How Old Is Your Merkur 34C HD and Edwin Jagger DE89?

[AimlessWanderer]

My Jagger DE3D14 is my primary razor. I had to replace the top cap earlier this year, as the threads were shot. That was after around six or seven years. I do have a couple of Merkurs too, one of which is around the same age as the Jagger, but it's not in frequent use. Anything can last a long time sat in a drawer

 

[Owen Bawn]

I bought a 34C HD in 2008. Maybe 2007. A good little razor. I used it a lot for 3-4 years. Nowadays I usually shave in the cellar, but the 34 is up in the master bath, so it only gets used when I shave up there. Always a good shave. In terms of maintenance I clean it with dish soap and a toothbrush maybe twice a year. Still looks as good as new.

 

[Suntzu]

These were the first two I bought in 2008 when I got into DE shaving and they both look like new.

 

[ivan_101]

These are the only razors I'll ever need.

Are you really sure?
On a serious note though. Those razors are not the most durable. It all depends on how often you are using them. If you were to use only one of them every day for a 3 pass shave, I wouldn't give any of them more than 9-10 years. But you are rotating 3 razors and you say you don't shave every day.
Probably 10-12 years ago Mekur had 10 years warranty for their razors. I think that is not the case any more.
On the other hand I have read a post somewhere [probably Amazon] where a user says he only could manage less than 2000 shaves with a DE89 and the threaded post snapped.
With the models you bought you are depending to a great extent on the quality of the chromium plating. Once it is destroyed things are going down pretty fast.

 

[Mark1977]

Are you really sure? [emoji317]
On a serious note though. Those razors are not the most durable. It all depends on how often you are using them. If you were to use only one of them every day for a 3 pass shave, I wouldn't give any of them more than 9-10 years. But you are rotating 3 razors and you say you don't shave every day.
Probably 10-12 years ago Mekur had 10 years warranty for their razors. I think that is not the case any more.
On the other hand I have read a post somewhere [probably Amazon] where a user says he only could manage less than 2000 shaves with a DE89 and the threaded post snapped.
With the models you bought you are depending to a great extent on the quality of the chromium plating. Once it is destroyed things are going down pretty fast.

I guess I'll have to look at getting a Rockwell 6S soon. Haha.

Sent from my CPH1969 using Tapatalk

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Are you really sure?
On a serious note though. Those razors are not the most durable. It all depends on how often you are using them. If you were to use only one of them every day for a 3 pass shave, I wouldn't give any of them more than 9-10 years. But you are rotating 3 razors and you say you don't shave every day.
Probably 10-12 years ago Mekur had 10 years warranty for their razors. I think that is not the case any more.
On the other hand I have read a post somewhere [probably Amazon] where a user says he only could manage less than 2000 shaves with a DE89 and the threaded post snapped.
With the models you bought you are depending to a great extent on the quality of the chromium plating. Once it is destroyed things are going down pretty fast.

Personally, I fully accept that, but I am in the minority of genuinely not seeing anything wrong with it either.

It was roughly seven years till I had to replace the top cap on my Jagger. That cost £7.50 and came with a free pack of blades. I don't begrudge maintenance costs of £1 per year, on something that gives me fantastic shaves on a £30 initial outlay. Is £30 for 2000 shaves really so bad? Especially when spending a further £7.50 then gets you another 2000.

 

[Raven Koenes]

My Merkur 34c is five years old with no issues.

 

[glm38]

Personally, I fully accept that, but I am in the minority of genuinely not seeing anything wrong with it either.

It was roughly seven years till I had to replace the top cap on my Jagger. That cost £7.50 and came with a free pack of blades. I don't begrudge maintenance costs of £1 per year, on something that gives me fantastic shaves on a £30 initial outlay. Is £30 for 2000 shaves really so bad? Especially when spending a further £7.50 then gets you another 2000.

You are right. From a cost perspective that's really not bad. But to me it's annoying as heck. Why do merkur, EJ, and muhle stay with zamak construction when they know it's really not a durable material? If razorock can build all stainless bulletproof razors for about the same price or just a little more why can't they do the same?

