Merkur - 42C Safety Razor

Yes its true, this razor doesn't have a comparable finish to the Edwin Jaggers and that's not its purpose. Now don't get me wrong, the finish is still amazing, just not flawless. This razor was designed to be tough and give a good shave while at the same time being a little nostalgic for a great price.What I liked best was the balanced weight of the handle and head combo, its perfect! The handle seems short but long isn't necessary for this type of application so for me its 3in length is perfect! Some say the handle is "slippery when wet" ? I say "there doing it wrong"! The handle has vintage design but modern knurling which has never caused me to drop or slip when wet. I have however dropped this razor on a steel deck (floor) (work on ships) without any breakage ... MoreYes its true, this razor doesn't have a comparable finish to the Edwin Jaggers and that's not its purpose. Now don't get me wrong, the finish is still amazing, just not flawless. This razor was designed to be tough and give a good shave while at the same time being a little nostalgic for a great price.What I liked best was the balanced weight of the handle and head combo, its perfect! The handle seems short but long isn't necessary for this type of application so for me its 3in length is perfect! Some say the handle is "slippery when wet" ? I say "there doing it wrong"! The handle has vintage design but modern knurling which has never caused me to drop or slip when wet. I have however dropped this razor on a steel deck (floor) (work on ships) without any breakage or maring of the finish.Overall this should be everyone's first DE razor as it performs way better than the price suggests. Or if your a wet shave veteran it makes a great daily shaver or conversation piece!Did I forget to mention that I love this razor?If you don't own one by now... Then maybe your doing it wrong too!

This is my second safety razor and my new favourite! Mine is great quality, no build defects and the head screws/unscrews easily. I would especially recommend this razor for women due to the shorter handle. My old razor had great reviews but felt cumbersome to use because it was designed for a larger male hand, the handle on the Merkur Classic 1904 is perfect for my smaller hands. I love how heavy it feels as well, much heavier than it looks.The only negative I can think of is that it's a little bit slippery when wet. The handle is textured but the grooves are pretty shallow so it feels smooth. Not a big deal for an experienced shaver but might be hard to grip for a beginner.

Did NOT like this razor

I bought this razor because of the many great reviews. For me, it was a disappointment. Supposedly, the closed-comb razor is the gentlest. This razor is for someone who wants a very aggressive shave. I've been wet-shaving with DE blades and a butterfly razor for a couple of years now, so not a novice. But I have experienced many little nicks and cuts, in spite of being extremely careful. Never had this problem with the butterfly razor I bought at Target for $20. I have switched back to using that one. The Merkur looks nice, but if you have sensitive skin, or prefer not to spend 10 minutes shaving in order to be super careful, I'd give this one a miss. Even Merkur blades work better on the butterfly razor.

Highly recommended for an enjoyable shave

This razor is a pleasure to shave with and has a beautiful, classic design. It is lighter and faster and easier to steer around the face than the heavy 34c. In this respect, the short handle is also a plus, in my opinion, perhaps unless you have very large hands. I would definitely recommend the closed comb version. I believe the closed comb bar helps shave closer by pulling out and straightening the skin ahead of the blade. I tried the open comb version and could not get a close shave. I'm not sure what problem another reviewer had with Astra blades. For me, Astra blades worked fine, as have a half dozen other double-edged blades I've tried.

It's my first safety razor but so far so good. No regrets at this point.

I've had the razor about a month now. So far so good. It has good weight and seems well constructed. Time will be the true test. It seems to get a film on the head pretty quickly, which I assume is from the shaving soap I am using. No regrets buying it at this point. If it lasts a decent period of time, it will be worth the additional cost when compared to cartridge razors and blades.

Merkur 42C 1904 Safety Razor

This is my first time in quite some time using a safety razor. The razor feels very good in the hand and does an excellent job shaving. The is the first razor I have used where I can go against the hair for a very close shave and not have skin irritation. I would highly recommend the Merkur 42C. Doing business with New England Shaving Company has been one of the most pleasant experiences I have in a long time. I will continue to be a customer.

Merkur 42C Razor

The finish on this chrome-plated brass razor is flawless and it feels reassuringly solid but not too heavy in the hand. Some have commented on the stubby handle, although it is actually a bit longer than the old Gillette Tech's handle, so this doesn't worry me. You get two blades in the pack, which is a nice touch. I tried the razor with a Wilkinson-Sword classic blade as it the one I know best and got a very satisfying shave. The Merkur gives a very smooth, mild shave and will only nick you if you become careless. I think this would be a terrific razor for someone who wants to get into DE shaving without spending a whole lot of money, but who still wants a high quality product.

