Merkur HD
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Yep the Merkur 34C is commonly known as the Merkur HD
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Thanks!my 1st de razor & i love it ;-)
i asked all the usual questions before i bought a de razor & it all came back to the merkur hd
i asked all the usual questions before i bought a de razor & it all came back to the merkur hd
No worries. And welcome to B&B!
I have one for sale in B/S/T if you are looking to save a few bucks. Paired it with some Personna Medical Prep blades.
Just a warning...
I got the HD because it was so highly recommended. I have very sensitive skin and a few tricky spots on my neck and chin. I shaved with it for a month and just couldn't ever get it down. I've since picked up 17 other razors... you will too, eventually.
The bottom line for me is that I've found the vintage Gillettes, particularly the Slim Adjustable, Fatboy, and Super Speeds, to be much more forgiving razors while still providing an aggressive shave if desired. I can get a cleaner and more thorough shave without the occasional nick/weeper or irritation.
If you are set on a brand new razor you might consider the Edwin Jagger EJ89DE. I have not used it personally but it has a reputation as being a milder and more forgiving shave than the HD. Quite frankly the only reason I picked the HD over the EJ89 was because I thought the HD was better looking.
If you have normal skin and not a tricky face and neck the HD might be just right for you. Best of luck whatever you choose.
Oh, and should you ever decide to go vintage, hit up some local antique malls and grab some Gillettes. They are out there, and with a little bit of polish provide a great shave at a very low cost. You might even find you enjoy the hunt.
And welcome to B&B and the world of DE shaving. You can find the answer to anything from the kind chaps here.
Just a warning...
I got the HD because it was so highly recommended. I have very sensitive skin and a few tricky spots on my neck and chin. I shaved with it for a month and just couldn't ever get it down. I've since picked up 17 other razors... you will too, eventually.
The bottom line for me is that I've found the vintage Gillettes, particularly the Slim Adjustable, Fatboy, and Super Speeds, to be much more forgiving razors while still providing an aggressive shave if desired. I can get a cleaner and more thorough shave without the occasional nick/weeper or irritation.
If you are set on a brand new razor you might consider the Edwin Jagger EJ89DE. I have not used it personally but it has a reputation as being a milder and more forgiving shave than the HD. Quite frankly the only reason I picked the HD over the EJ89 was because I thought the HD was better looking.
If you have normal skin and not a tricky face and neck the HD might be just right for you. Best of luck whatever you choose.
Oh, and should you ever decide to go vintage, hit up some local antique malls and grab some Gillettes. They are out there, and with a little bit of polish provide a great shave at a very low cost. You might even find you enjoy the hunt.
And welcome to B&B and the world of DE shaving. You can find the answer to anything from the kind chaps here.
I would agree with CB_DoubleEdge, above. I also started with a 34C and then moved on to even more aggressive razors before realizing that it was not what my face needed. The 34C is a very good razor, but is too aggressive for me to use every day (I do still try it out from time to time). I was PIF'd a Gillette Tech, which gets along much better with my sensitive skin. YMMV, as always.
GS
GS
Case of YMMV here.
Bought my HD almost 3 years ago. Did take a month or so to truly learn it, but to this day I am still going strong with it. Only other razors I have used are some SS's and a tech that were in a box found at a relatives house. Love using them on rare occasions, but the HD is the daily driver.
I did like buying a new razor for my first over buying a vintage one that could be slightly damaged and ruin the experience for me (even though I knew that was a small possibility).
You can't go wrong with an HD, and if you do, the B/S/T forum will snatch it up quick.
Bought my HD almost 3 years ago. Did take a month or so to truly learn it, but to this day I am still going strong with it. Only other razors I have used are some SS's and a tech that were in a box found at a relatives house. Love using them on rare occasions, but the HD is the daily driver.
I did like buying a new razor for my first over buying a vintage one that could be slightly damaged and ruin the experience for me (even though I knew that was a small possibility).
You can't go wrong with an HD, and if you do, the B/S/T forum will snatch it up quick.
Welcome, absence. I think you'll enjoy the merkur hd. It was my first de razor.
B
buyandhold2018
To friends and family, I recommend the Feather Popular as a starter DE. Very mild and it's hard to cut yourself with, also an inexpensive way to start off.
If you want to start with a medium price range razor, my opinion in the Muhle R89 or EJ 89 is a better razor for a new DE shaver. YMMV though.
With poor technique and the wrong blade, the HD can cause a fair bit of irritation. That said, it's a great razor with the right blade and right technique.
If you want to start with a medium price range razor, my opinion in the Muhle R89 or EJ 89 is a better razor for a new DE shaver. YMMV though.
With poor technique and the wrong blade, the HD can cause a fair bit of irritation. That said, it's a great razor with the right blade and right technique.
Not going against what others have said, but I personally think the HD would be a great choice. If it was me I'd want a razor that isn't overly mild as he might just go back to his sloppy cartridge shaving ways if he can hack away at his face with no consequences. A little aggressiveness will help in teaching him proper blade angle and how to avoid irritation. Just my opinion.
I just sold my HD, but I think it's a great starter razor. I personally find I prefer the vintage Gillettes, but that's not the say that the Merkur wasn't excellent. I say get it, and if it's not to your liking I'm sure you could off-load it (i.e. sell it) fairly quickly.
The Merkur 34C and the Edwin Jagger E89DL are the best razors I've ever used, bar none.
I recommend -
http://thesuperiorshave.com/
www.westcoastshaving.com
I recommend -
http://thesuperiorshave.com/
www.westcoastshaving.com
Excellent choice in the HD. Also check out the classic 1904, which I think is even better. 
I started off with the milder Gillette SS and Tech, but the last 6 months all I've used is my Merkur 34G (the gold version). 2 years ago my daughter's fiance bought a 34C to start with and it's still his only DE. I think it's a great razor.
I would definitely recommend the Merkur HD as a first razor. You can't go wrong with it. Another favorite of mine are the Edwin Jagger DE86/87/89, another great razor.
I just want to echo the praise for the Merkur 34C HD. It is a fantastic razor and was also my first DE. I have many other razors, but it is still one of my best shavers. The DE89 is also a great choice. I love mine. I just got a Muhle R41, and I would suggest that it would be a good choice as well. It is a very mild razor, but it would be a good one to learn proper blade angle with.
Like others I started with the HD. Tried others and sold them all very quickly. The HD remains as my daily razor, along with a Progress which I'm only warming to after many months of occasional use.
Adjustabilty, and a mild cut is nice in a razor, but the HD and an unspectacular, but comfy blade like a Red IP or Derby, is still mild.
If you want something prettier, then the Muhle and EJs are very similar.
Adjustabilty, and a mild cut is nice in a razor, but the HD and an unspectacular, but comfy blade like a Red IP or Derby, is still mild.
If you want something prettier, then the Muhle and EJs are very similar.
Merkur HD = 
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