First adjustable, the technique?

[Vivasanti]

Purchased my first adjustable razor, a Merkur Progress, i chose this after selling my 38c (could never come to grips with the size of it).

Very happy with the weight and size of it, didnt choose a Futur or Vision as i thought they looked a bit big and id be in the same boat as the 38c, id like to get a Fatboy someday but they dont show up in this country often.

sooooooo.....

Shaving with an adjustable, whats everyones technique?

Should i start high up and hack all that beard off and then mild the blade down for the other passes?

what do you adjustable users prefer to do?

[Sir Walter of Mount Royal]

Should i start high up and hack all that beard off and then mild the blade down for the other passes?

It will sound counter-intuitive, but I do exactly the opposite. I start mild on the first pass, to reduce the beard, and on subsequent passes I crank up the blade to get a closer shave. After trying many other techniques, this is what works the best.

[merkur59]

Since you have used the 38 before, I would suggest starting at 2 to 3.

[Vivasanti]

thanks guys, might take a few shaves to find my way.

[john shea]

I use my Merkur Vision and Gilette Slim pretty much always on the same setting, once I found my sweet spot for each razor. I use a mid setting on my Vision and a setting of 7 on my Slim. I 1st do major beard reduction using WTG strokes, then switch to XTG and finally ATG with buffing for cleanup. I suggest starting mild and advance the setting after a trial until you find your sweet spot for that razor.

[jsj_297]

Start out on like 2-2.5 the work your way up or down .5 intervals until u find the sweet spot. Than leave it there!!! I do dial mine up a little bit if I have extra day or two growth, but usually I leave mine on 3.5.

[dpmtherrien]

I'd start at the bottom and work up from there. The reason being that you won't expose yourself to any unneeded irritation or associated problems. If you find the first pass at the lower settings to not work for you, you can adjust up by one on the next pass.

[Champion of Capua]

I start aggressive for the first 2 passes, then clean up on mild

[Vivasanti]

Think ill start on a 2.5 and just see how it goes (middle of the road)

[barko78]

I only have a few weeks experience with a Progress (my first DE). I used it for a week on 3 without adjusting it to kind of feel out the razor. I now made a couple adjustments. I shave my first pass on 3 and get a decent shave. The second pass I increase to 4.5 and go agains the grain. If I do a third pass, I keep it on 4.5. I've also tried dialing it way down to 1 to get just below the nose and under my bottom lip and my sideburns for touch up work, it did a great job.

Hope this helps.

[Mspec]

Purchased my first adjustable razor, a Merkur Progress, i chose this after selling my 38c (could never come to grips with the size of it).

Very happy with the weight and size of it, didnt choose a Futur or Vision as i thought they looked a bit big and id be in the same boat as the 38c, id like to get a Fatboy someday but they dont show up in this country often.

sooooooo.....

Shaving with an adjustable, whats everyones technique?

Should i start high up and hack all that beard off and then mild the blade down for the other passes?

what do you adjustable users prefer to do?

You daredevil haha, that didn't take you long to acquire! Assume the sale on TM went well? Where did you buy the progress? Thinking of adding one to my collection. A fatboy would be great but as you mentioned fat chance of one showing up here (pun intended)

[Vivasanti]

Hey Mspec, yep sold the 38c, buyer was super happy (hes probably gona show up here after the all info i gave him) grabbed a Progress from connaughtshaving.com.

always great service, they chucked in some spieck shower gel samples.

@Barko, thanks for the tips!

[Mspec]

Hey Mspec, yep sold the 38c, buyer was super happy (hes probably gona show up here after the all info i gave him) grabbed a Progress from connaughtshaving.com.

always great service, they chucked in some spieck shower gel samples.

@Barko, thanks for the tips!

Well done, I'll have to check that site out, will be great to get another kiwishaver on the forum

[Vivasanti]

Complete the shave on 2.5, was awesomely smooth.

Setting 2.5
Arko (first time using this)
Astra SP
Omega Big Boar
Alum
Thayers WH w/Aloe
HBG Bay Rum (nice)

[Mspec]

Complete the shave on 2.5, was awesomely smooth.

Setting 2.5
Arko (first time using this)
Astra SP
Omega Big Boar
Alum
Thayers WH w/Aloe
HBG Bay Rum (nice)

Ok ok you've convinced me, just put one on order, yet another to add to my collection

[Mspec]

How was the 2.5 setting compared with the 38C?

[Vivasanti]

2.5 i would say was on par with the 38, more agressive than any of my gillettes and my EJ89, only had 2 days growth though.

[Mspec]

Wow, can't imagine what 5 would be like. The 38c works pretty darn well for me.

[Batman]

It will sound counter-intuitive, but I do exactly the opposite. I start mild on the first pass, to reduce the beard, and on subsequent passes I crank up the blade to get a closer shave. After trying many other techniques, this is what works the best.

I prefer starting high to hack down, then go milder for ATG. Everyone has their own preference. Some set and forget.

If you like the Progress, get it modified to a Mergress!

[Vivasanti]

Yep, i didnt change the setting at all, and i probably wont for a while, im a DFS guy over a BBS, i cant push ATG to hard.

Wont change the razor to the Mergress, to me the weight is perfect, its got great heft and ive already sussed a great grip out, i also LIKE the bakelite tip (shock horror)

Also i think the price it would cost me to ship to the state and get it changed would be the price of 2 progresses.