Merkur HD 34C Double-Edge Safety Razor

I sent away for this from Amazon and got it Christmas Eve morning. Naturally, I couldn't wait to use it, so I immediately took it upstairs to the bathroom, applied some castor oil to my face, lathered up my brush and applied my shaving cream, and began my shave.

Now, I have two Van der Hagen-Weishi 9306es, one short and one long handle. The weight of the Merkur 34c is comparable to the Weishi 9306CL, making it a more aggressive razor than the short-handle 9306. Like the Weishis, it is constructed from brass and plated in chrome, making for a razor with a fair amount of weight. It's also well balanced. You really don't need to use any pressure when shaving with this. Gravity will work with the weight of the razor to do the work for you. If you're looking for a more aggressive shave, the Merkur 34c is about middle of the scale, so it is ideal for beginners and advanced users alike.

The Merkur blade that came with the razor gave me a bit closer shave than my Astra Superior Platinums, and like the Astras was sharp yet forgiving on my face. As I understand it, the Merkur 34c does wonders with Astras, Gillette Silver Blues, and of course, the very nearly unsurpassable Feather blades. I have a sampler pack, so I'll try out different blades to find out which works best in the Merkur.

Definitely my daily go to razor. At times, wish it was a bit more aggressive, like my Merkur open comb 25C. But the heft, balance, short handle and overall feel of the 34C keep me reaching for it time and again. I would give one of my big toes if Merkur offered this same razor in an open comb. That would put me in DE Razor heaven. I wonder why they don't offer the same razor with an open comb option........

Overall a quality razor, I wish the handle could be longer. I purchased this used and am very surprised by the price of this new. I am not sure I''d buy this at full price. I had a little difficulty getting the right angle, but once it was there, this little fellow did a solid job.