Today, we're going to take a look at a razor which has Futur-istic adjustability, but is also a reminder that if we don't take heed of what worked in the past, that the Futur is not always going to be better.
"The future" is the Futur. Actually, you HAVE made use of the Futur’s adjustability, as you initially experimented with the various settings before finally selecting the particular setting best suited to you. In my case, I use at least two of the Futur’s settings each time I shave, and as I make two passes with every shave, I’m definitely taking advantage of its adjustable feature.
This is an excellent review and I like how you went into very specific detail about this razor. Thank you. This is how you do a review. I know everything I feel like I should know about the Merkur Futur.
I started straight razor shaving in 2010 and did that for 3 years. Then I tried the Double edge razor and never looked back. It’s a million times easier and a better shave and cheap!
Really? I tend to find shaves with safety razors much less smooth than straight razors. Its a bit more "idiot proof" and a fair bit quicker when I am in hurry - but the lack of flexibility makes it an inferior shave overall.
@@aurelianobuendia5360 Aggressive straight razors don't give smoothness - they give closer shaves but retain the skin abrasiveness of safety razors compared to straights. Straight razors have flex, which means they are not only close but leaves the skin feeling much more comfortable. I rarely need to use aftershave after a straight razor shave but can't say the same for safety razors. Also the R41 barely counts as "aggressive", the blade gap is pretty mild compared to actually aggressive razors. And they are only "aggressive" because the safety razor crowd relies too heavily on the safety bar when shaving and lack control. If you have even a modicum of understanding of blade angle, any safety razor regardless of "aggressiveness" is as idiot proof as a cartridge razor. I have a couple of very large blade gap razors , the Parker 12R (0.9mm+ blade gap) and a Razorock 0.84, and they are no more aggressive than my very "mild" Merkur.
Great video Nick! I’ve been wet-shaving for years, and it’s the only way to shave. Girls go get facials, manny-peddles, etc, this is something VERY nice & very therapeutic for guys. I get to slow down & do something for me. I have a Merkur Progress that I use with Astra blades regularly. I also have several straight razors that I use when not shaving with my Merkur. I highly recommend wet shaving to all.
Oh wow, I never realized that the head could be flipped over to make it more travel safe! I always try to put it into some kind of case so that I don't reach in and happen to slide my hand across my razor and get cut. That is a super tip. Thank you, @Nick Shabazz !
Nice video Nick. I love the varied content you've been putting out besides your always excellent knife reviews. I use a Merkur Slant Bar with Feather blades and I'd never go to anything else, it's amazing.
I've used cartridges my whole life and just decided to go to a de. After tons of reviews that were very mixed I settled on buying a 1958 Gillette Super Speed Flair Tip. Its looks almost new and its the razor that everybody learned on back then. You pretty much just hear great things and I confirm its a great razor. Good review Nick.
If you want to try some American made blades, I love the Personna line. I bought a box of 100 in 2014 and I'm not even halfway through. Granted, I only shave a couple times a week. Got a DE Razor handle from Sally Beauty Supply for like $5. It's a butterfly operation that works very well. No complaints.
I have one on order from a local shop and I was a bit concerned with the size of the head of the razor but after watching a RU-vid by PaulHFilms (he gave you a nice shout out by the way) and he does the same thing I do... hold the Razor upside down and go right to the edge of your nose. I also bought a Merkur detailing razor awhile back and I use that to get even closer. My wife calls it my nose hole trimmer. Currently, I have a Merkur 23c and I still have trouble getting close to the nose and I have been using a DE since 2016. Proofs in the pudding as they say... we will see what happens when it arrives.
Coming from an AL native, I was so mind blown by the accent lol The only time I've ever heard anyone speak with that kind of dialect has been on TV or the internet lol
I love my vintage gillette I use a 1963 gillette adjustable slim wanted one since I was 18 and saw james bond use one in gold finger and think it's one of my best razors
Hey there Nick.. good review! I like this razor.. I prefer to shave with my pilot vanishing point! Just kidding.. you and I have similar interests! I agree with your economic analysis.. good deal.. I have a Merkur 33c, a Parker 22r, and a vintage Gillette Flare Tip.. my wife bought me a lovely horn handle Plisson Joris Palladium.. beautiful! Thanks again!Frank from Boulder,Colorado
Hello Nick, I shave my face and head. Adjustable razors are great for me. I prefer a bit more aggressive of an edge on my head then I do on my face. I agree that I find my settings and doesn't change what works once I find it but I do like a different setting for the two different areas. Also, I'd love to see a review of the REX Embassador. Thanks, Stephen
I shave on setting 6 on my first pass (with the grain), setting 4 on my second pass (across the grain) and setting 2 on my 3 pass (against the grain). This is why I prefer the Futur.
Great video. Lots of information and super interesting even if I don’t agree with all of your opinions. I learned to shave with my dad’s hand-me-down Gilette slim. For many years it was even hard to find DE blades and I am glad for the resurgence of wet shaving. I have tried other DE razors over the years. And have now picked-out the Futur as my daily-driver. I like the weight. Amazing results. I utilize the adjustability for different regions of my face, against the grain, or depending on the time elapsed since my last shave. I usually wear a mustache so the larger head is not an issue getting under the nose. It’s not the one to carry when flying, though. I either carry a disposable cartridge razor (bummer) or score some blades in a pharmacy at my destination to use in my older (and lighter) Gilette. I was disappointed that you didn’t show how to disassemble the Futur for cleaning. Take the top off, push down on the spring clip assembly and you can unscrew the handle. You MUST do this periodically and clean with vinegar or isopropyl alcohol from time to time or the adjustment can freeze up. I have been using it for years and anticipate many more years of good use. Even if you figure to get 5 years out of a $50-$60 razor that’s less than $1 month plus $.50 - $1.00 a month for good Feather blades. You can’t shave for a buck-fifty with other cartridge razors.
