MERKUR 33C Double Edge Safety Razor, Three-Piece Design, Closed Comb, Short Handle, Bright Chrome Finish, Made in Germany

Ok, so after catching that Pawn Stars guy Rick Harrison hawking the Micro One Touch razor on TV, I started thinking and realizing that he had valid points about razors these days. So I popped online and started reading reviews about safety razors and started researching the different styles (say no to the Micro Touch) and settled on this one. With it I picked up the "16 FEATHER DERBY 7 O'clock ASTRA NACET BIC BLUEBIRD Blade Sampler" also offered since blade quality was a frequent topic and placed my order on a Thursday. Now, I have a difficult time with razors as my stubble will kill any razor I tried if I go over 1 days worth of growth. Since I ordered it on a Thursday I figured I would challenge this razor when I received it. I stopped shaving and received the razor Monday afternoon and waited until Tuesday morning to shave. Being the brilliant person I am, I decided to make it more of a challenge so I jumped in the hot shower, washed my face as usual and when I got out proceeded to shave using no lubricant at all and a 4 day old beard. The razor took it. I loaded the Feather razor blade turned on the water and started shaving with no cream or soap.(This NOT RECCOMENDED) Having never used a safety razor before I was tentative but the upper cheeks went well and I started the chin and neck. The razor took it, not only worked well but thrived. I ran it under the water and the stubble washed right out. My hard to hit areas are the best they ever were and I walked away with no cuts, scrapes, or razor burns. The unit is solid and I was a little leery that the 3" handle was so short but it turned out to be a non issue. The handle length turned out to be a real benefit, especially under the jaw where other razors have scraped. Clean up was a breaze, I just loosened the handle a bit and rinsed. I did remove the handle and take out the blade to verify the hair was cleaned out but needn't have.On the whole I am very pleased with the razor and consider it a great investment. Observations - Solid razor, good heft and well built - Handle unscrews easily and inserting the blade was a snap. - The alignment posts were meaty and didn't allow the blade to shift. (Was worried after reading about issues loading the butterfly style.) - Handled 4 day old growth like a champ - Super easy cleanup Can't comment on blades right now since I have used one style of blade exactly once so I have no reference as to how long they last or which is better.

Okay, internet, you really pulled the wool over my eyes on this one. All of the back and forth about "this is a BLADE you will cut yourself"--and the insistence on "two pass v. three pass"--and the hullaballoo around badger-hair brushes and voluminous foam--and the YouTube videos. Oh my god the YouTube instructional videos. THEY ARE ENDLESS. It took me a long time to get up the guts to try this baby out, cuz it just seemed like A Really Big Deal. (And also I'm a girl, can girls even USE safety razors??The internet is inconclusive.) Well, let me tell you, the internet definitely has its knickers in a twist over safety razors. Yet this razor IS A Really Big Deal, but not because of voluminous foam or badger hair brushes or whatever. 1) It just works really, really well. Great shave and it's incredibly easy. Seriously, what's with the thousands of YouTube videos? 2) The razor replacements are incredibly cheap, and so much better for the environment than that plastic crap. 3) It's easier to clean (no hair getting stuck in the blades), so that means fewer infected hair follicles (and I've been to the hospital because of infected hair follicles before, it seems to be my curse). 4) So far it seems to be gentler on my skin, so no more ingrown hairs (which I ALWAYS get). And ZERO cuts (which is fewer than I get with a brand new regular razor). If you're wondering if this is a good idea, and if the internet seems to be telling you that this thing is gonna be a crapload of work--trust your instinct, this is a good idea, and ignore the internet. I don't even think shaving with it takes THAT much longer than a regular razor. And this particular brand of safety razor is NOT difficult to assemble/disassemble (just a simple screw on/screw off). Just do it. Buy it. It's great. (Also, I just used Barbasol from a can. Ignore the badger hair brush people. IT IS IRRELEVANT. )

