Best Slant Razor
One of the more unique types of safety razor is the slant bar razor. As the name suggests, the blade on a slant bar razor is mounted on a slant.
This might not sound like much, but the difference in how it affects your shave, how close the end result is to your skin, and how aggressive the shave is, are surprising.
Because of this, slant bar razors are a favorite of anyone who has particularly coarse beard hair, as well as men who regularly struggle with sensitive skin, razor burn, and other skin issues, all of which a slant razor can help with.
But are slant razors right for you, and which one should you choose?
The Best Slant Razors
Merkur 37C and Merkur 39C
Probably the best known slant razors on the market, from one of the most well known safety razor companies, the 37C and 39C are similar enough that we can comfortably review them both, and point out the key differences here.
Both razors are built around a heavy, newly designed 2 piece head with a big slant and a 30 degree cutting angle. The handling is aggressive, balanced out by the weight of the head requiring almost no work on your part.
Where the razors differ is the handles. The 37C is smaller, with a 3 inch handle that weighs a little under 3 ounces. The 39C on the other hand has an extra long 4 inch handle that adds another ounce onto the razor’s weight. Which to choose is mostly down to personal preference, but if we were learning for the first time again, the increased weight and control of the 39Cs longer handle would appeal.
However, it’s worth pointing out that the two piece design stops you from changing handles, so consider your choice first. Apart from this tiny issue, however, construction and finish is fantastic across the board, as you’d expect from a product still made in Solingen, Germany.
Finally, it’s important to point out that slant razors like this are still fully compatible with all double edge blades, so if you have a preference, for example Feather blades, it should fit without issue.
With their aggressive sweep and heavy head, Merkur’s slant razors aren’t for everybody. But if you know your way around your razor and you’re looking for something that’s going to give a close, even, easy shave, the 37 and 39C are both impressive pieces of kit that have earned their reputation.
Parker Semi-Slant Safety Razor
As odd as it seems, one of the best slant razors on our list isn’t strictly a slant razor.
Instead, the Parker Semi-Slant balances out the advantages of a slant with a milder, less aggressive shave, by mounting the blade at a shallower angle that’s much more comfortable and manageable for a lot of men.
Because of this, the Parker Semi-Slant is the perfect first choice for anyone who’s not used to slants, or to safety razors in general. With medium aggression, the Semi-Slant is much easier to use than standard slants like the Merkur, but is still great for coarser beards and thick hair.
The design is similar to other Parker razors, with a medium length blackened chrome handle that’s reasonably light, at just under 3 ounces. Handling is comfortable and easy, with enough weight that the blade will do most of the work.
The head is a standard Parker 3 piece, coming apart easily for cleaning, blade replacement, and if you decide you need to change the handle. Also included in the pack is a set of 3 Parker Premium double edged blades.
While it might not be a traditional slant, the Parker Semi-Slant is honestly where we see the trends taking us in the next few years. Aggressive enough for you to reap the benefits, but simple enough to use out of the box, as long as you have a little wet shaving experience. It really is the best of both worlds.
iKon Shavecraft X3
Big, beefy, but with surprising handling and a reasonably mild shave, the iKon Shavecraft X3 really doesn’t perform like most slants, which might be a big draw for a lot of people, and it’s a definite reason for consideration.
The original iKon design is centered around a short but thick bulldog style handle. At just over 3 inches long, you’re looking at less hand space, but heavy knurling keeps grip high. The head is professionally engineered aluminum, which sounds like it should keep weight down, but despite the small size, the whole kit is a hefty 4oz.
All of this contributes to a razor that’s easy to hold and handles really well, with good balance and weight that does almost all of the work for you.
The starter pack comes with with double edged blades, ready to go. And if you already have a favorite handle, you can buy the heads separately, directly from iKon.
GBS Heavy Duty DE Slant Razor
The best budget slant we could find, this razor from GBS offers surprising performance from something that costs barely more than a couple of coffees, and is an affordable entry to slant shaving for a lot of people.
Built around a three piece head with a large and sturdy bar guard, the whole assembly is surprisingly heavy, at a solid 5oz. Despite the low cost, everything feels good, with a robust and well fitting assembly, and a chrome plated zinc head.
The head fits all standard razor brands, and it’s a three piece, letting you switch handles if that’s something you’re looking for.
The kit also comes with a real leather carrying case, which is a nice touch, though pointedly, no blades, so make sure to pick some up if you’re purchasing this. It also comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you don’t like it, even at this budget price, there’s literally zero risk.
All of this comes together to make a slant that has a surprising amount on offer, especially for the price. The Merkur and Parker slants are obviously still better, as you’d expect, but there’s a lot to like here, and it’s not going to disappoint.
RazoRock German 37 Slant
RazoRock are an Italian brand, but if you’re paying attention, the conspicuous 37 and German in the name of this might have started your mind ticking.
