REVIEWS

Merkur 34c HD Razor Review – Best Razor for Shaving Head

By Philip Yiga | November 26, 2014

Today, most men prefer using Merkur safety razors because of their strong grip and balance. This Merkur 34c Heavy Duty Double-Edge safety-razor is also known as the Merkur HD and it also happens to be one of the most popular safety-razors in the Merkur line.

[See price on Amazon….]

This amazing razor has a thick heavy handle that feels solid and hefty when held into the hands and the fixed blade exposure makes this razor an ideal shaving tool for a beginner.

The Merkur Heavy Duty razor is in fact similar to the Merkur Classic razor, but the heavy duty comes with a slightly thicker and heavier handle with a more sophisticated 2-piece construction. This razor has a stylish chrome finish that gives it a shiny and elegant look yet its every affordable.

PERFORMANCE:

Merkur 34c is also known as Merkur Hefty Classic, it is a heavy duty double edge safety razor with a very strong grip. Merkur as a company is well known for its quality safety razors but this model is specifically for men with short hands & thick beards. If you have large hands, I suggest you opt for a Merkur Long Handled HD razor. In terms of performance & popularity, this heavy duty razor has scored a 4.8 / 5 rating (98% customer satisfaction), it competes very well with other top safety razors like Merkur Long Handled 180, Merkur Futur, Parker 99r and Edwin Jagger’s DE89Lbl.

DESIGN:

[box] For those who have not used this 34c HD razor, you’re trully missing out on something great. This razor is slightly thicker and heavier than most manual razors, it is a 2 piece razor so changing blades is a walk in a bank, all you have to do is to screw off the handle, replace the old razor blade with a new blade and screw back the handle. Merkur 34C’s head is wide and closed. The advantage of using a safety razor with a wide shaving head is that you will make a few passes because the head covers a wide surface area. And the close comb will ensure that the razor blade does not get direct contact with your skin hence preventing skin irritation & bumps. It is finished with stainless steel and this makes it a durable manual razor. You can use it while in the shower.[/box]

RECOMMENDED FOR:

Shaving head (voted as the Best Razor for Shaving Head)
Shaving pubic area
Shaving chest hair
Grooming mustache, sideburn, and goatee
Shaving legs
Shaving ingrown hair
Sensitive skins (please wet shave if you have a sensitive skin)
Men with short hands (it has a short handle)

PROS:

Real close shave:- This Merkur Heavy Duty shaves really close than any other razors. It will even save you a lot of money since it ensures that the blades last much longer than those of the March 3 razor. I can only say that this Merkur 34C will give any man the best all-around shave and its far closer and more comfortable than any cartridge razors.

Good weight, the razor feels solid: – When shaving with a safety razor you don’t have to use too much pressure, simply hold the razor at the right angle and make gentle strokes. If you use a heavy duty razor which has some weight on it like this Merkur 34c, that will be an added advantage because its weight will be exerted on the beards / hair hence guarantee you with a smooth close shave. When you hold Merkur 34c in your hands, it will feel solid and comfortable to use. However, it has a short handle and this helps the razor to balance perfectly; but if your hands are too large, you might have issues with a short handle so I suggest you try Merkur 180 long handled. On the other hand, men with bald heads, you should always use Merkur 34c because it is the best head shaving razor on the market.

No nicks, cuts, burn or drag:- Merkur 34C has a closed comb which curves as it gets to the skin. When you insert a razor blade in this comb, it curves it so that there is no direct contact with the skin. This prevents nicks, cuts, burns and dragging of the skin hence making Merkur 34C the best double edge safety razor for sensitive skins. Old people with soft wrinkled skins you should always stretch your skin when shaving with a safety razor, this will make your skin flat and easy to shave.

Well balanced:- The head of this manual razor is wide and heavy, yet the handle is short and heavy as well. The short handle and wide head balance very well which makes Merkur 34C very easy to use. When buying a safety razor for the first time, you have to consider the following factors; weight, handle length, width of the head and its grip. A well balance razor is very easy to use and it gives a real close shave. You don’t have to use any pressure / force when shaving with a well balanced manual razor. So, if you have been getting issues with Gillette multiple blade razors, it is time you upgrade to a razor recommended by every man. It has been voted as the best safety razor of all time. (98% customer satisfaction)

Good for beginners:- Merkur 34C was tailored for every man / woman. This is a two piece razor, operating it is very easy. Actually you don’t need to read a manual to learn how to use Merkur 34C because when it comes to replacing razor blades, all you have to do is to screw off the handle and insert a new razor blade and then place back the handle. Two piece razors are very easy to use & operate. Another added advantage is the ‘‘hefty weight” which makes it very easy to use. At first you might get scared of the weight, but once you hold it in your hands, it will feel solid and easy to use. No effort is needed when shaving with Merkur 34C, but make sure you leather up with a very good shaving cream and shave towards the grain (direction to which your beards grow to). I know some people recommend shaving against the grain because it gives a very close quick shave but chances of irritating your skin are very high. If you decide to shave against the grain with a manual razor, do it gently and apply enough gel / shaving cream.

