I am so glad I found this video. I was looking for a way to fix the razor burn I always got on my neck from shaving when I discovered wet shaving. I found an old razor in my house, soaked in in CLR, and bought what I needed to begin. What has amazed me most is to have found out that that razor that I have just used belonged to my great-grandfather and it's the Gillette Fatboy! I had a wonderful first experience with wet shaving and I will never go back to using my Proglide!
I don't pay attention to the little lip on the head of the Futur and don't send the top flipping across the room. I carefully remove it with my thumb and index finger on either side. I'm glad to see you're still making videos. No matter how experienced I become I always pick up new ideas and tips.
You make excellent instructional videos. Good job! I have the Merkur Progress and am pretty satisfied with it. I notice I get a comfortable shave with the setting on 4 with most blades but I have to take it down a notch to 3 with the Feathers.
I've read on some forums that the Futur doesn't hold the blade tightly, so it actually "rattles around" a bit while you're shaving. Not sure I like the sound of that. Has anyone experienced this?
Yes. I use the Merkur Futur and it is a real high quality Product. Blade is safe and the razor is quite agressive. I use it with Gilette 7o‘clock-Blades on Level 2.
I just ordered a Merkur Futur online. I've been using a cheap DE razor from Boots (similar to the wilkinson sword). Can't wait for it to arrive!! Great video
Mark I really appreciate all of the information you provide in what always to be a vet balanced approach. I am brand new to DE wet shaving after having good success with the Pulsonic electric until my course beard became more and more white and the hairs began to hook under. I just purchased a slim adjustable and was wondering if your daily driver was still the Progress. Thank you Chris
Yeah, I've got a Gillette Super Adjustable made in 1981 and I can get a very good shave out of it, doing my first pass on a slightly more aggressive setting, and my second and third passes on more gentle settings.
i use gillette fatboy and i kinda like it. first few shaves i hated it because of butterfly opening but now i do not even care. i just shave. i'm glad to see how and why to use adjust roll. but... i'm planing to buy edwin jagger de89 or muhle r89. it's about style :)
Hi Mantic, love your videos! I like the Progress, I got one after seeing this vid. I have noticed a custom model called the Mergress is available. Have you tried one of these?
mantic, i just bought a merkur vision, but it didn't come with any directions (with text, just pictures). on the adjustment, which way is more aggressive? when there is more of a gap between the blade and the safety bar, or less of a gap? thanks.
great videos!, i have recently made the switch to a brush and quality cream, and am looking for a safety razor. But i am curious, how come you dont use a straight razor?
Mantic (Mark), you have it wrong on the adjustables. They weren't phased out in the 1970s - the Super Adjustable was available until 1987. Plastic parts on it (it was the last of the Gillette Adjustables) started in the 1970's, but people can take away from your video all adjustables from Gillette disappeared in the 70's...I'd suggest a comment box on that :-) Any questions feel free to PM.
What do you suggest? Use one the single blade or a 5 blade? In all honesty, I don't feel like I'm getting a better shave with a 5 blade, that I prefer the 3 blade one. Is it safe to go use a 1 blade?
My 18 years old son is starting in DE shaving. He uses one razor (Parker) and I use another razor (Muhle). Now I am interested in an adjustable razor ad I am going to buy a Mergress. The question is: should the razor be exclusively personal or I can share it with my son, with some care ? I have not found this in your videos. Have you alredy dealt this subject ? Best regards
there are so many different adjustable and standard safety razors. does price affect how good of a shave? or just how fancy and what type of metal the handle is made of? what would you recommend for a first time user?
Hello Mantic, I've read that setting of Progress is not stable, that is: every time you change a blade, you have to adjust the setting to something different to achieve the same aggressiveness. Have you experienced this too? Are Gillette adjustables more stable? Thanks.
I've had a lot of success and really like using a schick adjustable m1, even with my really sensitive skin and coarse hair. Very easy shave. Even on my first try I only cut myself when I didn't realize I had a mole. And now I don't! Haha - Anyway I was wondering - Given that I really enjoyed the schick m1 and had little difficulty, I'd like to ask: What kind of adjustable or fixed DE blade might you suggest if I were to try one?
I splent some time watching your videos. Thanks for all, every piece is informative and useful (for me, as a beginner). Have you ever deeply tested/reviewed a Merkur Futur? Thanks in advance!
