After landing my first job a few years ago, I figured it was time to toss out the cartridge razor and invest in a safety razor. The switch resulted in less irritation, but it would take a while to shave off my thick facial hair. I’m the type of man who likes a smooth-in-every-direction shave.
Do you know what I mean? I’ve tried several different safety razors since my first one, and they all took about three or four passes to reach this look, except for the Merkur 37C slant safety razor. This razor leaves my face feeling baby-bottom smooth in just two passes.
If you are familiar with safety razors and face similar problems that I faced, you might want to check out this one.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Safety Razor
A safety razor is a great tool for getting a close shave with minimal irritation. Not to mention, it is typically built to last much longer than a cartridge razor.
There are many different safety razors on the market to choose from, so it’s important to know which ones suit your needs best.
Here are some things you might want to consider:
- Aggressive or Mild
Aggressive safety razors expose more blade to the skin for a closer shave while mild safety razors expose less blade to the skin. If you’re a beginner, you should start out with a mild safety razor and work your way up to an aggressive one to prevent slicing your skin.
- Weight
A good razor will feel balanced in your hand, not too heavy or too light. This will make it easy to maneuver and reach difficult angles.
- Open Comb or Safety Bar
An open comb safety razor uses teeth to guide the facial hair into the blade. A safety bar covers the blade for extra protection while an open comb has an exposed blade.
- Handle Length
This depends on your hand size, preference, and what allows you to feel the most comfortable and in control.
- Price and Value
How much money are you willing to fork out? Figuring out a budget and comparing features to other similar safety razors will allow you to find the best value.
Merkur-Razor Safety Razor 37c Chrome with Slant Bar
Features
- Chrome finish
- Slant bar
- HD Razor
- Manufactured by Merkur Stahlwaren in Solingen, Germany
The Merkur 37C is a double edge safety razor with a slanted head. The slanted head on this razor slices the facial hair off on an angle to achieve a close, more efficient shave in fewer passes than a straight headed razor.
It has the ability to remove coarse facial hair in as little as two passes and stubble in as little as one pass. Hence, Merkur recommends this product for men with coarse facial hair that a standard double edge razor may have trouble shaving. The short, hefty knurled handle provides a strong no-slip grip.
Pros
Cons
- Less time and work is needed to achieve desired smoothness
- The angled head will turn used, dull blades into sharp blades
- Great for coarse beards and stubble
- Great for those with sensitive skin
- Build to last long
- If you add too much pressure, or angle it wrong, the blade can slice off the skin
- The razor causes blades to dull within about three uses
- The length of the razor could be a problem for people with large hands
- Not recommended for beginners
- This safety razor has a chrome plated finish which gives it a stylish, high-quality appearance. The chrome also helps protect the razor from rusting, scratching and corrosion. Many safety razors are made from nickel, but chrome was added to this razor for extra longevity and shine.
- This is a double edge safety razor, so it requires double edge blades. There is a wide variety of double edge blades that can be used with this safety razor. However, Merkur includes one blade in the Merkur 37C package, to begin with.
- This safety razor has a two-piece design. The first piece is the base plate and the handle which are permanently attached. The second piece is a knob toward the bottom of the handle that unscrews the top part off for switching the blade. This is a nice feature because with just two pieces to work with, switching the blade is an easy task.
- The heavy duty handle on this razor is knurled with a no-slip grip, making it ideal for shaving in wet conditions. It measures about 3 inches long and is thick. For my average sized hands, the handle feels comfortable, and it is easy to switch hands quickly while shaving.
- Depending on where this product is purchased, the cost can vary. I’ve purchased many safety razors in the past that were cheaper in price, but also cheaper in quality. Of course, there are safety razors that are more expensive and are excellent quality.I compared the features of this safety razor to more expensive ones, as well as, less expensive ones and found it to be of high-quality for the price and an excellent value.
- A unique feature to this safety razor is the slanted head. Unlike a straight head, where the blade chops the facial hair straight down, the one on the Merkur 37C slants the blade, allowing it to slice the hair off at an angle.The head requires little pressure to get the job done. While the slant might be dangerous to beginners, as an experienced wet shaver, I find this feature very efficient. It removes all of my facial hair in just two passes, greatly reducing the amount of time and effort put into my shave. The slanted head also makes use out of old blades, which I would normally throw away.
Alternatives
The Feather AS-D2 All Stainless Steel safety razor was the very first safety razor I ever bought, and now almost five years later, I still stick to this safety razor. This is a top-notch razor regarding quality and longevity. It is hand crafted out of stainless steel, so you never have to worry about it tarnishing.
The slim, straight head is great for precision and reaching difficult angles. This razor is not aggressive, but it works well for me considering my facial hair isn’t very thick. Although it came with a hefty price tag, I feel it has been well worth it.
The Merkur Long-Handled Safety Razor model 180 is a simple, yet very effective razor. This classic Merkur razor has a straight head that performs a smooth shave. Like other Merkur razors, it has a chrome plated finish and is high in quality.
I’ve used the Merkur heavy duty safety razors before, but they were too heavy for my liking and added more pressure than I felt was necessary. The Merkur model 180 has a long, slim handle and is lightweight.
This razor is easy to work with, and was less expensive than the heavy duty or slant models. If you are looking for a long handled safety razor that is durable and affordable, the Merkur model 180 is a good option.
I tried out the Merkur 37C slant safety razor and really liked everything about the product. It has a thick handle with a trustworthy, no-slip grip and the slanted head provided an incredibly smooth shave. The only problem was the handle was so darn short for my big hands!
The Merkur 39C shares all of the same features as the 37C and costs around the same price. The only difference between the two is the length and weight of the handle. With a longer handle and slightly heavier weight on the 39C, I feel it is much easier to maneuver.
Conclusion
When buying a safety razor, it’s really all about preference. However, when it comes to my thick facial hair, I haven’t been able to find another safety razor that performs a closer shave than the Merkur 37C Slant.
Especially if I’m careful with this razor, it’s easy to achieve the look I want without spending so much time shaving. If you are an experienced wet shaver, have thick facial hair like me and are looking for a more efficient shave, I highly recommend you give the Merkur 37C Slant double-edge safety razor a try.
Loved the article? Why not check out more of our shaving articles or if you want, you can see more from shaving product reviews
