MERKUR 23C Bright Chrome

A friend encouraged me to grow lamb chops in my sophomore year (‘71) after I complained about shaving. I used the DE butterfly razor Dad got for me where once or twice a week it wreaked havoc on my zit covered face. I’m not entirely sure whether the razor was open comb, or the blade itself was combed for safety. That meat-hammered face look was nothing to be embarrassed about back then as half the boys in class had crater faces. Those handsome senior year book photos? Air brushed. Entering the workforce about 1977, daily shaving was required along with suit and tie where I was forever commuting with 3-4 pieces of TP to patch up the wounds. I should have joined a ‘styptic pencil of the month club’. About that time, I tried the Gillette Trac II and finally settled on the plus model which added a lubricant strip, along with Edge Gel Aloe Vera Sensitive shave cream. Finally I began to get a decent shave with less blood letting. That’s been my shave for nearly 50 years, made more affordable by cheap cartridge refills in packages of 100. Thankfully, the suit and shave requirement was retired in the late 80’s when I went into IT – tech support is supposed to look casual and nerdy. Shaving just twice a week on average, there’s times I simply wait too long and the Trac II plus isn’t up to it, so I bought an electric razor YUCK! and finally a Weishi DE butterfly razor in short and long handle. My big hands hate the short handle, but the long handle gave me a decent 1 pass shave in like 2 minutes with an occasional nick if I cut the corners or wasn’t careful in setting it on my ugly mug. But I don’t get the feeling of quality from the Weishi and hate the gunmetal finish which looks dirty all the time. So I started watching YT shaving videos to find something better! Who knew there were so many shaving fetishists! Unable to spend more than 40 clams on a razor, brought me to the Muhle, Parker and Viking lines – where I ruled out anything with short handles, odd colors and matte/rustic finish. Adjustable razors all seem to be short handle so they’re out. My peculiars finally brought me to the Merkur 23c where I’m using Parker blades left over from the Weishi. I’m frankly shocked that it has yet to give me even a hint of a nick or cut. The shave is close enough for someone who hates to shave. Mine is a squirrely beard with grain going in several directions – which means the 23c requires several passes to get it smooth enough for my liking, especially the corners of the mouth, tip of the chin, jaw line and neck. It’s a smooth shave where the grain is straight and regular. On the recommendation of Frank below, I’m going to pick up a 25c for a more aggressive shave – where I hope that the Trac II plus, Merkur 23c and 25c will finally help me loathe shaving a little less. The price is right for a quality product.

As a first-time user of a safety razor, I must say, switching to this Double Edge Safety Razor has been a revelation. I've previously used multi-blade razors and electric shavers, but this product has outperformed them all. The construction of the razor is impressive – it feels solid and well-made in hand, reassuring me of its durability and quality. Its design also lends itself to a comfortable and close shave, something I've come to appreciate with each use. One of the most notable aspects is how it has reduced the risk of cuts. Despite being new to safety razors, I haven't really cut myself yet, which speaks volumes about the user-friendliness and safety of this razor. However, there's a slight area for improvement. I wish the knurling on the handle was a bit rougher for a more secure grip, especially when handling with wet hands. While it's not a major issue, a rougher texture could enhance the control and comfort during the shave. In conclusion, this Double Edge Safety Razor is an excellent choice for anyone looking to delve into the world of safety razors. It provides a superior shave compared to conventional multi-blade or electric options and is constructed with great care. A little more grip on the handle would make it perfect, but even as is, it's a fantastic product that I highly recommend.

