Safety razors are effortless to use and have been working on the same proven principle for decades. Most safety razors use standard double-edge blades, but various new types of razors have emerged. We’ve written this short guide to help you understand the different styles of combs and handles!

If you want to learn more about why the safety razor is a better alternative to the cartridge razor, then check out this blog!

The various razor types

The head of a safety razor consists of a comb, blade gap, blade attachment, and of course the razor blade. Some safety razors are small all-rounders, while others are very specialized tools.

Closed comb

A safety razor with a closed comb has a corrugated safety bar on the head. That leads to a very gentle shaving experience.
To operate your razor, glide your razor over your skin without any pressure. The trimmed beard and body hair will flow through the so-called blade or soap gap. This is the space between the comb and blade of your safety razor. Due to the closed comb, the risk of injury is very low making it ideal for beginners.

Open comb

Safety razors with an open comb are also very popular. Razors with an open comb differ slightly in their shaving characteristics from models with a closed comb. With this design, you will achieve great results shaving dense or long beards and hair. The open comb shaves particularly thoroughly and cleanly in the hands of an experienced user since soap residue and hair won’t clog the notches. This feature also makes it an excellent choice for shaving body hair. Furthermore, the grooves guide the hair to the blade providing excellent shaving results.

Adjustable safety razor

Safety Razors like the MERKUR PROGRESS and FUTUR have aces up their sleeves. They have an adjustable blade gap, which means you can change the geometry between the blade and the blade gap with a quick turn of the handle. You decide the thoroughness of the shave and find the right setting to achieve your desired result. Some of our customers start the first shave pass with a more aggressive setting and regulate the blade for the second pass for the closest results. With such an all-rounder, the traditional wet shave becomes relaxed and painless.

Slant bar razor

The so-called slant-bar razor is a unique type of safety razor. It is characterized by the comb and plate being twisted against each other, giving the blade a more aggressive angle. A slant-bar safety razor shines with a particularly sharp and thorough shave, and therefore we recommend it for strong beard growth or very thick beard stubble. However, you should have some experience with safety razors to achieve the best results.

Handle length and weight

Further characteristic features of safety razors are the handle length and the weight of the razor. Find out how they transform your shaving experience! 

Handle length

The handle length has various advantages for shaving.

Safety razors with a long handle can make shaving body hair much more comfortable. You can easily work on hard-to-reach areas such as your legs. When shaving your face, personal preferences often determine the length of the handle. Some of our customers prefer a long handle for a more secure grip. Safety razors with short handles are more agile to guide. On complex shaving areas, the handle fits comfortably in your hand and provides you with perfect manoeuvrability. Their dimensions also make them ideal for luggage or toiletry bags.

Handle weight

The weight of your safety razor also affects your shave.
For face shaving, many of our customers opt for a heavier safety razor such as the MERKUR 38C. Due to the high dead weight, you can use gravity to your advantage because you don’t need to apply pressure – the razor just glides on your skin. But lighter safety razors also have their strengths. Their low weight makes them agile and manoeuvrable, making shaving particularly comfortable. For compact travelling the lightweight razors are the stars.

Maintenance of your safety razor 

The care of your safety razor is simple and quick. Because of the stainless material, you don’t have to worry about rust and oxidation.
After each shave, you rinse the razor with warm water and remove trimmed hair and soap residue. From time to time you should also clean your razor with a soft brush. Use shampoo or detergent to remove particularly stubborn dirt.
After each shave, you should dry the razor, but please make sure that you do not touch the fragile cutting edge of the blade. You could damage the burr and make the blade ineffective. Just like with a straight razor, it is advisable to leave the safety razor to rest for at least 24 hours after shaving. The resting time will allow the cutting edge to align itself whereby you extend the service life of your razor blade.

Our recommendation for beginners

Everybody is different, and within a short time you will develop your own traditional wet shaving style. However, over the years, some models have proven to be particularly beginner-friendly, and we are happy to share this experience with you.

For the daily face shave, the MERKUR 34C has built up a large fan base due to its user-friendliness and its gentle shaving behaviour. The closed comb combined with its short, heavyweight handle allows the razor to glide effortlessly over your skin. With this model, you will have a great, easy start!

The MERKUR 38C is also a long term runner in our assortment. The closed comb makes it easy even for fresh users to achieve good results. The long, heavy handle is easy to grip and guides the razor over the skin without any pressure. An excellent choice – not only for beginners!

Should the cartridge razor surrender to your beard growth, there is only one choice: the MERKUR 25C! With its open comb design, fast beard growth or firm stubble doesn’t stand a chance! 
The light and thin handle provide the safety razor with agility and freedom of movement!

A safety razor not only has benefits when shaving the face, but it also performs on body hair. For this reason, more and more women use our products — especially the MERKUR 24C. The long handle simplifies body hair shaving as it provides an increased range of a few centimetres. With its narrow blade gap, it offers a very gentle shave to sensitive body areas. 

You are interested and want to start right away? Here you will learn everything you need to know about wet shaving with a safety razor.