I need someone who is experianced with both Merkur and Feather blades to give me some sound advice on which is better or work and why. 
Thanks, in advance.
Thanks, in advance.
Merkur VS Feather VS Merkur Blades
- Thread starter slickster514
- Start date
Blades are a personal preference. Personally i can't use merkur blades, they give me horrible irritation regardless of shave number using an individual blade. Feathers give me no problems. They give me a blade life of 3-4 quality shaves. Best thing to do if you haven't already is just get them all! Figure out what works best for you and then buy the ones you like best in bulk to save money. Check out www.westcoastshaving.com and pick up a sampler pack. I would suggest whatever sampler that has the most brands of blades.
Welcome to B&B. Feathers are much sharper and I would say that is a general consensus. Merkurs are not as cut and dried. Some like them and get good shaves with them. Many others feel they are average at best and poor at worst. I get a good shave out of a Merkur but for me that Feathers are far and away superior. The Gillette Swedes are the best there is for sharpness and smoothness however.I need someone who is experianced with both Merkur and Feather blades to give me some sound advice on which is better or work and why.
Thanks, in advance.
I have used both and am most likely in the minority saying I got no problems with the Merkurs other then there price, but then again Feathers aren't cheap either. I have some DE's that I prefer the Feathers in and others I prefer the Merkurs. I also used to use Wilkinson and recently tried Derby's. Blades are highly personal as what works for me in 1 DE don't work in another you would also most likely have very different experiences depending on the razors and your skin type. Get a sampler pack or just a few of each and try it.
- Thread starter
- #5
I have been wet shaving now since May 2008. I srarted with my free Merkur blade that was included with my Merkur barberpole razor. Needless to say I had problems. Redness, cuts, you name it.
After a few blades I switched to Feathers. I got a better shave but my face felt very tender for most of the day following the shave. Over time I got better at it. Lately, the Feathers are begining to make my face feel raw again when I do the finishing touch ups.
So after almost 4 months of experiance I went back to Merkurs this morning for the first time again. I must have underestimated the blade, but its quite good. I could afford to be a tad rougher to get the finish I want without paying the ultimate price. Lets see how it goes for the rest of the week.
After a few blades I switched to Feathers. I got a better shave but my face felt very tender for most of the day following the shave. Over time I got better at it. Lately, the Feathers are begining to make my face feel raw again when I do the finishing touch ups.
So after almost 4 months of experiance I went back to Merkurs this morning for the first time again. I must have underestimated the blade, but its quite good
. I could afford to be a tad rougher to get the finish I want without paying the ultimate price. Lets see how it goes for the rest of the week.
I find that there is, to me, some commonality between the Feathers and Merkurs in that I find the first one or two shaves a tad harsh. Some folks advise corking both of these blades to take away this harshness. I felt that the Feather blade got dull too quickly compared to other blades, but this may be only that individual blade as feathers are supposedly known to give more shaves than average. I just had my 6th shave with the Merkur that is in my razor (Merkur 38C) this morning. Still BBS. So far I'm liking Astras and Derbys. YMMV and different strokes for different folks etc.
- Thread starter
- #7
Yes, I found that Feathers got dull a tad too fast too. Maybe after the 3rd shave for me. Then I would get more agresssive and get burned. If the Merkurs are more consistent from shave to shave, and more gentle as they have already proven to be - perhaps we have a winner here.
- Thread starter
- #8
Forget what I just said, I just looked in the mirror - 3 hours after my shave - and I have blotchy red pimples scattered about my chin, upper lip, and lower neck. Just like last time I tried going back to Merkurs.
I guess I'll stick with Feather for now, but must remember to be gentle *
I guess I'll stick with Feather for now, but must remember to be gentle *
Merkur Blades are just about the worst in existence.
I can't believe Germans would make something so dull.
I would rather attempt to shave with my Wusthof Chef's knife.
seriously.
I would use Super Max blades for the next week rather than ever touch the Merkur blade again.
I'm fed up with this "Some guys like them, YMMV" stuff.
I'm guessing those guys have tough skin and thin whiskers. How anybody could enjoy those blades is beyond me.
I can't believe Germans would make something so dull.
I would rather attempt to shave with my Wusthof Chef's knife.
seriously.
I would use Super Max blades for the next week rather than ever touch the Merkur blade again.
I'm fed up with this "Some guys like them, YMMV" stuff.
I'm guessing those guys have tough skin and thin whiskers. How anybody could enjoy those blades is beyond me.
I understand why all of the above comments have been made in answer to your question.
However, to answer is not so simple in my experience. I too have liked the feathers, and then not liked them. Likewise, I have had good and bad experiences with the merkur blade.
You really should try a few boxes of each, and others too, before deciding for yourself.