Excellent design:- To me this razor is just perfect, I agree it does not compete with Edwin Jagger De89lbl when it comes to design, but the excellent balance and grip handle makes it a perfect razor. Its wide head covers a wide surface area so it can shave a thick / dense beard within a few minutes. The average time is 5 minutes but some people can use less than 5 minutes.

Uses any type of DE razor blade:- When you buy this razor, it will come with a free Merkur double edge razor blade. But you can use any type of double edge razor blade. These blades have the same design so they fit in any razor.

Easy to clean:- Since it is a two piece razor, all you have to do is to screw off the head, remove the razor blade and wash it clean with water & soap. After that put it on the sink to dry and re-assemble it back.

Does not clog with hair:- I have used Gillette multiple blade razors but they always get clogged by hair & shaving cream. Once a razor gets clogged, you have to tap it into a mug of water or flash it via the tap to remove clogged hair & shaving cream. Doing this all the time can reduce on your shaving time.

Shaves dense beards very well:- Men with dense or thick beards you can’t shave with a multiple blade razor because it will keep on clogging and getting stuck in the beard. The best option is to leather up with a very nice shaving cream. But before doing this, you have to wash your beard with warm water so that it becomes soft, rinse out the water with a clean towel and use a badger brush to apply shaving cream on the beard. Let the cream sit on the beard for some minutes and then start shaving with Merkur 34c DE razor. After the first strokes, you can wash your face and see areas which have not been shaved, go over them with one stroke to get an even clean smooth shave.

CONS:

It has a short handle, so men with large / big hands might not find it friendly, but other than that, no razor competes with this Merkur 34C.

FEATURES:

Chrome finished: This manual razor is coated with chrome on top hence this will help to protect it from getting rusty when it’s exposed to wet conditions. This chrome finish even creates a shiny effect and this gives the razor a quality look and feel compared to razors that are not chrome coated.

Double-edged razor: this means that it will offer you with a closer shave with less or no-irritation compared to single-blade razors. This razor will even use any standard double-edge blades for replacement and these blades are available anywhere on the market today and at an affordable price.

Short handle: its handle is about 3-inches long but it surprisingly offers a thicker grip with a non-slip knurling on top. The short handle is ideal for men with small / short hands, but if you have large hands, it will not fit in your hands so you might opt for Merkur Long Handled Razor. However, short handled razors like this 34C are the best when it comes to shaving thick beards, because the distance between the blade & the handle will be short, so all the pressure inserted on to the handle will go directly to blades and make it possible to shave any thick beard / pubes.

Twist-to-open design: Merkur 34C razor makes the whole process of replacing blades much easier because you simply have to twist its handle inorder to place new blades into its head. This design also makes cleaning this razor very easy since you can easily disassemble and assemble it after cleaning it.

It’s made of stainless steel: this is a very strong material which makes the razor durable and strong, so even when dropped accidentally on the floor it will not bend or break. This material even adds some weight to the razor hence offering the user with a hefty feeling in the hands while shaving with this shaver.

Merkur 34C vs Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl

[See price on Amazon….]

In this comparison, we shall look at these best two safety razors of the market. Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl and Merkur 34c have a lot in common but definitely one of them is better than the other. Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl fits all standard double edge blades, its shaves as close as a straight razor, it has an excellent balance, it is smart and durable. Merkur 34c has a short handle which adds to its weight and balance, its durable and nice looking, works with all DE safety razor blades and it is a double edge razor. Both razors are reasonably priced so you can buy both of them and do a comparison from home.

Let’s look at some of the differences and similarities of these two manual razors.

SIMILARITIES:

Both models are classified as double edge razors and they use the same DE safety razor blades.
Both models have detailed handles which gives them a better grip than most razors on the market.
Both razors have a closed comb head which curves the razor blade to prevent direct interaction with the skin hence preventing skin irritation, nicks and cuts.
Both models are good on wet shaving, they don’t clog.

DIFFERENCES:

Appearance:- When it comes to appearance, Edwin Jagger DE89L seems to win because it has a chrome plated finish and a lined detail handle which makes it appealing on the eyes. It also features Edwin Jagger’s logo makes it look premium. Merkur 34c looks more like an ordinary razor, it is not that shiny as DE89L but its rugged and masculine finish makes it an ideal razor for majority of men. Merkur 34c has a pronounced knurling on the handle which provides you with a secure grip ideal for wet shaving.

