I have moved on from my 34 HD, but I now use it to introduce coworkers to wet shaving. I put together a nice kit along with the 34 and use it as a "local" pass around box. Fun to mentor a whole new group of shavers.
Merkur 34C Heavy Duty
- Thread starter Hogtown
- Start date
I find my 34HD to be consistent. I find it gives a good shave, but not perfect. I like trying other razors but if I get any irritation from a new razor or blade, I always go back to my HD for a few days to let things settle back down.
The 34C is my daily razor. I get very nearly as close a shave with my Gillettes (Flare tip SS, Slim, and even the Tech) with less irritation, but I like the extra bit of aggressiveness the HD gives me. Glad to get your take on how it compares with your other razors, none of which I've tried yet.
I think the reason it is so popular is because its an easy razor to find your technique with. like others have said above, it has great weight and balance, so there is no difficulty in getting a good shave for a beginner. I also started out with a 34C, and found it to be great. I still use it as my travel razor as its easy to knock out a quick shave compared to some more aggressive razors that need more care and attention.
I use the HD as a comparison to all other razors.
The 34C is my favorite safety razor. I like it better than my EJ D89 because it's slightly more aggressive and gives me better feedback due to the fat hollowed out grip.
I started on a 34C HD and it was ok.
Decent shave with just minor irritation.
Fast forward a few months and a couple of vintage Gillettes later and I revisit the HD.
Great shave with no irritation.
I guess I just needed to get the technique down before it's potential would unfold ;-)
Decent shave with just minor irritation.
Fast forward a few months and a couple of vintage Gillettes later and I revisit the HD.
Great shave with no irritation.
I guess I just needed to get the technique down before it's potential would unfold ;-)
I just got one of these to test drive a modern razor. First impression is that blades make more of a difference with this one than my vintage gillettes. Try a different blade. Going to a sharper blade made a world of difference with me.
Please experiment with different blades. And then you will be converted. Trust me.
I've not been at this too long, but the 34C is the DE razor I started with. I've tried other razors (Techs, Red Tips) and the 34C gives me the most consistently good results with little to no irritation. Mine seems to prefer Personna Lab Blues, but I've used a number of other blades in it with results ranging from poor (Merkur) to outstanding (Rapira Swedish, Personna Lab). Good weight, decent fit and finish, and readily available. Not a lot of downside from this vantage point.
I may be over-thinking the problem, so be forewarned -- I have a theory.
First, a little background: I had a similar experience (in reverse) with the highly touted EJ89. I just could not love it. It was okay, sort of, but never as good as my Merkur HD. How could that be? Virtually everyone praises the EJ razor, but mine was just not that easy for me to use. For me, the HD was far superior. As a result of a trade, I got another EJ89, and to my surprise, discovered it was excellent! How could that be?
My theory is that making razors involves very small tolerances. Differences of a thousandth of an inch can alter the way a razor shaves. Very few industrial processes are perfect -- there's always variability. Depending on how the manufacturer operates their production system, and the quality controls they use before letting product out the door, two EJ89s (or two Merkur HDs) may not be exactly alike. Small differences in manufacturing could explain the different experiences. The assumption that the Merkur HD I have in my shave den is the same as every other one out there may be incorrect.
I know it sounds crazy, since you don't particularly like the HD, but one option to consider would be to sell it or trade it, and get another one.
First, a little background: I had a similar experience (in reverse) with the highly touted EJ89. I just could not love it. It was okay, sort of, but never as good as my Merkur HD. How could that be? Virtually everyone praises the EJ razor, but mine was just not that easy for me to use. For me, the HD was far superior. As a result of a trade, I got another EJ89, and to my surprise, discovered it was excellent! How could that be?
My theory is that making razors involves very small tolerances. Differences of a thousandth of an inch can alter the way a razor shaves. Very few industrial processes are perfect -- there's always variability. Depending on how the manufacturer operates their production system, and the quality controls they use before letting product out the door, two EJ89s (or two Merkur HDs) may not be exactly alike. Small differences in manufacturing could explain the different experiences. The assumption that the Merkur HD I have in my shave den is the same as every other one out there may be incorrect.
I know it sounds crazy, since you don't particularly like the HD, but one option to consider would be to sell it or trade it, and get another one.
I'd agree with the tolerance possibility. There are stacked tolerances in any manufacturing processes - stacking a half dozen 1% tolerance bands all headed in the same direction could make a big difference in how the razor performs for a given individual. Also, a razor that works for a given person's touch, technique, and face characteristics may really not work for another person.
So THAT'S why I hate my old fat handled Tech....
So THAT'S why I hate my old fat handled Tech....
- Thread starter
- #33
I'm with ya - my 34C doesn't get too much use. I cannot use it as a daily razor, only if I've got a couple days' growth going. Then it's OK, but only with what I call a medium sharp blade (Gillette green or yellow, or Shark, for example).
Similar threads