Very happy with the quality. I started with double-edged razors as a teenager as that is what my father used. In the 60's there wasn't much choice. However, my dad had a thick, heavy beard which I did not inherit. My beard is light and soft and my skin is sensitive. Electric shavers did not work well for the same reason so I soon switched to the "Trac 2" and have used some form of multi-blade shaver ever since. Intrigued by all the recent hype for the new razors I ordered this one. It is well-made and seems durable. Major differences from the multi-blades are: 1) the new blades (I've used Astra and Personna, so far) are extremely sharp; 2) the head is much heavier so care must be taken when placing the face - easy to whack yourself; 3) care must be taken to shave at the proper angle to be effective. This takes a little practice; 4) careful going "against the grain" as you can catch the underside of the jawbone (mandible) easily here - like I said, "extremely" sharp; 5) go slow - this is not a razor (IMO) for a quick shave. All-in-all I really like it, especially how cheap the blades are. I look forward to changing them every 4-5 days. Probably could go a week or so but I like a really close shave so it is worth it to me.

Decent quality and workmanship. Since finding wet shaving, I started with a few antique Gillette's and landed on a super basic Edwin Jagger as my daily driver. Thought it was too agressive until I swapped the blades someone recommended to me for something more forgiving blade (Rapira). It's been pretty smooth sailing since then but I have felt myself wanting for something less slippery and hard to grip from time to time. I'd heard that the basic Merkur head cut similly or identicaly to the EJ but had a better knurled longer handle better suited to my XXL ham fists. Not so much. Turns out the cutting angle of this razor is different enough that I really can't seem to get a decent shave from it due to the shallow angle. Tried swapping in the super agressive Feather blades that destroyed my face in every other razor but with this one it barely made a dent. Resigned to just using this on my neck during haircuts...and though it makes the area easier to reach, it still only does a mediocre job at that. Feels like the Merkur does have better workmanship than the Edwin Jagger but I personally can't say it's worth it based on how shallowly it shaves. You don't have my face though so your mileage may vary. EDIT 12/30/2021: Hard to believe how much difference a year meant to how I'd review this razor. I used to mostly use a shaving oil. Early in the year I decided to try a new shaving soap with my normal shaving oil as a pre-shave. Happened to use this razor with a Rapira blade as the baseline for my first experiment. Holy crap did this make a difference. I managed to get an almost perfectly close shave. No nicks, no cuts, no skin irritation at all. Did the same shave setup later with my Edwin Jagger and got consistently worse results. I liked the soap (Mitchell's Wool Fat) a lot and got consistently better results from it with this razor. So I decided to settle into using this razor as my daily driver and haven't needed to look back since. Every one in a while I'll still try a shave with just the oil and my Edwin Jagger just to shake things up. But it's never the same. Needless to say, I'm changing this review to 5 stars. Turns out that this actually was the perfect razor for my face. Who knew?

I bought this razor for multiple reasons: budget, environment, convenience. My husband and I both use it. We were members of that razor club, and all the waste was terrible. My husband doesn't shave that often, so we had a stockpile of blades. Adding it all up, we were spending about $50 a year on blades. No biggie, but the Merker is more cost effective. 1 blade lasts me, a daily leg/pit shaver, a month at least vs a new blade every other shave. The blades are recyclable and there's no plastic handles, so the environmental impact is very low. Performance is good, hence four stars. I don't feel that the shave is as close as a disposable razor, but it could be the Merker blades based on other reviews. I'm using what I have, though, before finding a different blade. Ladies, you will not cut yourself. I have had zero knicks. Let the weight of the razor head do it's part, don't press down, and use some sort of shave cream. And clean your blade with alcohol after each use. Sanitizes it and the blades last longer. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase.

I bought the Merkur 23C Double Edge Safety Razor on Nov 17, 2023, after having bought my first double edge safety razor of another brand on Oct 21, 2023, which cut me up really good, blood everywhere! Being new to double edge safety razor, I decided to do some research, and from my research, everyone said to buy the Merkur 23C Double Edge Safety Razor if you are new to double edge safety razors. When I received my Merkur 23C on Nov 18, 2023, I unboxed it, and shaved with it for the first time, and got NO CUTS, and NO BLOOD, just a perfect shave! The Merkur 23C closed comb razor is not a real aggressive razor, so I did have some problems in spots that were hard to get to! So on Dec 8, 2023, I bought the Merkur 25C open comb razor, which is a more aggressive razor, It solved my problems with the hard to get to spots! So I suggest having both the Merkur 23C closed comb razor, and the Merkur 25c open comb razor! I am very pleased with having both of those razors !! There are to many variables as to what the best blade is for each user, but my favorite blade is the Astra Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades! FIVE STARS for all three items mentioned in this review! After 40 years of shaving, I finally enjoy shaving !! This is the only way to shave, and the most economical way to shave!! I feel so ripped off by the shaving products that I have used for the last 40 years !! Make the switch to a Double Edge Safety Razor, TODAY !! GOOD LUCK, AND HAPPY SHAVING !!

