Have you ever been standing in front of the mirror and wondered why the heck you were using a classic cartridge razor or even a disposable one?
We sure have, because they aren’t that effective, they take multiple passes to actually get rid of your facial hair, and they get dull insanely fast, all things which you have probably noticed.
Well, we have the solution for you, and it comes in the form of the Merkur 34c Review. Many people have been raving about this particular double edge safety razor and how fantastic it is, but why is that?
Merkur Mk34c Double Edge Razor with Heavy Duty Short Handle
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The bottom line is that the Merkur 34c is a great piece of shaving equipment and we’re going to let you know why.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Safety Razor
Before you go out and buy any particular safety razor, there are just a few things which you should keep in mind.
- Length
One of the first things to consider before you buy a safety razor is how long it is. You want to get a safety razor that is long enough to fit in your hands comfortable, while also being short enough to remain portable. A good length to go with is anywhere between 4 and 6 inches.
- Aggressiveness
Something else that you need to think about before buying any particular safety razor is how aggressive of a shave it will give you.
A less aggressive safety razor will provide a very close shave but will also be much harder to cut yourself with. On the other hand, a very aggressive razor will provide an incredibly close shave, removing as much hair as humanly possible in the process, but this also means that it is fairly easy to cut yourself with if you don’t know what you are doing.
- The Grip
The next thing you should keep in mind before you purchase a safety razor is the grip. You want to make sure that it has a good grip, preferably a diamond shaped knurled grip because it will provide you with lots of traction and will make sure that it doesn’t slip out of your hand and cut you while shaving.
- The Design
The final thing you should consider before buying a safety razor is what kind of razor it is. To keep it short and simple, there are one-piece designs, two-piece designs, and three-piece designs. For example, the Merkur 34c is a two piece design.
A two piece design is probably the best thing to go with because it’s easy to change the blade with them, plus they are quite durable too.
If you haven’t already tried the Merkur 34c Double Edge Safety Razor, you should seriously consider giving it a try. This is one of the mostly highly rated safety razors to ever grace the face of planet earth or to be exact, the face of men everywhere.
This is a great safety razor for a number of different reasons, with one of the biggest being that it is really well balanced and sits in your hand beautifully, thus allowing you to hold it and shave with ease.
This thing also has a really good grip so you can rest assured that you don’t cut yourself while shaving, plus it’s also quite compact to make it great to travel with. The Merkur 34c is not the most aggressive safety razor on the market, but it will definitely give you a really close shave and let you get that baby smooth skin without a doubt.
Perhaps one of the best parts about this particular safety razor is how easy it is to change the blade, and it’s thanks to the slick 2 piece design, something which we’ll talk about in a little more detail later on.
We Like
- Excellent build quality.
- Very sleek look.
- 2 piece design for ease of changing the blade.
We Dont Like
- Handle is a little short.
- Negative Point
Features & benefits
Now that we’ve given you a rough outline of what the Merkur 34c Double Edge Safety Razor is all about let’s go into a little bit more detail regarding its features and what benefits those features bring you. Trust us when we say that this is not just any average safety razor!
Chrome Plating
One of the things that we like the most about the Merkur 34c is that it is chrome plated from top to bottom.
You might think that the chrome plating only has one purpose, which is to make it look all nice and shiny, but that definitely is not so. The chrome plating makes this safety razor rust proof, something that is absolutely necessary when you are dealing with water all of the time. The chrome also makes this safety razor very scratch resistant.
The Knurled Grip
Another feature of the Merkur 34c double edge safety razor is that it has a diamond knurled handle for ultimate grip.
The handle of this safety razor features small lines which cross each other to form many little small diamonds, which provides a lot traction when you are holding it. This is important because you do not want to cut your face with a sharp blade when your hands are all slippery from the water.
Even better is that this great grip enables you to safely use this razor in the shower without cutting yourself.
Compact Nature
The next feature of the Merkur 34c that is definitely worth mentioning is that it is quite small.
The short 4-inch long handle makes this safety razor a very portable shaving tool, making it perfect for road trips and taking it with you when you are on the go. On the other hand, it should be mentioned that the handle may be a little too short for men who have very large hands.
2 Piece Design
Another feature we really like about the Merkur 34c Double Edge Safety Razor is that it has a simple 2 piece design.
The 2 piece design makes it really easy to change the blade. All you need to do is to turn the knob at the bottom to release the head at the top to make a quick blade change.
It’s a really easy razor to use.
Balance
Something else we really like about this particular safety razor is that it is quite lightweight and well balanced too.
That being said, the handle is a little bit heavier than on some other safety razors, but seeing as though the shaving head is pretty big, it actually makes this razor well balanced. This lets you hold the Merkur 34c practically anywhere on the handle and still shave comfortably.
Price
The Merkur 34c is fairly cheap, and will last a lifetime (Gillette’s Vintage SuperSpeed from the 40’s is still going strong) when you consider how expensive disposable razor cartridges are in comparison to double edge (DE) blades, you quickly realize just how cheap safety razors are.
Mild – Medium Aggressiveness
The final feature of the Merkur 34c that we want to talk about is the mild, bordering on medium, aggressiveness of this razor.
Since the razor is of a mild aggressiveness, you should have a hard time cutting yourself with this razor when using it correctly.
It’s a good beginner razor.
Moreover, it is still sharp and aggressive enough to provide you with a close shave, especially if your hair is not all that coarse.
That being said, if you have a really coarse beard, you may need a razor with a more aggressive slant to give you a really close shave.
Some Alternatives To The Merkur 34c Safety Razor
For one reason or another, you may not be a huge fan of the Merkur 34c, but that doesn’t mean that you should count out all safety razors. Here are just a few alternatives to go with that you may like a little more.
Merkur-Razor Safety Razor 37c Chrome with Slant Bar
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The Merkur Solingen 37c is a great alternative to go with and one of the main reasons for that is because it is quite a bit more aggressive than the 34c.
Since this razor is more aggressive than the 34c, it provides for a much closer shave and is ideal for coarse beards.
This is a great two piece safety razor, with decent grip, and an easy to change blade.
Parker 45R Heavyweight Double Edge Safety Razor & 5 Premium Double Edge Blades
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This is another fantastic option to go with if you aren’t a huge fan of the Merkur 34c. We really like this particular safety razor because it is also fairly aggressive and will give you an extremely close shave.
The Parker 45R is a three piece razor, which makes changing the blade a little more difficult that with the two-piece designs. There is also the fact that this safety razor has a convenient 4-inch handle with a contoured middle for great grip.
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The final of the alternatives that you can go with is the Smoothere Safety Razor, and it definitely makes for a pretty good choice. It has an extra-long handle which makes it easy to hold on to, especially for men with larger hands. This thing also features a contoured handle to make it even easier to shave with.
One of the best parts about his safety razor is that the handle is very well balanced which makes it sit in your hands really well. It has a medium aggressiveness and is actually great if you have sensitive skin. This is also a three piece.
Conclusion
When it comes to safety razors, the is definitely a prime choice to go with. It has a fantastic grip with a well-weighted handle that is of a decent length too.
The simple two-piece design makes it fairly durable, plus the blades are pretty easy to change as well. All in all, this is a razor that has great value for the low price that it comes in at, especially considering that it has the ability to provide you with a really close shave.
Gone are the days of disposable cartridge razors, slippery handles, and cuts all over your face!
