Great to see you got through the rough weather. Thanks for the honest opinion on the reviews. Your language skills are excellent... your the first one to actually nail the pronounciation of the german names. Regarding that brush... drill out, re-knot... looks like the handle seems decent. something like a TGN would suit that thing :D Thanks for all the great videos!! I tend to refer beginners to your page, I think you are the only one that actually puts the shave cream on your face (the video with the polish cream). For new wetshavers it probably the easiest way to apply cream without a bowl... Sorry. Rambling. Thanks... please keep it up. Enjoying the videos.
I think the Merkur 23c is a fabulous razor. I actually enjoy the lack of girth of the handle. It brings a nice change up in feel when I use it for my SOTD, as opposed to most of my DE's that sit between 14-18mm. Great video as always! Glad you're safe by the way.
Thank you, we were very lucky this time -- roads in Eastern NC are still flooded out and may not passable for weeks still. Glad to hear the thinner handle is working for you, that is the beauty of wetshaving today: something for everybody! Hell, lots of things for everybody!!
Nice shave and video. Merkur 34C is my go to Razor. I just received the Colonial General from the Evans brothers. It is a SE like the Mongoose, but much cheaper. I have used it a couple of times with the Feather pro blade.
It is much lighter than the Mongoose. I got 2 really close shaves, maybe not as comfortable as a DE. I am going to use it for 2 weeks straight and I will report back. Maybe even do a video. I am not sure where I got using something for 2 weeks from, lol
Great job as always Mike. Very happy to hear that You are safe these hurricanes can be pretty vicious as we can see in some parts of NC and here in FL. As of merkur 180 I agree with You nothing really outstanding but I am pretty happy with it as it gives me a good shaves. I frequently shave with it and with metkur 34C also and I think merkur 34C is better but I like them both and use them interchangeably. Thank You Mike and keep making new videos I very much enjoy them. By the way would You be kind enough to review Merkur blades they seem to be malign by many shavers. I wonder what would be Your opinion about them.
Glad to hear you are enjoying both razors! The Merkur 34C may well have been superseded by other, better designs by others, but people still get great shaves from it -- hang on to it! I have used Merkur blades twice and only twice and both times I found them to be rough and hard to use -- surprising, frankly, but the experience was not a positive one. I think there are much better blades out there, but if they work for you, then that is all that matters. Enjoy!
Thanks for bringing more obscure products to light. Do you know of any product, instructions or videos that help one accurately assess their beard growth? Standard WTG, XTG and ATG gets most stubble, but it would be nice to see how one should shave to address areas not completely BBS. Too bad the Schöne badger brush didn't incorporate any boar hair to help with the backbone.
+borbetomagus I think that the best thing you can do is let your beard grow out for a couple days, until you can clearly see the growth. Take the time to look at it carefully, as you may find that in some parts the hair does not grow in the pattern you think, or the hair grows in a mix of directions.
I am dying to know what Bergamot smells like. I keep coming across it as a ingredient in many products and not just those associated with wet shaving. I believe I will use this soap to discover the answer. Thank you for making it known to me.
+WolfRanger2008 you are very welcome! If you find you like bergamot, you should try the Bergamot and Neroli soft soap from Tcheon Fung Sing, or the one from Mondial - lots of other good options out there!
It's been almost two years since I bought my first DE razor, a Merkur 23C. It's pretty telling that I don't use it anymore lol. It's not bad, but I don't feel compelled to pick it up again.
this brings back memories i also started with the 23C way back took years to find the best soaps for me thanks mostly to people like you the Gillette sharp edge were good to me as well but only two shaves have you tried the head on your MR5 handle? the MR5 makes everything better for me your lathering videos still rule
the MR5 works nicely on my gillette new short and long combs it only seats on the bottom center I beams, securely though, instead of all the way down between them like the original thin handles takes the aggression down a notch with its weight, grip and handling almost made my R41 tollerable
Great video but try blooming that soap if you want to use a brush with less back bone it does the job for me and belated shona tova an may you have an easy fast
+mike venger even with blooming that brush would have struggled :-) I really never bloom any of my soaps, not convinced it is necessary at all. Now, if it works for you, keep going!
hello greetings Miguel, I ruben I am writing from Latin America (Argentina) I congratulate you on your videos, try to understand how little I understand of English so equal, videos see them full, envy healthily all the products you use, because here in my country I do not have the same lucky to get no more pleasure I send a warm greeting and continue to see their great videos, I would also like if you could include a translation in Spanish, bye ....
I reviewed their soap before. They sent me a tub of lavender and sage. Not my favorite combo. i belong to a forum and I scraped some out and gave away samples so some can try it out
No argument from me, but then again, there will certainly be those for whom the Merkur 23C works better - the best part is that we all have so many options to find the right equipment!
Hi Michael. Always good reviews from you. Thank you.
Great to see you got through the rough weather. Thanks for the honest opinion on the reviews. Your language skills are excellent... your the first one to actually nail the pronounciation of the german names. Regarding that brush... drill out, re-knot... looks like the handle seems decent. something like a TGN would suit that thing :D
Thanks for all the great videos!! I tend to refer beginners to your page, I think you are the only one that actually puts the shave cream on your face (the video with the polish cream). For new wetshavers it probably the easiest way to apply cream without a bowl... Sorry. Rambling.
Thanks... please keep it up. Enjoying the videos.
