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The Problem with Merkur

I've used a Merkur slant razor for several years and found it to be a good product. Merkur blades are less than acceptable: the blade is not as smooth as many other blades and the sharpness is missing. I'm curious about why Merkur blades are inferior since they are, after all, manufactured in Germany, a country with high precision standards. Any comments about this?
 
I've used a Merkur slant razor for several years and found it to be a good product. Merkur blades are less than acceptable: the blade is not as smooth as many other blades and the sharpness is missing. I'm curious about why Merkur blades are inferior since they are, after all, manufactured in Germany, a country with high precision standards. Any comments about this?
I have noticed their blades are cruddy as well. It might be they are now made in China. Chinese blades are crud also with a few exceptions.
 
The first time I used a Merkur blade was about 7 years ago and they were trash then. It's funny though when I used it in a Merkur 37 slant the blade was very smooth. That's the only razor it was good in.
 
Id say part of it is the fact that the superiority of German engineering is largely a myth. It was true at one point in time but those days are long gone.
Muhle and Timor blades arent very good either, FWIW.
 
My first DE was a Merkur I bought probably around 2003. I don't specifically remember the Merkur blades being especially bad but I had them during my DE learning curve. I know I did not get a good shave from them but others were better. I feel like, at that time, more obscure blades were way harder to get so there was a much more limited variety available.
 
Used to think the blades were terrible when they came with my first razor, a Progress, in 2004. Absolutely fabulous in the Piccolo and to a lesser degree in the PILS. Now I own about a 1000. WCS has absolute best price!
 
I have noticed their blades are cruddy as well. It might be they are now made in China. Chinese blades are crud also with a few exceptions.
One of those exceptions is the recent Chinese entry, Suneko, a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coated blade. They are as sharp as my feathers and as smooth as a Voskhod. Great blades, but unfortunately, quickly sold out at their American distributor.
 
I have tried Merkur blades on several occasions and each time I had to scrap the shave after a few strokes. I, too, wonder how a company that makes nice razors can make a bad blade. I can only assume they have no idea of the poor quality of their blades.
 

Another victim of the germans. At least you've only tried the merkur.

The wilkinson and VDH blades shredded my face. I've got 3 places on my face right now with dried blood 24 hours after I last shaved.
 
Merkur blades are very much ‘mid to lower tier’ for me also. In contrast, I really like the German Wilkies!!
 
I also like German Wilkies - smooth, sharp, and long-lasting. I found Muhle blades to be pretty good, but not worth their high price. I found the similarly priced Merkur blades to be below average.
 
The only two I've used came with the razors I bought, and I found them to be very good/excellent blades for the 5-6 shaves I used them. No real improvement over my Astra SPs, though, and 5X the price, so.....
 
I also have not had a good experience with their blades. Was so frustrated, my first Merkur razor and thier blades dont cut well and are not smooth
 
My first razor was the 34C and I thought the blade that came with the razor was a very smooth blade. I had Feathers on order but the order was delayed. Some how I ended up buying some Merkur blades and those I could not use. I have no clue what or why there was such a big difference in the one that came with the razor versus the lot but I can not shave with them. My 2 blades are German Wilkies or Gillette Persharp from India.
 
Merkur blades worked very well for me, as most blades do. Considering my favorites work better and cost less there’s no way to justify the price imo.
 
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