Merkur Futur vs Fat Boy or Slim

[BigJ]

Gillette Slims are easily found in good shape and are an excellent razor. Fatboys are probably better (and what I really prefer) but more expensive.

Gillette got it right with those two, no need to do something weird or exotic to get a really good shave. The later Black Beauty/Super Adjustables are OK, but I don't like the skinny handle and the long version (which is the most common) gets in my way shaving. More expensive too, since they didn't sell anywhere near as well as the Slim -- disposables rapidly wiped out the double edge razor market because they are cheaper up front (although not in the long term). They shave just about exactly the same as a Slim.

+1! ‘Gillette got it right with those two..’ At least for me!!

 

[Quaznoid]

And don’t forget the SuperAdjustable, which is the best adjustable ever made, IMHO. Try a post-1977 “Black Beauty” with the nylon base plate.

 

[DonN]

Got a Futur as my second razor this Spring. Liked it a lot, bought a shiny golden one. It's definitely aggressive, but manageable. I mostly operated on settings 1-2, sometimes 3. Played around with setting 4 but that was more than I needed.

Bought a used Mergress and Opgress long handle from BST here. Like them better than my Futur's. They shave nicely.

Was recently gifted a Gillette Slim Adjustable. I like it a lot. Ordered a Fat Boy, I liked the Slim so much. Supposed to arrive this weekend and I'm looking forward to it!

Would not be surprised if I try selling the above four Merkurs. But I suspect it's not worth the hassle.

Just curious where you ordered the FatBoy from - Ebay , this forum , or somewhere else ?

 

[TOVT]

Just curious where you ordered the FatBoy from - Ebay , this forum , or somewhere else ?

Ebay

 

[DonN]

+1! ‘Gillette got it right with those two..’ At least for me!!

Where are other good places to look for vintage Gillettes like the Slim and FatBoy other than this forum and Ebay - there are always plenty of these appearing on Ebay and it seems like only once in awhile on this forum .

 

[DonN]

Ebay

Thank You !!

 

[Mr Konrad Dundee]

SuperAdjustable

You mean this, right?!
what differences are there compared to the one with the nylon plate?

 

[SalS]

The Futur is one of the worst razors ever made.

 

[Quaznoid]

View attachment 1736883
You mean this, right?!
what differences are there compared to the one with the nylon plate?

The post ‘77 has the black nylon base plate, hence the name “Black Beauty”. It is slightly less head-heavy and is better balanced than the metal plated 109’s. The nylon base did not compromise durability

 

[Mr Konrad Dundee]

The post ‘77 has the black nylon base plate, hence the name “Black Beauty”. It is slightly less head-heavy and is better balanced than the metal plated 109’s. The nylon base did not compromise durability

I agree with you Sir
I have a BB 109, it works great and I find it even more efficient than the FatBoy and the 109 is actually very unbalanced on the head
Never tried a "post-77"

 

[Mr Konrad Dundee]

Can you tell me the most efficient vintage Gillette razor in your opinion?

 

[Quaznoid]

Can you tell me the most efficient vintage Gillette razor in your opinion?

A post-77 Superadjustable. The “9” on a Slim or Fatboy is a “7” on the SA. It has two more aggressive settings. It is, IMHO, the best shaver of all Gillettes.

 

[Filudo]

Etsy has razors for sale.

Merkur Progress is better than the Future. And there are cheap Chinese copies of the Futur for +- $12 on @Mazon. Even a Weishi adjustable for $18 that actually is really good......

So my opinion: check the internet for the cheapest available Merkur Progress (NEW). they are sometimes on sale.

Or save some money and buy a Chinese copy of the Futur.....knowing that it is a knockoff....

 

[shupey]

I bought a Futur cause I thought it looked cool. Big mistake. It is so aggressive it is unusable for me even on it's lowest setting. Ended up trading it for a scuttle.

 

[BigJ]

Nothing in common (except for adjustability). The Futur is very different compared to the Gillette adjustables.
Much more aggressive. Even on the low settings it is aggressive. Low degree of clamping and huge gaps compared to the Gillettes where clamping by the adjuster posts is strong and the gaps are moderate.

+1! You nailed it IMHO!!

And, for me, no contest! I would go with a Slim or FatBoy because I prefer mild/moderate razors.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

+1! You nailed it IMHO!!

And, for me, no contest! I would go with a Slim or FatBoy because I prefer mild/moderate razors.

Yo BigJ! How's your flying skills? I ask because, what about flying an Osprey? Smoothest adjustable razor I have ever used. It literally overshadows all of my other adjustable razors, yes, even the Fatboy as well.

 

[BigJ]

Yo BigJ! How's your flying skills? I ask because, what about flying an Osprey? Smoothest adjustable razor I have ever used. It literally overshadows all of my other adjustable razors, yes, even the Fatboy as well.

Never tried one! That is one lovely razor!!

 

[ivan_101]

I bought a Futur cause I thought it looked cool. Big mistake. It is so aggressive it is unusable for me even on it's lowest setting. Ended up trading it for a scuttle.

Love it! That is why I bought 2 chrome, 1 matte and 2 gold ones.

 

[Craigbob]

I've never tried a Futur, but do own both a '63 Fatboy and a '61 Slim adjustable. Of the two I prefer the Fatboy. Much smoother shave than the Slim adjustable. I find the slim very agressive even on setting like 4 and 3. I'll usually use it at 1 or 2 at the most. the Fatboy on the other hand I'd go up to 6 with a heavy (4-5 day) growth and then dial it down to 3 for my 3rd pass.

 

[razorfool]

As others already stated, the Futur is monster- agressive. It's the most aggressive DE razor I know. Bragging rights surpass even the famed R41. On top of that, the blade has a way of flexing because it is not clamped down very well, to a point where you can *hear* the flexing as you shave. Feels crazy aggressive, a bit like the feeling of a shavette. Add to this, the clunky feel of the razor head. THe Futur is one of a kind, and some people love it, others hate it.
I have used it a fair bit, and I'd say its not suited for daily shaving (for me), too hard on the skin for that. If you only shave a couple of times a week, it might work. On the other hand, the attributes mentioned above also forces you to be careful, forces you to take your time with your shave. Which is a nice thing. And, you'll get a terrifically close shave alright..! And, it is a beautiful and unique razor.
Those are pros and cons all mixed up.

When I want a really close shave, I use my Futurs. For normal, everyday shaves, the vintage adjustables or my Rex Ambassador. I use 3 as my highest setting on the future, 6 on the Gillette adjustables. I love the sound of the feedback that I get with the Futur!