I say Freshmen because, as we all grow into new modes of learning, that is the title given. I'm a Freshmen shaver in the safety razor game and this was the model that all research areas pointed to. The Merkur 34C is the standard barer for the Double-Edge Safety Razor. It has brand recognition, solid design, and a history that supports its own value. It is weighted well and provides a good experience, minus the blade that comes with it, which was of medium quality. This is the brand to start with and they last damn near a lifetime, or so I'm told. The big discovery is figuring out which razor you need and are comfortable with.

Razor is solid, but not too heavy. It performs as expected and is easy to clean. Quality of metal and plating is excellent.

I have multiple superspeed and a couple other variety razors. The 34c is my go to razor whenever I try a new blade or know I need a good shave without issues. Very smooth shave no natter what blade I use, some better than others but no bad shaves. Love this razor.

I decided to try the DE blade shaving. I first bought the "as seen on TV" razor. It was ok, figured I'm new at this. One week later I bought this Merkur 34c. Best shave I've had, right out if the box! This may be the last razor I ever buy...not. I'm hooked now! Very easy to use, nice clean shave with one pass and could have stopped there and been satisfied with the results. A second pass for cleanup was all that was needed. I definitely recommend this razor and am already looking for other razors to add to my now growing collection (bought 4 razors at the antique shop for cheap). I have tried a couple of them but always go back to the 34C. I look forward to shaving!