Great video man. Hopefully with my next pay cheque I'll get a safety razor. I used one for a month or so when I was about 15, I don't think I even cut myself. :D
Mark - I hope you're still receiving comments on your older videos. Do you know that the head has been changed a bit on the Merkur Progress?. When I purchased mine a few months ago, I noticed that the top cap and base were different. The base plate has a different arrow, and the top cap "guide" indentation has also changed, and not for the better in my opinion,. A Merkur rep told me the old molds were worn out and they redesigned it when preparing the new molds. I've seen videos where it was suggested that the Merkur Progress actually has 10 or 11 settings, as you can go past setting 5 for another complete turn and a half before the top cap will unscrew. Have you ever tried dialing it up to "setting 6 or 7"? I used "setting 10" today just for an errant hair on the nose and it was absolutely perfect in the trim.
Yep, still getting comment notifications. :) I was not aware that the head may have been changed. I guess I'm going to have to buy a new one to see the changes, even though my old one still works just fine.... Yes, You can dial the Progress way past the 5 setting. It's not necessary for me though.
Check out these threads I posted to on B&B months ago so you can see the new head. You might need to sign in to see all the photos, but the ones I posted are from image sites and s/b visible w/o signing in: badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/482955-Merkur-Progress-Long-Handle-on-Amazon-Price-Alert-42?p=8072567#post8072567 I started these: badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/483119-Merkur-Progress-Long-Handle-now-50-29-on-Amazon-com badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/484005-Merkur-Progress-Changed
I'm want to get an adjustable razor. I'm interested in the future. For what kind of user is the futur? I'm looking for a razor to complement a straight razor.
Hey, I have a question you may be able to answer. About a year ago I bought my first safety razor. It's a Schick Crona, and have been using it ever since. It gives a nice shave, and is gentle on the face. Today I purchased a Gillette Windsor, and just tried a shave with it. It's way harsher! Maybe it was my blade (not a fresh blade, but not too old either), but it felt like it was tugging my hair. Are there characteristics that make a razor more or less gentle?
Hi, I have the Progress and I find that as I go up from setting 1 the blade seems to be a bit lopsided, so the gap at the right is a bit bigger than the gap at the left. I have tried your advice about putting my finger on the head when screwing it down but it still does it. Is this acceptable or should I return it?
Hello matic59- I have a random question. Can you please tell me if a Merkur 11c is considered to be more aggressive than a 34c? How does the comb on the 11c facilitate in a wet shave? Thanks.
The beginner's razor" that I've used since before Christmas 2015 just wasn't getting the job done so, after a lot of research & questioning experienced wet shavers, I decided to purchase a Merkur Progress off of Ebay. It was only $30 and a great way to make sure it would be a fit for me. Over the last 2 weeks the Progress has been providing great shaves but, no matter what setting I use with the Progress I'm still not getting the closeness I am looking for beneath my chin and Adam's apple. In your video on the Progress you mentioned that using the Progress would mean that I should use a shallower angle; could you please elaborate on that for me. I've been using the 30-degree angle since I started DE shaving.
+Andy Robinson at about 4:34 in this video I show how the razor angle is different. But you're right, it does deserve some additional explanation. I'll work on a follow-up video!
I have gone over your video several times and have worked on the angle a lot. I have lowered the second and third pass to #2 and am getting less razor burn and more comfort on the neck. However, I am still having not getting as close as I need to be for shirt & tie every day.I am currently experimenting with going to #3 or #4 in the problem zones of the neck. I would certainly enjoy more info on this GREAT RAZOR. It is definitely a game changer for me and my shave.
Have you tried dialing it up to "setting "6 to 10"? In other words, have you ever tried going past setting 5 as I explained in the comment I just posted? Did you buy a used razor from Ebay? I'm curious to know whether you purchased the old version with the solid arrow on the base plate or the new version. I purchase a new long handled Progress from Amazon directly (not a 3rd party reseller) for $52 and I had to exchange it twice. Each one had some kind of imperfection. A few had scratches, one had a cracked plastic handle, and several weren't calibrated properly. The first one was the older version shown in Mark's video. The other 2 were the ones with the revised heads. To their credit (as everyone knows), Amazon has excellent customer service, and they offered me a $10 credit towards a future purchase. When my 3rd razor arrived and I noticed a ding in the base plate, and the handle was calibrated to start at setting 5 (just unbelievable that Merkur would let these leave the factory!), Amazon offered me a 50% discount if I wanted to keep it. I decided to just give in already because it seems that Merkur's quality control apparently isn't up to par these days.. Between the credit and discount, the long handled Progress ended up being $16. I figured that with the savings, I could purchase a Merkur short handled Progress. In the several months I've been shaving with the Progress, I've also noticed that the blade exposure under the cap is uneven on each side (both in width and length view), but I still get wonderful shaves with it.. The audio feedback is noticeably different on each side, however.
it appears to be that you have not gotten along with the Merkur razor. If I were you I would go to a safety razor forum, go to the classified section and purchase a reasonable Gilette adjustable razor.The guys on the wet shaving forums are usually selling quality items that will last forever and if by chance you get something that has a problem they are a apart of YOUR forum and they will take it back! If Merkur isn't for you don't waste any more time on it and get to the Vintage Gillette razors that were just about perfect from the 40s through the 60s. Good luck.
