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How long did your Merkur 34c last

Hi,

I read something about zamak not being so nice as brass, and would like to know how long your merkur 34c's are lasting for daily shaves and how long did it last before it broke down.

Thanks!
 
Zamak is a soft metal that is prone to corrosion, and so it needs to be coated (usually chrome) for protection. In a 3 piece razor the base plate is usually fine since there's no friction on it. The vulnerable parts are the top cap and the handle because the continued friction can eventually rub off the coating, at which point the zamak corrodes and the thread goes. When that happens depends on:
- how well the coating was applied in the first place
- the quality of the zamak, which can vary, though it's never as good as brass or SS.
- how it's used
I had a fairly new Rockwell 6C and the handle went on that. On the other hand there are vintage zamak razors still in use. If you like the 34C carry on using it. The other thing you can do if you want longevity is to swap in a brass top cap instead (it's a fairly standard fitting) and try various better quality aftermarket handles, so you're covered anyway.
 
It can last as long as 50 years (if you rarely use it and baby it) or as little as 50 seconds (if you drop it while unboxing).
 
I bought a 34c about 11 years ago. At some point, I dropped it and it landed on the corner of the baseplate, chipped a tiny bit of chrome off.
I covered it with clear nail polish. I haven't thought about it since and it has been fine. No corrosion.

Might be time to hit it with a little more clear nail polish:001_cool:
 
I used my 34C every day for 2+ years (so figure 700+ shaves) and it has/shows no signs of wear whatsoever. Once I got my Rockwell 6s I stopped using the 34C but it still looks good and shaves like the day I bought it, no complaints. Very nice razor.
 
I got mine about three years go, I've used it more or less every day since and it's still shaving great. That said, the plating is starting to go on mine a little.

Not that it matters much, but the 34c is a two part razor, not a three part razor as stated above.
 
I got mine about three years go, I've used it more or less every day since and it's still shaving great. That said, the plating is starting to go on mine a little. Not that it matters much, but the 34c is a two part razor, not a three part razor as stated above.

That's true - my mistake. I never had one myself.
 
I've had a zamak razor fail. Not a merkur. But it was a well known brand. They all (zamak razors) can last decades with proper care but there are many that don't that are well taken care of.
 
Hi,

I read something about zamak not being so nice as brass, and would like to know how long your merkur 34c's are lasting for daily shaves and how long did it last before it broke down.

Thanks!
I used mine every day for 6 months, and pretty frequently since then, especially on the road. Not the slightest sign of wear after at least 300 shaves.
 
My Merkur zamak razor (safety bar) looks the same as when I bought it, minus soap scum and my general noncleaning of it . . . have had it for roughly 5 years? No concerns.

It's also a good enough razor that, if the head went bad, I'd buy another.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
My first razor was zamak and I had no problems for the year I used it. I passed it along to a friend.

Some go quickly, some seem to last forever. It's a bit of a crap shoot, but they are all pretty cheap - so I wouldn't worry about it. If you like it and it breaks you can always buy another.
 
I should have added that while the top of the 34c cap is zamak, on older ones the threaded post, like the handle, is chrome-plated brass. On current ones, according to a recent post here, the post is also zamak. The original caps can still be had online -- I saw them on ebay for $15. That may make a difference, as the threads are where the chrome plating is most likely to wear off, resulting in corrosion.
 
I should have added that while the top of the 34c cap is zamak, on older ones the threaded post, like the handle, is chrome-plated brass. On current ones, according to a recent post here, the post is also zamak. The original caps can still be had online -- I saw them on ebay for $15. That may make a difference, as the threads are where the chrome plating is most likely to wear off, resulting in corrosion.

That's where my zamak razor failed. I agree that's the most common failure point. It's really the only moving part in a three piece razor. To me that's just incompetence on the part the better manufacturers to not at least make that threaded post out of brass or stainless. How much more would that cost? I'll bet not much.

Unfortunately if you've read this forum long enough you know that failure with a zamak razor can occur in any part made of that material. It's just not as common. One poster reported his rockwell 6c corroded at the handle.

This doesn't make zamak razors bad. Most are pretty good for their price point. Although to me razorock's stainless razors of recent years have made them less of a value in comparison.
 
That's where my zamak razor failed. I agree that's the most common failure point. It's really the only moving part in a three piece razor. To me that's just incompetence on the part the better manufacturers to not at least make that threaded post out of brass or stainless. How much more would that cost? I'll bet not much.

Unfortunately if you've read this forum long enough you know that failure with a zamak razor can occur in any part made of that material. It's just not as common. One poster reported his rockwell 6c corroded at the handle.

This doesn't make zamak razors bad. Most are pretty good for their price point. Although to me razorock's stainless razors of recent years have made them less of a value in comparison.
Yes, but the 34c is a "two piece" design, not three piece, and the handle is chrome-plated brass. On mine, only the top of the cap and the "base plate", which is soldered onto the handle, are zamak. Those parts should last a long time unless they get a very hard knock that compromises the chrome plating, so long as they are kept clean and dry. However, I agree the RR steel razors are a better value.
 
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