one of these than a straight.
 
matteob said:
Just a question on slants. How do you position them on your face? I guess you have to go with that angle of the sloping blade. They look a bit scary and awkward with that angle and increasing blade exposure. I am more lairy of one of these than a straight.
Click to expand...
You just use it like any other DE razor, it's just like shaving with any other DE razor, nothing to be worried about.
 
yea but with a normal DE you have a straight 180 degree line you put that to your face and find the angle. The slant looks a bit weird and tricky to me. I'd have to try a good one in a passaround before I bought one :)
 
matteob said:
yea but with a normal DE you have a straight 180 degree line you put that to your face and find the angle. The slant looks a bit weird and tricky to me. I'd have to try a good one in a passaround before I bought one :)
Click to expand...
Believe me you use it exactly as you would use a standard DE razor, I have the ATT S2 and I am currently using the Merkur 37c pass around razor, maybe you should put your name down to try it, it is only a short list.
 
@matteob - The question's been answered, but I'll pitch in: when you use a slant you use it exactly as though it were a conventional razor, except perhaps with lighter pressure. Ignore the slant of the blade—it's just there to help—and move the razor in the direction the handle points. Trim your sideburns as though it were a regular razor: it will leave them straight so far as you can tell. Focus on good prep, light pressure, testing a range of shaving angles (the angle the handle makes with the skin it's shaving, and try 3-4 different brands of blades.

The main two things, though, are: 1. Use very light pressure and 2. use it as though it was a conventional razor.

Hope this helps.
 
matteob said:
Sorry I am a relative newbie...I ask a lot of questions and like clarification.
Click to expand...
That is a Good Thing®.

The funny thing is, the reason slants work so well is exactly BECAUSE you use them as a regular razor. That's why you get the slicing guillotine motion on the beard, which is one of the defining characteristics of the slant.
The best advises have been give above: NO pressure, and use as a normal razor.

One extra note: as @Leisureguy wrote: you also trim the sideburns as if it is a normal razor, except with the more extremely torqued slants or the extreme diagonals: these can have an angle of up to 45°. With those, you place the head in the angle you wish your sideburns to have, and then basically twist the handle to a vertical position and from there continue as if it were a normal razor. This situation will not arise with present-day slants, only some of the vintage ones, but I mention it anyhow just to be complete :)
 
@efsk - Well stated. I wish a quality modern razormaker with an experimental bent would make a razor in which the slant is easily adjusted. Obviously, this would not be a twisted-blade slant, but one that simply bends the blade over the hump, and allows the use to set the amount of slant (and then tighten the adjustment so that it doesn't slip). A range of 0º (conventional razor setting) to (say) 15º or 20º would be ample, I imagine. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat, but who would make it?

ATT seems the most likely possibility, but I'm not sure whether there would be interest. (Their own slants, S1 and S2, are twisted-blade slants). iKon is one possibility, but it's rather more mechanism than he would be comfortable with.

I think Rockwell might be a possibility.
 
Blademonkey said:
Believe me you use it exactly as you would use a standard DE razor, I have the ATT S2 and I am currently using the Merkur 37c pass around razor, maybe you should put your name down to try it, it is only a short list.
Click to expand...

Can I ask which you are preferring? I'm looking at getting an S1 or S2 and currently have the 39c and Ikon 102. I get a nicer feeling shave from the later.

Does the price warrant me getting the ATT.
 
zad said:
Can I ask which you are preferring? I'm looking at getting an S1 or S2 and currently have the 39c and Ikon 102. I get a nicer feeling shave from the later.

Does the price warrant me getting the ATT.
Click to expand...
I can only say for me it was worth the price, I have the M2, R2, S2 and H2 so as you can see I like ATT razors ,as far as which on I prefer...I only have the S2 and therefore can only coment on the ATT S2, I have not tried the S1. They are good quality razors and will last forever so the money is not an issue if you like how the razor performs.
It's probably best if you are liking the Ikon 102 to Keep using it and save a big chunk of cash. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: zad
Blademonkey said:
I can only say for me it was worth the price, I have the M2, R2, S2 and H2 so as you can see I like ATT razors ,as far as which on I prefer...I only have the S2 and therefore can only coment on the ATT S2, I have not tried the S1. They are good quality razors and will last forever so the money is not an issue if you like how the razor performs.
It's probably best if you are liking the Ikon 102 to Keep using it and save a big chunk of cash. :)
Click to expand...

But how does the S2 compare with the 37c your trying on the pass around??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom