Merkur 34c Safety Razor Recommend Or Not?

Q: I will be new to using safety razors as I have always used Mach 3's before. Would you recommend the Merkur 34C as a good shaver to start with? The double edged razor blades, how long do they last compared with the Mach 3 blades? Are they just as resilient, or do they generally last much longer before losing their sharpness?

Thank you so much for your help. 

A: The Merkur 34c DE Safety Razor is our top selling razor just ahead of the Merkur 33c and the Muhle range of DE Safety Razors. The 34c is the heavy duty version, it's often listed as the 34C HD.

It comes down to personal choice John as both razors use exactly the same shaving head. The only difference is in the handle, the 34c has a chunky heavy handle while the 33c has a lightweight, narrow handle. I've used both and I personally prefer the Merkur 33c as it is (in my opinion) more maneuverable meaning I can shave quicker.

Regarding Double Edge (DE) Safety razor Blades, go for Feather, very sharp. I change my blades every three days or so, most people change their blades every 5-7 days. You will get at least 6 or 7 very good shaves from a Feather DE Blade.

I hope this answers your questions.