To answer the question, yes, this is a branded slant based around Merkur’s popular 37C design. That’s no bad thing. After all, the 37C is sitting pretty as our top pick, for good reason. And this slant by RazoRock actually does enough to differ itself that it’s a very different razor out of the box.
Firstly, the razor is built around a 3.75 inch bulldog handle that’s a little beefier than the Merkur, and a chromed zinc head that weighs around 3.6oz. Handling is good, especially with the long handle, but be aware that this is a very aggressive shave that comes in close, so start very slow the first couple of times you use this, until you find your rhythm.
As with most slants, this can take any DE blade, and comes with a pack of 5. Blade changing is easy, and this is a little easier to center than a lot of brands, because of the big head and serious torque.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out the price. Despite being a very similar razor, this is half the price of the Merkur, for similar performance. If you’re experienced at wet shaving and can handle a very aggressive shave, this razor is a beast. If not and you’re looking for something a little more mild, you might want to reconsider our top choices.
Your Guide to Buying a Slant Razor
Aggressiveness
The aggressiveness of a razor is how closely it cuts, and how much force it requires. A more aggressive razor will require fewer passes for a clean shave, but is also more likely to cut you if misused.
Slant razors are aggressive by design, so need slow and careful usage the first few times you lather up.
Length and weight
A lot of how a razor feels in the hand comes down to how heavy it is, how long the handle is, and the end result of the balance.
Handles can vary in length between 3 to around 5 inches, with a 3.75 inch handle being seen as standard. Weights for slant razors run anywhere from a light 2oz, up to 5oz and beyond.
In general, when considering a slant razor, you want to lean towards a heavier body, as the increased weight will allow you to let the razor do most of the work. This should be balanced by how comfortable you are holding a heavier razor against your face, but for most razors this won’t be an issue.
Also, for men with particularly large or long hands, a standard sized handle probably won’t be sufficient. If your hands are on the larger side, consider razors with a handle length of 4 inches and over.
2 or 3 piece heads
As you might imagine, 2 piece and 3 piece heads differ in how many parts it can be deconstructed into.
2 piece heads tend to be simpler and cheaper, with a base plate that’s permanently attached to the handle, and a removable head plate for cleaning and blade changing.
3 piece heads on the other hand are more complicated, and so generally more expensive, but are a lot simpler to clean, and can normally be removed completely from their handle, and even swapped to entirely new handles.
A 3 piece handle is preferable in all cases, but the increased cost can obviously be a factor, so don’t let a 2 piece dissuade you from buying a slant. After all, our top picks, the Merkur 37 and 39C, both have a simpler 2 piece head design.
FAQs
Why choose a slant razor over the other types of safety razor?
There’s one thing that makes a slant razor different to a standard safety razor. As the name suggests the blade is mounted onto the head of the razor at an angle.
While this might sound minor, the effect it has is huge. This is because it does two unique things, all of which add up to seriously affect cutting ability and the handling of the razor.
First off, a slant mounted blade has a wider blade area, which means that it’s naturally going to require a lot less force to cut through your hair. Think of a guillotine, or using a large knife in the kitchen. Putting the blade at an angle causes it to slice cleanly through, rather than having to be forced.
Second, because your hairs aren’t meeting the blade square on, they’re going to slide along it as the razor moves, helping to drive them into the blade and cut them more cleanly with much less force.
Both of these features add up to make a slant razor an incredibly efficient shaving tool, great for stubble, and fantastic for people with thicker, coarser hair.
Slants also tend to be very easy to shave with needing almost no force, and the fact that they shave so closely and so clean means that they also cut down on skin issues like razor bumps and razor burn, so slant razors are a good choice for people who suffer from sensitive skin or skin issues due to shaving.
However, the things that make a slant razor such an impressive shaving tool also make it slightly harder to use than standard safety razors. Slant razors tend to be a very aggressive shave.
Because they cut so cleanly, with almost no force, a slant razor can take a little getting used to. Expect nicks and cuts the first few times you use it, an be sure to take it slower than you normally would, as the chance of cutting yourself is quite high.
What is a semi-slant razor?
Our list contains one semi-slant razor, the Parker semi-slant. Combining the advantages of a slant without the aggressiveness and dramatic blade exposure you’d expect to see, the Parker semi-slant is a fantastic entry product to slant razors.
While you won’t get as close a shave, the results of the Parker semi-slant are still impressive, and the razor is far more comfortable and less likely to cut.
Honestly, we expect to see more semi-slant razor products in the next few years, and as more products hit the market we’ll be sure to add them to our guides.
Are slant razors more or less aggressive than safety razors?
As we’ve already mentioned, slant bar razors are very aggressive compared to normal safety razors, and even open comb razors.
Once you’ve got used to your slant, you’re going to be no more likely to injure yourself than you are with any other type of razor. Just make sure to take it slowly the first few times you shave with your new toy.
