Merkur Heavy Duty Double Edge Razor #34C + 5 Free DE Razor Blades

I'm African American and a military officer. Clean shaves are a must daily and I've tried it all...magic shave, mach 3, Fusion (or as I call it mach 5), Norelco Nivea for men shavers and clippers. All had their positives but mixing chemicals daily became tiring and in-grown hairs were unsightly. So, after much research I decided to try wet-shaving. This has made a world of difference.

The Merkur HD is my first razor. Using Art of Shaving products and Merkur blades, I'm able to get a close shave with no razor burn/bumps. Occasionally I'll get an in-grown but I blame my technique (I still cut myself every now and then...usually when I'm in a rush). This razor definitely has some weight to it and I find the blade loading/unloading simple although not as cool as the "butterfly" razors.

I highly recommend this product for a beginner. Blades are equally as important. I have found Merkur blades to be the happy medium between quality and sharpness...Read more

3 months ago I made the leap from cartridge shaving (Gillette Fusion) to shaving with a safety razor. Having no experience with a safety razor my research led me to several options (most by Merkur) and I selected the 34C. The razor comes just as advertised and I couldn't be more pleased with the quality of shave and the reduced cost of the blades vs the Fusion cartridges. If I had to do it all over again, I would opt for the long handled version simply as a personal preference though after several weeks of using the short handled model I have become comfortable with it and plan to stick with the 34C for the foreseeable future.

If you're considering making the switch to a safety razor:
1. Smart move
2. Consider the longer handle if that's what you're used too, I estimate the 34C to be approximately the length of a typical disposable
3. Consider a model such as the 34C that has a fixed safety bar. There are more advanced safety razors that have the...Read more

I bought this razor for when I travel because it's a bit smaller than the "Barber Pole" one I use at home. They are both great razors and will easily shave as close as the multiblade vibrating twin overhead cam 16 valve models at a quarter of the price. If your not using a safety razor, your wasting your money! Unless of course your using a straight razor.