I thought it would be handy to summarize in one linkable post some pointers for first-time Fine slant users (either first time with the Fine slant or first time with any slant).
a. Do some blade exploration with any new razor: a brand of blade that’s best in one razor may not be best (or even good) in another. Try 3-4 different brands, then stick with the best of those for a month or two to work out your technique without the distraction of varying the blade. A razor can go from harsh to smooth with just changing the brand of blade—and NO brand works well for everyone. A brand that’s great for one may be terrible for another: that’s why there are blade sampler packs.
b. Find the optimal angle. Move the handle of the razor father from your face (toward perpendicular to the skin being shaved) until you hear/feel the cutting stop; then move it closer until the cutting sound/feel just resumes. Right around there is the optimal angle. Experiment judiciously. I found it easier to find/remember the angle if I focused on making sure the cap was touching my skin. (Forget about the guard—it’s there if needed—and focus instead on the cap.) I found that this slant has the best angle with the handle a little farther from my face than I expected, but the focus on the cap makes the angle easy to maintain.
c. As with any slant, use extremely light pressure, barely enough to keep the razor in contact with your skin. Use the same pressure you’d use if you had a sunburn and the razor were an uncomfortably warm metal rod: still touch the skin, but barely. Slants cut easily, and that virtue can turn against you if you press the razor against your skin.
Filed under: Shaving
