I didn't put this in the DIY section because it wasn't something I built myself, just an enhancement to an existing item. Nonetheless, I thought it was worth sharing. I really like my Merkur razors, but I think it's a shame that they don't come in nice cases like the vintage Gillettes. So, I bought some of the nickel-plated Muehle-Pinsel razor cases, and although they look great on the outside, their insides leave a lot to be desired. What I did was really quite simple, but it really transformed the cases into an elegant storage box for my Merkur HDs. First, I painted the removable wood insert jet black (original color is an ugly shade of dark gray), and then I lined the top and bottom in black velvet that was inexpensively acquired at a nearby fabric store. I soon discovered, with a little bit of alteration, that these cases would work for my Barber Pole Merkurs also. I cut out the section of the wood insert that the razor hadle rests on, covered the piece in black velvet, and then glued it into the velvet-lined case (I tweaked the brightness and contrast of these pics for clarity -- they look much better in person). This was a simple but satisfying project that gave these cases a more substantial look and feel. I think the modern Merkurs are beautiful razors, and they deserve equally beautiful homes. I forgot to show a picture of what the case looks like straight out of the box, so here it is (the lid is not black, this is just a weird angle):
