IN general, which of these companies has superior workmanship and design?
Muhle vs Merkur... which razors are made better?
- Thread starter Christoph
- Start date
Both are great but Muhle demonstrates superior craftsmanship in it's plating and designs.
I would say on par and preference of choice, greatly crafted and high quality items that should last a lifetime if taken care of
Muhle/ Edwin Jagger blows Merkur out of the water. No contest. The fit, and finish is vastly superior.
Merkur is a little more interesting from a design stand point, with their various adjustables, but Muhle hands down in the workmanship department. That said my Merkurs aren't completely ugly or anything, just not up to the level of Muhle in terms of finish.
I wish either of them (but especially Muhle) would do a really nice TTO! I'd pay a pretty penny for that.
I wish either of them (but especially Muhle) would do a really nice TTO! I'd pay a pretty penny for that.
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I have no problems with either, both are fine with appearance and craftsmanship for me. I have 4 Merkurs, and only 1 Muhle, and all are really fine DE's.
If there's one thing I remember from drafting class waaaaay back in high school, it's that 'form must follow function'.
From that standpoint, My Merkur 39C Slant gets top marks for design... for me, it does the job it was intended to do better than ANYTHING in my den... and the workmanship/finish deserve high praise as well... IMHO, Merkur products are finely crafted instruments.
That being said, I also have a Muhle R89 in the den. The design is not complex, it's a simple three piece razor... but man... what form it has... it looks and feels like a piece of art... with an absolutely stunning finish... IMHO, you'd be hard-pressed to find a prettier line of razors. It's not the most aggresive, but gets the job done nicely.
At the end of the day, it's a hard question to answer, given that both companies produce razors I enjoy owning.
If push came to shove however, I'd have to remain true to my high school drafting mantra... perhaps if my basis of comparison was with the highly regarded (and aggressive) R41, my opinion would change, but then again, depending on just how aggressive the razor truly is, perhaps not.
From that standpoint, My Merkur 39C Slant gets top marks for design... for me, it does the job it was intended to do better than ANYTHING in my den... and the workmanship/finish deserve high praise as well... IMHO, Merkur products are finely crafted instruments.
That being said, I also have a Muhle R89 in the den. The design is not complex, it's a simple three piece razor... but man... what form it has... it looks and feels like a piece of art... with an absolutely stunning finish... IMHO, you'd be hard-pressed to find a prettier line of razors. It's not the most aggresive, but gets the job done nicely.
At the end of the day, it's a hard question to answer, given that both companies produce razors I enjoy owning.
If push came to shove however, I'd have to remain true to my high school drafting mantra... perhaps if my basis of comparison was with the highly regarded (and aggressive) R41, my opinion would change, but then again, depending on just how aggressive the razor truly is, perhaps not.
I currently have 4 Merkurs. (two Futurs and two Progress) All seem to be of decent quality, although not up to Feather AS. I had an older Futur that seemed to have really poor finish and plating, but then I picked it up for shipping cost, and gave it to my son.
Muhle by a country mile!
I bought a Merkur Progress and put it through its paces, but when I rec'd a EJ Barley Chrome as part of a B/S/T transaction - the Merkur was sold. The three razors that I have kept and shave with: EJ Barley Chrome, Muhle Rosegold and Feather A/S.
The finish on the Muhle / EJ are flawless and the blade centers perfectly every time, no adjustment req'd. The Merkur was always off centered and req'd constant adjustment to keep an even blade gap. It was the only time I was glad that the blade tabs extended beyond the razor's head.
The finish on the Muhle / EJ are flawless and the blade centers perfectly every time, no adjustment req'd. The Merkur was always off centered and req'd constant adjustment to keep an even blade gap. It was the only time I was glad that the blade tabs extended beyond the razor's head.
Muhle's polishing and plating processes use jewelry industry standards and equipment in the manufacturing process. Merkur does not. Both companies make well-designed and very functional razors. Muhle goes to extra lengths with fit and finish, IMO.
Merkur offers more variety, but they are the jack of all trades and master of none. It isn't even close when it comes to quality, Muhle is far better than Merkur. I have struggled with uneven blade gaps on my Futur and uneven finish on my 1904 classic, my two 89's are flawless.
I must have the only good Merkur Progress made
I have a Muhle 2010 r41, 2011 r41, r89, ej89, ej89l and like them all, yes the Muhle handles are like jewelry, the heads perfectly finished, the ejs too.
But if I could only take one razor with me it would be my Progress, blades perfectly align, I even like the ivory knob, compliments my M&F brushes!
I have a Muhle 2010 r41, 2011 r41, r89, ej89, ej89l and like them all, yes the Muhle handles are like jewelry, the heads perfectly finished, the ejs too.
But if I could only take one razor with me it would be my Progress, blades perfectly align, I even like the ivory knob, compliments my M&F brushes!
I just received a new Merkur Chunky in red. I like it so far. Not sure what any other company would do to improve on the simple design and the adequate finish on the three parts. I look more for interesting design and this unit is unique. I figure this razor will last ten years; the only thing that can fail is the threading in the top of the handle.
I personally have never had issues with any of my Merkur razors. With that said, the fit and finish on the Mühle razors are better than any DE that I own.
Current production, I say Muhle, hands down. Merkur might have had some glory days in the past, and currently their razors are nice, well-made enough, I still buy them, but today's Muhles are such a pleasure, things of beauty.
+1. Never had any issues with my Merkur HD yet but the Muhle R41 is something else.
