Who Makes the Best Safety Razors?

Trying to definitively say who makes the best safety razors might be akin to arguing who makes the best fried chicken or apple pie. A distinctly American thing to do, but not without hurting some feelings. With that being said, there are safety razor companies who do hit a number of standards that might put them in the running for “best”. 

1. Been in business for a long time - speaks to their experience, customer service, and product knowledge. 
2. On multiple best-seller lists - speaks to a large number of satisfied customers and an intuitive product that is easy to use for most people. These are also the products that sit on our Top 10 list of safety razors at WCS.
3. Gets 5 star reviews  - speaks again to consistency of quality and repeat customers.

Makers of the Best Safety Razors

By these measures, there are few brands of safety razors that could be deemed top of the heap. 

In 1896 when Emil Hermes went to register his new blade company he found the name "Hermes" already taken. So, he took as his brand Merkur, the Roman equivalent of the messenger of the gods, Hermes. One hundred years later and the name is synonymous with quality men's grooming. Merkur double edge safety razors are a household word among wet-shavers, as well-known as its winged messenger logo! These German-crafted shaving tools have become a standard in the industry. They are now part of Dovo, who was founded in 1906. Merkur offers  a more expansive range of options than many other safety razor companies. You can get a variety of head styles ranging from a straight safety bar, open comb, or slant bar. In addition to the heads, there are a variety of handles from 2 piece, 3 piece, and adjustable razors. They tend to have very good knurling on the handles, which is helpful when your hands are slippery. It is a great brand to explore if you have not found exactly the perfect tool for cutting those whiskers and need to try another razor style, but often it is the first choice for many wet shavers.

Like wet shaving itself, Muhle has weathered some ups and downs. But like anything of quality, its worth rises to the top. As with classic shaving -- so, too, with Muhle. Since 1945 (when the first products left on horse-drawn carts) to today (when spacious buildings meet high ecological standards for exemplary in-house production), Muhle has stood for "rare craftsmanship and consummate design". One look at their safety razors and you can see why. Like Merkur, Muhle also offers a large range of options from butterfly (twist-to-open) heads, to closed & open comb heads, to numerous handle sizes and materials. Their mill (muhle) logo speaks to the earliest days of their founding. 

Let's just get it out there and state the obvious, we LOVE classic shaving and everything that goes along with it. For us, what once was a chore is now an experience that we look forward to. So when we started thinking about creating products for others who love wet shaving, we wanted to make worthy razors at a great value. Now into our second decade, we’ve learned, grown and helped many fall in love with classic shaving. We think the price point of these products is great, but don't worry, we would never sacrifice price for quality. With any of our West Coast Shaving products you will be sure to add a little character to your supplies. Our safety razors come in a variety of materials, sizes, and textures to meet the needs of classic shavers - new & old.

Although the Edwin Jagger brand is a little younger than some of the  ones above, it is still one of our most highly recommended brands. Established in Sheffield, England in 1988, they have maintained high standards as a family run business. They have grown a lot and are one of the leading men's grooming brands, both in the UK and the USA. Neil Jagger is the owner and founder, and his attention to every detail and high standards ensure these amazing shaving products remain of the highest quality. This is a company that holds fast to tradition, but uniquely combines this with exquisite design. We know you will enjoy their safety razors and bringing this brand into your homes, and you will find that it will bring you years of better shaving.

Honorable Mentions

For over forty years, family-run company Parker has been committed to using only the finest materials to craft its shaving supplies, and working with only the best purveyors to sell those supplies to customers. In other words, we feel kind of awesome about being selected to sell their products, and we're sure you'll feel awesome about using them. All their razors, brushes, and shaving soaps are hand-crafted and rigorously tested for quality and durability. Parker is devoted to making items their family and friends can use and enjoy. Family, friendship, quality, and utility, all from the same company? Now that's putting the warm fuzzy back into your grooming routine.

Feather Safety Razor Co. is one of the oldest makers of double edge blades, producing them for over 80 years. Where they used to dominate the home market, they fell victim (like most wet shaving manufacturers) to the cartridge razor market. Double edge sales declined. With the resurgence of razors that actually work well, Feather has become quite popular again. Known as the sharpest on the planet (and we’re not kidding about that), their blades are sought out and revered. With excellent quality as shown by their entry into the surgical tool market, their shaving products are still some of the best available. The As-D2 is considered by some to be the finest DE razor. They have also taken over the barber disposable straight edge market with their ultra high-end Feather Artist Club line. 

I'm sure there are plenty out there ready with a rebuttal, so go for it: which safety razor tops your “best of” list? Did you start with a Merkur? What others would you put on this list?