Dr. Harris Windsor Hard Shaving Soap

Yes you did readthe title correctly I have tried and am now reviewing a hard shaving soap. Ifyou have read my other posts then you will have seen that I have reviewed softsoaps and creams to date but recently I have started to use hard soaps againand I want to share with you all what I think.

Dr. Harris &Co. Ltd. is a very well know producer of shaving regalia within the traditionalshaving community and as a company has been around since 1790 earning two Royalseals of approval. They have a number of differently varieties of soaps,creams, aftershaves etc… but I will be reviewing the Windsor hard shaving soap.

I got a puck ofthis triple milled soap sometime ago when it was first released by Dr. Harrisand it sat with other products waiting to be used. At first sight it looks likeany other puck of shaving soap – white, flat top, and rounded base. I’m sorryto say but it looked a little boring. I did not go for the wooden bowl (beachor mahogany) as I have many but this option would improve the overall look ofthe soap but looks are not everything!

What about thescent? Very nice, fresh, clean, and crisp scent with a very mild citrus and blackpepper background to it. As I have found with other hard soaps in the past andstill continue to do so, you do get a smell of soap (hard to believe I know, stoplaughing) but this is what I think give it the clean scent I like. It got amixed response on “the other half test” with a none committal shrug and “it’sok”. No pleasing some people!

Now to thelathering method, normally I would bowl lather as I have done with the otherreviews but for hard soaps I tend to favour the face method so that’s what Idid. By dipping the soap quickly in my sink of hot water and draining off theexcess, then using my NF Tubby 2 brush I swirled my brush around getting a goodcovering of the soap on the tips of the brush. By doing this you start thelather in the tub/bowl/jar the soap is in. The soap lathered up really well onmy face each time giving an even coverage of stable and smooth lather. Therewas easily enough lather in the brush for two passes before going back to thepuck.

The shaves weresmooth and friction free. The lather remained stable throughout and left an ok butnot great slickness behind between passes. I tend to find this is the case withhard soaps. My face felt a little tight and not as hydrated as I expectedfollowing the shave.

Overall this is agreat smelling and lathering soap. It comes from a company with great pedigree andthat really shows. The only thing I would say against it would be thehydration, it does lack a little in this area but not enough to call it a truenegative point as this can easily be rectified by a good aftershavemoisturiser. Would I use this soap again? Yes. Would I recommend it? Yes and asan introduction to hard soaps I would recommend it given that is it easy tolather up and use.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

4½/5 4/5 2½/5 11/15

Simpsons Luxury Shaving Cream

If you are a traditional wet shaver then you will have found it hard to avoid the name Simpsons. Most, if not all, of us have either owned or tried one of their world famous shaving brushes. They have now branched into the world of shaving creams but does their cream live up to the name they have created with their brushes?

How does it look? At first sight the tin looks professional if not a little plain. The red lettering hits you right between the eyes but you might be forgiven for not immediately associating it with the Simpsons shaving brushes brand due to the font and “funky” use of different sizing not seen on their brushes. The tin itself is small and light with a screw top which makes it great for traveling with.

So down to why you are really reading this post. The scent? Simpsons describe the cream’s scent as “The cream is scented only with pure essential oils & herb extracts and no added fragrance”; I’m not sure what essential oils or herb extracts they have used. I would describe the scent as none descript, not unpleasant but not really present. When I first opened the tin I first thought it smelt very clean with a very mild background sent that I could not and still cannot place. When I put this cream through “the other half test” my wife too was unable to place the scent but thought it was quite pleasant.

How did it lather up? Over the time I have been using the cream I have lathered both by face method and bowl method:

Face method – using my NF Tubby 2 pre soaked in hot water I dipped the tips in the cream and whipped up the cream. I was very happy with the ease and speed that the cream lathered up to a thick and smooth lather.

Bowl method – again using my NF Tubby 2 and an almond sized scoop of the cream I achieved a similar result.

The lather itself was exactly what it says on the tin, luxury, lathered up quick and easy to a thick, creamy, and stable lather. There were no big bubbles and it held the warmth from the water very well. After each pass there was the expected slickness left on my face and it hydrated my skin quite well.

The shave was very smooth and well cushioned. The cream reduced friction on every pass and even on one day when I had a three day growth to my beard and I was using a 4 shave old blade there was very little irritation.

