A Side By Side Comparison

After months of trying to convince my neighbour to give classic shaving a try I have succeeded, but not with a little help. He is not much of a shaver, he prefers several days growth to a clean face, but recently he had noticed some bald patches developing on his beard and as a result he feels like he needs to shave. A trip to the pharmacy to pick up some blades, a look at the cost of replacement cartridge blades, and my lectures on the benefits and cost saving advantages in the back of his head, lead to the plunge into the world of wet shaving. I let him have a feel of my Merkur 1904 Classic, which is the razor that I started with, and although he liked the weight of it, he wasn’t feeling the short handle. After doing a bit of research, I suggested the Merker 25C Open Comb Long Handle. Well it arrived today and he agreed to let me take a few shots to provide a side by side of the two razors and give a few first impressions.

First Impression

The biggest difference between the Merkur 1904 and the Merkur 25C is obviously the handle length and shape. The 25C comes in with a total length of 4″ where the “1904” is a full inch shorter. The handle is round on the 25C and the “1904” has its distinctive hexagonal shape. Other than that the two razors both have the same industrial look you expect from Merkur razors, the “1904” being nickel plated and the 25C standard chrome. Over all both razors appear to be quality products, but although smaller the “1904” seems to have more of a solid feel to it.

Assembly

Both the “1904” and the 25C have the tradition three piece design with the head of the razors having two pieces and unscrewing from the handle. Both have the same quality build.

Handle

On closer examination of the handles one finds that the 25C has an etching the wraps around the handle whereas the “1904” has a more ornate pattern to the handle. The handle on the 25C seems to provide much more of a grip oppose to the “1904”s design that seems to be more aesthetic than anything else. The other noticeable differences are the hollow end to the 25C, the hollow end, and the ridge at the bottom of the handle.

Cutting Heads

Like the handle a big difference between the two razors when it comes to their cutting heads. The 25C has an open tooth comb where the “1904” has the standard design with the bar coming across (note the classic “1904” is also available in open tooth as well). The open comb might actually benefit my neighbour if he has trouble getting into a daily routine, his beard grows rather quickly. Both heads seem to align the blade perfectly.

Final Thoughts

Having not used the 25C I can’t comment on how it handles, I hope to trade him a razor for a couple days after he gets accustom to the DE, and then write a follow up review. But, based on look and feel of each razor they are both quality starting points for anyone getting started. Or if you are looking for something new and don’t feel like spending too much cash both would be a nice addition to your set.