Muhle vs. Merkur?

[discerningbev]

Which one is better? Pluses and minuses of each? I am reading that Merkur is a little better performance wise and of course costs less. I am reading that the Muhle is better built and way more beautiful aesthetically.

What say the board from your experience at both?

 

[Kostas1]

Ford or Chevy? Apple or Google? Catholic or Protestant? Basically, so similar yet different.

Assuming you're referring to the 3-piece offerings, both are good beginners razors (milder shavers, R41 excluded). Agreed on visual assessment of Muhle. They are stunning.
Shavewise, always felt DE89 was more forgiving than my Merkurs, and had a wider useful angle. Merkurs felt a little more efficient to me, but I'd probably lean to the DE89 if I wanted a milder razor and had time for an extra pass.
Except for Weber PH (Merkur clone), 3-piece Merkurs are gone. Let brother-in-law borrow DE89, but appears he's unclear on how to return things, but this post is inspiring me that I might need to go Goodfellas on him soon. .

 

[gvw755]

Just get the one that draws your attention and is in your budget. You won't go wrong with either. If you sit and read the opinions on this post that will start coming in, your head will start spinning after the 50th comment.

 

[discerningbev]

I think I am going to put a Merkur head on a Muhle handle. Eyeing this Muhle razor that is beautiful and then I will get a 23C Merkur and use that head if I don't like the Muhle head.

 

[discerningbev]

The Muhle I am eying is $60 and I found a Merkur 23C on eBay for $23 with free shipping.

 

[Luukii]

Buy both.

 

[santamariasteve]

I would not make a Merkur-Muhle hybrid razor. One of each is better.

You didn't tell us how tough your whiskers are. The Merkur 34 HD is slightly more aggressive than the Muhle R89.

But the R89 responds well to shimming if needed.

 

[YMMV]

I prefer the Merkur closed comb heads over the respectibe Muhle/EJ. They are more efficient for me. The Muhle/EJ heads seem to have better finish than the Merkurs but I still prefer the latter. YMMV of course The good news is that usually you can't go wrong with either of them

 

[discerningbev]

I would not make a Merkur-Muhle hybrid razor. One of each is better.

You didn't tell us how tough your whiskers are. The Merkur 34 HD is slightly more aggressive than the Muhle R89.

But the R89 responds well to shimming if needed.

I already have a Merkur 34C which I love. I just love the handle and craftsmanship of this one particular Muhle. I was figuring if I didn't like the shave of it I would just add a Merkur 23C head to it and have the best of both worlds. I ordered them both so we shall see.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Muhle, no question. Ive owned both and the quality of Muhles is far better. Muhles have better chroming and with a Muhle, you dont need to align the blade.
Ive owned Merkurs too and theyre good razors but Merkur takes some shortcut when it comes to the little details: for example they dont chrome the underside of the cap. Muhle does.

 

[DE Steve]

Muhle, no question. Ive owned both and the quality of Muhles is far better. Muhles have better chroming and with a Muhle, you dont need to align the blade.
Ive owned Merkurs too and theyre good razors but Merkur takes some shortcut when it comes to the little details: for example they dont chrome the underside of the cap. Muhle does.

The underside of Merkur caps ARE chromed, they're just not polished (for better grip of the blade?).

 

[Teriyaki]

I have had both & they shave about the same. Muhle looks lovely. However, dropped the Muhle in the sink & the screw busted off the cap. Merkur are built better. Other people have said the same.
I’d never buy another Muhle product for just that reason.

 

[ERS4]

The underside of Merkur caps ARE chromed, they're just not polished (for better grip of the blade?).

This argument does not hold.
The Wolfman is highly polished inside and out, but it holds the blade very well.

Proper design machining of the posts and clamping surfaces is the only way to really hold the blade effectively.

The uneven interior of the Merkur is not intentional, but simply comes from low-cost rough machining.

 

[Invicta]

Which one is better? Pluses and minuses of each? I am reading that Merkur is a little better performance wise and of course costs less. I am reading that the Muhle is better built and way more beautiful aesthetically.

I prefer the Merkur because it is slightly more aggressive (a tad more blade eposure) and is great for a daily shave. The Muhle does have a brass threaded post to the cap (since 2017) but I have not had any issues with the Merkur on that score as it was a chromed brass thread anyway. There is not a lot to choose between them really although I heard that Merkur have changed to a zinc alloy threaded post on the latest production.
My favourite Merkur is the Progress which has a little more weight but still a standard length handle.

This argument does not hold.

Proper design machining of the posts and clamping surfaces is the only way to really hold the blade effectively.

The uneven interior of the Merkur is not intentional, but simply comes from low-cost rough machining.

The Merkur is not machined but cast which is why it does shine like the top of the cap. You are correct about the reasoning that added blade grip was not why the underside of the cap is not smooth; no point polishing the cap underside before chrome finishing if it is not seen.