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  • April 2, 2025 - Side by Side

    • Brush: Wolf Whiskers – "Gianmaria" w/Maggard 26mm Synthetic
    • Razor 1: RazoRock GOAT
    • Razor 2: Merkur 34C
    • Blade 1: Personna Lab Blue (1)
    • Blade 2: Personna Lab Blue (1)
    • Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Soap
    • Post Shave: Noble Otter - Hamami - Aftershave
    • Post Shave: Dove Men+Care Ultra-Hydra Cream

    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.

  • Wednesday, April 02, 2025

    • Brush: Wald - S1 badger
    • Razor: Eldrormr Industries - MM24
    • Blade: Accuforge - GEM Microcoat (6)
    • Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Hungarian Lavender
    • Post Shave: Talent Soap Factory - Wallflower Aftershave splash
    • Post Shave: Stirling - Glacial Unscented Aftershave balm
    • Fragrance: Stirling - Arkadia EdT

    Continuing my smush/sample tour with Mike's Hungarian Lavender. Another well-balanced and subtle scent that gave an excellent lather. I like Mike's.

    This is my last shave with the S1. It's a wonderful brush, easily the softest badger knot I've used with the perfect amount of density. I'll be sad to see it go, but I'm glad I got the opportunity to use it for a bit.

    Have a great day all.

    🍳 Created with Neovim & sotd.nvim 🍳

  • April 2, 2025

    • Brush: Wald Stratos Goldvein 29mm A1 Fan
    • Razor: Dubl Duck 5/8" Full Hollow
    • Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Soap
    • Aftershave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Aftershave
    • Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Eau de Toilette

    2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

    Comfortable shave, but not particularly close. Still trying to dial in a coticule edge on this razor.

19 comments