Merkur 1904 Classic vs. Merkur HD/ 38C

Hello,

I am asking the members about the Merkur 1904 Classic razor.

Is the 1904 Classic razor a two piece like the Merkur HD or a 3-piece?

Also, is the head on the Merkur 1904 Classic lighter, slimmer, or thinner than the Merkur HD?

Is the Merkur Classic razor a more aggressive razor than the Merkur HD?

Finally, for those who have a Merkur 1904 Classic do they like the shave they get from it? For instance, how does it fair with the areas of closeness and smoothness?

Please help me out.

I don't have an HD or any other Merkur, so I can't answer to the comparison questions, but it's a three-piece razor with the two pieces sandwiching the blade on top and the handle threading on. As for the shave, I find I keep going to an SS or Schick injector and only end up using the 1904 on occasion; if I felt it did better, I guess I'd be using it more often. Reading so many stories, though, about people not caring much for a razor at first and then falling in love with it later, I'll keep it for a while and see if it grows on me, but it's not my go-to.

The Classic line of razors from Merkur---Classic, Long-Handle Classic, Hefty Classic, 1904 Classic, and 38C---all have the same head. People generally pick one for the handle they like. For me, that would be the Hefty Classic ("HD") and the 1904. And I like the shave they give.

I have a 1904. My first few shaves were not nearly as good as with my HD. I didn't use it again for a couple of months. I recently packed it as my travel razor for a business trip. I had to use it every day for a week and learned how to use it. Even though the head is the same as the other Merkurs, it is just a little different and took me using it a few days in a row to get the hang of it. The HD is still my favorite, but I now like it as a change of pace.

I have the HD, and also the 1904. I had the HD first and really liked it. The 1904 with the safety bar was an instant favorite for me, I seemed to get less irritation using it rather than the HD. I may be slightly heavy handed so the lighter weight of the 1904 fits me well.