Are both spring bars in place? The once that hold the cap down.
I'm bummed! Uneven blade exposure on my FUTUR.
- Thread starter Foyle
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- #22
Yes, as I said, it's not the cap, it's that the blade bed is pushed off center in the base of the razor head by the spring tension. If I can manage to align the blade bed to center only the slightest nudge will push it off to one side again. Simply installing and removing the cap knocks it off center again. There is too much slop in the mechanism.
My gold plated Futur came from the factory with an uneven blade gap on each side. I returned it and got another... alas, it also had the same issue so I sent it back, too. My late father placed great faith in German-crafted tools and believed that unequaled precision was their manufacturing hallmark.
The same certainly cannot be said for their razors; at least at Merkur/Dovo, anyway. Quality control is lacking.
The same certainly cannot be said for their razors; at least at Merkur/Dovo, anyway. Quality control is lacking.
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- #24
Yeah, it appears so. At least when I bought my Progress I was able to inspect it first hand before laying out the cash. It's mechanism fits very precisely, no slop at all. I'm actually pretty impressed with it.
This is why I stay clear of new razors. It seems a crap shoot whether you get a good one or not. Merkur seems the unhappy subject of discussion by a number of members. That company is on my "never buy" list.
Let us know what Merkur says. Good luck friend.
It seems the uneven blade exposure is a hallmark of the Futur. The bed is very slightly tapered when viewed end on, so that at any setting above '1', there can be a tilt to one side or the other, depending on the springs. It's not a bug, it's a feature. One side is more aggressive and the other is milder, similar to some of the dual straight bar and open comb combo heads.
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- #28
I don't think I can be convinced that the razor was designed that way. That means that all those who aren't having this issue with their Futurs have defective razors, and I have one of the few good ones made. That would make the Futur an even more unreliable purchase.
I have a Futur, and the uneven blade exposure has been minimized on mine by making careful adjustments on the ends of the bed using a pair of pliers to make the blade exposure more even and to ensure it stays even as the adjustment goes upward. It worked, but cracks in the plating at the corners are the result. I can count on it for a great shave most of the time. A slight amount of play, combined with the requirement to have the spring precisely oriented, and to have the cap installed only one way and not the other makes it a real pain. The Futur is a great design hampered by really poor manufacturing. I have since retired mine and replaced it with an Ikon s3s and I couldn't be happier. I won't be buying any more razors.
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- #30
I agree about the contrast between design and manufacturing. If the parts were machined instead of cast, it would be much easier to have a consistently precise fit. Of course, it would be much more expensive.
I think that you did the best thing by contacting Merkur (Ann) and see what they say. Let us know what transpires.
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- #32
I received an email from Anne at Merkur. She requested a couple of pictures of the problem. I emailed her the same two pics I've posted here. We'll see what she comes up with.
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- #33
Merkur is sending me a new blade bed. I'd say that's pretty generous considering I told them I bought the razor second hand, and that I was willing to pay for replacement parts.
Yes, quite encouraging. I am also glad it worked out for you and please let us know the result after you replaced the part.
That's good news!
Unless repurchased broken, it should have been right to start with. But, beyond that, I'm glad they did a good "make-up."
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Please keep me posted on their response as i have an identical issue with my Futur. The one side shaves great, but the other side is to "far" from the face.
Now THAT'S pretty good customer service/relations. Not much of an expense for them but they could have just as easily said no as it was a used razor to start with.
