Merkur on the left, RazoRock on the right. New blades for both.
Both razors are mild-medium. Both razors have excellent efficiency. I think that’s why people love the 34C (and other Merkur razors with the same head design)… the amazing ratio of efficiency to blade feel.
1st pass - The Merkur felt like it had more blade feel than the RazoRock. Surprising!
2nd pass - I couldn’t really discern a difference in blade feel. The razors feel slightly different overall, but it wasn’t a difference in blade feel that I was detecting.
3rd pass - The RazoRock started to feel like it had more blade feel (while still safely in the mild-medium category). Another surprising twist!
Did one razor shave better than the other? Results on both sides of my face are nearly identical, and man, both shave great. But, where the Merkur left just the slightest bit behind, the RazoRock feels impossibly close. So, the RazorRock I’d say did a better job.
A word on how the RazoRock “feels”. It has a sort of drag to it that the Merkur doesn’t have, but only in certain directions. I can’t tell why. It’s not a “gets sucked into your face” kind of drag like a Karve Overlander. Could it be the shiny finish? Shiny razors tend to stick to my skin, even with good lather (but the 34C is also shiny, so…). Could it be the safety bar, which has a sharp angle at the edge where it rides along your skin? It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s definitely not as rounded as most safety bars. Or could it be something else? I notice it most when going across the grain, which is weird. Maybe time will tell.
Overall winner? For me, it’s the RazoRock. It’s stainless steel which I much prefer to zamak. It’s $80 USD ($90 with the handle) compared to $49.50USD for a 34C HD. An extra $30-40 for superior build quality for a razor that I love is definitely worth it.
Is it worth it for someone who already has a 34C? It depends on how much you love the 34C, and how much you want a durable copy of it. I probably won’t be keeping my 34C now that I have the RazoRock, but even if I sell it for $20, I’m still out $70 to have my new razor. Still not bad, considering the upgrade.
A word on how the RazoRock “feels”. It has a sort of drag to it that the Merkur doesn’t have, but only in certain directions. I can’t tell why. It’s not a “gets sucked into your face” kind of drag like a Karve Overlander. Could it be the shiny finish? Shiny razors tend to stick to my skin, even with good lather (but the 34C is also shiny, so…). Could it be the safety bar, which has a sharp angle at the edge where it rides along your skin? It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s definitely not as rounded as most safety bars. Or could it be something else?
I have other SS razors and they don’t feel draggy. I’m leaning towards it’s the safety bar being “sharp”. Like, I’m tempted to hit it with a die grinder to smooth it out, but I won’t (for now!).
April 2, 2025 - Side by Side
Merkur on the left, RazoRock on the right. New blades for both.
Both razors are mild-medium. Both razors have excellent efficiency. I think that’s why people love the 34C (and other Merkur razors with the same head design)… the amazing ratio of efficiency to blade feel.
1st pass - The Merkur felt like it had more blade feel than the RazoRock. Surprising! 2nd pass - I couldn’t really discern a difference in blade feel. The razors feel slightly different overall, but it wasn’t a difference in blade feel that I was detecting. 3rd pass - The RazoRock started to feel like it had more blade feel (while still safely in the mild-medium category). Another surprising twist!
Did one razor shave better than the other? Results on both sides of my face are nearly identical, and man, both shave great. But, where the Merkur left just the slightest bit behind, the RazoRock feels impossibly close. So, the RazorRock I’d say did a better job.
A word on how the RazoRock “feels”. It has a sort of drag to it that the Merkur doesn’t have, but only in certain directions. I can’t tell why. It’s not a “gets sucked into your face” kind of drag like a Karve Overlander. Could it be the shiny finish? Shiny razors tend to stick to my skin, even with good lather (but the 34C is also shiny, so…). Could it be the safety bar, which has a sharp angle at the edge where it rides along your skin? It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s definitely not as rounded as most safety bars. Or could it be something else? I notice it most when going across the grain, which is weird. Maybe time will tell.
Overall winner? For me, it’s the RazoRock. It’s stainless steel which I much prefer to zamak. It’s $80 USD ($90 with the handle) compared to $49.50USD for a 34C HD. An extra $30-40 for superior build quality for a razor that I love is definitely worth it.
Is it worth it for someone who already has a 34C? It depends on how much you love the 34C, and how much you want a durable copy of it. I probably won’t be keeping my 34C now that I have the RazoRock, but even if I sell it for $20, I’m still out $70 to have my new razor. Still not bad, considering the upgrade.
SS razors having more drag?
I have other SS razors and they don’t feel draggy. I’m leaning towards it’s the safety bar being “sharp”. Like, I’m tempted to hit it with a die grinder to smooth it out, but I won’t (for now!).
Doubli refutatiôn for my hypothesis!