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anyone using merkur futur

I'm thinking about purchasing
a merkur futur razor and would
like to know what current users
think of it and how it compares
with the vintage adjustables
as far as the settings are
Equaled such as a 5 vs 5 and
For you what blade you find
to be most effective and I appreciate
all advice and insight
Thanks
 
I can't give you too much info because I'm a pretty new DE shaver. But I'll give you a bump, and tell you that I own the Futur. It does seem fairly aggressive even at its lowest setting, but we are getting along fine so far. I like it.
 
If you want adjustable, get a vintage Gillette. Futur does not adjust well between passes with the smooth finish and wet hands. As Garlisk said, it is aggressive even at the lowest setting.
 
I never tried vintage adjustable razors and the fact that I own the Futur is actually the reason for that. Once I got it, I didn't cared too much about trying anything else. For me, it's just perfect.
I can use it with almost any blade, but I tend to prefer Polsilver SI or Wilkinson Sword. I'm usually stuck at setting 3-3,5, I think that's where the Futur got the "sweet spot". I fiddled with it at first, but now I don't do it anymore. It constantly gives me no irritation, perfect shaves and that's good enough for my face.

If you want adjustable, get a vintage Gillette. Futur does not adjust well between passes with the smooth finish and wet hands. As Garlisk said, it is aggressive even at the lowest setting.

Use a bit of WD40 in the handle and you'll solve that problem.
 
The Merkur Futur is a very good adjustable razor. I have a tough beard and it gives me outstanding close shaves on a modest setting of only 1.5 on the dial. One can't compare settings among the various makes of adjustable razors, as there is no correlation from one to another. Only YOU can determined the best setting for you on any adjustable razor. Start at a lower number and gradually work your way up the scale until you find the sweet spot setting for you.

I only wish the handle on the Futur was a bit more "grippy," but in all fairness it has never slipped from my hand. I am a great fan of all adjustable razors.
 
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Also a Futur fan. It's aggressive even on lower settings. I usually go with a 2-2.5 and adjust if needed on final or touch up passes. I personally haven't had an issue with grip but understand that this may pose problems for some as there are no ridges etc on handle. It's also a heavy razor.

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I run the futur on a 5. Slim and fatboy 6-7. Progress on a 4 or so ( rumor is progress is different from one razor to the next).
 
Great looking and quality razor. I, unfortunately am a baby face, and they are too heavy & aggressive even on lowest setting for me.

Ron I
 
i personally hate the way you take blades out to me it felt very unsafe. and just not practical. much easier to use a slim.
 
Not a fan. I find the head too cumbersome around the upper lip/nostril area. Personally I think it is a poorly designed razor, but I accept that some people love it. As usual YMMV.
 
I have one, used it for half a year. To me it has a couple of drawbacks:
- too big, I had problems shaving below my nostrils
- too clumsy in general, tricky to adjust properly.
With this said I would suggest that you buy either a Progress, or even better a vintage Gillette adjustable razor. The Gillette series of adjustable razors will give you, IMHO, far better performance.
 
I have one, used it for half a year. To me it has a couple of drawbacks:
- too big, I had problems shaving below my nostrils
- too clumsy in general, tricky to adjust properly.
With this said I would suggest that you buy either a Progress, or even better a vintage Gillette adjustable razor. The Gillette series of adjustable razors will give you, IMHO, far better performance.
+1
 
I'm a big fan of Merkur Futur, mainly because of my neck sensitive skin and tough beard. Yes, it's aggressive but with proper techique became gentle and very effective. I use it on setting 3 and for me, Personna platinum is the best match.
 
Too big, too heavy and it corroded internally to the point I trashed it. Just another piece of overpriced, Zamak, German junk.
 
One of my favorite razors and I've tried lots. I get a much better shave with a Futur every time than I've ever been able to get with a Gillette adjustable, and I've tried several examples of every common model - Fatboy, Slim, and Super. For me there's no contest. The Futur is the clear winner.

Of course not everyone agrees on this so the only way to tell if you like it is to try one yourself. :).
 
The Futur was my very first DE razor. I always shave with it on the lowest setting, and it gives great shaves. Having said that my go to razor is my Gillette Slim.
 
I considered the futur, however I am just waiting for my first adjustable, the fatboy. Heard a lot of good stuff about it so giving it a go.
 
There really is great advice here. I have the Futur and Gillette adjustable razors including the fatboy and slim. I can't get a good shave from the vintage Gillettes, but love the way they look. A two pass shave with the Futur is smooth and irritation free for me. That being said, it might be best to buy a vintage Gillette model and see how it performs for you. It might be perfect from the very first shave. If you don't like it, the demand is always very strong for a vintage Gillette adjustable. Good luck!
 
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