Regrading Slants

No, Marko, I used it for a couple of months (I think) & then sold it.


Perhaps a matter of technique, but I found it harsh with every combination of soap/blade I tried.

I'm very leery of slants since trying the ikon 102 (which most people describe as very comfortable) and finding it to be a major source of razor burn.

I'm very leery of slants since trying the ikon 102 (which most people describe as very comfortable) and finding it to be a major source of razor burn.

YMMV for sure.  Do you still have the 102?  Have you tried other blades or soaps to see if it was the razor or one of the other variables?  I completely get that what works for one might not for another, but I find the 102 so smooth yet efficient that I'm always curious when I hear someone say how awful it is for them whether there might be some other factor involved, a bad blade or even a lemon razor - I'm sure that happens periodically but really, who among us after trying a new razor and finding it awful for us thinks, "maybe its a lemon and I should order a second one to be sure"  Not going to happen.

I just used the X3. It didn't give me any razor burn, but I didn't find it very smooth and efficient (not bad, but far from great). I'm hoping that my results are partly due to the fact that I need to adjust to this razor. My Fatip is more efficient...and my Rockwell 6S (on plate 4) is a lot smoother and about as equally efficient.

Next time I use the X3 I'm going to slow things down a notch or two and concentrate on what I'm doing.

I'm going to wait for the Maggard slant to come out for my first go with one. It looks very similar to the X3.

Isn't the German 37 a clone of the Merkur 37c? Makes sense given the name and they look identical. Hmmm, maybe I just answered my own question...

I came to the same conclusion. A copy of a vintage razor that is still in production. Seems pointless and counter intuitive but if Joe can sell the copies for cheaper than the same level of quality, go for it. I adore my true 37C. I cant imagine a copy shaving better than the original.

How would you describe the 37C on the aggressive/efficient/comfort scale (if there is one) and if you have a 102, how would they compare?  I'm a bit leery of Merkurs since I started wet shaving - I had looked at the reviews on a vendor site and decided that a particular merkur(don't recall which) was the razor to start out with and as it turned out I was wrong. Lots of burn and weepers and so forth and I stepped back and stuck to the carts for another year until my then 19 year old son picked up the razor and started using it and essentially shamed me into giving the DE razor another shot.  The second time I did more independent research and came up with the EJ DE89 as the logical choice for my first DE razor and that turned out to be the right choice.  A very smooth and forgiving razor for novices and veterans alike.  I have added several razors to my stable since then but I do still occasionally use the DE89.  The point is, I haven't touched a Merkur razor since that early experience.
Mark

Marko ,
I had always thought that a slant was for a elite level shaver and I needed special skills to operate one. When my skill level plateaued and wanted another challenge, I moved on a 37C in the BST. They are scary as the blade gap is so honkin huge you can literally see through it. After I got it I tried my standard blade, a Personna Blue in it and used it as if it were a regular DE. It is as gentle as a pussycat. It shaves so nice that in almost 5 straight months of using it, I havent tried any other blade in it. I just dont think it can achieve a better shave. I have equally good blades I could put in there but I just never go through with it. I shave my face every other day and sometimes I can barely start to feel stubble 24 hrs after a shave.

I'm pretty sure this is a newer production razor making it my youngest razor in the house. I finally moved on to a different razor after I put together my frankenrazor. That led me back to a FT SS. It wont be long before I pick it back up again, and when I do, it might be another long run.

I cant say how it compares to any other slant as this is my first, and probly last slant I get.

And on your coated razor, I would have to say it might be the coating making the cap increase the angle of the blade. If you feel spry, you can try shimming under or over the blade to tame it down. I sometimes shim some of my old types just cause I like livin la vida loca.

Slants are different, some are milder than others. My iKon 102 is definitely milder than my Merkur 37c.

The 37c is good for a couple of days growth (Then again, hard to find what isn't) but the 102 is okay as a daily, along with RR stealth slant and iKon's latest X3.

I came to the same conclusion. A copy of a vintage razor that is still in production. Seems pointless and counter intuitive but if Joe can sell the copies for cheaper than the same level of quality, go for it. I adore my true 37C. I cant imagine a copy shaving better than the original.

How would you describe the 37C on the aggressive/efficient/comfort scale (if there is one) and if you have a 102, how would they compare?  I'm a bit leery of Merkurs since I started wet shaving - I had looked at the reviews on a vendor site and decided that a particular merkur(don't recall which) was the razor to start out with and as it turned out I was wrong. Lots of burn and weepers and so forth and I stepped back and stuck to the carts for another year until my then 19 year old son picked up the razor and started using it and essentially shamed me into giving the DE razor another shot.  The second time I did more independent research and came up with the EJ DE89 as the logical choice for my first DE razor and that turned out to be the right choice.  A very smooth and forgiving razor for novices and veterans alike.  I have added several razors to my stable since then but I do still occasionally use the DE89.  The point is, I haven't touched a Merkur razor since that early experience.
Mark

Marko ,
I had always thought that a slant was for a elite level shaver and I needed special skills to operate one. When my skill level plateaued and wanted another challenge, I moved on a 37C in the BST. They are scary as the blade gap is so honkin huge you can literally see through it. After I got it I tried my standard blade, a Personna Blue in it and used it as if it were a regular DE. It is as gentle as a pussycat. It shaves so nice that in almost 5 straight months of using it, I havent tried any other blade in it. I just dont think it can achieve a better shave. I have equally good blades I could put in there but I just never go through with it. I shave my face every other day and sometimes I can barely start to feel stubble 24 hrs after a shave.

I'm pretty sure this is a newer production razor making it my youngest razor in the house. I finally moved on to a different razor after I put together my frankenrazor. That led me back to a FT SS. It wont be long before I pick it back up again, and when I do, it might be another long run.

I cant say how it compares to any other slant as this is my first, and probly last slant I get.

And on your coated razor, I would have to say it might be the coating making the cap increase the angle of the blade. If you feel spry, you can try shimming under or over the blade to tame it down. I sometimes shim some of my old types just cause I like livin la vida loca.

I had much the same concerns with slants before I tried one - they looked intimidating. After taking the plunge with the 102, much like your experience with the 37C, I found it to be very gentle and I do go on extended runs with the 102 loaded with a Feather blade. I find I can get 5 shaves out of a Feather in the 102 while I can only get about 3 with from the Feather in the AS-D2, although for some reason I can take the feather out of the AS-D2 after 3 shaves and put it in the 102 and get 2 or 3 more shaves out of it. I love squeezing pennies out of those blades, especially the pricey ones like the Feather I just switched from the 102 to the X3 this morning and I loaded it with a Rapira Swedish Steel blade - I've been wanting to try some Rapiras and just picked up a selection. It was smooth but not as smooth as the 102 with a Feather.

I might have to give the 37C a shot at some point. Thanks for the advice on shimming the Tech - I might try that at some point but as of now I just have too many razor options and I'm not sure I want to go through the trial and error process to get it right - life is too short for bad shaves