Good shaving my friend! Relax shaving
Very comfortable
Bye!
mauro
I think the Merkur 23c is a fabulous razor. I actually enjoy the lack of girth of the handle. It brings a nice change up in feel when I use it for my SOTD, as opposed to most of my DE's that sit between 14-18mm. Great video as always! Glad you're safe by the way.
Thank you, we were very lucky this time -- roads in Eastern NC are still flooded out and may not passable for weeks still.
Glad to hear the thinner handle is working for you, that is the beauty of wetshaving today: something for everybody! Hell, lots of things for everybody!!
+Michael Freedberg yes.... lots of lovely lovely things to feed our endless hobby and art form!
Nice shave and video. Merkur 34C is my go to Razor. I just received the Colonial General from the Evans brothers. It is a SE like the Mongoose, but much cheaper. I have used it a couple of times with the Feather pro blade.
+Chris Baskett how did it go? Good shave?
It is much lighter than the Mongoose. I got 2 really close shaves, maybe not as comfortable as a DE. I am going to use it for 2 weeks straight and I will report back. Maybe even do a video. I am not sure where I got using something for 2 weeks from, lol
Thnx
Micheal!
LOL, that was my first Safety Razor as well :)... I finally swapped the handle out for a Maggard M16 handle :)
Good choice :-)
Great job as always Mike. Very happy to hear that You are safe these hurricanes can be pretty vicious as we can see in some parts of NC and here in FL. As of merkur 180 I agree with You nothing really outstanding but I am pretty happy with it as it gives me a good shaves. I frequently shave with it and with metkur 34C also and I think merkur 34C is better but I like them both and use them interchangeably. Thank You Mike and keep making new videos I very much enjoy them. By the way would You be kind enough to review Merkur blades they seem to be malign by many shavers. I wonder what would be Your opinion about them.
Glad to hear you are enjoying both razors! The Merkur 34C may well have been superseded by other, better designs by others, but people still get great shaves from it -- hang on to it!
I have used Merkur blades twice and only twice and both times I found them to be rough and hard to use -- surprising, frankly, but the experience was not a positive one. I think there are much better blades out there, but if they work for you, then that is all that matters. Enjoy!
I got there Michael i been using the atalian daune shavette it's fun to shave with because it has a safety bar ok talk to you later and happy shaving
Thanks for bringing more obscure products to light. Do you know of any product, instructions or videos that help one accurately assess their beard growth? Standard WTG, XTG and ATG gets most stubble, but it would be nice to see how one should shave to address areas not completely BBS. Too bad the Schöne badger brush didn't incorporate any boar hair to help with the backbone.
+borbetomagus I think that the best thing you can do is let your beard grow out for a couple days, until you can clearly see the growth. Take the time to look at it carefully, as you may find that in some parts the hair does not grow in the pattern you think, or the hair grows in a mix of directions.
I am dying to know what Bergamot smells like. I keep coming across it as a ingredient in many products and not just those associated with wet shaving. I believe I will use this soap to discover the answer. Thank you for making it known to me.
+WolfRanger2008 you are very welcome! If you find you like bergamot, you should try the Bergamot and Neroli soft soap from Tcheon Fung Sing, or the one from Mondial - lots of other good options out there!
It's been almost two years since I bought my first DE razor, a Merkur 23C. It's pretty telling that I don't use it anymore lol. It's not bad, but I don't feel compelled to pick it up again.
Keep it as a souvenir of simpler times (grin)!!
this brings back memories
i also started with the 23C way back
took years to find the best soaps for me thanks mostly to people like you
the Gillette sharp edge were good to me as well but only two shaves
have you tried the head on your MR5 handle?
the MR5 makes everything better for me
your lathering videos still rule
+Vince DC no, not yet :-)
That is a great idea though, maybe what I will do is make another pass through my old razors but with the MR5 handle.
the MR5 works nicely on my gillette new short and long combs
it only seats on the bottom center I beams, securely though, instead of all the way down between them like the original thin handles
takes the aggression down a notch with its weight, grip and handling
almost made my R41 tollerable
Great video but try blooming that soap if you want to use a brush with less back bone it does the job for me and belated shona tova an may you have an easy fast
+mike venger even with blooming that brush would have struggled :-)
I really never bloom any of my soaps, not convinced it is necessary at all. Now, if it works for you, keep going!
hello greetings Miguel, I ruben I am writing from Latin America (Argentina) I congratulate you on your videos, try to understand how little I understand of English so equal, videos see them full, envy healthily all the products you use, because here in my country I do not have the same lucky to get no more pleasure I send a warm greeting and continue to see their great videos, I would also like if you could include a translation in Spanish, bye ....
what are your 5+ top shaving soaps/creams. Thanks
+ANDREW FOX not sure I could just rattle them off, I may have to spend some time thinking about that... So many great soaps and more coming!
I reviewed their soap before. They sent me a tub of lavender and sage. Not my favorite combo. i belong to a forum and I scraped some out and gave away samples so some can try it out
i totally agree, DE89 is a better razor. after using the merkur for 8 years, once i tried the muhle which i believe is the same head, i stayed.
No argument from me, but then again, there will certainly be those for whom the Merkur 23C works better - the best part is that we all have so many options to find the right equipment!
Hey Michael have you tried the Phoenix Bakelite open comb slant yet
+Michael Mclelland No, not yet! Not sure how many more razors are in my future, but you never know. I have in fact never used any PAA products.
A VIRGIN! A VERY RARE THING INDEED...
Steve Hardy yes Steve your right it is a virgin and very nice