Advice needed by new Futur user

Great video.

You know where he tells folks to take care when adjusting the settings because your hand may slip and you may cut yourself.

Yep, you guessed right.

Dorko me last night puts in a blade and starts moving the settings.

My hand slips and I end up with a 1 inch slice across my thumb.

Thought I may have to go to the Emergency Room but I manage to stop the bleeding.

This morning I going to shave with another razor as I can't use my left hand being my thumb is sore as hell.

Still I'm looking forward to shaving with my Futur regardless of my less than stellar start.

David in Boston said:

Great video.

You know were he tells folks to take care when adjusting the settings because your hand may slip and you may cut yourself.

Yep, you guessed right.

Dorko me last night puts in a blade and starts moving the settings.

My hand slips and I end up with a 1 inch slice across my thumb.

Thought I may have to go to the Emergency Room but I manage to stop the bleeding.

This morning I going to shave with another razor as I can't use my left hand being my thumb is sore as hell.

Still I'm looking forward to shaving with my Futur regardless of my less than stellar start.

Click to expand...

That is how I ended up with the Futur I have. It looks like it was the victim of a drive by shooting but it was only used a couple of times before I got it. Details on this B&B post: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/260299-Why-TTO?p=3602289&highlight=#post3602289

If you are going to change the settings with a blade in it, put the head firmly on a towel you have placed on your counter, then rotate the handle keeping away from the blade.

Congrats on buying a great razor. I used my new to me Futur for the first time last night and I'm still amazed. With an Astra Super Plat it was the best shave I've ever had. I left it set on 2 and was very surprised by the closeness and comfort of the shave at that setting. Also, the Astra SP blade had been used for 3 face shaves and a head shave before last night's shave, yet still performed fantastically.

Even after just one shave I'm impressed. This will be my go-to razor from now on. I might even sell all the rest!

John

I'm one of the find the best setting a leave there people. My Futur is normally on about 3 with a Feather blade. I only change it if something feels "Wrong"

I read this thread last night and this morning tried what I read,

I used my FatBoy though.

First pass on six. ATG on four.

Then, this is the best part, touch ups on two.

The whole thing was like an epiphany. Going on two at the end made my chin and jaw the smoothest I've ever had. Incredible.

After a long time DE shaving I could never get the cleft of my chin or my jawline totally BBS. Until this morning.


GoForth has some great wisdom and insight going on here!!

turtle said:

That is how I ended up with the Futur I have. It looks like it was the victim of a drive by shooting but it was only used a couple of times before I got it. Details on this B&B post: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/260299-Why-TTO?p=3602289&highlight=#post3602289

If you are going to change the settings with a blade in it, put the head firmly on a towel you have placed on your counter, then rotate the handle keeping away from the blade.

Click to expand...

I like your suggestion. Gave it a Beta test today and it seems to be a safe and efficient way to change the settings.

Thanks,

That's how I adjust my Futur as well. It works one-handed as well.

turtle said:

If you are going to change the settings with a blade in it, put the head firmly on a towel you have placed on your counter, then rotate the handle keeping away from the blade.

Click to expand...

++1 and I have the scars to prove that this is valuable advice not to be ignored.

David in Boston said:

Great video.

You know where he tells folks to take care when adjusting the settings because your hand may slip and you may cut yourself.

Yep, you guessed right.

Dorko me last night puts in a blade and starts moving the settings.

My hand slips and I end up with a 1 inch slice across my thumb.

Thought I may have to go to the Emergency Room but I manage to stop the bleeding.

This morning I going to shave with another razor as I can't use my left hand being my thumb is sore as hell.

Still I'm looking forward to shaving with my Futur regardless of my less than stellar start.

Click to expand...

I was wrong.

It's an 1 and 1/2 slice.

Nasty!

Shaved with it today using an Astra SP blade.

The setting was on 1 as I just wanted to get use to the size and weight of the razor.

Got a DFS from a two pass shave.

As for observations about the size and weight of the Futur I think its' helpful to me.

Makes me take my time and to use little or no pressure while shaving.

Will be using it as my only razor for the next couple of weeks.

In the future I'll increase the settings and adjust them while shaving.

Basically I'm just going to take my time with this razor to give it a fair evaluation.

