MerkurRazor Travel razor with 1 blade , 2.61x0.44x2.89 Inch (Pack of 1)

A standard double-edged razor is not a huge, heavy item, and I do have a traveling case for mine, but this travel razor now replaces it for all domestic journeys. It comes to pieces and stores in a tiny soft plastic case, taking up almost no space and adding very little weight. Assembling and using it is easy, and rather fun. The most important point is that, although it is light in the hand, it does shave well (otherwise there would be no point in taking it anywhere). It's good enough to use as a replacement home razor if need be.

Kinda came to a point that I forgot that I had this Razor lying around, but the few times that I have used it; it's been very nice and I would even use it as my main if my main razor handle ever breaks for whatever odd reason. If you're in the military; then this is probably your best friend because it doesn't take up any space, it's light but very strong (not made of cheap plastics), it'll tolerate the heavy banging from a ruck march and it's easy to groom with out in the field versus other handles that'll break if you're not careful and you're using a buddy's razor and tolerating the humility for the next month or so. When you're done with your 45 second to minute and a half shave, it easily collapses and you're ready to rock again without any loss in your pace...With double edged razors, you can use the same lotion as what others are using without affecting the quality you get. Mostly, what I enjoy most is the fact these razors are incredibly easy to clean (you're not trying to blow gunk from in between the blades) and the razors are incredibly cheap when you buy them in bulk...lol...

I did HOURS of research to find the right safety razor for me. It was a no brainer to support Merkur, given their incredible track record and a wide variety of razors. Note that NOT ALL SAFETY RAZORS ARE CREATED EQUAL.Don't fall for those $10 buck eco-friendly packaging razors that don't detail the grip, the blade exposure, the length of the handle and pieces. I learned to stay away from butterfly razors, which seem to open up more easily, but tend to open up accidentally during shaving.Yes, women can definitely use this! I have tried shaving all over and had no issues. Great for the legs, bikini area and underarms! Just go slowly!I love the travel-friendly case- it's VERY small and easy to fit in a toiletry bag. The assembly is really easy- three simple pieces. And I'll confirm that this is a GREAT safety razor and has a good guard to help protect you from nicks and cuts.My only complaint as a newbie is that the handle is really quite short. I think I would have preferred to try to Merkur 23C, which has a long thin handle. So keep that in mind.Note that this doesn't come in official merkur boxes or anything- just a bag with the leather case and the three-piece razor inside of it.

I use a standard Merkur double edge safety razor and love it. So, I figured I would get the travel version as I travel frequently. It is nice looking, compact, fits into a small leather pouch and takes up little room and weight in my travel gear. Unfortunately, the blade base (rake) is too wide and the double edge razor blade never touches my skin. I assumed it was a manufacturing error SO I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE. Same thing. In all other respects, it is exactly what I was hoping for except for the fact that you can't actually shave with it. After reading other reviews, others over the years have continually raised the same issue and yet Merkur has not responded by correcting the design flaw. They just keep selling an expensive travel razor that you can't shave with. Shame on Merkur.

I started shaving the old fashioned way a few months ago with a Microtouch One "butterfly" safety razor. While it worked well, I felt like I could do better so I upgraded to the Merkur 34C (which is less than an inch longer than this razor by the way so if you are worried about the handle being too short, don't worry about a thing. And if not, shop around! Maggard and several other companies make handles that will fit this thing) and eventually i figured that I should get something for when I travel. Well, after much research, I settled on this razor (which is the Merkur 210 safety bar version).Pros:1. Has the same head as my Merkur 34C so it is a pretty easy transition. It also folds away into a little pouch that even has a Merkur sample blade in it (Which is how I learned Merkur blades tug like crazy on my beard so, back to the Rapiras).2. As mentioned before, the handle is just as long as the 34c and the Knurling on it is great. I have never had and issue where i felt like I was loosing my grip on it both when I was testing it at home and when I was using it while traveling.3. the travel case it comes in is small enough that it can fit in your pocket. The first time i used this i was going to a friends house and I put this razor in one pocket of my suitcase and a pack of Rapira Voskods and a travel can of Barbasol in another and I was good to go.4. The fact that this is a 4 piece makes it super easy to clean. I find this much simpler to clean than my 34C which which is a 2 piece. I just take the whole thing apart, set it on a towel, and wipe the soap scum off of it after a trip. I also add a drop of Singer Machine Oil, 4-Fluid Ounce to the threads on it after i take it apart or even just change the blade. I also do it on my Merkur 34C (which tells you to do that every so often and since both razors are made by the same manufacturer, I figured it couldn't hurt). you can also swap out different handles as mentioned before, but I have not played around with this ability yet.Cons:1. While it does have the same head as the Merkur 34C, it does not have the same level of balance. While I find the 34C's handle perfectly balances out the head, this razor by comparison the head is like a lead weight due to the fact that the handle is hollow. It is not wildly more aggressive, but it is something you may need to be cognicent of when you first use it depending on what blades you load it with on the first run. Use the same blades you use in your regular razor to get a feel for it before you take it out on a trip.2. The top piece of the handle fits into the hollow bottom portion and occasionally it takes a little effort to get it out when you want to use it. Especially when it has been in there for a while. This isn't really a problem more of an annoyance.UPDATE: I ended up putting the head from this razor onto a Maggard MR1 handle. And yes..it is a whole new animal. It actually shaves better now than my Merkur 34C and I will soon be trying the Maggard head (which is noticeably more aggressive) on the hollow handle. All in all, I still give it 5 stars because of the leather case, and even stock, it gives an excellent shave. Just don't think you can't improve it a little by swaping out the handle or the head on it!