Maggard Razors MR3 - A review

I read about Maggard razors in a thread on here, and since I was in the market for a fatter handle than usual, I thought I'd take a chance with it.

When I tried to purchase the handle, they were out of stock, but since the complete MR3 was so cheap, I went ahead and bought it.

Here are some pics of my own razor:





I'll break this review down into a few sections.

1) Experience shopping at Maggard

This was an excellent experience! Within moments of making the purchase, I got an email response that didn't feel like it was automated. Then I got updates up until when it was mailed. I like knowing what's going on when I've handed my money over to someone, so this was nice.

Also, they refunded the overage from shipping. This is very rare, and almost never happens. It left me with a good feeling about this transaction.

2) The packaging

This was done nicely. The razor was protected well. Very professional.

3) The razor head

This is a pretty standard Merkur Classic knock-off. The finish on the top and sides was very good. The underside of the base plate showed the usual rough finish, which is plated over.

When I saw the head, I immediately thought it must be from the same manufacturer as the NYSC Mariner, so I pulled that out of the den and compared it to the Maggard. They're similar, but not the same. The pins on the two razors don't match. Also the Maggard seems to have thicker plating on the top and sides. The underside of both razors looks about the same - with the same rough finish.

Here are comparison shots of the undersides of the base-plates of the NYSC Mariner (Left), Maggard (centre) and 2013 R41 (Right). As you can see, the R41 has the best finish by far. The Mariner has a rough finish, but it's even. The Maggard has a ragged finish.



However, when you look at the top of the base plate, things are better (same arrangement):



It's the same story for the underside of the head-cap (the Maggard is the most ragged).



But the top of the head-cap is fine:



4) The handle

This is a hollow, thick handle. It measures 3" long, 0.64" in diameter, and weighs around 63g (according to Maggard). The handle seems to be plated brass.

It is a nice weight, without being too heavy (a problem I have with the SS/brass handles that most custom makers turn out these days). I found it to be just about the right weight for my tastes, but if you like them heavier, Maggard has allowed for a nice design touch. The knob screws off, and the handle is hollow. That means that you can add weight to the handle, if you like (using BBs or something else). Also, if you're really handy, you could adjust where the weight is concentrated - allowing for some pretty cool customization.

The plating on the handle is similar to the Merkur/NYSE plating - a somewhat harsh chrome colour.

The knurling on the handle is standard for these razors, and it is not too sharp. So it's comfortable and affords a nice grip. I thought there was some unevenness in the knurling depth, but that may have been a design thing as the knurling right at the top of the handle was a little shallower than elsewhere (in an even ring, as you can see in the first pic in this review).

5) The Shave

I bought the MR3 for the thick handle, and not as a full razor, but since I had it here, I decided to give it a go.

The pins on the head allow for a little place in the blade placement, so you need to pay attention to that. Once it's on, the whole assembly is firm.

The handle and the head are well-matched, and feel good as a combination when shaving.

The head is not mild, but not overly aggressive. It reminds me of my 2013 R41 - though it certainly is not quite as aggressive. There is a lot of aural feedback from the head, which is nice. It seems to be about as efficient as the R41, but that's hard to gauge. Certainly, after a 3+ pass shave with this razor, my face was as smooth as when I used the R41.

Basically, this is a really nice razor. I think it would be a good razor to learn on, as it's not too mild (needing good technique to get a good shave) or too aggressive (the same) - it falls in the happy middle - as a razor that's efficient without the adventure of the 2011 R41 or an OCMM. It will reward proper prep and will give a very nice shave.

FINAL VERDICT

I'm glad I bought this razor. The handle is pretty nice, and is a nice alternative to the more expensive handles turned by iKon, UFO and others. Of course, it doesn't have the beauty of those custom handles either. It is utilitarian.

I actually prefer it to some of those, as the handle has a better weight - allowing a balance that I like, but also a width that's nice to have. This is a personal thing, though.

The razor resembles the NYSE Mariner in finish, but is slightly less aggressive. It certainly is not as pretty or well-made as the 2103 R41, but could be an alternative to it for people who want something cheaper and about as efficient, with a little less aggressiveness. That said, the R41 is not that much more expensive, and it is undeniably the better razor.

I'd still consider the Maggard -- especially for the handle, which I like a lot.