Merkur Mk34c Double Edge Razor with Heavy Duty Short Handle

I want to first start off by saying that I think the folks who are writing reviews about this style of razors having a "learning curve" to learn how to use must be either crazy- or this is just the perfect razor. I am a 39 year old man- and before this razor I had never shaved with a old style double edge safety razor. From reading the reviews (on a lot of razors) I was really worried that I was going to nick up my face and bleed. Out of the box this was a true pleasure to shave with-- the shave is hands down the best shave I've ever had. Even my wife commented and I hadn't told her I had tried a new razor. From reading dozens of reviews I found this model kept coming up in reviews as a good choice so I took the plunge- and man am I happy I did. I also bought a high quality shaving soap and lather brush- and a stand to hold everything. Reminds me of a time from long ago. I almost didn't shave the first time as I was so worried that I was going to Nick myself and walk around looking like a 14 year old kid with band aids- but that didn't happen-- I followed all the good advice from other reviews and went at it. Here's a short list of what worked for me. A: Buy quality- I almost bought the $19.99 as seen on TV razor from the history Channels "Pawn Stars" reality show ( I love that show-) but after reading the reviews it was obvious that for slightly more money- just a little bit more I could do better. So go with quality- and get a HEAVY razor that is of heirloom quality. B: Really wet your face with HOT water prior to shaving C: Buy a really good shaving/lather brush with real animal hair- get it very wet and hot before shaving D: Buy a high quality shaving soap- and use hot hot water and your brush to really get a great lather. ( I just went with the #1 seller on Amazon and was very happy-- it's smoothness and scent was an instant hit and I knew all was good) E: Let the weight of the razor do all the work- don't pull the razor- just line it up, give a quick angle to have the blade make contact and let the weight of the razor do the work For the love of god please, don't ever shave against the grain of your face-- DUH! F: Use a good after shave/conditioner Overall all I have sensitive skin and coarse facial hair (think 2pm shadow). My first shave through I had zero issues. No burn, no nicks, no redness and no blood-- just a great shave. And for those who say it now takes them longer to shave I say NAY! My first time it took no more than 90 seconds longer than normal and that included opening the boxes putting in the razor blade ( which was brainless by the way just in case you're worried about it like I was) unwrapping the soap and the brush etc. This has become the way I will shave forever-- hell maybe in 100 years a grandchild of mine will have that razor in their bathroom and use it everyday- the quality is top notch. It's an heirloom and you don't even have to be close to a rocket scientist to use it. Don't let all the reviews of nicks and rash scare you- I'm convinced those reviews are from guys out there who may be a little clueless on most matters of hygiene. End note- I did a lot of research on which razor blades to buy- this razor only comes with one. I have chosen Astra blades after reading through many reviews and they work excellent for me. I did read some reviews that say you have to shave twice with this type of razor- I have not found that to be true- it seems that I get a great shave with just one pass- although I have tried a second pass from time to time but mostly because its just fun to shave with this razor and the brush and lather is so awesome. I do not see any really noticeable difference between one shave and two pass shaving- but that could be just me. If you are thinking of going to this type of shave- buy this razor and enjoy- Since I started shaving I've always used the cheap 8 pack generic throw away brands from rite aide--- never again. This razor is truly shaving the way it should be. I only wish I had figured that out 20+ years ago. Disclaimer: I am not an expert in shaving by any stretch. Shaving is obviously inherently dangerous- be careful shaving. Just because it worked for me out of the box doesn't mean it will for you. GO SLOW let the weight of the razor do the work. Don't cut your face up. If you think you can't handle it don't do it. It worked for me but that's no guarantee it will work for you- so don't go and get all pissy if you cut yourself- everyone's face is different. Read the reviews. Get a game plan-- watch some you tube videos. Buy good equipment and enjoy the shave safely. Read more

