Merkur Progress Annoyances 

Wow, this really solved my disappointment with my Progress. I just cruised right over the notch alignment which was throwing the scale off. I just checked and corrected the notch alignment and the scale is matched perfectly without twisting. Every Progress owner needs to see this.

Thanks for taking the time to reply Mantic, appreciate it.

Just tried my new Progress for the first time, from a Merkur 1904, it's like going from a Honda to a Cadillac! Excited to make this my everyday razor!!! Thanks mantic59!

A friend of mine who has this razor model used one of those rubber grips you can slip onto your pencil. He says it works quite well since he doesn't fear it slipping.

Thanks! You never cease to amaze me with the wisdom you share!

You forgot the one where the blade doesn't sit evenly on both sides. You can help this by pressing the top down evenly as you tighten or adjust knob.

With installed blade the alignment dot stopped at 5. Removed blade and folded a cloth to grip the head and triple-folded cloth on shaft gripped with channel lock pliers. Turned shaft "crack!" counter-clockwise. Fined tuned to now with blade installed alignment dot stops at 1. Been using this razor for 1.5 years at many settings and always a great 3 pass shave. Calibrated the razor just to say that I did it for my preference. Thanks, Mantic59 and everyone else.

Thanks for this informative video. My Merkur came without any instructions and the second part of this video solved a real bothersome annoyance.

Try a rubber-band for grip improvement. Just be sure to keep the band off the knob.

Heh that video is now 8 years old! It explains the horrible sound/image quality but it is still quite informative. I just received my progress today (68$CAD on Amazon.ca) which is my very first double-edge razor, I'm really happy so far :)

1)I can get a pack of 10 single blades for $1.50. 10 mach 3 blades is something like$15-$18 2) I use a single blade and don't shave every day. 3) I've never been "badly cut" 4) I've always had to do more then 1 pass when I shave, mach 3 or not.

Be sure to google the "mergress" razor, which is basically a Progress razor with a few custom modifications, that a guy on some forum is selling.

well done thank you, love from Turkey 🇹🇷

I've been DE shaving for several years, and have never had trouble with a razor slipping out of my hands. If you have trouble with this, accept the fact that you are Forrest Gump material.

Just a suggestion...and I don't know if this works with the stock razor...but... Rather than turning the handle which would result in the dot not being square to the razor head when horizontal, why not use a pliers to just turn the ring with the numbers on it until you get it to zero at 1 with a blade in it? I have a modified knob on mine and that works great. I don't have the old knob so I don't know if the ring moves on those. Thanks again for the great videos!

I think it's all relative as long as you have an adjustable

dilipr, i hear ya. I like using a DE but one pass is generally the rule, two passes if I want a really close shave. doing 3 or 4+ passes is just silly.

you should make a video on how to change the blade on these things looks confusing

I am thinking of buying a Merkur Progress Short Handle, when you remove the top head of that Razor, you see the metal bar that has 3 holes, can that be removed for cleaning the razor.

Thank God I bought a Merkur 34c HD after watching this video...

Can you do a video on the different angles that you need to use with the Progress please?

Mantic--Thanks for inspiring me to get back to the world of DE shaving. I'm just wondering why you like the Progress as your every day razor. I have one space left in my razor rack, and I'm trying to decide what to fill it with. Thanks.

Does the allignment "spot" on the shaft have to be inline with the allignment markers on the head? As I cant move the shaft like shown on this video. Also, do you match the actual number with the allignment spot on the shaft, or the spot with the spot?. Thanks.

Mantic is this still one of your favorite adjustable razors?

@eattheword: 34C and HD are the same razor.

The only annoyance I find with my Progress is the ability to really clean it good takes a lot of time. Otherwise its excellent.

Mantic, I've been wetshaving for a while now, and am interested in upgrading to a progress razor. Have you tried the longer handled progress, or the mergress razors? Just wondered if you had an opinion on these. Thanx

@feeknocks I don't think you can go wrong with the Merkur 23c

But man, who designed that UGLY knob at the end? Ruins the sleek look of the razor for me.

Dude, I wanted to see Merkur XR4Tis :| .

Great video... BUT... I have one important thing to say.... 1962 Gilllette Slim... none of these problems... shaves like a dream... I'm in love. Get yours! =). Merkur is a good shave =). Gillette is a great shave!

what would you recommend as the best single blade razor?

At the beginning of the video, mantic says that the merkur progress is a "great little razor". Though I am sure it shaves well, it seem like needing to make these kinds of adjustments should be unnecessary. Sounds like a "shitty little razor" to me. Of course, as they say on the forums, ymmv!

Mine is impossible to calibrate. :/ Starts at 4.5! :[ Fuckin Merkur.

This dude watched just too many Government propaganda videos from the 1940's and 50's.