Merkur 37C: worth buying?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by matteob, Jan 12, 2017.

  1. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    I have had one of these on a passaround for a few days and I can honestly say that, as far as this razor is concerned, the talk about slants biting is nonsense in my case. It gave a really gentle yet close shave with an Astra Super Platinum blade. Is this usual for a Slant or is the 37C just a noticeably gentle one? I am looking at the Razorock German 37 and Ikon X3 razor. I use a Parker 24C everyday and that gives a close yet comfortable shave. Yes the 37C is better but I am not sure it is worth the £32 price. The finish is noticeably worse than an Edwin Jagger or Parker.

    What do you guys think? What are your experiences of this razor? I am also considering buying a Gem single edge vintage. Would this be even better than a slant?

    Thanks and sorry not been around: Christmas chaos and all that...
     
    Keithmax, Carbide Mike and Demidog like this.
  2. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    You answered your own question - you tried it, you liked it.
    What does it matter now what others think? :)
     
  3. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    I haven't explored slants myself but the ones I see mentioned the most are the 37C, the German 37, the iKon X3, and the Wunderbar. The majority of people seem to swear by the 37C. Based on what I've read, the others can be pretty aggressive. I don't know if the iKon DLC is mostly the same as the X3 but it has a lot of fans as well. You actually have a quite a few additional options, like the Maggard slant to name one. The 37C seems to be tried-and-true.

    I think that single edges are a different beast altogether but vintage Gems are so inexpensive that you can probably get both. I have my doubts about the utility of slants. I know that in theory, they are supposed to work like a guillotine but I'm under the impression that hair is nowhere near thick enough for the slant to have any significant effect. I haven't used one though so I probably shouldn't be commenting on them.
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  4. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    I had a 37C, and I liked it, but I eventually piffed it away. It is a decent shaver and well made.
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  5. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    I've got a 39c, the 37's big brother (but the head is the same) and I love it. It's as smooth and comfortable as any razor I own. Go for it.

    HERM
     
    Carbide Mike and Demidog like this.
  6. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    Are the Ikon (a bit more expensive) and the Razorock (a bit cheaper) as good though? Do they tend to bite more? A British seller states that an 37 C is for experienced shavers only but I have only been shaving with a DE for 4 months and it was not intimidating at all. I'm not aure it is representative of all slants.

    Just trying to think about sprnding even more cash on shaving products!
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  7. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Not sure about the other products but that nonsense about slants only being for seasoned wet shavers is crap. It essentially shaves the same as the 34c. If you like it and it makes you happy, get it. It is important to enjoy your shaves. Just realize there are no magic razors out there. Work on your technique and you will be able to get just as good a shave with a Tech as you can with a much more aggressive razor.
     
  8. KAV

    KAV Well-Known Member

    If you have a local dealer be a PITA and look over his stock for a superior finished Merkur. Yes, the finish can look more like a last ditch german mauser circa 1945 than a 1938 honor guard rifle but their Q/C has improved over some really nasty pieces some years past. It's a great razor and ditto above comments. If you don't bond with it a trade or sale is real easy with minor loss.
     
    matteob and Carbide Mike like this.
  9. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Much truth and wisdom.
     
    matteob, PanChango and Carbide Mike like this.
  10. Shave7

    Shave7 Active Member

    The Merkur 37C slant razor is outstanding. It is only slightly more aggressive than the Merkur 34C HD razor, which also is a great all around razor.

    The Gem razors also are very good, and often inexpensive. I recommend the Gem Micromatic Open Comb if you have a tough beard, otherwise the Gem Micromatic Clog Pruf is fine. Also commendable are the Gem/Star/Ever-Ready 1912's. And the Ever-Ready 1914 and 1924 models also are solid shavers.

    I have a tough beard and my personal best choices in these 3 categories would be the Merkur 37C slant, the Gem Micromatic OC, and the 1924 Ever-Ready.

    So many choices and only one face!
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2017
    matteob, Demidog and Carbide Mike like this.
  11. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    You need to join the Dark Side.

    Trust.
     
    Norseman, matteob and Carbide Mike like this.
  12. Engblom

    Engblom Well-Known Member

    If you like it, use it and enjoy it! Then it is worth for you.

    For me it was not worth. I hated the low quality and how I had to manually align the blade. I also disliked how one end of the edge was more biting than the other (maybe I aligned the blade wrongly). But as with everything shave related, there are two opinions :).
     
    matteob and Carbide Mike like this.
  13. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I agree that the Gem 1912 is a fine razor, but one Gem that you could also consider is the G-Bar. Nice overall weight and balance.
     
    matteob and Carbide Mike like this.
  14. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Yup.
    I'd take the G-Bar over the 1912.
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  15. preidy

    preidy Just call me Dino

    I have and enjoy the 37C. It's a cost effective way to try a slant. The Gem also is a very fine (and close) shaver but there is a different learning curve that needs to be tackled - one that I just could not master.
     
    matteob and Carbide Mike like this.
  16. drone115b

    drone115b Active Member

    I have a Merkur 37C and I agree it is pretty mild. Angle is easy to find. I can see that the finish may not match an EJ, but I have a Parker and I would say that the finish is definitely better than the Parker. I do not think the 37C is overpriced for what it is. For a lot of people, 37C is the only slant that they could use every day.
     
  17. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    The Ikon 102 is a wonderful slant. It has a tilted head rather that twisting the blade.

    HERM
     
  18. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    Well it's all turned out ok as a chap on another forum has gifted me a 37C. I wouldn't say it is mild more like efficient and confortable. I started DE shaving with a DE89: razor i still enjoy but wanted a bit more "bite" with comfort. I got recommended the 24C Parker and found it and been using that for months. The 37C has more efficiency in mowing down several days growth than the 24c but has more comfort. I don't know where I go from here with a DE razor. A few guys on the Brit forum have mentioned Balkelite double slants but I have never heard of them :)
     
    PickledNorthern likes this.
  19. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    You want more bite? Peruse this ---> http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/safety-razors-my-trip-from-mild-to-aggressive.34763/
     
  20. matteob

    matteob Active Member

    Cheers will give that a read :)
     

Share This Page