Thread: First DE Merker 43c HD

The razor you're using may be too aggressive for your skin. Also use absolutely no pressure just the weight of the razor itself. Try holding the handle nearer the head on those areas where you are getting irritation. Start with the top of the head against your skin and slowly lower the blade edge until it stats cutting your beard this will give you the exact angle to use.
Don't continually go over the same spot make sure you religiously do WTG, XTG maybe East West and West East, ATG. Finally try missing the ATG pass on the areas causing you problems.
As others have said keep your lather well hydrated and rinse the blade often.

I had to change the blade, 3 seems to be the limit for my beard. I'm using the crystals now. Making sure I don't put any pressure and choking up on the razor has helped a lot.
I'm not seeing much of a difference b/t the Merker blades and the Crystals. Both shave equally well leaving me with a Bbs shave that lasts all day. My wife is actually impressed so that's a plus.
I have a Gillette fatboy on the way I sniped from someone pretty cheap. Hope it wasn't anyone from here. I feel a pretty bad case of de rad coming on

I'm glad to see that you're "choking up" on the handle. I think that especially with the weight of this razor, it's capable of doing the work with almost no pressure from the person holding it. Longer handles sometimes are used by novices to get more pressure...it just doesn't work that way, if you're looking for a close and comfortable shave.

Congratulations on your purchase and your success with it! By the way, 3 shaves is about all I can get with any blade. Personally, I like other blades better than Merkur, from which I get only 2 shaves plus a post SR touch-up. On Wilkinson Sword German-made blades and Feather I can usually get 4...but truth is I'm better at shaving than keeping track of the numbers, so who knows

The fatboy came in and I loaded it with the wilkinson blade. I would of shaved with it but I checked usps and it didn't look like it was coming in today. So I did my pre shave routine ( 3 s's) and shaved with one of my straights. Got done shaving and checked usps and it said out for delivery. Oh well there is always tomorrow lol

The Gillette slim came in, yeah I got it bad . I have been looking at some of the new de's and I def prefere the vintage ones better so DERAD might be over for me, hopefully.
Anywho, I believe Anthony1954 was correct, the Merker was too aggressive. I've moved the fat boy up to 5 though so it might no be now . I really enjoy the adjustable DE. Start out at 1, get your technique down and move up.
So far I like the wilkinson blades the best but I have to try the crystals again in the fat boy or the slim as I tried them in the merker and got razor burn.

Depending on how many days growth I have I adjust with each pass. Normal for me is start on 5 or 6 wtg 3 xtg 3 atg then touch up normally around 7. Works great for me. Once you get bit by the vintage DE bug its tough to kick. As much as I love my SR's I still keep buying vintage gillettes smh.

I have come to the conclusion that my face doesn't like the crystals. I always get razor burn on my neck, even after choking up on the razor and letting the razor do the work. It's amazing how ones face reacts to different blades.
I think I'm going to put the merkur and the slim away and use the fat boy. It's my favorite, at least for right now

Originally Posted by RollinCoal69

Depending on how many days growth I have I adjust with each pass. Normal for me is start on 5 or 6 wtg 3 xtg 3 atg then touch up normally around 7. Works great for me. Once you get bit by the vintage DE bug its tough to kick. As much as I love my SR's I still keep buying vintage gillettes smh.

Yes, thought so myself! Thanks!

I figured it would make sense to adjust the setting depending on what area of the face you may be shaving and the thickness of your beard on that particular day.

Originally Posted by clamup1

I have come to the conclusion that my face doesn't like the crystals. I always get razor burn on my neck, even after choking up on the razor and letting the razor do the work. It's amazing how ones face reacts to different blades.
I think I'm going to put the merkur and the slim away and use the fat boy. It's my favorite, at least for right now

Clamup I too have found a few blades that just don't agree with me. The personnas I can not use. They burn me up. The Gillette 7oclocks don't burn me up they just don't give me the best shave. Its all personal preference really. Find what works an what you like an stick with it. good luck.

Nice first DE razor! My first was the Merkur 38 HD "barber pole". The handle is pretty long and it's nice and heavy.
I think most folks would put your razor in the medium aggressive range. Compared to a Gillette Super Speed, it's way more aggressive. I have sensitive skin and the Merkur can skin me up if I don't prep really well. It seems to work better with a gel shaving cream than shaving soap.
Just my experience!