Merkur 11C -- Blade Looks Crooked?

[Cains Boy]

So, frustrated with the inability to locate a Gillette NEW in good condition, I bought a Merkur 11C to try an open comb. (side note: NOW if find out that one reason the NEW is prized is the curved teeth for modern thin blades...the teeth on the 11C are straight...but that's a subject / complaint for another time).

Anyway -- When I put a blade in the 11C, I find I have to manually position it by moving it with the ends before I tightten the cap completely down. It seems that if I just insert blade and tighten, the blade looks like either one or both of the following:

1. Amount of blade I see protruding on each side is unequal (i.e. one side has more blade showing from underneath the cap than the other side), or
2. Blade is slanted or crooked (i.e. amount of blade I see increases from one side of the edge to the other). I mean, if I wanted to try a slant, then I would have just bought one.

Right now, I'm fine with just adjusting the blade so that it's correctly positioned before I tighten it all the way down, but I want to know if this is a normal thing to have to do on an 11C. Is it just me? Is it just my razor?

The 11c is a great razor, once I get the blade situated. I'm just trying to find out what's normal, here. Thanks in advance for any input!

[jpkunst]

I have used three different razors (Merkur 34C, Merkur 11C, Schick Krona) and in all three I have to adjust the blade every now and then. I wouldn't worry about it.

By the way, the 11C is very nice, gentle and forgiving razor. I prefer a not so aggressive razor myself and in my opinion, modern thin blades in an "old type" razor are a great combination. I like my 11C better than my 34C.

[Bulldawg]

So, frustrated with the inability to locate a Gillette NEW in good condition, I bought a Merkur 11C to try an open comb. (side note: NOW if find out that one reason the NEW is prized is the curved teeth for modern thin blades...the teeth on the 11C are straight...but that's a subject / complaint for another time).

Anyway -- When I put a blade in the 11C, I find I have to manually position it by moving it with the ends before I tightten the cap completely down. It seems that if I just insert blade and tighten, the blade looks like either one or both of the following:

1. Amount of blade I see protruding on each side is unequal (i.e. one side has more blade showing from underneath the cap than the other side), or
2. Blade is slanted or crooked (i.e. amount of blade I see increases from one side of the edge to the other). I mean, if I wanted to try a slant, then I would have just bought one.

Right now, I'm fine with just adjusting the blade so that it's correctly positioned before I tighten it all the way down, but I want to know if this is a normal thing to have to do on an 11C. Is it just me? Is it just my razor?

The 11c is a great razor, once I get the blade situated. I'm just trying to find out what's normal, here. Thanks in advance for any input!

I've taken the time to correctly position the blade on every merkur that Ive owned (HD, slant, 11C). I always thought that was the standard thing to do for good measure. I hope that 11C works out for you...it turned out to be my favorite razor

[Cains Boy]

I'm glad it wasn't just my razor -- I'd hate to send it back.

Also, I'm glad it wasn't just me -- I tend to be a little (well, more than a little) OCD.

As long as I know that having to adjust the blade is "normal", then that's fine with me. I just like for things to be defined. Thank you guys for the reassurance!

I've been using the 11C every day since I got it -- five days total. I must like it; I usually would have changed razors at least three times by now! It is pretty forgiving. I had a real opportunity to demolish my face a couple of days ago in a rush to get ready for work. The 11C must have just rolled its eyes and said, "All right -- I'll let this idiot slide this time."

I have been finding out that it matters which blade I put in it. On my other razors (all Gillettes), I can rotate about five brands of blades in them and they all shave pretty much the same, give or take just a little bit. But with the 11C, it ain't so: Yesterday I used an Iridium Super and got a great shave. Today I did everything exactly the same as yesterday leading up to the actual shave, but loaded a 7 O'Clock SharpEdge, and afterwards my alum block told me pretty quickly, "not that one, stupid."

[Cains Boy]

I just realized that I gave two inanimate objects the power of speech in that last post. Also, both of them insulted me.

[GardenWeasel]

Yep - the 11C is my second favorite razor. It's a good razor! Congrats!

[New2DEShaving_Montreal]

I was told that "that's just how they are" and I refused to accept how it is. It sounds more like an excuse to me. You won't notice the crooked blade position affects your shaves but then again, when you have a brand new piece of equipment, which is engineered to be symmetrical, it should 100% exhibit that symmetry atleast to the naked eye.

[Bulldawg]

I was told that "that's just how they are" and I refused to accept how it is. It sounds more like an excuse to me. You won't notice the crooked blade position affects your shaves but then again, when you have a brand new piece of equipment, which is engineered to be symmetrical, it should 100% exhibit that symmetry atleast to the naked eye.

Not sure I'm following that..... Are you saying that a Merkur is defective if the blade needs to be positioned correctly?

[TheBigL]

I don't have that particular razor, but some of mine do the same thing. I did notice that different brands of blades seem to have more play in one razor, while some brands seem to fit perfectly every time.

[Luc]

I had similar experiences with other Merkur razors. A manual alignment was required to ensure equal exposure and aligned blade. I bought a NEW and sold my Merkur. The NEW isn't made the same way and cannot allow any wiggle.

Even a Tech is the same, there are four notchs in the corner holding the blade. I prefer 3 pieces razors but a TTO would do the trick also.