Simpsons on their website make a bold statement: "We guarantee that this luxury cream will enhance your whole wet shaving experience, leaving you revitalised and your skin feeling fresh and super smooth" I'm not going to make much comment on this as it will be up to you to decide if the cream lives up to this statement but overall I really enjoyed this cream and the shaves I’ve had with it. The thing that lets it down a little is the scent (or lack of it). It is a little on the pricy side with an average £12.99 for a 125ml pot but not as expensive as some creams from the established cream producers. Would I use it again? Yes. Would I recommend it? Yes to both beginners and experts alike.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

3/5 5/5 4/5 12/15

I've been away

Hi all,

I've not posted for sometime but that is about to change. Thanks for the emails.

Crabtree and Evelyn – Nomad Shaving Cream

I feel that I am teaching my Grandmother to suck eggs withthis review as Crabtree and Evelyn are one of the biggest names around and mostpeople have tried their products but… I was brought a 100g tube of Crabtree and Evelyn’s Nomad Shaving Cream as a gift (thank you!) and the rest is history! Firstthings first how does it look? Well what can I say? C&E have obviouslyspent some time and money getting their packaging just right. The used of a creamywhite background and classical text really stands out and tries to scream classat you. C&E have a nice little addition of a key to roll the tube up tohelp you get every last bit from the tube – nice! The only thing I would sayagainst the packaging is the top C&E use. They have tried to make it looklike an artist’s oil paint tube, which means that the top is small and quite fiddlyto put back on even with dry hands and can cross thread quite easily.

Ok it looks nice, really nice but how does it smell? One wordWOW! If you have read my other posts you will be fully aware that I love woodyspicy scents and this is exactly what the Nomad scent is. The scent is quitestrong and lasts well filling the bathroom with these scents. I still got thescent when I rinsed at the end of my shave but I was not enough to powerthrough my balm and aftershave. The scent did not do as well as I hoped with “theother half test” with my wife preferring the citrus scents over woody scents –no accounting for taste, look who she married!

So the Nomad shaving cream looks nice and smells amazing butdoes it have it where it really counts? I lathered this cream each time with myNF Tubby 2 and a bowel. The cream lathered up really well with very littleeffort and an almond sized amount produced 3 easy passes. The lather was verythick and luxurious with very small bubbles. It held the heat and moisture fromthe bowel and brush well. When applied to the face it was very stable and didnot dry out quickly. There was a nice amount of slickness left on the face betweenpasses and for each pass the lather went on really well. After my shave my facefelt hydrated and smooth. C&E make a point of telling you they have vitaminE in the cream but the fact is most creams and soaps do.

Overall I love this cream and if you did not get that by nowthen I really should not be writing anymore. It lathers really well and smells amazing.It is a little on the pricy side given you can get more of a cheaper cream forless but traditional shaving, for me, is about luxury and treating yourself. Iam always a little sceptical about what goes into products by larger companiescompared to the products I use from smaller producers but I think this reallycomes down to the individual’s own feels about chemicals used.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

5/5 4½/5 4½/5 14/15

Body Shop Maca Root Shaving Cream

When someone recommended to me to try Body Shop’s Maca RootShaving Cream the shaving snob in me said “Body Shop how can they trump the big names in the shaving world?”. Well lets see shall we? I got a 200ml tub of this shaving cream but it also comes in a smaller tube. Aesthetically Body Shop have done the normal things to appeal to male buyers – dark blue tub colour and bold style font. I quite like the look of the packaging but you cannot compare it to the big names in shaving.

So what about the cream itself? Lets start with scent. Hard to place, I have read reviews of this cream where people like the cream but did not like the scent. To my nose it has a traditional scent of an old barber shop but with nutty under tones. This scent instantly appealed to me as it was more like the woody scents that I love. Although the cream’s scent is quite strong it does not over power the scent of any balm or aftershave I used. With “the other half test” this did quite well and got the thumbs up.

So how did it lather? I used two methods to lather this cream; bowel and face each time using my NF Tubby 2 brush. Bowel method – with a small dip and twirl of the brush coating the tips I managed to achieve a good quantity of lather quickly and easily, more than enough for 3 passes. Face method – with the same amount on the brush the cream lathered up quickly on the face with plenty left for all 3 passes. The lather itself did have some small bubbles but retained heat and moisture well. While on the face it was stable and did not dry too quickly. Between passes there was a nice amount a slickness remaining which I think is essential for a “pain free” shave. After my shave each and every time my face felt hydrated and clean.