Nice Little Razor, and a Super Value

I was attracted to this razor by its classic style and reasonable price for what I expected would be another quality product from Merkur. I was not disappointed. Its compact size and price might lead one to think that this is a 'cheap_ѝ razor, but it is a worthy companion for its bigger and pricier siblings. Some of the other reviewers have called this a 'mild_ѝ razor, and I believe that best describes its performance and light but well-balanced feel. I also found, as did some others, that its lighter weight persuaded me to use just a little more pressure than usual to get a nice close shave with my favorite Astra blade ' but without nicks, cuts or irritation. I agree that some folks might find that the handle makes is a little harder to grip with wet hands, but ... MoreI was attracted to this razor by its classic style and reasonable price for what I expected would be another quality product from Merkur. I was not disappointed. Its compact size and price might lead one to think that this is a 'cheap_ѝ razor, but it is a worthy companion for its bigger and pricier siblings. Some of the other reviewers have called this a 'mild_ѝ razor, and I believe that best describes its performance and light but well-balanced feel. I also found, as did some others, that its lighter weight persuaded me to use just a little more pressure than usual to get a nice close shave with my favorite Astra blade ' but without nicks, cuts or irritation. I agree that some folks might find that the handle makes is a little harder to grip with wet hands, but this razor fits my hand pretty well and it really wasn't a problem for me. The overall fit and finish of this product are what you would expect from a quality manufacturer like Merkur, which makes it an even greater value. I won't say that this little beauty will replace my hefty Merkur 34C or my elegant Edwin Jagger Knurled Chrome 'Extra Grip_ѝ DE, but it will enjoy a permanent place in my rotation. Whether you are new to DE shaving or just want an inexpensive, quality safety razor that recalls the beauty and style of the classic Gillettes from a bygone era, you can't go wrong with this one.

Wickedly Sharp

I think most of us born in the 50's have all used a double-edged razor at one time or another, unless of course you used a straight edge razor. When cartridge razors come out, they were great, but they're getting very pricey now-a-days, so I decided to go back to a double edged razor. I picked this razor because I wanted to start out with the usual time honored classic razor without going overboard. The razor blades are wickedly sharp, and I find myself with a very close shave, closer than I would have gotten with a cartridge razor. I don't hget that 4 o'clock shadow anymore with this type of shave. The handle is shorter than I would have liked it, but like any new thing it takes a little getting used to. A pack of blades for this razor are far less expensive than a ... MoreI think most of us born in the 50's have all used a double-edged razor at one time or another, unless of course you used a straight edge razor. When cartridge razors come out, they were great, but they're getting very pricey now-a-days, so I decided to go back to a double edged razor. I picked this razor because I wanted to start out with the usual time honored classic razor without going overboard. The razor blades are wickedly sharp, and I find myself with a very close shave, closer than I would have gotten with a cartridge razor. I don't hget that 4 o'clock shadow anymore with this type of shave. The handle is shorter than I would have liked it, but like any new thing it takes a little getting used to. A pack of blades for this razor are far less expensive than a similar pack of cartridges. I would recommend going back to shaving with a double-edged razor, and this razor is just right for that purpose.

this is the correct safety razor the one and only!

There are plenty of cheaper options as well as fancier ones. After buying several models, I settled on this one, and after using it once, bought another one for my son. This is the singularly-correct safety razor, and you should not waste your time with other models: - The construction is minimalist: No knobs to turn, no switches, and nothing to go wrong. Unless you take a hammer to it, this razor should last you a lifetime. There are exactly 3 parts, and its impossible to get them wrong. They lock the blade in perfectly each time. - The short but heavy handle is just perfect: The lightest three-finger touch is all you need. If youre thinking of holding it in your fist, just get a meat cleaver instead and be done with it already... The heavy weight of the handle ... MoreThere are plenty of cheaper options as well as fancier ones. After buying several models, I settled on this one, and after using it once, bought another one for my son. This is the singularly-correct safety razor, and you should not waste your time with other models: - The construction is minimalist: No knobs to turn, no switches, and nothing to go wrong. Unless you take a hammer to it, this razor should last you a lifetime. There are exactly 3 parts, and its impossible to get them wrong. They lock the blade in perfectly each time. - The short but heavy handle is just perfect: The lightest three-finger touch is all you need. If youre thinking of holding it in your fist, just get a meat cleaver instead and be done with it already... The heavy weight of the handle balances perfectly with just three fingers - If you use the razor correctly you need not cut yourself even once: Starting with the shield perpendicular to your face, so that nothing is cut, tilt the razor just barely enough to start thinning your beard. Keep that angle until your face is smooth. Use three fingers to hold the handle lightly, so that it follows the contours fo your face. And thats it. I dont use any shaving cream; Only water, and the shave is smooth and uneventful. My 14 year old son learned to shave with this model and never cut himself once! - The short handle, and the simple construction, means that you can disassemble the razor completely and transport it in a tiny case or pouch, and it takes up very little space. - Safety razors are dirt-cheap compared to cartridges. So cheap that you can replace the blades daily and youll still spend a tiny fraction of what you would have spent on cartridges. A box of 100 blades will also take up far less space then 20 cartridge blades... - Personally, I prefer safety razors to cartridges for reasons other than price: They shave better and closer, and if you let your beard grow a bit and then decided to shave it off, a safety razor will make short work of the task, whereas cartridges will take much longer unless you first trim your beard. - The price of this particular model is very reasonable. So reasonable, you might forget about the portability of the razor and just get another one to keep at the office, just in case you need to re-do a shave...