Customer Reviews

Shaving Gift Set with Merkur Safety Razor, Bowl, Shaving Soap, Badger Brush, Stand and Safety Razor, Great Gift Idea for Father Husband or Boyfriend

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this as a gift for my 84 year old Father. He has arthritis and had been having difficulty getting a close shave. Dad has never worn a beard and, as he likes to tell it, "During WWII in the Pacific, as soon as I got water, I shaved. I kept my feet dry and my beard gone."

I bought him an electric razor, but he didn't like it. I bought him different shave creams and razors, but he looked scraggly. I kept reading different reviews about what might work.

I finally found this set on Amazon. I liked the design of the Razor Stand because it would hold both the brush and razor. Keeping these dry is important. I figured if he didn't like the soap and bowl, I could go back online and look for others.

He LOVES everything! He keeps telling me that he is getting the best shave he has ever gotten. He no longer gets a "five o'clock" shadow. I even think the shave soap is improving the condition of his skin.

This is a great set. If it can please my Dad, it should please any man who likes to be clean shaven.

I am in the military and have thick facial hair. That being said, it is important for me to have a nice, clean shaved face 5-6 days out of the week. After reading the reviews on safety razors I decided to put the multi-razor heads aside and purchased this kit for myself. At first I wasn't too pleased with it until I finally learned how to use it properly.

Now that I have gotten the hang of it, and not finishing with cuts here and there, I think its awesome. Its the closest shave I've ever had and doesn't leave razor burn like the fuzion that I was using previously. The kit may seem a little pricey, but considering that you can purchase a hundred double edge blades for around 10 dollars really helps eliminate the chance of buyers remorse. Especially when it costs 10-14 dollars for a set of 3 replacement fuzion heads that only last about a week and a half per.

I do suggest Googling "how to shave w/ a safety razor" to spare yourself and your skin the torture I went through in the beginning, lol.

Got it in two days, that was cool. This set comes with the Merkur #178 razor, and after a little research, I found out it is the famous 34c HD Classic.

The razor is nice. The bowl is whatever. The brush is really heavy. The chrome is super nice, but those badger bristles feel like porcupine. They scratch (or exfoliate) your face like a scouring pad. I think I'll reserve it for when I need to wake-up, or when I really need a harsh brush.

The stand is okay, but the HD Classic 34c, or #178 razor doesn't sit in it straight. The Barber Pole 38c fit perfectly, because the design is different, and it can rest on it's "neck rolls".

This set is distributed by Colonel Conk, in Mexico. The bowl and stand is made in Taiwan. The razor is made in Germany. I don't know where this brush was made.

It looks nice on my sink. But not as nice as the Futur set.

I can tell you the exact moment it happened - the moment that I decided to stop taking out loans in order to be able to afford a shave. I'm walking through my local "big-box" store with my buddy and I remember I need to pick up some disposable razor blades for my Mach 3. Like a good little consumer I walk over to the shaving section ready to throw down another $15 or so dollars for 4 blades that will barely last a month. As I reach for the blades I see a shiny new box - Mach 3 TURBO! What's this? A better way to shave? Only a few dollars more!? What the heck, I think, after all it's a better shave, right?

Flash forward about a year and now we have a "Fusion" 5 blade system - after all what could be better than 3-blades? By now I'm getting really, really skeptical what all those blades and comfort strips and vibrating handles and neon colors really do for my shave. All I know is that instead of paying $15 for 4 new blades I'm paying more and more money. I decided then and there that my relationship with my Gillette had to end. Out hundreds of dollars I began looking at my alternatives. There's the cheapo Bic razors or Schick. Of course I could forgo shaving altoghether and sport a more grizzled look. Not good alternatives.

By chance I mentioned my predicament to a coworker who then proceeded to school me on the days when men were men, and every manly-man shaved with a real razor blade that didn't require pre-approval credit checks and financing. Merkur was the name he insisted upon and this gift set is what I ordered for myself. I've been Gillette free ever since.

There is a learning curve to shaving with a this kit. After my first shave I was sure I made another expensive (and bloody) mistake. But after reading a few tips online and with more practice I got better at avoiding nics and cuts. First I recommend doing some reading - plenty of websites offer advice on how to properly shave. Second, be prepared to be a bit red in the face (litterally) so don't shave with this kit right before heading off for an important meeting at the office - practice on the weekend first. Third, give yourself plenty of time to shave. Lastly, keep an emergency disposable razor blade around and use it when you're in a hurry.

Personally I love this shaving kit. It comes with everything you need in one convenient package. Though you'll need to buy new blades at least they're very inexpensive. I didn't give this kit 5-stars for two reasons:
1) The included Merkur Saftey Razor hasa really short handle. I have gotten used to it but a longer handle would be better.
2) Colonel Conks Shaving Soap that comes with this kit isn't to my liking. The soap is near rock-like and I have to use a pocket knife to cut pieces out for shaving. I've switched to a brand called Proraso which is much better in my opinion.

All I can say is 'WOW'.

