Mk34c Double Edge Razor with Heavy Duty Short Handle

This is by far the best shaving tool I have ever used, and honestly I don’t think I’ll ever go back to modern cartridge razors again. Growing up, I remember seeing one of these classic safety razors sitting on my grandfather’s sink, and now I finally understand why he used it. The shave is incredibly smooth, clean, and comfortable compared to the expensive multi-blade razors sold everywhere today. What shocked me the most is how much better my skin feels afterward. No redness, no razor bumps, no excessive pulling, no irritation ... just a really good damn clean shave. Most modern razors feel overly aggressive on my skin, while this feels simple, controlled, and effective. The build quality is excellent, it feels solid in the hand, and the shaving experience honestly feels more refined and intentional than the plastic “high-tech” alternatives. I genuinely wish I had switched to this years ago. I’m extremely happy with this purchase and can confidently say this has completely changed the way I shave. Highly recommended.

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.

This is an AMAZING razor. I’ve been a double-edge safety razor shaver for about 15-16 years now. I have two Parker razors that have served me well and a cheap Weishi. I wanted to try something different and saw great reviews on this. I wanted something heavy and that was NOT a twist to open (TTO) for a change. This one is 78 grams without blade. I have used Big Ben blades most of my wet shaving time. Flawless shave with this Merkur. Yes the handle is short, but it’s not a detriment. I usually shave every other day. I’m shaving more often now just because it’s such a great razor with ZERO irritation. I mean that. NONE. I have yet to even nick myself. I use an alum block after shaving and don’t get any irritation. I also purchased the 38C which has the same head but heavier at 113gm. Also highly recommended. It would be hard to pick between the two. If you can afford it, get one of each!

After using this item for 2 years now, I can say with confidence that this product has been a great learning experience for someone who has never used a DE Razor before. The assembly is straight forward and not confusing, the design is sleek and fits in your hand perfectly. The weight is distributed properly not causing you to lose control when you are shaving in sensitive areas such as your neck. I paired this with the Astra blades and it made a near perfect, close shave. The reason I did not give this a 5 star was because the top plate had broke on me a couple of days ago, after countless of screwing in and taking it out, the grooves in the stem of the top plate would not allow me to screw it in anymore. I cant say for sure if it was product error or user error, but I looked on different threads and multiple people have stated it also happened to them as well. Regardless, 2 years is a long time for a product of such high quality. I would recommend it to everyone trying to get into the DE Razor community.

So, really, I don't see how you could rate this lower than five stars. It's solid, well made, and it holds a razor blade at an appropriate level. The materials are rust resistant, the threads are spaced enough in the tube to make screwing the head on or off easy and fast. It's plenty heavy, so you won't forget it's there when you're shaving, and can, in fact, use the weight of the razor to shave for you. You just sort of guide it along. I've seen a few reviews of this and other razors complaining that the handle is too short. I don't see how--I have big hands, and it feels fine, though this is my first safety razor, and I've never used one with a longer handle. Also, since this is my first safety razor, I have no basis of comparison for models that are somehow adjustable. I'm not sure I understand how that would work, exactly, but I seem to be shaving just fine with this one, and in fact, am sold on giving up cartridge razors entirely. One thing that I didn't realize with this razor when I bought it: shaving is no longer a quick thing. Using this razor makes shaving into a daily ritual--one that I love, and here's the things you should be aware of if this is your first: 1. You have to shave twice. The second job is just a once over the face again to get that super, baby-skin-soft close shave, which is worth it, but be aware, it takes a little more time. 2. Using canned shaving cream with a safety razor is a travesty. Shaving soap is cheap and lasts forever, and, even better, it's soooo much more luxurious and functional than the canned stuff. However, this adds a couple more things you need to order--a brush and the shaving soap. 3. You can't just wet your face, glop on the cream and go. You really do need to shower first or soak your beard in a hot towel for a few minutes first. It's worth it, and needed, to soften up your beard. Unless you have very soft facial hair to begin with, in which case you may be able to avoid this step. If I don't shower first, the safety razor shreds my face. 4. You now have to consider what blades to buy. Not all blades are equal. In addition, different blades have different levels of difficulty in shaving. The Merkur blade that came with it is a low-level difficulty. It was super easy, and painless--a great first impression. I bought some derby blades, when I ordered the razor, and when I switched, my face looked like I had measles, and the styptic pencil was like fire on my face. I'm doing better now, but you can't just load and go--you have to think about pressure, and angle. 5. Along those lines, you really have to pay attention to the grain of your beard. I have a sort of cow-lick in my beard, so I have to shave one side upwards, one side downwards, and side to side in the middle. If you go against the grain, the razor will hurt you. Strangely, in spite of these things, I have found I love shaving with this razor. It's a challenge sort of, the soap I bought smells and feels amazing, and the end result of shaving is easily the closest shave I've ever had. It's like there's now a way to make shaving a truly manly activity, complete with blood-loss and skill development. On the other hand, my wife found it works well on her legs also, and will be purchasing one for herself. Forget those cartridge razors. What a rip-off! I never knew. Oh yeah. the 15 replacement blades I bought cost six bucks. Derby makes a 100 blade pack that costs ten dollars. I didn't buy it because I wanted to try them before I loaded my medicine cabinet with them. Next time, I'm buying the bulk pack--which will last all year.

