I bought this as a replacement to one I lost at the gym, and had bought seven or eight years ago. The quality has declined significantly. It feels much lighter in the hand, and the unscrewing mechanism has some wiggle that wasn't there before. Additionally, the knurling is much shallower, which wouldn't be a problem, but its almost flush with the rest of the handle resulting in easy slippage.This isn't the same product that previously received great acclaim. This is a cheaper version to which they assigned the same model number. Read more

I started shaving with a double edge razor about a year ago. My first razor was the Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl. I chose it over this razor mainly because of the reviews about the finish. I then purchased a Pearl SSH-01 closed comb trying to get a slightly more aggressive razor, which it is. I then moved to a Fatip Grande open comb which is OK, but didn't live up to the reviews that I had read. Along the way, I've tried a few others and multiple blades trying to find that perfect combo. I don't know why, but I just didn't want to believe all of the glowing reviews on this razor.I finally, ordered one. When I opened the package, I saw modest packaging and a razor that just looked OK. A bit short, a bit heavy, and a finish that just looked fine, but didn't compare to my Edwin Jagger. I loaded a Feather blade, lathered up with my Katie's Bubbles, and proceeded to see if this razor would live up to being selected by many as their favorite razor.OK... I get it. This razor apparently is the perfect combination of blade angle, blade alignment, weight, and finish. It glides over my face like no other. It does not feel aggressive at all, but the shave is remarkably close. I generally perform three passes, but with this razor and a feather, two passes and a little clean up and I'm good to go.I'm very, very impressed with this razor. It is what everyone says... a great double edge razor. Read more

The media could not be loaded.  Why didn't anyone ever tell me that everything commercials told us about shaving is a lie?This was my first attempt at a shaving with something other than a cartridge razor and my eyes are now open.I won't give any specific names, but my last razors have always been one of the higher end supermarket shavers.My facial hair grows in at a very hard angle, so getting a close shave has always been a challenge. This provides a much closer shave with less irritation and no need to go against the grain. With any cartridge I would always need go against the grain to get the shave close and smooth.I had no trouble navigating the corners of my face without nicking anything. The head is larger than any cartridge, so I was worried about that size making it harder to navigate tight spaces with, but it's never been a problem. It's hard to see in the pictures, but good quality safety razors keep the blade bent at an angle, giving you a lot of flexibility with angles. I can get the hair directly under my nose with no problem.Why did no one ever tell me that I could get a vastly better shave for far less money? Why is this stuff a secret??As of now (May 2020) it comes with one Merkur platinum blade. It's a great blade, but you should definitely get more. If you're new to this, get a variety pack. There are a bunch on Amazon. Every blade is different and it will be a bit of trial and error to find the one that works best for you. Different blades from different makers last different amounts of time, but in general you should change them every week. With a $6-8 razor cartridge this can be a real burden, but you can get good safety razor blades for 10-25 cents each. It's basically nothing.Remember to get a blade disposal box. This does not come with one. They are cheap and protect garbage people from having to deal with loose razors.In summary, for the really modest expense of this razor it will free you from the expense and inconvenience of cartridges. Within a couple of months you will have already saved that entire investment.Because a safety razor is not a disposable thing, it's going to make a lot more sense to get something good. As with virtually anything, there is a HUGE difference between the bottom end and the middle ground products, and only a small difference with the high end stuff. Merkur does a great job finding that balance of how much it is actually worth spending without paying for anything you don't need. The difference in quality is instantly apparent when you hold this.Quality like this is rare today. In the age of cheap mass production, the few products that show any pride in their making disserve praise. This is absolutely one of those rare products. I highly recommend it. Buy with complete confidence. Read more

I was tired of Gillette blades ripping my skin open like a Kodiak bear on cocaine. So I went online and researched and researched and researched more than NASA researches black holes. After a while I stumbled on this, seemingly inconspicuous, little thing. The overwhelming positive reviews got the better of me and my tired self, after days of research, exhaustion and even nightmares about razors, so I decided to just buy it. Not only is the steel firm and the razor perfect to hold, but together with the blade by Merkur this was THE perfect DIY experience. It was like being shaven by a barber, if the barber was a Samurai using a sword that was forged by Hephaestus himself. My usually irritable skin was super smooth! Can't recommend this enough.Also, I used to use a classic razorblade but this is now my new favorite for quick, surgical-precision shaving and smooth skin. Read more