Overall I was presently surprised by the Body Shop Maca Root Shaving Cream. It lathered really well and the shave was as good as the big name creams I have tried. I my opinion this is an everyday shaving cream for the morning workday shave. Are there better creams on the market? Yes. Are there creams wit better scents? Yes, but for the price this is a very good cream that you will not be disappointed with.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

3½/5 5/5 3½/5 12/15

Village Baber Aftershave Balm

Normally I will use upall of the product before I start my review but to do that with this productwould take far too long. Also Iain (owner and Village Barber and producer ofthe balm) asked me to review this product and I didn’t want to keep him waitingforever. In total I have used the aftershave balm for over a month everyday.

When I was asked toreview this product I agreed happily as on most of the forums this product getsvery good mentions and recommendations. First things first I generally do “judgea book by its cover” and the Village Barber Shaving Balm is packed very nicely.The bottle itself is a 125m/5 fl oz plastic, squeezable bottle, which isimportant as the balm is quite thick. The bottle is an attractive cobalt bluecolour similar to the Bristol/Bath glassware with a gold screw to cap alsoplastic. My main hang-ups are with the presentation of the packaging, whichreally shouldn’t matter if the product is good but we can all buy cheep stuffthat does the job and don’t mind how it is packaged but traditional shaving,for me, is about luxury. As you will read I really like this product and Ithink the quality packaging should reflect the quality of product.

Anyway down to whatreally matters! This is a very thick velvety balm and you really do not needtoo much to do the job. I use enough to cover the tip of my middle fingerspread over the hand then apply to my face with a small amount of pressure.When the balm touches my face I feel instant a cooling/calming effect on thepost shave areas. Even though the balm is very thick it is easy to apply andspreads well leaving a non-greasy layer on the skin, which is quickly absorbed.Within a few seconds my face feels smooth hydrated, and irritation free. Now, Ihave problem skin and can get spots very easily and using a thick balm got meworried that I would develop spots as my pores clogged but this did not happen.In fact my skin has looked healthier in the short time I have been using it andI even use it a general moisturiser for the rest of my face.

The scent – thisunfortunately is my other hang-up about this balm as I’m really not sure whatthe scent is meant to be. I have to say right from the start that it is a nicescent and one I have come to enjoy but I am confused as to what it the dominantscent. I get mixtures of juniper, citrus (lemon and lime), and woody scentwhich I think is sandalwood. There were mixed results on the “other half test”with my wife saying that she also was unable to identify on dominant scent andgenerally found the scent present. For those who have read my reviews of otherproducts you will know I really like woody scents and I am coming around tocitrus as well but this balm is trying to be both and given the quality of thebalm itself I’m not sure it needs to be. It might be best for this balm toeither warm woody scented with sandalwood, cedar, and/or pine or citrus withlemon, sweet orange or lime.

Iain Kane, owner ofthe Village Barber products, gives what I thought is a very brave guarantee ofa full refund and keep the product if you do not feel a difference after thefirst shave. Having used this product I can see why he gives this guarantee.Although I do have some issues with the packaging and scent the quality of thisbalm is unquestionable and can easily compete with other well-known products onthe market. One of the selling points form me is knowing that this productcomes from small producer with an extensive experience in the field and usesthe product in his own barber shop. I 100% recommend this balm and willcontinue to use it daily.

Scent Hydration Cooling/calming Presentation Overall

3½/5 5/5 5/5 4/5 17½/20

Edwin Jagger DE89 Razor

Not so long ago I decided to try the DE89 after several recommendations by fellow traditional shavers who love this razor. To cut (no pun intended) a long story short I’m glad I did.

The Edwin Jagger DE89 is a very attractive razor with its near perfect mirror like plating finish. I have the all chrome plain handle but they do a lined version as well. You would think the all chrome handle would become slippery but it doesn’t. Around the top of the handle there is engraved “Edwin Jagger” in subtle understated lettering. The handle trappers into an attractive neck, which screws onto the two pieces head. As with a Merkur 34C HD I reviewed the guide bars are slightly grooved.

