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View Full Version : i dont believe it... i broke my merkur vision..



Pierce
03-14-2008, 05:40 AM
Yes anybody who read the last thread I started will see that I was awaiting a shipment including a vision.

I broke mine in less than 1 hour after taking it out of the box, anybody want to beat me on that? :P

Yes I know I am a dumbass and I broke it, but I was having a bad day and it felt damn good (I usually have remorse for breaking something), but I also learned how not to make a razor.

From an engineering persepctive I hate this razor, its too complicated, has too many iffy movements and relies on "hopes and dreams" to work.

The vision I have is not the same as the one under Vision Surgery Thread, it has no allen key screw. Instead the top and bottom pieces are held together by being screwed to gether and then stiffend by using some teflon tape (i think).

The "vision" ring is then twisted to adjust the gap at the top ballanced on a spring. God I feel like im describing a watch and not a razor!

Why did I decide to examine my vision throughly? Well, when I looked at it, it had no adjustment maybe 3/4 letters? And started on some place between O and N?

So how to fix? Well its simple, as theres no allen key, you just use a screw driver at the bottom (after taking the bottom cap held on) and the razor comes into 2 parts, then you remove the "Vision ring" (i will put up pics tonight). I put the vision ring back on, tightended it all the way up to the top part of the raozr, then unscrewed it one revolution to get my adjustment ring. Then screw in the bottom piece up to the vision ring. (you will need to replace the teflon tape if you want the razor to be "stiff" and not unscrew its self together).

Then put in the butterfly part at the top, screw it down using the ring at the bottom and SNAP!

Yes the rod holding the centre chaft up to the butterfly snapped. I do not know why, but on further inspection it appears to be a threaded double ended "brass" screw (you know a piece of metal with threads on it, one parts screws to one and the other to the other side). I am not totally sure about it being brass, but seriously, if it is, my experience is brass is very maulable stainless steal might have been better?

Im thinking of using super glue (industrial strenght) to hold it back together, if i can then un twist the metal rod between the butterfly and the shaft, so be it, if not then the glue should be strong enough to hold it together.

The other option is if somebody knows where I can get a "replacement" butterfly and rod then great.

I am not interested in selling this razor, not even for 75% of the original price, as I want to keep it so I can ponder a better way of making this razor.

The parts in this razor that I think are trouble some.

The spring
The vision ring
The overall assembly

So that lists everything apart from... the butterfly that broke and the cap at the bottom and the butterfly opener at the bottom.

What do I think mekur should do? Well I will draw it out on paper and post it up tonight...

Pierce
A vision owner for less than an hour.

Kmitch
03-14-2008, 05:59 AM
Pierce,
Tough luck, brother, on breaking the Vision. I have one that I got in a trade with another member. Althought it was fairly new it was somewhat out of adjustment. After reading some of the adjust/fix it post, and deciding to leave it alone, I placed it at its lowest setting and have used it with great results ever since. Great razor - complicated enginering. Hope you can make it usable.

biomesh
03-14-2008, 06:02 AM
If you take one of the newer Visions apart trying to adjust the "Vision ring" there is a really good chance you will break something. While the ring does not align properly, it was set to the tolerances it was designed to be at. By altering the tolerences and the alignment, then you run the risk of having the razor break immediately or later on if the teflon tape shifts.

I suggest that those with the newer visions do not try the vision surgery as this thread has shown what can happen.

A.de.Lioncourt
03-14-2008, 06:08 AM
I didn't understand what exactly you were doing to crack it, but if metal breaks when it's being screwed or unscrewed, that sounds like a defect. Merkur is supposed to be good about standing behind their products; you might find this (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=314595&postcount=12) more helpful than super glue.

Peppery John
03-14-2008, 06:13 AM
Just send it back, they should replace it.

voerman
03-14-2008, 06:29 AM
I agree that the broken piece should be replaced. Contact Merkur and I expect they will ship you one ASAP.

As for locking the handle to the head assembly, I use "thread-lock" - the non-permanent kind - and it works very well. It holds for normal use, yet I was able to unscrew the handle by applying enough force when I wanted.

Lou

Pierce
03-14-2008, 06:55 AM
If you take one of the newer Visions apart trying to adjust the "Vision ring" there is a really good chance you will break something. While the ring does not align properly, it was set to the tolerances it was designed to be at. By altering the tolerences and the alignment, then you run the risk of having the razor break immediately or later on if the teflon tape shifts.

I suggest that those with the newer visions do not try the vision surgery as this thread has shown what can happen.