I, like so many others, have never had the opportunity to know the world of double-edge shaving until recently - and being only 31 years old, I have never had the pleasure to have experienced that perfect 'barbershop shave' so many men talk about. A friend at work told me about the 'great' experience he had shaving with his new DE razor and he showed me some youtube videos on the subject. After some thought I went ahead and ordered this package to see what the fuss was about.

!WOW!

It was definately the closest, most comfortable shave I have EVER had. Instead of the supplied soap I use a C.O.BIGELOW shave cream made by Proraso. A word of WARNING - I watched nearly ALL of the 'wet-shaving' videos on youtube by mantic59 several times before attempting to shave with this razor for the first time. After you install the first blade and bring that sharp, naked, unrelenting edge to your face, you will be glad you have the knowledge that the youtube videos provided.

I normally have a goatee and shave only my cheeks and neck. I wanted to put this razor to the ultimate test so I did not shave for nearly 2 weeks before it arrived. I thought for sure that I would have a challenging time to say the least, cutting through my THICK beard without nicking myself especially since this was my first time using this type of razor. But having practiced what I learned from online forums and videos, I was elated at how effortlessly the blade sliced off even the thickest parts of my beard with ease.

Some KEY points to remeber:

1 - Your face must be WET at all times while shaving
2 - Your shaving lather must be the correct CONSISTANCY
3 - Your blade must be SHARP
4 - Keep the blade at the correct ANGLE
5 - Let the WEIGHT of the razor do all the work
6 - TAKE YOUR TIME

I do not know how we as a society could have possibly gotten away from this practice over the last few decades, perhaps the promise of saving time and effort by using a sub-standard disposable or ourageously priced multi-bladed vibrating contraption (my last razor). It is time to bring DE shaving back to the masses! Such a wonderful and refreshing way start your day should be cherished, not to mention replacement blades go for as little as 50¢ each!

If I was selling this product, I would say "Do yourself a favor - order this product, learn about wet-shaving techniques, and set your morning alarms back 10 minutes - the ten minutes of sleep you lose is made up for ten times by the absolute 'zen' you put yourself through in this most artful, comforatble, and traditional way of shaving".

After doing extensive research on my first double edge shaving set, I discovered that the razor that comes in the kit is the one most recommended for beginners on sites such as [...]. I have to agree. I jumped right in after studying technique. The chrome looks awesome in the bathroom as well, and the set has manliness to spare.

I received this set as a gift not too long ago, and have to say that I'm extremely satisfied with it.

I'd also like to address some complaints that I saw other people listed with this set. 1) The biggest complaint that I've noticed is people commenting that the razor handle was too short, and at first I was of the same persuasion. After a bit of use though, and researching how to use it properly, I learned that holding it by the tip made it so that you don't use any extra pressure than the weight of the razor (which is something that you definitely don't want to happen). And so, with proper holding, the shorter handle allows for better control over the razor without having to choke up on it. 2) Someone mentioned that the soap was too tough and they had to cut it up to use. With proper brush technique (wetting the soap, the brush, letting it soak for a minute), this is absolutely not the case. All Col. Conk soaps that I have tried have lathered up quite nicely and easily.

Learning to use the set well is what will make it great. For this, I highly recommend checking out [...] if you are unfamiliar with safety shaving.

I bought this for my boyfriend because his Mach3 and shave gel routine left him with red, irritated skin every time he shaved. First of all, yes, this set comes with a short-handle razor. I recommend giving it a chance. I didn't think he would like it, but the razor is weighted so nicely that it works just fine. The brush is great too. The soap is ok, but we discovered that Proraso shave cream is better for sensitive skin. My boyfriend loved his new razor so much that I bought one for myself. Neither of us will be going back to the cartridge system again any time soon.

The kit is good, but the bowl you get is not like the one pictured. The one I have is a single part bowl, while the pictured one has a built in stand/ring on the bottom. The brush did feel a little scratchy at first, but after reading about how to shampoo and condition it before use it's become pretty comfortable for me. Having bought this kit I'd recommend saving yourself $20 and get the kit without the bowl.

I spent MONTHS looking at razors and shave sets and couldn't seem to find what I wanted. Then I found this. The product shipped quickly and WOW! I repackaged it before giving it to my boyfriend for Christmas and his reaction when he opened it was priceless. While he was initially disappointed that I didn't get him a straight razor, he has come to the "light." The shave he gets using the razor is amazing. He's German-Slovak and no longer gets the gritty five o'clock shadow. I love it, he loves it, and even better, his grandfather loves it (the stories we have gotten about the War since I showed him the shave set are amazing).
A great product. We may have to buy another one for my boyfriend's grandfather for Father's Day.
Reading other reviews, you may think, oh, well the brush isn't that great, etc. This is as good as a brush gets without being "super badger". The soap is great too - his skin is so much softer now.
The only thing I wish is that the bowl was shallower as it is difficult to get a good foam with this one, but other than that, this is it.
I even priced making my own set with different components on Amazon, but the prices quickly got out-of-hand and the quality of the brush that I would have been able to afford without getting this set would have been sub-par.
Trust me on this one, STOP LOOKING - you've found the perfect gift.