11C (Open Comb)

I'm pretty slow to the 11c. Never though an OC could be this mild and yet so close and comfortable. Mine was from the Bay so dirt cheap. Why Merkur stopped making the 11c God only knows. It looks good, feels good and shave very, very, well. Paired with an Astra SP it gives close shaves with no problems.It's a 2 piece so blade chances are kids play.

If you aint got one and can find one get it.

There are a lot of people giving this razor a great review stating that it was an aggressive razor. I was in the market for a more aggressive razor but thought that the R41 might be a little too aggressive – so I ordered the 11C.Aggressive? For me this is one mild razor. Terribly so actually. I have been shaving with it for over three weeks and have even loosened the head hoping for a closer shave – to no avail. I think I know a college kid who may get some utility from it. I hear the co. has been having some QC problems, and that may be the case here with so many claiming its aggressive nature and me finding it incredibly passive. That said, it was still my $50ish bucks that I’ll never get back. I don’t think I’ll be getting another Merk!

This is my second DE razor with my first being the Weishi. The Weishi requires much more pressure than the 11C so my first shaves were pretty gnarly, but after a few weeks I've learned better technique and my shaves are great. The handle's fine gnurl works well and it's the weight distribution is good. I really don't see anything wrong with this razor, except that it's not adjustable.

I just picked up one of these this week. The 11C gave me a very close shave. I feel that the razor is a little on the aggressive side, more so than the HD slant (37). Some disagree. At any rate, I can heartily recommend this razor. I really like the HD handle for size, balance, and grip. And the two piece design is WAY BETTER than fooling around with three piece razors.

I just used the Merkur 11c for the first time just now, and I can tell you its basically a less aggressive old type with a much heavier and longer handle. I like it, you can tell right away it is Merkur's version of the old type, but the head is slightly longer and wider than the old type, so its less aggressive. I found shaving with it very easy, I went against the grain ont the first pass with a Sharp blade and found it very smooth ( I have a light beard). The Merkur 11c's bark is worse than its bite, this is actually a very user friendly razor IMO. A great alternative for an open comb if you feel the gillette old type is too aggressive for you.

This is my fifth de razor and my fourth merkur (parker 91r, futur, hd, 38c) and I love it. I bought it wanting to try an open comb after reading the reviews and I'm glad I did. I can get a great shave with 2 passes, I normally do 3 passes including one atg, didn't have to with this one. Just used it with a feather blade, proraso pre & proraso cream and my God what a shave.

I came across this razor because I wanted to try an open comb razor for a change. All I can say is:WOW! This is precisely the razor I have been looking for. It combines the easy shave of an HD with the thoroughness of a Slant. It has an advantage over the Slant in areas where maneuverability is important, whereas the Slant is a little better on the cheeks. I needed 2-3 shaves to adjust my technique, but now I enjoy comfortable and VERY close shaves. My HD has left my den, the 11c and the Slant are now my everyday razors. If you like the gentleness and handling of the HD and are looking for a closer shave, look no further: Give this seriously underappreciated razor a try.

This is presently my go-to razor. The open comb is the best of the three I've tried (this, muhle, goodfella) at being open without being a murder machine. The HD handle is also much superior in grip to either of the others.

I have pretty sensitive skin but I find that with the open comb I can get a good shave without using a feather which will inevitably cut me once or twice, so the aggressiveness of being open is easily balanced with a more civilized blade.

Overall this is just an excellent well made razor. The finish is flawless. But most important the shaves are close to perfect. In order to appreciate this tool you must like open comb razors. One of my favorites.

This is my first DE razor. I shaved with it just twice and it is amazing, a few nicks on the neck notwithstanding (I shouldn't have pressed so hard). First, I have a combination of tough Mediterranean beard (ingrown hairs, etc.) with very sensitive, irritation prone skin. I can't believe I ever shaved with cartridge or electric before! First of all, there's no more irritation or ingrown hair. Second, it glides much more smoothly, even when I shave against the grain. If you're worried about getting an overtly aggressive shave, just load up your 11C with some Israeli Red Pack blades as I did and you're set for the best shave of your life.

There was already a review thread about the Merkur 11C.
To answer your question, I switched from a Merkur 34C (HD) to the 11C. The 11C gives me a more comfortable shave with less weepers.
I believe the Gillette New types are more agressive than the Merkur 11C, which is a copy of the Gillette Old type.

11C where has this razor been? Why hasn't anyone been talking about it? I've been a DE shaver for 5 years, previously used HD, Futur,38C, and Slant Bar.I Like the Slant and Futur (set on 3-4) , but with shaving everyday, I start to get a little tender by the end of the week. I'm a 2 pass shaver,and the Slant and Futur always give me a good BBS finish. I was after a razor that gave me that efficient close finish, but not the irritation. The 11C may be the one! I'm surprised it doesn't get more mention on this site I have a thick, coarse beard with sensitive skin. . As easy to use as the HD, leaves lather on your face(thanks to the open comb), cuts close with out irritating(unless you mash it into your face), and maneuvers around jaw and neck angles far easier than a Slant(I find the Slant awesome on the "open plains", but tricky with the angled blade on my jawline and Adams apple). The head is lighter than the HD and Slant(due to "teeth" instead of a bar), and the blade(feather) appears to be bent more than other razors giving it a great/effective and easy to use shaving(blade) angle. However the balance is still really good, and makes for very user friendly shaving. Is the 11c similar to a Gillette new? Has anyone else discovered the simple efficiency of this razor?