I have a very thick, dense beard that feels like shark skin or sand paper in a day after shaving. My wife teases me by saying I should get laser hair removal for my beard to thin out some of them, and no problem with this razor/blade. This is the first time I'm using a double edge razor and I was nervous with all sorts of warnings about nicks and cuts, but let me tell you, no problem what so ever, butter smooth shave. Before i bought this razor I did a good amount of reading on various models and as a teenager I have played around with couple of the "butterfly" top opening style models, but never shaved with them. Growing up I always heard folks praising the quality of cutlery made in Solingen, Germany, and this Merkur razor lives up to that fame. I think one of the reason why it's so good (and Germans might be onto something here) this is a screw type 3 piece design. It's not as convenient to load the blade as a butterfly top loading models, but I think the blade aligns more precisely on this model. When I was playing with couple of the top loading butterfly models, i've seen the flaps does not close uniformly, leaving one side of the blade more gap, or blade sticking out farther from the left or right, forming a slight wedge. This inconsistency of the closing mechanism on the butterfly top loading razors offsets their convenience when replacing the blades. As far as I know all Mercur brand razors are made in Solingen, Germany and all are three piece bottom loading designs where you have to remove the handle completely to replace the blade. As I said, this is less convenient but it loads the blade more consistently and aligns the blade more precisely which results in a better shave. Also, the knurled handle prevents slippage and feels comfortable in the hand. At first look, after using many Gillette (fusion and mach 3) products over many years the shorter handle on this razor looked a little strange, but it works great so no complaints about the handle. After using the razor for the first time I love it. I'm planning to update my review in a month or two and after that I will throw away 15-20 of brand new Gillette Fusion and Mach3 cartridges i still have laying around in the drawer or maybe give them to a nephew. Many people talk about saving money using these razors but aside from saving money, the multiple blade craziness has gone out of hand over the years. When it was switched from 2 to 3 blades (Mach 3) i started to question the benefits of the third blade, but the open back design of Mach 3 cartridge made it very easy to rinse, now I'm using 6 blades (5 in front +1 on the backside for fine touch ups) and the damn fusion still does not shave as good as this razor. I intend to replace the blade as frequent as my time permits (takes about 45 seconds) and it glides over my skin like butter. One final word: Don't cheap out and try to use the same blade too many times, specially in the beginning when you're still getting used to a real razor as opposed to the toy models (Gillette, etc)

I've been using this razor for nearly three months so have a reasonably good perspective of it's performance/quality to give a fair review. This is razor is smaller in size than what i used previously (Schick Hydo 5), but far weightier. By comparison, the Schick Hydro 5 felt very lighht and "nimble". It is effortlessly maneuverable and so it was very easy to get a perfectly close shave. In contrast, the Merkur Classic feels like an implement that is "all-business". After shaving with the Merkur for these last months i must say i really appreciate the "heft" and solidity of it. I do wish it were slightly longer, but that is just a small nit to note. I can get a fantastically close shave - closer than with the Hydro (using the KAI Stainless Steel Double Edge Safety Razor Blades which are superb). Also, i feel more "involved" with the shave (hard to explain, but will try). So, by "involved", i mean to say i must intentionally curve the Merkur around my face as i shave to get the optimum closeness. With the Hydro, i simple traced along where i wanted to shave and the razor curved along effortlessly while cleanly and smoothly shaving away my morning stubble. I am a Merkur Classic user for life! The reason being is the combination of Merkur's quality which is noticeable in it's heft, solidity and overall excellence with the fantastically sharp KAI razors makes for the daily "scrape" a far more pleasant activity than with the cartridge razor i used for years previously. I was not given this razor nor have any affiliation with Merkur in any way - there is no bias in my review.

I've tried every razor ever imaginable. Not really, but close. Single bade, double blade, quadruple blade. Electric with moving heads, spinning heads, multi-heads. $5 shavers and $200 shavers. Nothing worked the way I wanted. My skin hated me for the longest time. I have very thick, full facial hair and sensitive skin which is the worst combo imaginable. I actually gave up shaving for years and started trimming to a short/stubble length. Looks good, no razor burn. But then I decided well ok I should really shave my neck and cheeks to make this stubble look presentable. BUT WHAT RAZOR TO USE. My neck is the most sensitive area. Finally I decided to try safety razors and it seems that simplicity and rugged design is just the best. For once in a very long time I was able to get a clean, close shave with very little to no irritation. This thing is indestructible, looks nice, great weight to it, and with the right blades (ALWAYS FEATHER..for me anyway) it gives you a comfortable shave. Once you get used to using it of course - definitely a learning curve. But once you figure it out you can do anything with it! I actually shaved down below and it was amazing. DO NOT do this until you are trained in the ways of safety razor shaving or something very bad will probably happen haha. But for the face, I will never use anything else after learning how to use this. Bottom line - throw out all that other disposable garbage and fancy electric shavers that don't work. Save your time. Save your money. Save your face.

If you want to start shaving with a safety razor or like me try again I recommend the Merkur Classic Safety Razor. I started out with a Gilette 32 years ago in basic training. It was probably a great razor for my my dad and uncles, but I nearly cut my chin off a couple of times. I was even complemented by a sergeant for a really close shave. I guess when you cut yourself nearly to the bone, that's a close shave. That was my first experience with direct pressure and stopping bleeding. Well needless to say I switched to two blades, three blades, etc. for many years looking for that close shave. I made various attempts to go back to the safety razor and tried a straight razor twice. This looks cool in the movies, but if you're like me a novice don't try this at home. I was afraid of that cool looking razor my dad and older brother used. The Merkur has allowed me to transition back to the safety razor and enjoy the experience. I have had little or no problems. I have no serious cuts. Those cuts were from POOR technique. The best advice I can give is go SLOW. Take time. Enjoy the ride. I read a book, I recommend doing the same. It is amazing after shaving almost everyday for 32 years how much I did not know. Try different techniques, I prefer shaving last after my face has a long soak. I use shavesoap or shave cream in a tub. I now take my time, about twice the time I took before. I strated with Merkur blades. They are very good. However; I purchased a variety pack and we will see how that goes. The Merkur is a great razor provided you take your time and your face is soaked. It is a great razor and I do not plan on going back to the 12 blade gonzo deluxe model. If you had a bad experience and want to give the straight razor a go, try this razor and some blades of your choice. Read a book on shaving and give yourself triple the time what you normally allow for shaving. Then adjust accordingly. When I get really good with this razor I plan on an upgrade, but will keep this one for trips.