I would recommend your advice as well. However this was more than the ring not aligning correctly, it only had adjustment of 3 letters, if even.

Correcting this is very easy, however I believe I may have been over jealous or "excited" about getting it back together, with it properly aligned up that I tightened it too much and then snap.


I didn't understand what exactly you were doing to crack it, but if metal breaks when it's being screwed or unscrewed, that sounds like a defect. Merkur is supposed to be good about standing behind their products; you might find this (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=314595&postcount=12) more helpful than super glue.

I will take a picture and show you where/how it broke.


Just send it back, they should replace it.

While I would love to do that, I admittedly did break it. I've never returned something I broke. However for the life of me I do not know why merkur would use such a weak metal in the first place to hold the assembly of the butterfly to the shaft. I have worked on equipment over the years and this is the first time its ever happened to me with anything..


I agree that the broken piece should be replaced. Contact Merkur and I expect they will ship you one ASAP.

As for locking the handle to the head assembly, I use "thread-lock" - the non-permanent kind - and it works very well. It holds for normal use, yet I was able to unscrew the handle by applying enough force when I wanted.

Lou

Yeah I know a few different ones, one of them is blue and is used to lock the nut in place, when you open it, it has a snap sound to it and comes loose. (but thanks for the name I will look out for it)

Pierce

biomesh
03-14-2008, 07:24 AM
Even if Merkur won't send you a replacement part for free, you should still be able to purchase the broken part from them.

zpaulg
03-14-2008, 03:35 PM
Yes anybody who read the last thread I started will see that I was awaiting a shipment including a vision.

I broke mine in less than 1 hour after taking it out of the box, anybody want to beat me on that? :P

Yes I know I am a dumbass and I broke it, but I was having a bad day and it felt damn good (I usually have remorse for breaking something), but I also learned how not to make a razor.

From an engineering persepctive I hate this razor, its too complicated, has too many iffy movements and relies on "hopes and dreams" to work.

The vision I have is not the same as the one under Vision Surgery Thread, it has no allen key screw. Instead the top and bottom pieces are held together by being screwed to gether and then stiffend by using some teflon tape (i think).

The "vision" ring is then twisted to adjust the gap at the top ballanced on a spring. God I feel like im describing a watch and not a razor!

Why did I decide to examine my vision throughly? Well, when I looked at it, it had no adjustment maybe 3/4 letters? And started on some place between O and N?

So how to fix? Well its simple, as theres no allen key, you just use a screw driver at the bottom (after taking the bottom cap held on) and the razor comes into 2 parts, then you remove the "Vision ring" (i will put up pics tonight). I put the vision ring back on, tightended it all the way up to the top part of the raozr, then unscrewed it one revolution to get my adjustment ring. Then screw in the bottom piece up to the vision ring. (you will need to replace the teflon tape if you want the razor to be "stiff" and not unscrew its self together).

Then put in the butterfly part at the top, screw it down using the ring at the bottom and SNAP!

Yes the rod holding the centre chaft up to the butterfly snapped. I do not know why, but on further inspection it appears to be a threaded double ended "brass" screw (you know a piece of metal with threads on it, one parts screws to one and the other to the other side). I am not totally sure about it being brass, but seriously, if it is, my experience is brass is very maulable stainless steal might have been better?

Im thinking of using super glue (industrial strenght) to hold it back together, if i can then un twist the metal rod between the butterfly and the shaft, so be it, if not then the glue should be strong enough to hold it together.

The other option is if somebody knows where I can get a "replacement" butterfly and rod then great.

I am not interested in selling this razor, not even for 75% of the original price, as I want to keep it so I can ponder a better way of making this razor.

The parts in this razor that I think are trouble some.

The spring
The vision ring
The overall assembly

So that lists everything apart from... the butterfly that broke and the cap at the bottom and the butterfly opener at the bottom.

What do I think mekur should do? Well I will draw it out on paper and post it up tonight...

Pierce
A vision owner for less than an hour.

I trust your middle name is "Chuck", best of luck on obtaining a replacement.

jss
03-14-2008, 10:57 PM
Best wishes with your project.

crankymoose
03-15-2008, 06:22 AM
Pierce,

this may interest you -someone else who broke there Vision and the out come http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=40561

good luck what ever you decide, sorry to hear you got a bad one

Hun
03-15-2008, 11:07 AM
Pierce, please post some photos of the broken part here :001_huh:

GarageBoy
03-16-2008, 09:32 PM
Wait, a hundred dollar razor is relying on TEFLON TAPE for friction?