Reviews of:

by Zaine Ridling
11/22/2011

Everything I ever heard about slant razors came true with this razor. I get a comfortable, extremely close shave that, because of the angle (slant) of the blade, slices through your beard more efficiently than a straight cut razor (compare a guillotine to a butcher knife -- the slight angle just slides through the beard). It's heavy and definitely makes a great second razor, and as I've read a thousand times, you have to try it, you just have to try it to see what everyone is saying.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Urlte
11/08/2011

I love shaving with my Sledgehammer, it is one of my most enjoyable shaves out of my DE collection. It has a nice grip to it and for an aggressive razor, it feels great on the face. I like my razors with some heft and the Sledgehammer delivers. The weight of it makes it so the I do not have to put any pressure on it at all, so I just relax and let the razor do all the work.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Benjamin Robinson
07/21/2011

This has to be the best razor in history. I was a little skeptical as to how different it could be from other razors that I had tried, but I requested it as a birthday present nonetheless. It is a vicious-looking beast, described by a review that I read as looking "like the front end of Lucifer's pickup truck" which - while dramatic - is rather apt. When shaving with this, there is a very different sound than the "popping" which I have gotten with straight-on Weishi and Merkur DE units. Still seems like you can hear every hair cutting, but the sound has changed. Because it is so sharp, slanted, and has so much blade exposed, it is very easy to carve your face like so much clay - I did take a shallow but sizable swathe from my chin on the first shave, but otherwise there were remarkably fewer nicks than on some occasions. The lesson here is that you genuinely must use the lightest touch you can imagine - the weight of this beefy razor will do the shaving for you, and it will do the best job you can even imagine. Respect it, but do not fear it - this is one incredible double-edge razor.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Michael Boone
07/17/2011

Just had my first shave with the Sledgehammer Slant. Because I'd read so much scary stuff about how dangerous the razor is, I used a cheap drugstore blade. Two days of stubble, and I got one of the best shaves ever. BBS, not a nick or a scratch. LOVE this razor, and next time I'm using a Feather blade.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Wyatt
07/30/2010

I have tried several DE razors looking for the perfect shave. The closest I had come to a BBS shave was with a vintage Gillette Red Tip, even the old adjustable's did not quite cut it. (no pun intended) The Merkur Slant Sledgehammer has a perfect balance and weight to do the job while not feeling like an aggressive razor, delivering a BBS shave every time. The closest thing to a straight razor shave I have in my razor rotation. Nice looking piece of machinery as well!

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Tom
07/23/2010

I feel the 39C Slant Sledgehammer is a treasure (the name made me hesitate briefly when thinking about ordering it, wondering why a razor would be compared to a sledgehammer until I figured the point was simply its weight). I am astonished how much I like this razor. I feel it allows more of the control - for example allowing a close shave right up to the edge of my beard - that previously only a straight razor seemed to offer but the 39C provides the significant convenience and safety of a safety razor (less precision of technique seems required for a good shave than with a straight razor and besides its being easier to shave without cuts, in the event of cutting significant protection is offered by the safety razor design against its going too deep). I have used safety razors before, Mach 3 type multiple bladed steel and plastic devices, and even, for a while, a straight razor (though I did not shave my head in those days and shaved less frequently and less of my face as I had a larger beard then - I now shave more frequently and larger areas of my face as well as my head... ). I would not venture to regularly shave as much of my face as I do now and certainly not my head with a straight razor, given my memories of the result of impatience on two occasions when I was using the straight razor. While other razors I remember using in the past may have been a little more forgiving of carelessness and inattention than the 39C, the difference does not seem to me very great. They still could 'bite' and the 39C I feel, more than any other razor I have ever used [including, given my level of skill, even the straight razor], can give a wonderfully close, precisely controlled, smooth comfortable shave.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Maxime Dessureault
06/24/2010

This is an excellent razor! Provides a very close shave and looks and feels great. As good as it gets!

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Dan Beauchesne
05/01/2010

I first purchased a Merkur 23c off of this site and was pleased with it. It was my introductory DE razor and it was non-aggressive, easy to clean, and a good value. After a few months, I found that I needed something a bit more aggressive. After scouring the internet for weeks for reviews and comments, the 39c sounded like the next logical step. Changing the blade must be done with care as it doesn't always click in parallel to the edge of the razor. It's heavy, but with a good blade (Astra SP's are my choice), it gives an unbelievably close and smooth shave. Initially I did get a few more nicks than I was use to, but after a few shaves irritation free is easy. Highly recommended.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]