Merkur Question

I have made the rounds with razors. Gillette superspeeds, red tips, fat boys, Deluxes, GEMs, merkur 38c, merkur slant, and on and on. Every razor performed at least adequately, but not one has been able to beat my Merkur HD. RAD has been dormant for quite some time, until I realized that, well, it's been quite some time.

I am thinking of trying another Merkur, either a progress or an HD-open comb 11c. I have seen less-than-stellar reviews on the progress. The open-comb is tempting, but I wonder if it performs any better than the slant. The two more expensive merkurs, the vision and the futur, intrigue me, but they are expensive and I have seen mixed reviews of both. Those are the two I am really thinking about. I'd appreciate some opinions as to which is better: the vision or the future? (how do you make a poll on here dangit?)

Any recommendations?

The Slant is a very good razor. I reckon the Futur is pretty good as well. They are my 2 picks of the Merkurs

I've been using the Futur for almost 3 months with a grat result with many different blades and soaps, it's very versatile.

As far as you seem to have more than enough experience I'd encourage you to go for it.

The progress is far weightier than the HDs but still balanced - which I haven't found the case with the barber poles.

Progress also dials up a lot more aggresively than the HD. In fact mine dialled down is more aggressive. Plus, if you get one with a perfectly even blade gap on each side, you've won the lottery.

I too have read negative views on the pricey Merkur adjustables. Merkur QC often doesn't match the ambition of the design. The progress is as much as I'd pay for a razor with potential (or actual) 'quirks'.

I've resisted RAD because I just haven't found anything that suits me better than the regular HD & its slant version. Such a well balanced, flickable razor and hard to stuff up.

As Homer says:

Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...Top goes on. Top comes off...

It is difficult to top the Merkur HD. I use it the most of all of my shavers. I did a lot of digging on the Futur vs. Vision and decided to purchase the Futur. Mine seems to be quite nice (no QC issues). So far still learning but think it will eventually be an excellent shaver.

The QC issues on the Mekurs seem to be something normal, as it could happen with any brand, the problem is that they don't seem to have a good customer support policy.

In the other hand, this attitude is something I have noticed in many German and Swedish machinery builders. Their common answer to quality problems is "my razor is not wrong, you face is".

I have tried just about every different type of DE available over the past two years. I've sold every one of them except for my HD.

I'm in my 60s, so I learned with a brush/creme and a DE razor, and owned 2 Progress. My daily razor is a Jagger 89 with a Feather Blade.

I just bought a polished chrome Futur from Bullgoose and have been using it all week with a Feather blade. It's hefty and well-made, good-looking with superb fit-and-finish, which is more than I can say for my two Progress.

I started at 3.5 and went to 4.5 today, but decided that 4 works best for me. I think the Futur is a great razor and that you should give it a try.

Take it for what it's worth but God uses a Slant.

gsurko said:

Take it for what it's worth but God uses a Slant.

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Um, clearly God does not shave...

I think your due a Slant, I have the 38C and it's a great razor. Also the pricey Vision 2000 is an amazing razor, there is a learning curve but after a week or so you will have some of the best shaves ever using the V2000. The only draw back is it high maintenance.

I'm quite pleased with my Progress, and would like to see these negative reviews the OP refers to. IIRC Mantic would agree with me that the Progress may well be one of the best razors out there.

Lulus_Dad said:

I'm quite pleased with my Progress, and would like to see these negative reviews the OP refers to. IIRC Mantic would agree with me that the Progress may well be one of the best razors out there.

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You've only been here a month, do a search using "Progress" as your search term.
There's been a lot of complaints about the QC of the Progress, uneven blade exposure on both sides is a common complaint.
I own 2 Progresses, 1 late 70s early 80s and the other from the mid 90 and have had no problems but the older razor is slightly heavier and has less side to side play in the spring loaded blade platform.
Many people believe that when Dovo bought Merkur early in this decade that the quality went down hill.

cooncatbob said:

You've only been here a month, do a search using "Progress" as your search term.
There's been a lot of complaints about the QC of the Progress, uneven blade exposure on both sides is a common complaint.
I own 2 Progresses, 1 late 70s early 80s and the other from the mid 90 and have had no problems but the older razor is slightly heavier and has less side to side play in the spring loaded blade platform.
Many people believe that when Dovo bought Merkur early in this decade that the quality went down hill.

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I've only been here a month, but I wasn't born yesterday. Fact is that the lion's share of comment here and at the Shave Den (where I've been for more than a month) have been quite favorable.

I'm a fan of the slant and it's not a terrifying shaving tool as it is purported by some users. However, it does bite when provoked and for me today is a perfect example of it's temperament. I was in a hurry as I had a friend picking me up at home to go to work. So I whipped up some lather and I then did two quick passes with my 39C with a Treet Platinum blade. Normally, this blade is smooth and fairly sharp, however, this morning walked out of the house with a number of weepers, something I hadn't seen in a long time.

Lulus_Dad said:

I've only been here a month, but I wasn't born yesterday. Fact is that the lion's share of comment here and at the Shave Den (where I've been for more than a month) have been quite favorable.

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I didn't mean that as a knock, only that you haven't seen the history of comments on the recently made Progresses.
The Progress is a simple elegant design, my vintage Progress is visibly better made then the current razors.
Bob.

The HD is an excellent razor but the Slant is even better. The good news is you shave exactly the same with a Slant as you would with an HD.

tominabox1 said:

Um, clearly God does not shave...

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Looks to me like he's a headshaver.

I've tried a 38c and a slant. both worked relatively well, but not nearly as well as my HD...

I had a FUTUR. Great shave, but very slippery when wet. So I could never really relax with it. And I have a scar on my thumb, nearly an inch long, from changing the blade when my hands were wet. My fault I know, but it's just somethin that wouldn't happen with a TTO.