Merkur MK-911. I shave around my beard every few days, in the shower. One blade lasts me 6 months or more.Originally Posted by Sasage
Merkur MK-911. I shave around my beard every few days, in the shower. One blade lasts me 6 months or more.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Feather gang here as well.
Shameful to say, but I use them with a cheap butterfly DE razor I got at the local Meijer and both razor and blade have served me very well over the past 5 or so years.
I really ought to get a Merkur or a Henson
You guys would think Hipster Rob would have gotten into this a long time ago. But the reality is...I've used cartridge razors my whole life and barely used any of those, mostly having some variation of a full beard for my whole adult life. Mainly that is because I have always hated shaving. I have very sensitive skin and cartridge razors tear me up.
However, over the last year there has been a significant increase in the white/gray in my full beard. Not yet turned 40, I'm unwilling to dye my beard or walk around looking 10-years older. The goatee is much more easily trimmed to keep the few white/gray hairs at bay/hidden and a touch of gray is fine in my mid-30s.
Anyways, I was tired of hacking away with a shit cartridge razor and Instagram marketing has me pretty well pegged in suggesting wet shaving. So, I went to Fendrihan, ordered a PVD-coated Merkur 43C, a sampler of blades, a badger brush, shave cream, bowl, etc. And now, I shave every other day with my safety razor, while listening to podcast episodes of old Dragnet radio shows.
And fuck me...but I enjoy it. In the evenings I go in to the bathroom, close the door, turn the hot water on and get everything out and prepped. After the shave, the aftershave (Barberry Coast Bay Rum) and a bit of beard oil. Clean the razor and everything else, it's this thirty or so minutes of just careful, deliberate, effort.
Feather blades and a closed comb give me an excellent close, but non-irritating shave.
http://instagram.com/p/CyZKDlkPbEH/
I'm a lifelong cartridge and disposable guy, although, 3 blades max.
I added a Merkur 34C to my Christmas list.
My wife knows to look here for who to blame if I accidentally kill myself shaving.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776
You should note that the Merkur 34C is a zamak razor that is plated. Its decent razor for sure but if you are interested, for just a few dollars more there are the Henson Razors and the Razorock series of razors from italianbarber.com. Henson is machined from aluminum and Razorock is machined from 316L steel. Both are generally more popular these days than the 34c. This is from a build quality perspective as you never know what will work with your face.I'm a lifelong cartridge and disposable guy, although, 3 blades max.
I added a Merkur 34C to my Christmas list.
My wife knows to look here for who to blame if I accidentally kill myself shaving.
Merkur razor? Around here metrosexuals and old whores shave their stuff with this brand. I'm sending @RoyGBiv one of my straight razors like my grand daddy used so he can do it right.
I'll add, the Henson and RazoRock are made in Canada, the Merkur 23B (that's what I bought) is made in Germany. Yates Precision is Made in USA. I have no qualms with buying things made in any of those places.
One word about blades:
Feathers are Made in Japan
Merkur are made in Czech Republic
Wilkinson Swords are made in Germany
Derby are made in Turkey
Gillettes vary, Turkey, India, Germany
And then there are host of other blades made in China, India, Pakistan, etc.
The plating on my Merkur delaminated. Luckily, I didn't cut myself on it. I will never buy anything made of plated pot metal again. At the same price, the RazoRock Game Changer is 1000% better quality.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
I'm still using my first DE razor. A Merkur 34C I purchased from Lee's Razors in 2005. I've personally had excellent luck with Merkur razors. I've owned several over the years, and they've all been excellent. Zero problems. I highly recommend them. For $45, they cannot be beat in my experience. Wet shaving doesn't have to be expensive. I've gone down the Gucci road and tried the latest and greatest, along with the vintage stuff, but I finally discovered what works for me is inexpensive, simple, and easy to acquire.
That's why I bought a black PVD coated one. I knew good and well from many a chrome-plated chunk of zinc that it would come apart sooner not later. Water + Chrome Plating + Zinc substrate = stabbing yourself with chrome flakes. And believe you me - NOTHING gets infected like a cut with some zinc and chrome stuck in it.
At least with PVD it's a coating, not a plating. So, when it gets scratched or whatever it won't delaminate into big sharp flakes.
I figured by then I'd have an idea what I want in my next razor and that I'll want it in Titanium.
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