I love the 11C. I bought it as alternative to the HD because I have such a tough beard, and I find it to be an excellent razor. Great balance, great grip, and the perfect amount of aggressiveness for me.

Got my 11c (which I now think of as the HDC) this morning and in practice it really didn't seem to be very different from my 34c (or HDB). It's been a while now since I've used the HDB but it didn't seem any more agressive and nowhere near as aggressive as the Slant. I gave 10 for aggression because for some people it'll be just right and for others not enough, so didn't want to mark it down on purely personal opinion. What I do notice is the blade is extremely tight to the teeth and barely exposed. I like this feature and wonder if this is why the percieved aggression/closeness changes with each user. Will try using different angles and see what happens. I prefer the combed head on aesthetic grounds and it has that quintessential instant grip and surprising heft that all the classic short-handled Merks do. My particular example seems to've been machined with a fresh CNC bit; it has slightly more definition in the (differently-patterned) knurling and the steel seems a bit more brilliant than my Slant or HDB, but this might just be the aging of the other two pieces. It's very crisply done and I like the Bauhaus design of the "head/shaft inter-plate-thingy"- very German. If you like the HDB you'll love this, but there's probablly no need to buy it. If you've got an HDC there's no point buying the HDB, IMO. I'm glad I bought it, cos you never know until you do, and will probably use it over the HDB, purely on personal aesthetics and the fact that its a bit different. I don't like the look of the head of the Slant, though I do love the way it performs. Might stick with this and do another pass in the morning instead.

I got this razor pretty much as an experiment and I am delighted with it. I find that it gives me a great smooth shave with little effort. The shave is comparable to the slant in terms of closeness, but more comparable to the HD for ease of use. Two passes, some blade polishing and I've a BBS shave without nicks or irritation.

Don't be put off by the open comb - the open comb design leaves much more lather on your face than a straight bar razor and in that sense, it's much more user friendly than one would think by looking at it.

I think this is a great razor for those with soft or sensitive skin, and especially for those with heavy or tough whiskers.

For my money this razor is a winner.

this is a very nice one !

I wanted to try an open comb razor and was not disappointed because it has all the quality of the HD and eventually it gaves a very smooth shave. TO ME, it di not seem to be so more agressive than the HD. It was in fact because when using the splash it was stinging A BIT more than with its twin

But the shave was also A BIT closer.

Anyway do not be scared to try it !

I wa so surprised when I was partly forced into buying this razor. I had a refund in a pharmacists that had to be used in the store,all I could see worth having was this gold 11C open combe razor. It looked scary compared to my 38C and Superspeed. It was the fact that I could see so much blade that was a little off putting.
After a good shower and plenty of lathering with tabac original,I gently began.It was cutting very smoothly,but judging by the hairs that were lining the sink as I washed the blade,I was getting a nice close shave.
Suffice to say,as long as you use short LIGHT strokes,you will get a great shave with very little irritation. I really love this razor but you must soften your bristles first.Grab a shower,wash your face with a cleanser to remove grease etc,and lather up in shower. Get out of shower and rinse off lather and then re-apply and start shaving. After three passes you will have a lovely shave that stays smooth for at least 12 hours.

Trust me, this gives a great shave,just do a good prep and use nice light strokes.

Good luck.

I tried the long handled version (model 25C) and was amazed by how close and comfortable the shaves were compared to a Merkur HD and slant. I have sensitive skin and have problems getting a smooth shave without wrecking my face - this gave me a visibly smooth shave in two passes, or touchably BBS in
three. No alum sting. Reached under my nose real easy too!

I'm tempted by the 11C now, so thanks for the reviews.

Price A good price. I have found Barbershop Classics in The Netherlands to be extremely competitive.

Quality The quality I have come to expect from all Merkur Fixed Head razors.

User Friendly Typical Merkur Two piece razor. Not difficult to use. This razor is the same as the popular 34C (HD)

Grip Same handle as the HD....excellent grip.

Ease of Blade Replacement Think HD. Hard to go wrong.

Agressiveness An aggressive razor. On my Futur.....I would say a 4 or a 5!

Balance Great....I like short heavy Handles.


I would say this razor is not for the faint hearted. It requires more care than the Slant and is comparable to the Futur on a fairly high setting (4 - 5). I always use an Israeli Blade when I first use a razor (Middle of the road/mild).
After a shave with an 11C......I am stubble free for 14 hours. This razor gives a REALLY close shave. As with all things shaving.....YMMV.