Merkur Bakelite - How is this razor not getting more love?

[CzechCzar]

I have been around the block when it comes to DE razors. Off the top of my head I have used:

Gillette red tip
Gillette Superspeeds (two of 'em)
Gillette fat boy
Gillette NEW open-comb
Merkur travel razor
Merkur futur
Merkur HD
Merkur HD slant
GEM
Edwin Jagger 89L

These were honest efforts to get to know these razors, mind you, rather than trying them once and then adding them to the treasure chest. I really tried to like each and every single one, but I eventually always came back to my plain old Merkur HD. The others, to varying degrees, caused irritation or didn't deliver as BBS a shave as I wanted. The Merkur HD was perfect BBS, but it always seemed to irritate me, especially towards my 6th or 7th day shaving in a row. It is an aggressive razor, and although the shave was worth it, my skin was definitely expressing its anger towards the end of the week.

Enter: the Merkur bakelite. The bakelite it made of cheap-feeling plastic, and I found the color ugly, like something I would expect on a child's toy. My hopes were not high when I got this razor a week ago. But how it shaves! This razor shaves like none other. Perfect BBS. Three passes, one touch-up pass, and there is not a hair on my face. Moreover, I find it much less painful than my HD. It shaves just as close, mind you, so I won't say it is less aggressive. The bakelite just doesn't attack my face the way that the HD does. It is a kinder shave. And what a shave! This razor has finally replaced my HD as my regular.

I know many people must have experienced this process, so I would encourage you all to buy a bakelite, rather than dropping $100-$200 on a pils or a feather. It has received outstanding reviews from a lot of members, with good reason.

Just my two cents. YMMV!

[nemo]

I'm guessing maybe you haven't seen the nine pages here ?

[drandall]

for me, the issue is that i think the red and black is ugly. i don't mind the shape or the materials, but it looks (to me anyway) like it has measles....

[Greyfox]

I don't like it's looks.

[Slivovitz]

It looks pretty good to me in the pictures, actually. Probably would have bought one if it had come out a year ago. At this point, I'm just not looking for any more DEs.

[wimbouman]

Nice post!

I also have to learn to love the looks of the Bakelite.
But I think it looks good.

Nice to have a first hand review!
I do not know whether they are available in The Netherlands yet, I might try one.

From your review, it sounds just like a Muhle R106/ R89 or a EJ 89!
Which are my favourites, so that is promising.

[talibeard]

I don't have a Merk Fakelite yet but it is on my wish-list for sure. Especially since I read that the blade is curved a lot in this razor. And for whatever reason curvature seems more important to get a good shave out of a razor for me than blade gap or aggressiveness.

That is one of the reasons I will stay away from the otherwise gorgeous Pils and stainless Feather. One of the reasons I like my vintage 'Gladweg' so much. But I want to wait a little till it gets sold without the case and blades.

I just want the razor. And I want to read some more comments. I can get a superlight Dorco DE for swapping a few packs of blades so the price seems a little steep for what it is.