Merkur Futur - my new friend : What blades do you use in yours? Which settings?

Hello everybody, I did not post for a while because I had so much work to do,but now I must share my joy with you! I am shaving maybe a month with Merkur Futur - the daddy of all razors and before half an hour I did receive a BBS shave from it AGAIN. It's big, it's heavy and it's... adjustable I can use it on 1 on my neck and on 4,5 on my head and the result is amazing! I just love it! My EJ is sitting now in the corner and maybe soon I will give it to shave my face, to not to feel lonely, but on my head - Merkur Futur. Here comes the funny thing - EJ is more forgiving as the Futur, but I receive more cuts from it and it last longer to shave, with the Futur I save 5-10mins every time /5 if I shave only my head and 10 if I shave head + face/. The reason is definitely the pressure - with the Futur I just dont press and I know that you did read before "let the weight of the razor do the job" but believe me friends you dont know the meaning of these words if you are not shaving with Futur... with EJ I did fast short strokes and one long with little pressure it was just impossible to shave another way, but now... I love my Futur I dont recommend aggressive blades in it even on 1. I did shave one time with polsilver and it was a bloodbath... I dont know if the problem is in me or in the blades but before 2-3 years polsilvers were my favorites, now it is just disaster to shave with them, I dont know what did happen with the quality. For now I am using only Arko shaving sticks but I want somthing more oily... thinking about black Kent, something for hard water... So what blades do you use in your Futur? On which settings? What soap do you like with your Futur?

When I had a Futur I used Astra blades on a setting of 2. I had issues getting close under my nose with the large head of the Futur, so traded it for a Progress instead. I use the same blades and setting with the Progress also.
Try some Mitchell's Wool Fat soap - it's rich in lanolin.

I find that Voskhod blades with the razor set to 2.5 work well for me.

I pretty much use any of the blades in my "blade drawer".

It is a nice well behaved razor

When I was going through my "macho phase", which was also my blood, burn and irritation phase, I set mine to 4.5 or 5 and used a Feather blade. Now that I'm shooting for efficiency and comfort, I set it at 3 or 3.5 (2-day growth) and use a Gillette Silver Blue blade.

set at 2 and found two polsilver iridium, and Gillette 5 o clock

I have two of those wonderful beasts and I use SI and Polsilver iridium with a setting of 2 1/2 .

I found the Futur was very flattering of just about any blade I tried in it.

I have sensitive skin so I set mine at 1.5-2 depending on growth and use Astra Sp Blades to mow through anything.

Used a Feather in the Futur this morning at 3 and got BBS shave. No nicks no blood, no irritation. I have it in my rotation but made a conscious effort to use it more often, and today got a perfect shave. It's true its big and heavy and wonderful, one of these razors is not like the others, you have to shave a little different with this one. My SS's, Tech's, EJ's, other Merk's etc. all use the same or similar technique but this baby is a little different so you have to adjust. Gonna move up a notch or two over the next few days and weeks I'll let you know how it goes. I don't know what others say about this razor but I wonder if they gave it time because I admit I didn't love it at first but now, TODAY, I tamed the beast and I love the result. This ones's a keeper.

Before 1 hour I had a shaving nirvana same as you! I did rub baby oil first on my head and neck /I will grow a beard for 4-5 days/ and then Arko in mug /I need something more... more oily Arko is actually drying my skin/ and then... only one pass ATG - on 3, after few strokes I did set it on 4,5 /again/ and only one pass ATG, after this 3-4 touch ups and that was - fast and BBS

I like Merkur blades in my Merkur razors. The match, in my experience, seems to be made in heaven.

