dumb newbie questions

[average gimp]

Have been lurking here awhile and got myself a Feather lightweight and a blade sampler to try when I run out of cartridges. I have a couple of questions, though:

1) While checking out sites and buying what I did, I noticed Merkur slant bar razors, which were said to be "not for beginners or the faint of heart." The user reviews said these were great for those with heavy beards and sensitive skin, which I have, too. What's the deal with these?

2) All the discussion of adjustables made me remember a guy my mom used to date years ago because he once showed me his adjustable DE. I get that the adjustable is to set the blade angle, but he said he used it to get more use out of a blade, I guess by making it more aggressive as the blade got worn. Is this a valid use of an adjustable?

Thanks.

 

[TyMathews]

The slant bar has much more blade exposure that the normal merkur HD. They start normal, but open up a lot. Lots of guys use them and lots of guys like them, but in my opinion they aren't for the beginner. If you want more info check out a site like www.shavemyface.com. You can find loads of info on slants there.

The adjustables don't change the blade angle. They increase the gap between the blade and the bar of the razor. The more exposure, the closer it shaves, but it also increases your chance for nicks and irritation.

Hope the helps some.

-Tye

 

[average gimp]

Thanks, Tye--looks like my take on things was even dumber than I thought. I'll check out the other forum and see what's what.