This is my first safety razor and it has far exceeded my expectations. The Merkur 38C has great weight to it and feels like a very high quality piece in the hands. I was nervous about beginning to shave with a safety razor but after only a few days of using my new setup, I can honestly say that I'll never go back to cartridge razors again. The Merkur 38C is a smooth operator and provides a very good shave that is much more comfortable, both during and after, than any product I've used in the past. My face feels fantastic every day and I honestly really look forward to shaving now because there is no zero irritation when using the Merkur. I'm so glad that I switched to this safety razor!