This is a three piece razor meaning that the handle, base plate, and top plate are all separate. I my opinion this is both positive and negative. Being a three piece means it is easy to strip down for cleaning in all the little hard to get at areas and packs nice and neatly into a bag or box for travel. The down side is it can be a little fiddly compared to a TTO (twist/turn to open) or a two piece (like the Merkur 34C HD) to put back together or insert a blade. To insert a blade in the DE89 you place it over the underside of the top plate where you have a long threaded centre pin and two shorter holding pins. You then place the base plate over this and the handle screws onto the threaded centre pin holding it all together. Once assembled the components fit together like you would expect a German razor to. The blade is held level and central with equal amounts of blade visible on each side.

The shave was very good and smooth. I normally do a three pass shave; with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain. With my normal method this razor gives beautiful results and a BSS finish (this is dependent also on the blade used and cream/soap). Even when I use it for a quite shave if I’m running late in the morning (with the grain and against the grain) the finish is very good. The razor is not aggressive and there is next to no clogging even with the thicker creams I have used.

Overall this is an amazing DE razor offering much more than I expected for the price. I would fully recommend this to any beginner to traditional shaving and also to the more experienced of us. There are very few, if any negative points to this razor and it is now part of my regular rotation.

Appearance Ease of use The shave Overall

4½/5 4/5 5/5 13½/15

Nanny’s Silly Soap Company – Lime Softer Formula Soap

Another review of a shaving soap by the Nanny’s Silly Soap Company. This time I have tried a sample of their Lime softer formula shaving soap. Now I’m not sure if their previous Lime soap was a hard soap but this softer formula was the same consistency as the other soaps I have tried from Nanny’s, that is to say somewhere between a soap and a cream, which I love!

The scent from this soap was, unsurprisingly, Lime but not a harsh make your nose sting scent but a sweet scent of Lime. It still had the fresh clean scent you expect from a citrus based soap. It fared well in the “other half test” again my wife proving she likes the citrus scent over a woody scent.

Unlike the other two soaps I have reviewed from the Nanny’s Silly Soap Company this one was less easy to lather needing quite a bit more hydration than the other two to get the luxurious lather I’m used to. Not sure if this is due to the “soft formula” preparation. The same almond sized amount still produced a sufficient amount of lather for three passes.

The shave this soap gave was up to the high standard set by the previous two soaps. The lather gave good cushioning and again left my face feeling hydrated. The only thing that did surprise me about the soap was the reduced amount of slickness left on my face between passes. Normally after the first and second passes, when I wet my face I am left with slickness but not with this soap. Saying that I did not have any skin irritation or feel any excess friction on the blade during my shave.

Overall again this is another very good soap from Nanny’s Silly Soap Company with a fresh clean scent. Like the Citrus Zinger soap I think it is a summer soap given its scent but you could do a lot worse during the winter months!

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

4½/5 3/5 4½/5 12/15

Nanny’s Silly Soap Company – Citrus Zinger

If you have read my other blogs you will know that I like woody scents but someone said to me to try a citrus scented shaving soap for a change. So I have acquired some samples and this is the first one I am reviewing.

The soap itself again is a soft almost cream textured soap which I love. This makes it easy to scoop out an almond sized amount to use.

When I opened the bag I was hit by strong citrus scent that reminded me of Lemon Fanta and took me back to hot summer holidays (this summer it’s all I can do to dream of hot weather!). I’m not sure that is what Sharon of Nanny's Silly Soap Company was going for when blending this soap but I like it. Reading the information on the website it also has sweet orange and nutmeg but I think the predominant scent is of lemon from the lemon grass. The scent was a winner with the “other half test” as my wife really liked the clean fresh scent

As with my review of their Forest of Norway soap this soap lathers up really well using a bowel and brush method, making enough for three passes. Again the lather was think, luxurious, and stable. It gave great cushioning for my shave and left my face feeling hydrated. The only criticism I have and it’s not a biggie, I would have liked more zing and maybe removing the nutmeg may do this.

Overall another great soap from Nanny’s Silly Soaps. I love the scent and the lather it produces. I would recommend this soap for summer months given its cool fresh scent.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

4½/5 4/5 4½/5 13/15

Proraso “Red Tube” Sandalwood and Shea Butter

I was quite excited to give this new shaving cream from the famous Proraso a try. This cream comes from their new format for 2012, which is Paraben free, Silicone free, and SLS free. As I’ve stated before I love woody scents to my shaving creams and I have used the “Green Tube” Proraso for sometime and enjoyed it. The ascetics of the packaging are spot on. I find that all the Proraso range is packaged very nicely and looks traditional and eye catching.