Ho provato quasi di tutto, Edwin Jagger, Fatip classic e gentile, merkur slant, Muhle R41, e se dovessi mettere in una classifica questo merkur 34c, occuperebbe il primo posto!Perché? Secondo me il rasoio ideale deve essere il giusto compromesso tra aggressività ed efficacia.Il Muhle R41 è indubbiamente il più efficace ma in termini di gentilezza non è il massimo.Edwin Jagger molto dolce ma poco efficace.Fatip un po' troppo aggressivo.Questo 34c invece è molto efficace e al tempo stesso dolce e scorrevole.Secondo me è merito dell'angolo che dà alla lama e alla forma della sua testina che riesce a farti trovare facilmente il giusto angolo di rasatura.L'ho provato per ora con la Gillette 7 'o clock super stainless (verde), lama con un ottimo equilibrio tra affilatura e dolcezza, e pur avendo fatto tre passate (1 pelo e due pelo traverso), non ho per niente sentito l'alcool del dopobarba, cosa che mi succede solo quando faccio un'unica passata nel verso del pelo con gli altri rasoi.Il peso, per la sua altezza, si fa sentire, il manico non ha un grip perfetto ma più che soddisfacente, inoltre la lunghezza è perfetta per la mia mano piccola.Consiglio vivamente di provarlo perché è un rasoio assolutamente equilibrato, che può regalare barbe dolci e al tempo stesso efficaci, e farvi sbizzarrire testandolo con tante lamette...Aggiornamento dopo un mesetto di utilizzo:Non posso che continuare a parlar bene di questo rasoio. Ho anche trovato la sua lama ideale, almeno per il mio viso: Feather.Infatti un rasoio gentile, secondo me, non dà il meglio di se con lame troppo dolci e permissive. Anzi, più è permissiva la lama, tanto più dovrete ripassare tante volte sui punti dove vi sembra sia stato poco efficace, col risultato che la pelle si irrita.Se provate ad accoppiare a questo rasoio un'implacabile Feather, avrete una rasatura dolce grazie al rasoio, ma anche efficace grazie all'affilatura. Il contropelo poi è fantastico, perché questa lama non si impunta mai e a mio avviso questo è un rasoio che le rende giustizia senza renderla troppo aggressiva.Provatelo a occhi chiusi (ma non troppo...)! Read more

I bought this razor 7 years ago as my first DE and it’s been very good. Nicely weighted and easy to use. I wouldn’t go back to cartridge razors.This one is close without being too aggressive.Over the years some of the chrome has become a bit chipped and this has been exacerbated when I give it an occasional deep clean in the dishwasher so it has corroded a bit. I’m replacing it now with a stainless steel Muhle razor but this one has been a good purchase. Read more

I started looking at an alternative way of shaving other than using Mach 3 / Fusion and after a little bit of research on the web it seemed that this was one of the 'classic' razors that had the most consistent reviews. It feels like a bit of a gamble because you wonder prior to buying this and the other accessories whether it is going to be something that doesn't make a difference or worse you end up cutting yourself.The truth is that you will likely get a couple of nicks in the beginning, but you can probably minimise this by watching a couple of videos on YouTube. I would go with all of the other reviewers on here and say that this is a very well built and engineered razor. Although it looks small at first, you soon realise that it's perfectly weighted and just the right size to give you a good shave.I get mid to heavy growth and have to shave every morning (other than weekends!), and like many of the other reviewers here I can genuinely say that it becomes a pleasure to shave using this razor, and I have had it now for about 4 months. I have used 3 razors in that time and still have plenty of shaving cream left.It is a good idea to get the other accessories: a decent brush (vulvix 660 badger), shaving cream (Taylors of old Bond Sandalwood) and additional razors (feathers for me) as this really does add to the experience.Since getting this razor I have had no regrets in buying it whatsoever. In fact I have been actively telling people I know how good it is, and how good DE shaving is in general. Read more

This is the third DE Razor I have bought recently. I have also purchased the Muhle 89 and the Edwin Jagger 89 and these last two have the same heads on them. I suffered with acne in my late teens and so have some facial scarring so it was important to me to get a Razor that wasn't too harsh.The Merkur Razor with Merkur blades I have found to give the best shave with the least irritation. I have tried the Jagger Razor and the Muhle with Feather, Wilkinson and Merkur blades and though none are as sharp as the Feathers, the Merkur blades shave very well but are more gentle.The weight and balance of the Merkur is good for me and I don't find the shorter handle length a problem. All these Razors are superb but for my type of skin the Merkur Razor and blades are the best combination and I find Taylors shaving cream excellent, especially the Lemon & Lime. I just thought this might be useful to shavers with the same kind of skin problems I used to have and have minor scarring.Dave Sheppard. Read more