I've had this beast for a year, and I was ready to dump it (might still). But to be helpful, do not use a Feather! Use something milder like a Derby. I suggest starting with the setting below 1. Put the top of the cover plate against your face, then adjust the angle downward until you can feel it cutting the whiskers. Remember, the blade gap on this razor is huge compared to most razors, even on its lowest setting, so you have to learn more about it before expecting a BBS shave the first time out.

If you're bleeding to death after a month, get back to me and I'll share a modification I came up with that has reduced the blade gap and changed the blade angle to make this a much better razor IMHO.

Best wishes, and above all, do NOT us a Feather in a Futur! You will pay the price.

I use every blade in my "inventory" which includes Feathers without issues with my Futur razors.

You just have to realize that even at the lowest setting the Futur is a rather aggressive razor.

My "magic" number is 4. This is where I get the closest shave with the least number of "gotchas"

Never apply any pressure to your face. Let the weight of the razor do all of the cutting and you will be just fine.

I have 2 Futur razors. One I use in rotation with my Vision 2000, and one that I take when I travel (the drive by shooting one mentioned above and in other threads). I have sold all of my other razors and now only have these 2. The Vision 2000 is a much milder razor than the Futur.

If you understand its idiosyncrasies you will not get hurt. The Futur is NOT a good razor for a new or beginning shaver.

flutewhistler said:

I've had this beast for a year, and I was ready to dump it (might still). But to be helpful, do not use a Feather! Use something milder like a Derby. I suggest starting with the setting below 1. Put the top of the cover plate against your face, then adjust the angle downward until you can feel it cutting the whiskers. Remember, the blade gap on this razor is huge compared to most razors, even on its lowest setting, so you have to learn more about it before expecting a BBS shave the first time out.

If you're bleeding to death after a month, get back to me and I'll share a modification I came up with that has reduced the blade gap and changed the blade angle to make this a much better razor IMHO.

Best wishes, and above all, do NOT us a Feather in a Futur! You will pay the price.

Click to expand...

I think a Feather is the only kind of blade that I've used in my Futur for the past seven years. I even started DE shaving with that combo.

Futur is my first shaver and ill stick with this until the recession is over and then probably invest in a vision.No problem with the futur,from the beginning i took to it like duck to water.I have it on 4 setting for the first 2 passes then setting 6 for the final 2 passes with derby blade(cheap and cheerful).I use a pre shave oil(Murdock's of London) and body shop shave cream applied with a badger brush ,the finish is similar to that of touching glass. Yeah i have been blind and used all the Gillette crap for a long time even though i used to watch my dad shave with a Parker safety razor and Ingram blue cream.The Vision looks the business and the reviews are all good but for a few assembly problems.Not at all put off with the visions weight some people are.

Merkured said:

The Vision looks the business and the reviews are all good but for a few assembly problems.Not at all put off with the visions weight some people are.

Click to expand...

Vision 2000 has less blade exposure than the Futur (given the same setting on both razors the Futur will have a larger gap). The weight of both razors are within .03 oz of each other (that's 1 gram for you foreign types). It is the Futur that weighs 1 gram more than the Vision 2000.

The Vision is longer by .47" (1.2cm)

Does the Futur require a different angle from other razors? I have an HD and love it, I just really want to try this one out.

I use it at 3 for the first pass, then at 4 for the second pass.
Works for me. I've seen many people dissing Futur but I really liked it.

To adjust the Futur during a shave safely -- hold the razor between the index and third finger (like it is hanging on a stand) and place your thumb on the top on the razor. Now you can hold it securely while adjusting the setting with other hand.

nteeman said:

To adjust the Futur during a shave safely -- hold the razor between the index and third finger (like it is hanging on a stand) and place your thumb on the top on the razor. Now you can hold it securely while adjusting the setting with other hand.

Click to expand...

ATTENTION: This man is giving great advice. It works and is safe.

David in Boston said:

nteeman said:

To adjust the Futur during a shave safely -- hold the razor between the index and third finger (like it is hanging on a stand) and place your thumb on the top on the razor. Now you can hold it securely while adjusting the setting with other hand.

Click to expand...

ATTENTION: This man is giving great advice. It works and is safe.

Click to expand...

I wish I had known this back in 2004 when I got my Futur. It could have saved me several clean, slices in my thumb several times over multiple occasions!