Dimensions:- The overall length of Edwin Jagger DE89L is 95 mm and that of Merkur 34C is 84mm so there is a difference of 11mm and this makes Edwin Jagger DE89L ideal for men with large hands yet Merkur 34C is only good for people with short hands; though even those with large hands can use it, but it will take them a while to get used to the short handle. The cutting head of Edwin Jagger DE89L is 42 mm and that of Merkur 34C is 41 mm. The difference is only 1 mm and that is not so big, meaning you will use the same shave time. The trick about a shavers head width is that the bigger the width the faster the results. It will cover a wide surface area and shave more beards at once, so you don’t have to make lots of passes.

Cutting Heads:- This is what determines a razors performance. Edwin Jagger’s DE89L head is solid, but there is a gap between the comb and the handle. Much as its head is solid and nice looking, the razor blade has more exposure to the skin so chances of nicking your skin while shaving are a little bit high, though when you get used to shaving with DE89L you will not get any issues. On the other hand, Merkur 34c has a symmetrical and solid head. It’s well curved and aligned keeping the razor directly away from the skin yet IT offers you with a clean close shave.

Plating / Finishing:- DE89L is chrome plated yet Merkur 34c is stainless steel. The chrome plate finish on DE89L makes it look beautiful & shiny. The lines on the handle offer a smooth grip. Merkur 34c has a detailed handle which gives it an aggressive grip but the stainless steel finish does not give it a shiny look. But stainless steel products are durable.

Assembly:- Edwin Jagger DE89L is a 3 piece razor, to place / replace a razor might take you a while. You have to detach the hand, head and comb. Same thing has to be done when you want to clean it after shaving. On the other hand, Merkur 34C is a typical 2 piece razor, the head is permanently fixed on the handle. It is very easy to assemble and clean Merkur HD 34C.

Performance:- I will use Amazon customer ratings for this point. DE89L has scored a customer rating of 4.6 / 5 and that is about 96% customer satisfaction, yet Merkur 34c has scored a rating of 4.8 / 5 and that is 98% customer satisfaction. In my opinion, both razors perform a great job; a small difference of 1% does not make any big difference. So you can either buy DE89L / Merkur 34C

PRODUCT QUALITY:

This razor comes with a thick short handle with large diameter and this provides a hefty feel when held into the hand as you shave. This short handle coupled with the favorable weight will offer the user with good balance in order to achieve a proper cutting angle.
It is a double-edge razor and this actually means that it fits any standard double-edged blades hence offering the user a closer and comfortable shave. Its twist-to-open design makes the blade replacement procedure much easier.
The razor features a stylish chrome finish that looks really shiny and elegant hence such a finish will attract any man out there to buy this razor. This chrome also makes the razor more durable to use under wet conditions compared to razors with chrome on top.
The knurled handle makes this razor more stable to hold or grip as you wet shave hence novice wet-shaving users will be able to apply the right technique when using this razor.

WHO DOES IT BENEFIT?

Merkur 34c will do an awesome job for men who are new to double-edge shaving with an average beard and sensitive skin. The razors short-handle design even makes this it much easier to use and with a proper technique compared to long handle razors.
Men with thick beards will need this shaving tool. Due to its weight, shaving a thick beard is just a walk in a bank.
Men with sensitive skins:- This razor is gentle enough on the skin and it will offer any man with a nice and smooth shave without causing any irritations. Once you get this razor, you will never complain again about rushes and cuts that usually occur after shaving and in fact you will learn how to perfectly shave at the right angle in a very short period of time.

PERFORMANCE:

This Merkur 34c Heavy Duty Double-Edge Razor will trim your fairly thick beard and any facial hairs smoothly without causing any irritations or pulling after each stroke taken. The 34C is well-built, feels comfortable and good when held in the hands whereby it will even provide a closer shave on all skin-types better than any other razor.
It is also very simple to change the angle of the blade against your face when using this razor hence this allows the weight of this razor to do the work. For first wet-shavers, this razor will offer you with a closer and pleasant shave than any other shaving tool because its short knurled handle provides much grip hence making the razor to feel stable and sturdy in the hands.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Is there any difference between 34c & 180 long handled?

Yes, the short handled Merkur 34C HD is well balanced so it gives a better shave, yet the long handled (180) is not easy to balance unless when you have large hands.

Is this razor made of stainless steel?

No, it is finished with a stainless steel coating but not made of stainless steel. If you want to buy a razor made of stainless steel, you will spend more money because steel is expensive.

When should I change blades?

Manual razors are not like electric shavers. If you don’t feel comfortable with results, change the razor blade. I suggest you buy a packet of 100 double edge razor blades and have them with you so that any time you want to make a replacement you don’t bother looking around.

Can it shave bald heads?

Yes, so far it is voted as the best razor for shaving head. It’s strong grip, balance and wide shaving head will give you a close head shave. The blade is curved by the head so it will not nick / cut your scalp.

[See price on Amazon….]