 

[THall]

You are right. From a cost perspective that's really not bad. But to me it's annoying as heck. Why do merkur, EJ, and muhle stay with zamak construction when they know it's really not a durable material? If razorock can build all stainless bulletproof razors for about the same price or just a little more why can't they do the same?

Mostly cost and the ease of designing a mold instead of CNC etc. Mühle puts brass threads in the cap so it is pretty solid.

 

[glm38]

Mostly cost and the ease of designing a mold instead of CNC etc. Mühle puts brass threads in the cap so it is pretty solid.

Brass threads help. That's the weakest part of any 3 piece razor. But still with the rest of the head being zamak if that plating is compromised the razor is on borrowed time. Or at least that part of the razor is.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

You are right. From a cost perspective that's really not bad. But to me it's annoying as heck. Why do merkur, EJ, and muhle stay with zamak construction when they know it's really not a durable material? If razorock can build all stainless bulletproof razors for about the same price or just a little more why can't they do the same?

It's not just that the zinc alloy is a cheap metal, but that it's cheap to form shapes and profiles with it, that would be more expensive with other metals and process routes. Just look at Jagger's 3ONE6 razor, it's geometrically different to suit the processing method for the stainless construction. Change the materials, and you change what processes you can use, and you veer away from the design that I want for my primary razor. I don't want to compromise the design of the razor that gives me my best shaves, just so it lasts a bit longer. I'll stick to buying parts as needed.

 

[Jim99]

You are right. From a cost perspective that's really not bad. But to me it's annoying as heck. Why do merkur, EJ, and muhle stay with zamak construction when they know it's really not a durable material? If razorock can build all stainless bulletproof razors for about the same price or just a little more why can't they do the same?

The price of my Game Changer was $69, plus tax and shipping. I bought my EJ and Merkur for around $32-$33 a piece and got them both for free shipping. Hmmmm!

I’m looking for good deals in life, and not to pass my razors on to my kids when I go.

 

[glm38]

The price of my Game Changer was $69, plus tax and shipping. I bought my EJ and Merkur for around $32-$33 a piece and got them both for free shipping. Hmmmm!

I’m looking for good deals in life, and not to pass my razors on to my kids when I go.

I get it. It's more $$. But hmmm $69 for a lifetime razor you KNOW won't fail. THAT seems like a pretty good deal to me.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I get it. It's more $$. But hmmm $69 for a lifetime razor you KNOW won't fail. THAT seems like a pretty good deal to me.

... but I personally wouldn't take the chance on a razor at that price, not giving me the shaves I prefer. Is it a lifetime of tuggy shaves? A lifetime of soreness? A lifetime of a head and handle combo that just feels a little awkward in hand? I'll never know, because that's too high a lottery ticket for me.

OK, I only stand to win a 7-10 year "prize" on the lottery tickets I will play. If another £7.50 buys me another 7-10 years with no additional gamble, that sound like a prize worth playing for, at a price I'm prepared to lose.

 

[glm38]

... but I personally wouldn't take the chance on a razor at that price, not giving me the shaves I prefer. Is it a lifetime of tuggy shaves? A lifetime of soreness? A lifetime of a head and handle combo that just feels a little awkward in hand? I'll never know, because that's too high a lottery ticket for me.

OK, I only stand to win a 7-10 year "prize" on the lottery tickets I will play. If another £7.50 buys me another 7-10 years with no additional gamble, that sound like a prize worth playing for, at a price I'm prepared to lose.

That would suck to spend that and not like the shaves. I have a couple of razorock stainless razors and a merkur hd. And for me there's no comparison between the 2 in build quality and shave quality. But everyone is different.

One thing to remember about a quality stainless razor is that if you don't like it you can generally always sell it for about 90% of the original price. People aren't afraid to buy them because they know they are practically indestructible. So there's really no reason to be stuck with it or out much $$ if you don't like it.

