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Merkur 11c vs. Gillette Open Combs

Hey guys,

I'm absolutely in love with my Mergress, it has been my daily shaver for nearly three years. However I find myself getting bored and remembering how fun it was when I first got in to wet shaving, when I was trying everything under the sun that I could possibly get my hands on. So I am looking at getting into open comb razors, I have read a lot of posts about which ones that people like and which ones they don't, and I am curious how some of you experienced OC users would compare the Merkur 11c to some of the of the well known Gillette OC's?

Thanks for helping me get my RAD fired up again!

Justin
 
I tried a Merkur 1904 open comb (I believe it's the same head for all of the Merkur open combs). I found it to be a paradox of skin irritation while not shaving my stubble, with a sprinkling of mildness so at least I didn't nick myself to boot. I happily PIF'ed that one. Some people love it - I'm clearly not one of them!

Vintage Gillette open combs, on the other hand, shave very well for me. A Gillette New is my favorite open comb - effective, smooth, and (especially the British) relatively mild for how well they shave. If you want something fancy, a Gillette Goodwill with the studs visible through the top cap (regular diamond or keyhole) use the Old Type head but just plain look cool.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is excellent) . . .

Gillette New - 8/10 to 10/10 based on the model

Gillette Goodwill based on the Old Type/Old Type - 7/10

Merkur open comb - 1/10. Okay, 2/10 - the handle isn't bad.

My highly biased 2 cents. :biggrin1:
 
Excellent feedback! So what is the deal with the Big Boy and Big Fellow?

I have heard a lot of good reviews about these two razors.

Are there any other Gillette OC's that shave similar to either of these without being as rare and elusive?

Thanks,

Justin
 
I am one of those loving the Merkur OC razors and I get a good shave from them. To me it looks like it is nearly impossible to injure yourself with them, and with no pressure, the shave is without irritation.
 
I've been trying several OC razors (34-36 Aristocrat, Old type big fellow, new improved big fellow) and would rank them as new improved big fellow first - very smooth, good weight, long handle; Aristocrats a close second - smaller handle is the only small negative to me; and old type big fellow third. All are very good razors but YMMV.

Good hunting!
 
The Merk 11C is only a two part razor by the way. Same kinda weight as the 34HD. It does give a fine shave and if anything is a little bit better than the remaining Merk OC razors. They're pretty hard to get hold of these days as they're out of production. I wish I'd had kept mine. If you want a good and cheap OC look no further than the Pearl / Cadet line. Great quality for the money, as they give a really good shave.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
The Merk 11C is only a two part razor by the way. Same kinda weight as the 34HD. It does give a fine shave and if anything is a little bit better than the remaining Merk OC razors. They're pretty hard to get hold of these days as they're out of production. I wish I'd had kept mine. If you want a good and cheap OC look no further than the Pearl / Cadet line. Great quality for the money, as they give a really good shave.

My 11C is a different animal than my three piece Merkur open combs like Stu says, more like a short comb NEW or later thick top old-types. I think the head geometry is a little different and allows for a more efficient shave. That said, it will be harder to find than a Gillette open comb but definitely worth searching for.
 
I enjoy both the 11C and 12C, although they are much milder than the New LC and Deluxe. I prefer the Gillettes however,
 
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