So far so good but how was the scent? Not good I’m afraid, not good at all! If there is Sandalwood in there I cannot smell it, in fact I cannot identify was scent the cream is. To me it smelt a little like detergent, not a pleasant soap smell like you get with a Palmolive shave stick but a slightly odd smell. The cream also failed the “other half test” as my wife was not impressed.

Ok scent is one thing but how did it lather? Ok really. Using about an almond sized amount in my bowel and using a Tubby 2 shaving brush the cream whipped up into a decent lather, enough for 3 passes. Not the best quality I’ve never had but a good amount that remained stable in the bowel. The lather covered my face well but I did find some larger bubbles than with other creams I have tried and even than the “Green Tube” Proraso.

During my shave the cream offered decent cushioning and my face felt hydrated afterwards but not as much as I have got from other creams and even not as much as the “Green Tube” Proraso range.

Overall I’m really not sure what Proraso have done to this cream for it not to come up to the standard set by their other products. I feel a little let down by this cream, as I was expecting big things given ingredients used and the other products in the range. Would I use it again or recommend it? No, I’ll stick to the “Green Tube” in the future.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

1/5 3/5 2½/5 6½/15

The Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream

I have been traditional DE shaving for some time now and have stuck with the “traditional” creams and soaps. So it was with some trepidation that I ordered and tried the new shaving cream from The Bluebeards Revenge range.  Aesthetically the packaging the pot comes in is very attractive with is “skull and cross bones” (Jolly Roger) motif, unique text font and blue box.

The range is advertised and marketed with the unique selling point that it reduces beard growth due to an addition of Decelerine™, which means less shaving and therefore better for the skin. Personally I do not know or understand the science behind this and I have no idea if any independent research has gone into its development. I used the whole 100ml pot (as I do with all the products I test) and may have noticed a small reduction in beard growth. Was this an actual reduction or was I just because I was looking for it so I found it, to be 100% honest I have no idea.

Leaving the beard reduction aside how did the cream match up to other shaving cream products on the market that I have tried? Well let’s see. The cream itself is quite dense, which allows for either direct application to the brush or a quick scoop with a finger. I personally favored the direct brush application for this cream, gently dabbing and swirling my brush in the cream until all the tips of the brush were covered then bowel lathering. It was great to see how quickly this cream lathered up to a rich smooth lather with minimal bubbles. Once I applied the cream to my face it felt as good as it looked. It gave good coverage and was stable on the face with no dripping or slippage. During the shave the cream gave good amounts of cushioning and slickness allowing for a comfortable shave. The cream retained the moisture well also the warmth from the brush and bowel. My face felt hydrated but not as much as other creams I have tried. I easily got three passes from the lather made in the bowel, which I would estimate came from about an almond size amount of cream.

The scent reminded me of trips to the barbers when I was young, as it has that old barber shop smell. There were also some mild woody undertones to the scent but I could not distinguish what they were. With “the other half test” (asking my wife to smell it) this cream came out very well and my wife loved that scent it gave.

Overall if you consider this cream as just a shaving cream and leave aside the bread growth reduction then it is a very nice easy to use cream that could compete well with more established creams already on the market. For me the bread growth reduction element it what puts me off. I come from a medical background and I’m not too happy with things interfering with my normal body processes unless I understand the way it works. I also have too much hair loss on the top of my head so I don’t want to loose it from my face as well. Above all I love to shave and something that reduces the amount of shaving I do does not appeal to me. I would use this cream again and it could become a regular for me if the added ingredient of Decelerine™ was removed.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

4/5 5/5 3½/5 12½/15

Nanny’s Silly Soap Company – Forest of Norway

First things first there is nothing silly about these soaps at all. I like to try many different soaps and creams for my shave everything from major high street brands to luxurious and expensive names. I especially like to try soaps and creams made by small local companies that are set up by someone who has an interest in the area because you get the sense that they are proud of their creation. This normally shows in the end product. The flip side of the coin is that you normally have to get in there quickly as they make a limited supply.

I like woody warm scents in my shaving soaps so I chose the Forest of Norway sample bag from Nanny’s Silly Soap, as well as one other. When I opened the bag I was hit by the wonderful smell of Cedar wood and Pine, which reminded me of walks in spring and autumn in forests and stacking logs for winter fires. The scent from this soap was very warming and is great for the colder or wetter months (or even this summer!).