You'll also find that the razor has an effect. My experience is limited to only four razors (the vision, slant, B&B 2006, and a cheap wilkinson sword currently available in the shops.) The vision has moments of brilliance and is a great razor for travel because it can be adjusted to the conditions on holiday, but it is for the same reasons a little too variable/tempremental for everyday use IMHO/YMMV. The B&B 2006 (same head as HD I understand) is a good safe razor, kind of middle ground in that it is not too aggressive but keen enough to do a good job given a good blade. The slant extracts more out of the blade, and this can be a problem with the sharper blades. I won't bother commenting about the wilkinson handle, it is cheap for a reason!
This background experience brings me to answer your specific question on blade performance.
The feather and gillette blades are the sharpest. Feather probably a little sharper, but the gillette is more comfortable. I find these too aggressive in my slant and I have a BBS shave but too much irritation. Not that some people cannot do this combo, but I am told that I have delicate skin so this doesn't work for me.
The Derby follows in the second division, sharp, comfortable, reliable. Doesn't cause damage in the slant. Noticably poorer performance in the HD/B&B.
The Israeli Personna is, IMHO, a lesser blade. I was using it for the past two weeks in the B&B/HD and not getting that close really. But it did ok in the slant today. I'll be testing it in the slant for the rest of the week.
Finally, the Merkur blade. I really still do not know what to make of this one in relation to all of the above. It is probably sharper than the Derby and I feel it is a little more crude. It seems to pull and tug, but doesn't actually cause any bleeders or obvious irritation.
When I use the cheap blades, Derby is 8p/blade, I just use once and ditch. I'll reuse a gillette or feather once as they cost me 20-25p each blade and they do a good job second time round. I know they'll last a few more uses but it's nice to use a fresh, clean razor each time.
So, you'll have to experiement, but you might find that like me you end up opting for not quite the sharpest blade.
Hope this, very long, response is helpful.
Simon.
However, to answer is not so simple in my experience. I too have liked the feathers, and then not liked them. Likewise, I have had good and bad experiences with the merkur blade.
You really should try a few boxes of each, and others too, before deciding for yourself.
You'll also find that the razor has an effect. My experience is limited to only four razors (the vision, slant, B&B 2006, and a cheap wilkinson sword currently available in the shops.) The vision has moments of brilliance and is a great razor for travel because it can be adjusted to the conditions on holiday, but it is for the same reasons a little too variable/tempremental for everyday use IMHO/YMMV. The B&B 2006 (same head as HD I understand) is a good safe razor, kind of middle ground in that it is not too aggressive but keen enough to do a good job given a good blade. The slant extracts more out of the blade, and this can be a problem with the sharper blades. I won't bother commenting about the wilkinson handle, it is cheap for a reason!
This background experience brings me to answer your specific question on blade performance.
The feather and gillette blades are the sharpest. Feather probably a little sharper, but the gillette is more comfortable. I find these too aggressive in my slant and I have a BBS shave but too much irritation. Not that some people cannot do this combo, but I am told that I have delicate skin so this doesn't work for me.
The Derby follows in the second division, sharp, comfortable, reliable. Doesn't cause damage in the slant. Noticably poorer performance in the HD/B&B.
The Israeli Personna is, IMHO, a lesser blade. I was using it for the past two weeks in the B&B/HD and not getting that close really. But it did ok in the slant today. I'll be testing it in the slant for the rest of the week.
Finally, the Merkur blade. I really still do not know what to make of this one in relation to all of the above. It is probably sharper than the Derby and I feel it is a little more crude. It seems to pull and tug, but doesn't actually cause any bleeders or obvious irritation.
When I use the cheap blades, Derby is 8p/blade, I just use once and ditch. I'll reuse a gillette or feather once as they cost me 20-25p each blade and they do a good job second time round. I know they'll last a few more uses but it's nice to use a fresh, clean razor each time.
So, you'll have to experiement, but you might find that like me you end up opting for not quite the sharpest blade.
Hope this, very long, response is helpful.
Simon.
It's likely that "neither" is the best answer for you.
Merkurs are pretty useless for the reasons noted about. Feathers are incredibly sharp but that makes them very hard to use for a lot of people.
If I had to say which is better, that's the Feather because while it's too sharp for me it fits in a useful place in the hierarchy of blades - as the sharpest thing you can get. The Merkurs... there are better blades that are cheaper and do the same thing they try to.
But try something in between - the Gilettes are my favorite, just slightly less sharp than a Feather, I need sharp to make it through my whiskers. There are many blades in between which are less sharp but still much better than a Merkur.
Merkurs are pretty useless for the reasons noted about. Feathers are incredibly sharp but that makes them very hard to use for a lot of people.
If I had to say which is better, that's the Feather because while it's too sharp for me it fits in a useful place in the hierarchy of blades - as the sharpest thing you can get. The Merkurs... there are better blades that are cheaper and do the same thing they try to.
But try something in between - the Gilettes are my favorite, just slightly less sharp than a Feather, I need sharp to make it through my whiskers. There are many blades in between which are less sharp but still much better than a Merkur.