I had the best shave of my life, besides them all after switching to wet shaving, I had to tell someone who'd appreciate it. I used my Futur, for which we've had a love / hate relationship since it came to the den..... Especially as I paid way too much for it as a brick and mortar chain, when I could have purchased for nearly $30 less art one of the awesome on-line retailers this forum has introduced me to. I used it on a day and a half worth of growth on Thursday (I always have just a chin goatee) with usual shower prep, pure-shave oil, Cade cream (bowl lather), a Vulfix super badger brush, and a new Personna Red blade. I had it set at 2. It tore me up and left me raw (as well as a nice gash at my nostril) after a WTG pass, and an ATG pass (at 1), with a light touch-up (single pass) along the jaw line (all with rinse and re-lather, of course). So, I spent the next few days nursing my face with TOBS Mr. Taylor gel, L'Occitane after shave balm, and the likes, so I could try again last night, more or less to see if I was going to keep it. WOW! Usual prep, pre-shave oil, Bigelow (Proraso under different label at Bath & Body) cream with a few drops of glycerin, Vulfix, and a new Gillette Silver Blue. Had the Futur set at 3, for pass #1 WTG, and an immediate touch-up of jaw line (did cheat and use my 34C for nostril area). Rinse and re-lather between all passes. Pass #2 ATG, set at 1.5 (from ear to center line, and across upper lip both times, and from ear to esophagus). Pass #3 ATG, still at 1.5 (from center line to ear, and esophagus tho ear). A little touch-up at corner of mouth, goatee, and sideburns. No nicks, or cuts, or irritation. Cold water rinse, alum block (not the flaming sensation from the previous shave) kept on while I cleaned up tools. Cold water rinse of alum block, Lucky Tiger AS splash, air dry then Proraso AS Green splash (to close it all up), and finished with Proraso Blue balm, and went to bed. My face feels like a million bucks, and still almost BBS 14 hours later (usually scruffy by now). I attribute out all, to the amazing (and overlooked by me) Gillette Silver Blue. They cut the growth (not drag the face, as it feels sometimes with the usual Feathers) so close, with no drag...... felt like blade was missing on 2 & 3. My new razor blade, HANDS DOWN! And all with a razor I was ready to get rid of. How have I missed these? Just ordered 100 on Amazon! Amazing! Apologize for the long winded post, but I had to tell the whole story, and how I came to find the best blade ever. Sharp, smooth, and...... Perfect! GSB & Futur. I was so ready to bail on this, till we figured each other out last night, that I have a 39 Slant & a Muhle R41 in route. Uh, oh. Momma's not going to like the den reproducing razors like rabbits. Damn UPS comes when she's here, too, so I can't hide it. I've just been waiting to open till she goes to bed (as I have many shower/shave routine while she's reading in bed.

I use my Futur at 1 with a Personna med prep as my preference. But my true favorite is my Mergress at 2 with that blade. I get great shaves and find sharp, but mild blades are best. I am even considering getting a Vision 2000.

Btw, I am seeing several posts saying that the med prep is identical to the lab, except for additional sterilization. Anyone know for sure. On the other hand, neither Personna itself nor any other vendor actually has a blade labelled "Lab." Somehow, we the loyal users seem to have adopted test nomenclature. For that matter "med prep" is also not a label. "Prep" is as close as I have seen.
Comments
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My Futur is never leaving, I use mine with Lord, Sharks, Big Ben's, Voshkods, Gillette Silver Blues, Astras, Pol Silvers, and……. I think that is what I have a healthy stash of currently. I don't know why but the Futur is the one razor I can do no wrong with. I seriously love the thing, and with its adjustability it can mow down 2 or 3 days growth like my 39C (slant) or be a gentle giant. To be honest I usually leave it on around 3.5 but every now and then feel like playing around with less or more exposure, regardless the setting it always does great on my face. I have a long handled Progress as well and in my opinion the Futur is way above in the quality department. I know that might anger some people as the Progress is so liked here (and by me, I do own one) but the Progress doesn't have perfect blade alignment like the Future or the great fit and finish. I know some people hate the snap on blade change, but I love it.

Feather set at 5.5. Very smooth Surprisingly, the higher the number, the smoother the shave for me on my Future.

I've tried a 5 or 6 of different blades but the only one i really like is the personna reds. I have mine set at 1. Haven't played to much with the settings as im happy and comfortable with the shave I get. It's not bbs but better than the cartridge shaves and much more comfortable. Shaving soaps are a mix... I'm partial to my Iced Key Lime even in the cold iowa winters. Love the razor i bought on the bst here.

InNae

Lords super stainless

I used Personna Med Prep in my Futur at 2. Then I used my Mergress for several weeks with a variety of blade, none of which surpassed the Med Prep, although the Lab Blue was close. Still a setting of 2. I will begin to use the Vision 2000 tomorrow also with the Med Prep, but I think I'll start at 3 or "S" in this case.

I realize the settings are not strictly comparable across these Merkurs, but whatever