 

[Mark1977]

You are right. From a cost perspective that's really not bad. But to me it's annoying as heck. Why do merkur, EJ, and muhle stay with zamak construction when they know it's really not a durable material? If razorock can build all stainless bulletproof razors for about the same price or just a little more why can't they do the same?

Exactly!

Sent from my CPH1969 using Tapatalk

 

[AimlessWanderer]

That would suck to spend that and not like the shaves. I have a couple of razorock stainless razors and a merkur hd. And for me there's no comparison between the 2 in build quality and shave quality. But everyone is different.

One thing to remember about a quality stainless razor is that if you don't like it you can generally always sell it for about 90% of the original price. People aren't afraid to buy them because they know they are practically indestructible. So there's really no reason to be stuck with it or out much $$ if you don't like it.

And yet I bet you can find several members here, who have bought a back up for their razor that lasts a lifetime. Why? They're lifetime razors aren't they?

Loss? Fire? Theft? Missing luggage? Left behind at the hotel? Kids use it to lever open a stuck door/drawer?

Fatip razors are all brass construction. At least two of the new slant razors owned by members here, lost one of their pegs on the top cap within a month of ownership. They were covered by warranty, but what if that happens to someone else in 7-10 years?

How many solid brass vintage razors have you seen with a bent or missing tooth in the comb, because it was dropped and someone tried to straighten it? Accidents and damage happen to stainless too. I'm not saying there's not going to have a longer lifespan, but there's no real certainty either. They are more likely to last longer, but not guaranteed.

Any decision in life has risks, costs and benefits. We all weight them up differently. I don't see the benefits of an all stainless razor outweighing the risks and costs. Other people do. There's no right and wrong answer, except what's right and wrong for the individual... and whatever they choose, a few years down the line, they might wish they'd chosen differently.

 

[glm38]

And yet I bet you can find several members here, who have bought a back up for their razor that lasts a lifetime. Why? They're lifetime razors aren't they?

Loss? Fire? Theft? Missing luggage? Left behind at the hotel? Kids use it to lever open a stuck door/drawer?

Fatip razors are all brass construction. At least two of the new slant razors owned by members here, lost one of their pegs on the top cap within a month of ownership. They were covered by warranty, but what if that happens to someone else in 7-10 years?

How many solid brass vintage razors have you seen with a bent or missing tooth in the comb, because it was dropped and someone tried to straighten it? Accidents and damage happen to stainless too. I'm not saying there's not going to have a longer lifespan, but there's no real certainty either. They are more likely to last longer, but not guaranteed.

Any decision in life has risks, costs and benefits. We all weight them up differently. I don't see the benefits of an all stainless razor outweighing the risks and costs. Other people do. There's no right and wrong answer, except what's right and wrong for the individual... and whatever they choose, a few years down the line, they might wish they'd chosen differently.

Loss or theft I'll give you. But I'd lay odds on a 316 stainless razor still being usable post fire or it being used as a lever by a kid. Brass razors are durable. Obviously much more so than a pot metal razor. But they are in no way as hard and indestructible as a machined stainless razor. I'll take my chances with my 60 razorock lasting the rest of my life and beyond. Now that's value in my opinion.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Loss or theft I'll give you. But I'd lay odds on a 316 stainless razor still being usable post fire or it being used as a lever by a kid. Brass razors are durable. Obviously much more so than a pot metal razor. But they are in no way as hard and indestructible as a machined stainless razor. I'll take my chances with my 60 razorock lasting the rest of my life and beyond. Now that's value in my opinion.

You have more confidence in it than me, hence you bought one and I didn't

I'm happy with that decision, and it sound like you are too

 

[soumbanerjee]

Both razors were purchased on two consecutive months in 2016 around this time only as I chose to chuck my 5 blade razor fro a more environmental friendly and nicks and cut proof method of wet shaving. Merkur 34C was bought in July 2016 followed by my most trusted Edwin Jagger 89DE chrome finish in August. Later I did buy another EJ and this item with an ivory finish handle

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