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Merkur 34C, then Muhle R41...What's next?

First post, for a 60-something, always wet shaver.
Started with Trac II back in the day. Did Dollar Shave Club mail order for years, then got fed up with delivery delays, so I recently gifted myself a Merkur 34C and a blade assortment.
I wanted to try something different, so I ordered a Muhle R41. Big difference, compared to the Merkur 34C, and I like it after I've skipped shaving for a few days, but it's probably too much for my almost-daily shave.
Would the Blackbird and/or the Feather AS-D2 fall somewhere between the Merkur and the Muhle? Both are well-reviewed, but I'm confused as to where they fit in the mild/aggressive spectrum. (I've read the threads on the "top three" DE razors, and I'm surprised that the Feather doesn't show up on too many lists.)
I've got a good promo code from a vendor, and this would be a good time to order the Feather.
Thanks, and I hope I haven't asked a stupid question that's already been asked many times over.
 
The Feather is considered a very mild razor streamlined for the Feather blade. If the 34 is too tame and the R41 only an occasional treat then have a look at Italian Fatip in the same price bracket. Their open combs (Piccolo, Grande) and open comb Slant (Lo Storto) should be the Goldilocks to your other two.

There are many excellent stainless steel razors but they will cost you a pretty penny.

An other alternative could be an Adjustable like the Merkur Progress.

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This Razorock chart might help you. It lists other brands near the bottom of the page. I have no experience with the AS-D2 but would suggest you consider one of the Razorock Gamechangers or Lupo's. Also the Rockwell 6C or 6S. Oh, and welcome!
 
I second what ewk said above. If you like the R41, then the Blackbird would be a great addition. It has blade feel while being smoother than the R41. The Yates 921-H or EH might be right up your alley as well....high efficiency yet smooth.
 
First post, for a 60-something, always wet shaver.
Started with Trac II back in the day. Did Dollar Shave Club mail order for years, then got fed up with delivery delays, so I recently gifted myself a Merkur 34C and a blade assortment.
I wanted to try something different, so I ordered a Muhle R41. Big difference, compared to the Merkur 34C, and I like it after I've skipped shaving for a few days, but it's probably too much for my almost-daily shave.
Would the Blackbird and/or the Feather AS-D2 fall somewhere between the Merkur and the Muhle? Both are well-reviewed, but I'm confused as to where they fit in the mild/aggressive spectrum. (I've read the threads on the "top three" DE razors, and I'm surprised that the Feather doesn't show up on too many lists.)
I've got a good promo code from a vendor, and this would be a good time to order the Feather.
Thanks, and I hope I haven't asked a stupid question that's already been asked many times over.

Ah, the Trac II. Lousy shave, but no blood loss, unlike with the Gillette adjustables.

The Merkur 34C, on the other hand, is close to perfect, for someone who shaves every day, as I do. I see you do not.

What's next? For an infrequent shaver, an open comb razor is a better choice -- that's what they were designed for.

I'm not sure how you came up with these potential alternatives to a Merkur, as they seem to be all over the place.

For someone who starts with a Merkur closed comb razor, the natural progression would be to a Gillette New Long Comb. It is fairly easy and natural to use, it can shave closer than a Merkur while still being irritation free with proper technique, and it is an open comb for longer whiskers.

I could be quite happy with only a Merkur CC and a Long Comb, if I had only known.

However, for those who don't know when to quit, the next step would be a Fatip open comb. Judging from comments and my own experience, it is one of the more difficult razors to master. It seems a lot of people quit in disgust after a few shaves and sell their mint razors online. I could never recommend it as a first or second razor to anyone I liked. However, if you get The Touch, it shaves great and is easy to use, and shaves closer than a New Long Comb.

I could be quite happy with only a Merkur CC and a Long Comb and a Fatip OC, if I had only known.

However, for those who don't know when to quit, the next step would be a Gillette Old Type open comb, either a single ring or regular, which have the same heads -- although there are slight variations in the heads over the two+ decades of production. An Old Type is an education in the history of shaving, with a caveat: modern blades are nothing like the originals, so you are not going to experience the same shave as they did a century ago. This is a surprisingly easy razor to use, but a difficult razor to master. If you can get The Touch with a Fatip, you can probably master an Old Type. And if you get The Touch with an Old Type, it will shave closer than a Fatip.

You may have noticed that Merkur sells an open comb razor imitation of the Gillette Old Type. I gather that all the old type imitations out there are milder than the original, perhaps wisely so, as the modern thin, flexible blades are nothing like the stiff, old original carbon steel blades. But I rarely see comments on these Merkur OC razors on this site. Any thoughts? Perhaps it would be a good second razor to the Merkur CC.

As to the Fatip open comb slant, I have not tried one, but I own a few other slants, and have not found them as smooth, close and efficient as the better open and closed comb razors I own, used with a top blade and good technique. They seem to be a substitute for good technique, for many. I rarely use them, and am never going to buy another slant.

I could be quite happy with only a Merkur CC and a Long Comb and a Fatip OC and a Gillette Old Type, if I had only known.

I didn't....

Some friendly advice to anyone with a Merkur 33/34:






Quit while you are ahead!









.
 
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You're searching for the right razor for your unique whiskers and skin. You're on the right track.

I would recommend a vintage Gillette adjustable, such as a Slim or a Super Adjustable, or maybe a Parker Variant. I have 11 adjustable razors, and I've never met an adjustable razor that I didn't LOVE.

An adjustable razor with say 9 settings is in fact 9 razors in one. There should be one setting that is perfect for you.
 