The consistency of the soap borders on a cream being quite loose and easy to scoop from the bag the sample came in and deposit in the bowel. This really works well for me being a fan of both cream and soap. It lathers up really well but not quite as easily as some of the well known brands; this is due to the natural ingredients. I use a bowel and badger hair brush which seems to work well for this soap. Given its consistency I would expect face lathering to be possible if you deposit the soap in the centre of the brush.

The lather is stable and creamy giving good cushioning for the shave and a hydrating feel. I found that an almond sized scoop gave enough lather for two passes and if you squeezed the lather from the brush you could easily get a third pass with a lovely luxurious feel you normally get from doing this.

With “the better half test” (asking my wife to smell it) the scent of the soap did not do so well but I think the scent of the Forest of Norway is quite masculine and would appeal to men (and women) who like a woody warming scent – like me!

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

5/5 4/5 4½/5 13½/15

New Forest Brushes Tubby 2

When I first got this brush out of the package I thoughtWOW! This is a big brush with a beautifully turned handle. The maker of thesebrushes is Peter Hyde (Fido on The Shaving Room forum) and he does an amazingjob.

The hair is super badger two band quality. It is quite softbut with a good firm backbone to it. The tips of this brush are soft allowingfor a comfortable lather. The Tubby 2 has a 26mm knot size and is available intwo loft lengths 54mm and 51mm. I opted for the longer 54mm length.

The handle is reminiscent of the Simpsons’ Chubby brushes. Itis a nice size to hold without being too big and cumbersome. There is a goodamount of weight in the handle and a nicely turned ridge to aid grip. A combinationof size, weight, and grip mean this is great brush for a man’s hand!

So how did Tubby 2 perform? I lather in a bowl for bothcreams and soap and I was not disappointed.

Cream – with an almond size splodge of cream in the heart ofthe brush I was able to build a nice smooth and creamy lather very easily. Thehair used in this brush really allows for a great lather with minimal effort. Thiswill also depend on the cream you use of course but I have very little doubtthat I could get a great lather from any cream with this brush.

Soap – the shape this brush has been cut into allows for aneasy swirling motion in the soap and the combination of a firm backbone andsoft tips makes getting a good coating on the brush easy. From there it made,again a beautiful lather in the bowl and I would have no doubt it would do thesame if you chose to face lather with it.

Given the softness of the tips I did not expect to feel a particularlyexfoliating effect that I have felt with other brushes but the ease in whichthe brush applied the lather more than made up for this. The Tubby 2 also holdsheat and moisture well, which helps both with making the lather and applyingit.

Overall I would 100% recommend this brush to anyone beginnersand experts alike. Peter Hyde makes an amazing brush in the Tubby 2 he doesmake others but I have not tried these yet!

Appearance Hair quality Lather production Ease of use Overall

4/5 4½/5 5/5 5/5 18½/20

Feather Hi-Stainless Double Edged Razor Blades

These platinum coated blades are reputed to being the sharpest in the world. At the time of writing this review they are my first choice blade.

Feather blades are undoubtedly very sharp and I would not really recommend them to a beginner until they develop their method and their face/beard adapts.

I can get 4 shaves from one blade before needing a new one but I have quite a strong beard. I would expect 5-6 shaves on average. The shave is always smooth leaving a nice clean shave. A word of warning it is easy to cut/nic the skin given how sharp these blades are. I have not had a bad blade in any of the packs I have used.

Overall 5/5

Merkur 34C Heavy Duty

This has been in my rotation of double edged (DE) razors since I started traditional shaving.

The Merkur 34C HD is an attractive short razor. The plating is flawless and mirror smooth. The handle has a deep diamond groove grip, which makes handling it even with wet hands easy. The guide bars are slightly grooved.

This is a two piece razor, which is opened by twisting the base of the handle that releases the head. The blade is placed over the long centre pillar and drops over the two smaller holding pins. When the blade is in-situ everything fits together as you would expect a German razor to. The blade sits equal and symmetrical.

The shave was very smooth and not too aggressive. With my normal method a three pass shave; with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain I can get a near baby smooth shave (BSS). This of course might be due to my technique or other variables but I get a BSS with other DE razors.

Overall the Merkur 34C HD is a great razor for beginners due to the easy of use and forgiving shave, also for the more experienced shaver as it is a great all round DE razor.

Appearance Ease of use The shave Overall

4½/5 4/5 3½/5 12/15