My Dad owned one of these years ago and I lost it during one of life's many 'moves' and as I started rebuilding my vintage safety razor collection (for both collectors reasons and my ones for my own use) I was a little hesitant to buy this based on some of the reviews both here and on other 'wet shaving' sites. Here's my opinion: Incredibly well made, balanced and hefty little razor that gives me the best shave I've every had. It is a mild razor; non-aggressive and almost identical to the Gillette Tech of old. I find it to be a bit smoother pull and more forgiving. I'd have to try to nick myself if I did it is so gentle. I have a full face and neck beard, medium-heavy and do a two-or-three way shave to get a perfect shave and that's what this razor does with out any irritation or burn at all. Remember that the blade is as important to this as the razor; but a good shave starts with a good razor and this one is the best I've ever used and am pleasantly surprised at the price. Weather your first safety razor or your 100th: Buy this razor, you won't be disappointed. Perfect finish, fitting, balance and weight. Add a feather razor blade and you'll never look back. I've been shaving since 1969 and stared with the two razors my Dad gave me; a Gillette Super-speed and a Gillette Tech. Both were great razors and lasted years, gave me great shaves. In the mid 80's I tried the new cartridge razors and honestly never liked them; neither the quality of the shave or the item. I switched back in the early 90's and have never looked back.

In my intro to wet shaving, i am one of those who loves to research and learn as much as i can to make hopefully the best decision i can. (of course along the way you learn things that help you make better decisions after your initial decisions, and realize some things you didnt know to factor in in your original decision). If you read around the internet, you will hear a lot about these 1 razors (Merkur 34c/Safety Razor vs Edwin Jagger de89). Many will claim one or the other is better for different reasons (with seemingly the Merkur being the "old school" choice and established choice while the EJ the "flashier" of the two and seemingly the "newcomer". I originally chose the ej de89 b/c of how "smooth" and forgiving everybody said it was, while yet giving an exceptional smooth shave *(thus satisfying for both the beginner and pro). It definitely delievered. But unfortunately my iKon Bulldog handle for it (to add some weight and grip) one day broke the securing screw on my EJ DE89. I was devastated. However that gave me a chance to then try the Merkur 34c (albeit I ordered the classic safety razor (3-piece instead of 2-piece razor) so I could use my iKon Bulldog handle to basically "frankenrazor" it to be just like a 34c. I had foudn some obscure personal review where a similar shaver like me (thick coarse hair, sensitive skin) claimed the Merkur provided a "closer shave" due to it being slightly more aggressive than the EJ. So that is the backstory and setup for this review, In a nutshell, if you are deciding between the Merkur 34c/33c or similar vs the EJ de89 series as a starter.. the Merkur is definitely sturdier, better grip, and a moderately more aggressive shave. That has been IMMEDIATELY clear in my results after only a 2-3 shaves with the Merkur after a month with the EJ. For me, however, the "moderately aggressive' shave meant more irritation.. MUCH MORE and not nearly as close of a shave. (My girlfriend absolutely complies with me on how the extreme difference in closeness/smoothness to the tough post-shave). This is also in testing the top top blades Ive come down to in myh testing as well - the Astras and the Feathers. The clear hands-down winner for me is the EJ de89 series. So much smoother, and forgiving, and the shave is much closer to boot - MUCH. I believe it is because the EJ's head design somehow hits the sweet spot on how to hold razors (be it angles, flexing, something) that it just cuts a lot cleaner and with far less irritation. With the EJ i was having a lot of difficulties narrowing down my blade of choice between Astra and Feathers (although Wilkinson and Personna also performed very well and provided very close shaves). Now I know why. For some reason it just makes many razors perform SUPERBLY that you could pick a few (mild or super sharp) blades and still get that great same smooth shave. With the Merkur unfortunately, its been nothing but trouble and worse irritatin than i ever got with an EJ even in my first week. Even with an industry recognized "mild" razor such as Astra. And this is after over a month of technique development and practice!! Anybody in wet shaving will tell you personal results will vary so the thing people should take away from this review is this (which you won't hear anywhere except in one review at a forum i "stumbled upon" that convinced me to try the Merkur to get a closer shave.... The Merkur 34c/safety razor is more aggressive than the EJ de89 series. It does have the ability therefore to get a closer shave for you.... but it is definitely more noticeably harsher on your skin in the process even with a mild blade loaded. If your skin is pretty tough and you want closeness, choose the Merkur between these two. If your skin is sensitive or your #1 priority is comfort and avoiding skin irritation - get the EJ de89 series and know that even using Feather blades will feel comfortable in an EJ de89 razor. Enjoy.