In praise of the Merkur travel razor
In praise of the Merkur travel razor
Normally I reach for my slant or Chatsworth. But in preparation for a 2-week trip to France next month, I decided to get used to my Merkur travel razor.
I've usually gotten mediocre results from it in the past, used with a Trumpers cream.
This time I'm using a Palmolive shave stick and the results are noticeably better. I've come to appreciate the lighter weight of the travel razor--it's pretty forgiving.
Life is good,
Greg
I've usually gotten mediocre results from it in the past, used with a Trumpers cream.
This time I'm using a Palmolive shave stick and the results are noticeably better. I've come to appreciate the lighter weight of the travel razor--it's pretty forgiving.
Life is good,
Greg
Fiat lux, et facta est lux. Que la lumière soit, et la lumière fut. Let there be light, and there was light.
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I've had one for about four years and use it on every trip, lately for 3-5 day stretches twice a month. I enjoy it very much. I found the right razor-blade combo and have smooth irritation-free shaves. I have finished Palmolive and Speick sticks and am working on a Valobra. I keep the blade in the head when I take it apart, wrap it in a piece of soft leather cut from an old leather work glove to protect the edge from the disassembled handle crammed next to it in the little genuine-imitation-fake-leatherette carrier. I will try to take some pictures.
Last edited by a-cut-above on Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
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Merkur Travel Razor-pictures
Here are pictures of my Merkur Travel Razor. Apologies for the cell phone quality photos but I didn't have the cable with me to connect my camera to the computer.
The razor assembled. The handle is not so short as to be uncomfortable or cause difficulty in use, but my hands aren't that big (size 7 1/2 glove/men's medium). I could see a gent with large hands not liking this razor.
The assembled razor, case, and a blade for size comparison:
The components as they pack/unpack. The piece of leather is to keep the blade from rubbing the handle in the case. I keep the blade in the assembled head:
The disassembled head, handle, etc:
The handle unscrews into two halves one fitting inside the other. The upper handle part needs to be inserted into the lower with the stud facing out or it could engage the thread in the bottom and get stuck. (It did.)
The holes in the leather are for the studs on the razor head:
The leather-wrapped head with blade:
The handle and head (without a blade) packed in the case showing how the handle could damage the blade:
The head wrapped in leather, then packed, protects the blade from the handle when packed. A piece of cloth would also work well:
The packed case is small:
The razor assembled. The handle is not so short as to be uncomfortable or cause difficulty in use, but my hands aren't that big (size 7 1/2 glove/men's medium). I could see a gent with large hands not liking this razor.
The assembled razor, case, and a blade for size comparison:
The components as they pack/unpack. The piece of leather is to keep the blade from rubbing the handle in the case. I keep the blade in the assembled head:
The disassembled head, handle, etc:
The handle unscrews into two halves one fitting inside the other. The upper handle part needs to be inserted into the lower with the stud facing out or it could engage the thread in the bottom and get stuck. (It did.)
The holes in the leather are for the studs on the razor head:
The leather-wrapped head with blade:
The handle and head (without a blade) packed in the case showing how the handle could damage the blade:
The head wrapped in leather, then packed, protects the blade from the handle when packed. A piece of cloth would also work well:
The packed case is small:
Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
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Great idea as the new EJ (and Mühle-Pinsel) heads are less aggressive than the Merkurs. That would make it less restrictive in the blades I could use.jss wrote:I believe the new Edwin Jagger head fit this handle/case too..
@OP enjoy your trip to France....
Julian
And Greg, definitely enjoy the trip.
Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
- Cap'n CutThroat
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True, but it is still smaller than a regular razor and frees up space in my small packed dopp kit for an after shave assortment (using hotel shampoo bottles), extra medications for us middle agers, etc. And who says logic dictates what we buy and use on this forum anyway?Cap'n CutThroat wrote:How hard is it to pack a "regular" razor?
Space has never been THAT much of a problem in my experience.
How many soaps and aftershaves do I, I mean the guys on this forum, own?
Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
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I like my Merkur Travel Razor but blades are the problem. For car trips, no problem. When flying, I have been pretty good mailing blades ahead. I didn't on my current business trip, so I am using the disposable Trac II clone I always keep in the dopp kit. I miss using the DE.
Dave
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
"Sanity is a madness put to good use." - George Santayana (…like a wet shaver with an acquisition disorder.)
[quote="a-cut-above"]I like my Merkur Travel Razor but blades are the problem. For car trips, no problem. When flying, I have been pretty good mailing blades ahead. I didn't on my current business trip, so I am using the disposable Trac II clone I always keep in the dopp kit. I miss using the DE.[/quote]
It is regrettable that current air travel restrictions make DE shaving a hassle if you're not checking bags.
It is regrettable that current air travel restrictions make DE shaving a hassle if you're not checking bags.