+blarg these days the OneBlade razor competes with the Progress in my shave den. But if I'm testing a new product (like a blade or a shaving cream) I reach for the Progress first. :) Still love the razor after all these years.
+mantic59 Have you tried the apollo mikron that the progress appears to be based on? I've been lurking on ebay but they are almost out of my price range. Hopefully one day I can pick one up for under a hundred bucks.
Hi- I'm making a comparison between the Merkur Futur and the Progress (long-handle version). Do you have any information regarding the merkur futur presenting an uneven edge protrusion at each side, i.e. one side is to agressive while the other is to gentle. I have read reviews describing this issue both at first use and in long term usage. I'll appreciate any comments you may have on this subject. Cheers.
mantic59 has given some sage advice for dealing with the quirks of the Progress. The uneven exposure issue to which you refer has gotten some unwarranted "exposure." For most users, it is not an issue. His recommendation has been to simply rest your finger on the razor's head after you load the blade and tighten it down. In doing this, you are applying some tension to prevent the blade from slipping slightly. It's a minor detail, but it certainly works. The tension is maintained once you've snugged down the head. The blade remains stable from then on out---even as you adjust to your desired setting. Personally, I have tried carelessly slapping on a blade and tightening it down without resting a finger on the head and noticed about 99% of the time, it seats properly without any special intervention. Resting your finger on the head essentially ensures you have 100% accuracy. Beyond that, if the user has any issue keeping even exposure, I would venture to say they have a bad razor. In which case, you can bet Merkur will make good on it.
The futur is an interesting tool. It has an incredibly heavy handle, with a light head. Very awkward and prone to slip when gripped with a wet hand. This razor sports an impressive range of adjustments and is highly effective -- but it is strange to use, and not much entertainment or elegance to it. The blade loading and unloading mechanism is TERRIBLE, as it is cheap, and quite dangerous. Some are quite fond of the Merkur futur, but it is my opinion the Merkur Progress is a much better razor,
Today, I received my first Vintage Gilette "Fat Boy"... Yes, I watched these Vids several times, but wth I did everything wrong :( I didn't "unlock" the TTO to adjust and more worse I started to shave with "Level 5 to 7..... Now my skin burns like hell..... I think, it will be better to start at 1 as a beginner.... A hint to everybody: Don't think 1 is for Pussy's !!!
Thanks for the tips. I cant believe how much they want for that little safety razor? is merkur competing with iphone 6 or something, damn! or is it made out of gold? (Gillette adjustable were about $3 to $5 in stores back then). but $279 dollars? come on... I go get a laser done with that kind of cash.;-) It's funny that back in the 70s and 80s I didn't touch these single-blade shavers because they cut the hell out of me but Gillette had the Blue blades (Good News) razors and they were the Best (especially for thin ppl with tough beards like myself) but for some reason (I think greed n stupidity) Gillette started to put out more complicated and LESS effective throw-away blades and Deliberately put lousy blades into GoodNews so that the consumers are forced to buy the more expensive junk. I have many reasons to call All these new blades as junk from an engineering perspective like the stupid pivot that causes more n serious cuts and all those blades suspended in mid-air (which is like protecting the blades not your skin wth?)which cause skin irritation the next day! and then all those other stupid companies followed Gillette like sheep... I am done buying disposables and will never spend a penny on them any more. That's why I'm looking for alternative...
It is. These companies are using their brand names and low number of suppliers to jack up the prices to these sort of levels. It's a simple piece of metal with not a lot of engineering going through it. There is little reason why they should cost that much.
USAMehdi go on amazon, the Merkur is about $80. More than that and you’re being ripped off.And now there’s more adjustable de razors out there that cost alot less( Parker variant for example).
great videos!, i have recently made the switch to a brush and quality cream, and am looking for a safety razor. But i am curious, how come you dont use a straight razor?