First post, for a 60-something, always wet shaver.
Started with Trac II back in the day. Did Dollar Shave Club mail order for years, then got fed up with delivery delays, so I recently gifted myself a Merkur 34C and a blade assortment.
I wanted to try something different, so I ordered a Muhle R41. Big difference, compared to the Merkur 34C, and I like it after I've skipped shaving for a few days, but it's probably too much for my almost-daily shave.
Would the Blackbird and/or the Feather AS-D2 fall somewhere between the Merkur and the Muhle? Both are well-reviewed, but I'm confused as to where they fit in the mild/aggressive spectrum. (I've read the threads on the "top three" DE razors, and I'm surprised that the Feather doesn't show up on too many lists.)
I've got a good promo code from a vendor, and this would be a good time to order the Feather.
Thanks, and I hope I haven't asked a stupid question that's already been asked many times over.
I totally agree with Multum in parvo. Try a Fatip open comb.

I started with a Piccolo Special Edition, then an Il Piccolo Storto, then a Fatip Wood Ulivo and finally a Grande Nichelato. All made from solid brass. The Special Edition taught me that I'm an open comb shaver, the Storto taught me that slant is not necessarily more efficient, the Wood taught me the thicker handle is more comfortable than the thinner Piccolo handle and the Nichelato taught me the Wood handle is a bit too long...

The Special Edition is still my preferred colour scheme, unfortunately the black finish wore off too fast (I might even get myself a new one!). A quality issue that did not affect the quality of the shave. I prefer the slightly warmer tint of nickel over the cold chrome. If Fatip ever releases a stainless steel version, I'd consider getting it. Otherwise I'm done with shopping for razors, no need for Rex, Henson, Feather, Rockwell or other brands.

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My advice for you? Skip the Special Edition, you know you want open comb. Go for a Nichelato Grande, the cheapest option available to see if the razor suits you. The handles of the Fatip Wood and the Mühle Grande are similar in length/width. The handle of the regular Mühle and the Fatip Nichelato are similar in width, but the Fatip is a good cm shorter. The Piccolo has a solid handle and the Grande has a hollow handle with an unforgivable hole in the bottom.

I have not experienced any alignment issues with any of my Fatips.

As Fatip razors are machined from brass, the chrome and nickel finishes do not need any extra intermediate layer -contrary to brass- so it is possible that some machining marks remain as the finish is too thin to hide them (at least so I read...). For me this adds to the authenticity of the product, for others it seems to be a no-go...

I do have a Mühle R41 that I consider slightly more aggressive than the Fatip, but not necessarily more efficient! I am struggling with the R41GS (stainless)...

Oh 1:
Oh, and I forgot to mention I started out with a Supply Single Edge... The quality of the shaves it gave me justifies the fact that I forgot about it.

Oh 2:
Oh, and I forgot to mention I also bought a Razorock Hawk that fits the artist blades I bought with the Supply but turned out to be incompatible with the latter. It provides a BBS but the aluminium is too light and the head is too wide to be comfortable.
 
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You're searching for the right razor for your unique whiskers and skin. You're on the right track.

I would recommend a vintage Gillette adjustable, such as a Slim or a Super Adjustable, or maybe a Parker Variant. I have 11 adjustable razors, and I've never met an adjustable razor that I didn't LOVE.

An adjustable razor with say 9 settings is in fact 9 razors in one. There should be one setting that is perfect for you.
That's the problem with adjustable razors. If one setting suits you you bought all these 'extras' for no reason ;-)
 
The Blackbird is milder than the R41, but not by very much.

Perhaps try the Muhle Rocca, which is moderate, steel and comes in some nice handle options, or a razor with optional base plates. The brass Karve Christopher Bradley seems to have become wildly popular around here. It has multiple base plates, looks amazing when it develops a patina, and gets great reviews.
 
I started with a VdH from the drug store to see if I wanted to pursue this. then i went to a 34c (mild and easy to learn with), to a 37c slant (took more skill, was more efficient but a little rough to use) to a Timeless Ti .95... and it is just right... comfortable and efficient without irritation.. I have an OC plate for 3 or more days of growth and an SB for less. it's been a few years and I will never shave with anything else.
 
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I may give the Fatip Piccolo a try; at that price, I can't go too wrong.
I forgot to mention that I also have a vintage Gillette that a friend gave me about 35 years ago. (Photos attached.)
I shaved with it a few times back then, with the original vintage blades, and had a rough time.
I tried it again recently, with new blades. It shaves fine, but I have trouble finding the right angle - I feel too much of the comb.
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Ratso

Mr. Obvious
You're searching for the right razor for your unique whiskers and skin. You're on the right track.

I would recommend a vintage Gillette adjustable, such as a Slim or a Super Adjustable, or maybe a Parker Variant. I have 11 adjustable razors, and I've never met an adjustable razor that I didn't LOVE.

An adjustable razor with say 9 settings is in fact 9 razors in one. There should be one setting that is perfect for you.
I agree with Santamariasteve. I think the slim or super adjustable is a great choice. The super adjustable is more aggressive according to blade gap specs, but should still have an acceptable range to fit you needs. I have both and enjoy them. You can get either one at a reasonable price.
 
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I may give the Fatip Piccolo a try; at that price, I can't go too wrong.
I forgot to mention that I also have a vintage Gillette that a friend gave me about 35 years ago. (Photos attached.)
I shaved with it a few times back then, with the original vintage blades, and had a rough time.
I tried it again recently, with new blades. It shaves fine, but I have trouble finding the right angle - I feel too much of the comb.
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That’s a New Long Comb, a fine shaver. The old carbon blades are most probably rubbish but try a couple of new ones. If you find the right one you won’t need a new razor even though the Piccolo would definitely be a nice addition.
 
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