Good to hear there's some progress, jayl. Do you have a few more Feathers? It'd behoove you to get a few good shaves going on a consistent basis before changing up more components. Once you get 4 or 5 good ones in a row, think about getting a blade sampler. That 23C will go a long way with a wide variety of blades.
Merkur 23C eating my face.
- Thread starter jayl65
- Start date
Great news. Hang in there. It sounds like you're getting the hang of it and have discovered that your face tells you what it likes. I'd say that you still might want to try a sampler pack and see what other blades might suit you.
Glad you finally got a good shave. It will only get better from this point on.
Good call on this... I have a 23C and it does well with Gillette Silver Blues & 7' O Clock Black blades.
Watch some videos. Work on technique. Don't try to do too much too fast. The neck is a tough area for everyone. Be gentle there. What is your blade? Merkurs often come with Merkur blades, which don't have the best reputation. Astras are suggested here. Make sure you have a thick, slick lather. Start off WTG, then add WTG, and finally, when you are comfortable, ATG.
The 23C was my first when I returned to DE shaving. I found that the blade I was using changed its character completely. Some blades worked great, others were like rabid weasels. I don't use the 23C at all anymore and PIF'ed it to a friend here in town. I got a Weber (and many others 
- the Weber gets used the most) and it is much more consistent across different blades. If you want to keep the 23C, my advice would be to experiment with blades until you find the ones that work well in it for you.
- the Weber gets used the most) and it is much more consistent across different blades. If you want to keep the 23C, my advice would be to experiment with blades until you find the ones that work well in it for you.
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Merkur blades are among the worst I've ever shaved with. Similar issues with shaving and getting nicks and weepers every time went away when I tried a Feather. Costly as they are I moved to Personna Reds which last longer for me, and using my 23C became one of my favorite razors. The advice given to stay with the razor until your technique improves is a very good idea.
Might also look at a Futur. I did not think I would like it but it has worked out at one on my go to razors. This thing is BIG, easy to handle and is adjustable. It is fairly reasonable in price considering all the features.
Merkur blades suck, so change the blade out. Then work on your angle of attack. Put the razor head flat on your face (handle sticking straight out from your face) then rotate it until the blade just hits your face. Shave with that angle and see how the results come out.
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