R
rlenham
I need someone who is experianced with both Merkur and Feather blades to give me some sound advice on which is better or work and why.
Thanks, in advance.
I have used both the Merkur and the Feather blades in my Merkur Vision 2000 and the Feather blades are, for me, noticeably superior. I also bought a Feather double-edged razor and, in my opinion, it gives a great shave and is definitely less cumbersome to use than the Merkur Vision 2000 and at $19.95 versus $140.00 definitely worth considering as your primary razor.
I've never went back to Merkur since trying the alternatives. I've been using Feathers for about 6 months now, alternating ocassionally with Swedes, which are undoubtedly very good. A couple of days ago I had a shave with Wilkinson Sword White Labels and going ATG I simply couldn't believe how dull they were. I thought "you're kidding right? These are joke blades". You get used to Feathers pretty quick. The funny thing was though, I actually got a really good shave with the Wilkies, so sharpness is not the be-all-and-end-all. I would stay away from the Merkurs. That might be the one piece of advice 95% of us can agree on, apart from "get a sampler pack from westcoastshaving"
THREAD RESURRECTION!
I wanted to add to this "old thread". I will be the first to say that wet shavers, with any experience at all, can usually tell some differences between blades and DE razors. The more experience, the better the wet shaver can discern these differences.
Having said that, I think every razor / blade combination has a learning curve. Once you master the subtle tendencies of the razor / blade combination you learn to "maximize" what it offers. IOW, you master a technique that works best for that razor / blade combination. Things such as:
1. how much pressure the weight of the razor applies to your face
2. the optimum angle to hold the the razor to get the best cutting angle
3. the lathering and post shave products employed and how you apply them
I think Feather, Gillette and Merkur all market blades that have usefulness (ie...value) to an experienced wet shaver. Everyone's experiences will likely vary a bit. We all have different preferences and technique mastery levels. I think I can tell subtle differences in blades (sharpness and pull friction) based on "where they are made" more than anything else. I also think that the blade always feels different on it's first shave than on it's later shaves (ie...shave 3 or 4).
The best advice I have is to try different blades and razor combinations and find what works best for you. My experience is that when I have irritation (a rare occurrence these days) it is most often attributed to a less careful technique (hurrying and or applying too much unneeded pressure with a sharp blade) or to lack of familiarity with a certain cream or soap. After using some very expensive products, I can honestly say that I get my best shaves with plain old Williams Mug soap and Cremo as a super lather. (I am used to those poducts and so my technique works best with them I guess.) Then Neutrogena shave balm with some extra witch hazel blended in.
My fave razor blade "brands" today are Gillette, Feather and Merkur. I adjust my technique "slightly" to make each of them shave optimally. I mostly use Merkur and Muhle branded razors. But I like the old Gillette models too. And yes, I agree that "Yer Mileage May Vary". Focus on technique mastery and you just might find that most name brand blades can deliver a smooth shave that will make you smile!
Buck
I wanted to add to this "old thread". I will be the first to say that wet shavers, with any experience at all, can usually tell some differences between blades and DE razors. The more experience, the better the wet shaver can discern these differences.
Having said that, I think every razor / blade combination has a learning curve. Once you master the subtle tendencies of the razor / blade combination you learn to "maximize" what it offers. IOW, you master a technique that works best for that razor / blade combination. Things such as:
1. how much pressure the weight of the razor applies to your face
2. the optimum angle to hold the the razor to get the best cutting angle
3. the lathering and post shave products employed and how you apply them
I think Feather, Gillette and Merkur all market blades that have usefulness (ie...value) to an experienced wet shaver. Everyone's experiences will likely vary a bit. We all have different preferences and technique mastery levels. I think I can tell subtle differences in blades (sharpness and pull friction) based on "where they are made" more than anything else. I also think that the blade always feels different on it's first shave than on it's later shaves (ie...shave 3 or 4).
The best advice I have is to try different blades and razor combinations and find what works best for you. My experience is that when I have irritation (a rare occurrence these days) it is most often attributed to a less careful technique (hurrying and or applying too much unneeded pressure with a sharp blade) or to lack of familiarity with a certain cream or soap. After using some very expensive products, I can honestly say that I get my best shaves with plain old Williams Mug soap and Cremo as a super lather. (I am used to those poducts and so my technique works best with them I guess.) Then Neutrogena shave balm with some extra witch hazel blended in.
My fave razor blade "brands" today are Gillette, Feather and Merkur. I adjust my technique "slightly" to make each of them shave optimally. I mostly use Merkur and Muhle branded razors. But I like the old Gillette models too. And yes, I agree that "Yer Mileage May Vary". Focus on technique mastery and you just might find that most name brand blades can deliver a smooth shave that will make you smile!
Buck
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YMMV. Feathers are certainly sharper but Merkurs are smoother and more forgiving. Given the choice, Id probably take Feathers because I find that Merkurs tug too much.