The 34c has a fairly mild shave characteristic for a beginner, and the razor has a nice heft to it. I wasn’t sure about the short handle, but it works well for maneuverability. Go slow at first, get the right angle, and take 2-3 inch passes on your skin. Use very little pressure and let that heft of the brass handle do the work. Pick up a decent shaving soap or cream to keep your skin slick throughout the process. I use Cremo since it’s cheap and goes a long way. I highly recommend this Merkur!

**last for years and years! (If taken care of!) **rinses easily in between passes! **cheaper cost for blades! **smooth shave **built well! Hefty weight! Solid! **looks good! I’ve been shaving for years now. Always used disposable razors in the past. Up until I recently bought this razor, I was using Harry’s brand razors. Which those worked fine, but once you learn how to shave correctly with this double edge razor by Merkur, I promise you’ll want to ditch your old POS disposable razors. I have sensitive skin on my neck area! If you’re looking for a closer shave that not only will help keep you from getting razor bumps, redness, irritation, and itch. It’ll also last for a long time! This 34c has some heft to it! When you pick it up, you know you’ve got a solid product. You can hand this down to your son, your neighbor, etc. this will last for a lot longer than those disposables. Plus replacing blades are way cheaper than buying those cartridges from Harry’s or Gillette etc. I will say this! If you are brand new to this type of shaving, do not rush! Take your time! You’re going to bleed like a stuck hog! Do not let that deter you from using this. Everyone is going to tell you, “oh! Keep a 30 degree angle” blah blah blah… screw that, because when you’re shaving your face that has multiple curves and dips… like around your jawline or Adam’s apple, you’re just going to stress yourself out over keeping the “correct” angle. You will be able to tell when the razor is cutting and when it’s not cutting those hairs. Just keep at it! Don’t let it discourage you from sticking with it! I promise you’ll love this razor! Merkur made a very solid product here! I legit bought two of these! One for home and one for on the go in case of traveling, of course can’t take any blades if you’re flying… but legit! Just buy it! I promise you’ll enjoy it once you get past that learning curve!

I upgraded from a cheap (but pretty looking) DE (double edged safety razor). Overall, I was pretty happy with it. Though honestly it really felt like it could be improved in many ways, and it is an "old" design that's still selling for an unreasonable premium. But it was the best DE safety razor I had yet used, and miles better then cartridge razor (plus, almost no plastic). Then I heard about Supply's new 3rd Generation SE (Single Edge Safety Razors) the SE and the Pro. So I order them both, as well as the newer v2 of the Parker SE adjustable injector razor (the Parker injector turned out to be complete trash, terrible shave, heavy blade feel, yucky). But the Supply SE and Pro, OMG, it was like going from cartridges to DE, going to SE was a HUGE step in my shaving experience. The blades are sharper, and stay sharper much much longer, and the design and feel, and dare I saw "Safety" of Supply is unmatched in my experience. In the picture I have both the Supply Pro with two silicon grips on it, and the Supply SE. Interestingly even though they have smooth looking and feeling handles, the grip is SO MUCH BETTER than the grated metal of the Merkur and other DE razors. Add a silicon grip sleeve, and now it's unmatched even by cartridge razors, something no DE I've used can come close to saying! I also have the three brands of injector SE blades I've tried Supply black label, Parker and Schick. Unlike DE, the SE injector system is fast and easy to change blades, and old blades go into the back (or bottom) of the injector (nice self contained system). I'm a transgender woman, and I have a LOT to shave, and I shave in the shower, and DE safety razors have been difficult to hold, and change blades in the shower (because no DE blade has been able to shave my whole body without pulling, they get dull so fast, still better than cartridges, but nothing compared to SE blades). With Schick SE injector blades, I can shave my whole body and my face for several days on one blade (and at only 72 cents per blade, they are not expensive). Compared to this Murker, my Supply SE is so smooth and nice and safe to shave with, plus I can replace the blade in the shower in seconds. The overall shaving experience is so much better! I get smoother much softer skin, that my girlfriend loves to pet and kiss (as well as other things), and I get less irritation, and less bleeders. If you are looking at upgrading your shaving experience, stop looking at this ancient DE and purchase one of Supply's vastly superior razors (thought I do recommend you try Parker injector blades and Schick and see which ones are best for your shaving experience). Oh and by the way, Supply has a 100 day return policy, and a life-time warranty. Can't go wrong!

Great sturdy razor, nice and comfortable to use. The handle is quite short though!

Pretty good, takes a little getting used to the angles. It's amazingly safe, doesn't get as deep of a shave like some razors though.

Excellent product no second thought.. no nick smooth shave

使い心地は今後慣れていくとして始めての使用感ですが、予想以上に深ゾリ出来ていい。 とても満足しています。 替刃も一枚あたり20円程度のもので充分使える。 本体は高額に感じでいましたが数ある複数枚刃のT字カミソリも結局替刃が高額になって来るので一生ヒゲを剃るなら充分に元は取れると思う。

Un classique très utile et efficace. Je n'utilise plus que ça et j'en suis très satisfait. C’est l’outil parfait pour une vraie entrée en matière dans le monde des rasoirs de sûreté. La prise en main est excellente et le rasage est très doux.