I have been using this razor since 2013. My dad was gravely ill at the time and it reminded me of my childhood, watching him shave. I was also tired of spending stupid sums of money on cartridge or disposable razors that didn't last and didn't shave my thick beard well. This razor changed all of that. From the first shave until now, the experience has been amazing. Where I once looked like I hadn't shaved at all by 5 o'clock, I can now last until the evening. This is, of course, dependant on the blades you choose to accompany the razor. There are so many blade options, it is easy to choose the one best suited for your face. Blades are rediculously cheap, even the high-end blades. There are some caveats with using this razor. You need to use good shaving cream or soap. The cheap canned stuff does not give the best result. For me, it works best when applied with a shaving brush. I prefer creams to soaps, but that is an individual choice. The second is you need to choose the blade best suited to your face (or other area). Sample packs are cheap to try. I have had good luck with both cheap and high-end blades. I can definitely tell a difference between brands though. Only a few have been no-gos for me. Pick one or two brands and stick with them. Finally, the longevity of the blade will depend heavily on your hair's thickness. My beard is thick and I can get about a week out of a blade. I have friends who can go longer due to their hair type. It is very individual. There are plenty of on-line tutorials to help you get started. I love these razors so much, I have given several as gifts. My friends and I have all enjoyed going back to shaving old-school. For me, this is the perfect set-up.

This is the second safety razor holder I ordered because I was not too happy with the first one, and I love it! The first one was highly rated too, but had a smooth handle and quite a bit of the gap even on the tightest setting. So, lots of nicks and lots of slipping and dropping when shaving in the shower. I picked this one specifically for its crosshatched handle you can really hold on to, and no nicks came as a pleasant bonus. Head is shaped in the way that shields skin, while at the same time giving good contact and feel for the position of the blade. As with all safety razors, it will take you a bit of time to figure out just the right angle and length of the stroke, but once you do, it's all smooth sailing (sorry, couldn't resist). This is the first razor holder that haven't given me a single cut the entire time I used it. Considerably less burn than the other one too, and that only if I really push it. Quality made, everything aligns and you can adjust the razor gap (somewhat) by how much you tighten the handle. Beware of the side edges (unsharpened) of the blade that are peaking out a bit, and you'll enjoy a close, smooth and easy shave.

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Me encantó, vengo de una mala experiencia con el King C de gillette y, sinceramente, este rastrillo de Merkur me ha fascinado jajajjajaja Ya venía con una navaja de la marca propia, no me he cortado ni irritado, de verdad magnífico

This has got to be the smoothest razor I have ever used in my life. And I am not exaggerating. It glides like butter even on my three day old stubble. And my beard is thicker and denser than most. It is perfectly balanced and feels great in your hands. There is no need to apply any pressure, just let the razor glide and do its work. Even during the tricky chin area, this razor was smooth and flawless. The long handle is definitely a plus for me as I have large hands and this is much closer to the multi-blade razors I have been using so the transition time for getting used to a safety razor is much easier. Most of my face did not need a second pass. Under the nose and lower lip were the only two areas I had to shave with a second pass for baby soft results. As with all Merkur products, this is German engineering at its best. The finish and workmanship are flawless and impeccable. I will never go back to multi-blade razors ever again. I don't know why I didn't try this sooner. Shaving is no longer a chore but a joy each time.

Present for my husband & he loves it nice weight to the razor