I switched from a cheap short-handle razor to this Merkur. There is a learning curve with the Merkur Mk34c, as my first shaves weren't as close as before. However, once I got used to it, this razor is simply amazing and outperforms any I have used in my many years on Planet Earth. Blade changes are much simpler than a butterfly-open mechanism. The design of the head facilitates rinsing and does retain hair like my other razors. It is heavier than any short-handled razor I have experienced, and this weight helps maintain a constant blade contact with my face. It gives a close, consistent shave, and is much less prone to cuts and nicks like other razors. Great build quality, great performance. Totally satisfied, highly recommend. Read more

Had the best shave of my life today! I had decided to try a different razor after using the Mach 3 for a decade and a halfish. I tried the dollar shave club 4 bladed razor and hated it. It tore up my face and had a really weird angle on the handle. Today I received in the mail the King of shaves hyperglide razor and the MERKUR 34c. (I am still waiting on my Harrys razor to show up per a recommendation). I tried the hyperglide on one side of my face and the MERKUR on the other side. The hyperglide was excellent! It was a very smooth shave with fewer passes than the Mach 3. The blades have a patented super hydrophilic coating that create a microscopic barrier between the blade and your skin. It was very smooth. I did nic myself once though. I think due to the odd angle of the handle. It bends away from the face rather than towards the face which is different from any other razor I have ever used. Hair did get stuck between the blades but a quick rinse and the whiskers came out nice and easy. I truly enjoyed the the shave. On the other side of my face I used the MERKUR 34c with feather blades. This razor is a double edge safety razor rather than today's standard cartridge style razors. This thing was amazballs! Any double edge blade will fit this razor. I bought a blade sampler package of different manufacturers but tried feather first. This thing was crazy smooth and had no irritation. The short handle is great for how I like to shave. The handle has a nice heft. Other safety razors have various length handles but the short handle was a personal preference for me. The control of the single blade was so much better especially for edge work on the side burns and goatee over the multi blade cartridge razors. I can't say this enough.... Best shave ever! Costs Mach 3 approx $10 for handle $3 per blade Kings shave hyperglide $10 for handle and $4 per blade Dollar shave club first handle free And $1.50 per blade but you have to sign up for monthly mailings. Canceling the subscription was not as easy as it should have been and you have to sign up for the subscription just to try it out. After I canceled they did offer me my money back. The hassle of canceling + the offer for my money back are a bit of a wash in my book. The MERKUR 34c was $30 for the handle and blades are $0.10 each. I also sprung for a 100% Badger hair shaving brush $15 and chrome stand $15 and some shave soap. The old school safety razor is fantastic! It's a bit more up front cost but ongoing replacement blades are far cheaper. On quality of shave alone the old school safety razor is far superior to all the cartridge razors ( and disposables) I have ever tried. Though the Mach 3 and the kings shave hyperglide do produce nice shaves. The old school safety razor produces a smoother better shave and has lower long term costs. (break even point including shave brush and stand is somewhere around a year depending how may blades you go through) The MERKUR with the stand and brush are also classy as hell! For traveling I think I will either go with the King of shaves hyperglide or the Harrys razor (pending trial). But for home I'm going with the Merkur 34c all the way! Read more

I upgraded to this razor from a cheap introductory razor I was using just to try out DE razors. That one left me battling knicks and outright cuts on a daily basis. I have used this Merkur for a few weeks now and have had almost no knicks and zero cuts. I was going to knock it for not delivering as close of a shave, but it's doing what I wanted in terms of being less aggressive and leaving no irritation. I was using a less sharp blade brand due to the other DE razor being too aggressive so I tried a different razor blade brand and found that to deliver a closer shave with the Merkur. Delivers two days of stubble free appearance per shave. So I'm happy with the blend of shave closeness without cuts. I don't love changing the blade on this vs. the ease of the butterfly mechanics, but I feel this is more secure and will last a long time. I'd like to give this razor a 4.5 vs. a 4 with slight dings for closeness of shave and the time to change blades, but can't go 5. I feel it's a solid product and glad I bought it. I won't look for another one anytime soon. Read more