Don’t believe the hype, this razor is easy to use. Even if you have lower than average levels of common sense you will be able to get a decent shave out of this as a beginner, straight off the bat... might take a bit longer to master, but at least you won’t feel like you’re missing out! Go for the slant, straight up it’s a brilliant shaver.

I moved to this after about six months with a regular HD, wanting a closer shave, and that's precisely what I got. The slant is by no means a face-shredder, though (not for me, anyway). If your technique is well honed this razor should not present any problems. The slant produces more of a slicing or scything action with the blade, and also permits the use of a steeper cutting angle than with the regular HD or other less aggressive razors, which will reward good technique.

My only annoyance is that the standard HD blade locking mechanism of the central threaded bolt and two posts to the sides does not seem well-suited to the slant. The blade tends to shift around while the thread is being tightened and the blade can end up being inappropriately skewed as a result. Holding the sides of the blade in place can help counteract this. A correctly loaded blade should have roughly the same exposure along its horizontal length and be aligned with the head rather than the safety bar.

Overall, a very good razor; I can't imagine needing another DE between this and the regular HD - if I want a closer shave, it'll be a straight.

My razor of choice. Really took me 6 months to learn it properly. with a Swedish Gillette blade or Wilkinson Sword, (which two are pretty much the sharpest after the way-too-sharp-for-me Feather,) it's at its best. To see a three-day growth disappear under one Mark Waugh stroke is akin to miraculous.

Push this hard on your face and you will cut yourself up. Go too fast and you will look like an extra from a zombie movie. Go careful, stretch your skin, use light pressure and there is no better razor. As a 3 year user of the Merkur HD (standard straight model) I don't think I'll go back, the slant just cuts smoother. Just as you use a pocket knife at an angle to cut wood easier, a slanted razor blade cuts hair easier. Recommended with Merkur or Feather blades.

A lot of people call this an aggressive razor, but I just find it really smooth. It's also efficient. I usually do 2 passes, but this does them better and gets a bit closer. Maybe not ideal to learn DE shaving on, but not to be feared either. Well balanced and flickable, just like the regular HD.

After reading a number of reviews on the merits of the Merkur HD slant I was a little trepidacious in ordering this razor. It turns out my fears were quite unfounded.

Good lather + careful technique (no pressure and no rushing) = exceedingly smooth and trouble free shave.

This blade might not suit the beginner as you need to put a few months of work into your technique, but other than that another superior Merkur product. The heft of the razor and the quality of the workmanship speak to the quality of the razor. Highly recommended.

Slant Bar + Feather blades + a quality shave lather = the best shave money can buy.

Gives a shave similar to a str8. I prefer the gillettes over the feather blades for this razor and find it works better when these blades are fresh (i.e. new and sharp). Long strokes really work well but I am still trying to get my sideburns straight because the blade angle makes this difficult.