Anyone who is considering this as the first saftey razor should not be afraid of it. I always used the single razor bics and switching to this its basically the same angle, just take it slow and steady! I like it very much!!
I shaved cartridges for many years. My beginner DE razor was the muhle r41. Closest shaves ever. I never cut myself with it because I learned the technique and correct blade.
Hey nick have you every checked out any of the offerings from timeless razors. I own 2 of them and their are awsome. One is titanium and one is solid stainless steel. 100% made in the USA
Just got one yesterday and I must say that compared to mach 5 and wilkinson hydro 5 I used before it's amazing. Didn't really have a problem shaving under the nose though idk
I used this razor to death (~9 years) til one of the metal pieces setting the blade corroded off. Loved the look and weight of the blade but it was certainly slippery, meaning that I had to oftentimes dry my hand sometimes mid shave then reengage. Still loved it. Now I will try something else.
I found the feather blades to feel a little rough on my skin. Sounds weird, I know. I like the Derby Extra blades. I usually use them once, maybe twice the swap them out. 100 blades for 10 bucks. Can’t beat it.
If you want to see some hard numbers on blade sharpness, check out refinedshave.com. The guy tests blades out of the box and edge retention over a few head shaves. Sharpness isn't the only factor (I tried Voskhod after seeing the results, and I've found that there are at least a few dud blades in a 50 pack) but it's cool to see how the different types compare.
Love the idea of razor reviews. You are correct TSA will take the blade out of your razor, so it's just easier to travel with cheap throw-away, or maybe put your razor in your check-in luggage and see what happens? Now that your doing razors...how about something as equally important, shave cream reviews?
I agree with this review. The big head will be a problem shaving under the nose until you learn how to push the blade up your nose the right way so that you can do an effective shaving pass, which you should be able to do. Until you do, you are going to miss a spot under the nose, at least during the first pass when you are shaving down. Would I recommend this no. If you get it, its fine. But you can get a cheaper and less gimmicky Merkur. Having said that, even at the Futur's elevated price, you still experience the savings of wet shaving compared to using the newer plastic shaving razors.
Is using a double edge safety razor good even if you don’t grow a super coarse/thick beard? Never used one but interested in it but I don’t have a super insane beard yet so unsure if it’s really necessary.
Me, at age 31, can only grow a thick goatee and a mustache and the rest of my face has either weak teenager-like hair or thick but inconsistent hair in the cheeks and sideburns. Switching to double edge to shave all the crappy hair and shape my beard was the best decision ever. Disposables gave me ingrown hairs on my cheeks ALL THE TIME, it looked like a bad case of acne and blackheads. Now, it grows like actual hair. And if I wanna look 10 years younger (because under the beard I still have the face of a kid), the DE razor will get rid of the thick hair without clogging.
I prefer the Merkur Progress, easier to get under the nose and if you crank that sucker up to unofficially 10 its as aggressive as the Futur on 6. As for feathers I love them but my beard burns them out after 3 shaves
How do you know you aren’t using the same side of the double edge razor each shave ?because one side might be dull and the other side might be unused ,do you mark the razor,side one side two etc so that you remember which side of the blade you have been using ??
It's really easy with the Futur and a benefit of the razor that Nick doesn't mention. You just note the adjustment number on the handle for the side of the razor you use for the first pass, and then use the other side for the second pass, etc. Hey, Presto! Even wear on both sides of the blade. It's more difficult with other razors. You just need to be conscious about not swivelling the razor in your hand on the various passes. Of course, you could also just trust that chance will even out the blade wear.
Lots of good clones available. On Amazon you can get a nice clone in a leather snap case for $12.99. If you want a decent razor blade that's smooth and has less propensity to cut or nick you, there's 200 Derby Extras on eBay for $9. Yep, 4.5 CENTS per blade. If Derby doesn't work for you, go with Voskhod or Derby Premium...@ 10 cents per blade.
I adore my adjustable Gillette fatboy. I need the adjustability. I like to be aggressive on my side burns and then tender on my upper lip. Otherwise my upper lip bleeds like crazy or my side burns have stubble. Also I like the one-piece razors more.
I use a Gillette Adjustable circa 1962, and I vary the settings according to how many days growth I have. BTW, the old Schick Injectors are great for getting around the moustache.
They are good but Russian Gillettes like silver blues, rubie,stainless and some of the 7 o’clock variants are all just as sharp and can be had cheaper.
It’s widely known that Feather are the sharpest blades on the market. Exquisite Japanese steel, with Samurai-level sharpening tech. Blows the German Merkurs out of the water; not even close. I’ve yet to see anything comparable.
I think the sales pitch for the Futur stated you let the weight do the cutting with little or no pressure coming from the hand, I have one and it scares me.
This one isn't too bad. The chrome plate is a bit worse. I will say though that holding it on the ends while wet to adjust the aggressiveness is dangerous. The 3rd time I shaved with it, it slipped and I took a healthy chunk out of my thumb!
The patent on the Futur must have expired as Qshave makes a clone for half the price. Lack of knurling on the handle can make the Futur slippery but has never been an actual problem for me.
$68.00? I just got this same exact razor for $15.99 on Amazon?! It's called an RZ700. Iike the heft, and the over-all clean lines, easy to clean, and rinse while shaving. and I do have a tough beard. I nuse to have a Gillette adjustable, but lost it some time ago, and I really needed the Adjustable, so I ordered this being apprehensive spending $15.99, thought it might be a cheapo china knock off, but it's not shoddy or cheap. the only thing it says on the box is: mfg is River Lake,USA No Merkur label, in fact no label at all, but it is the same exact razor being shown here. I came to this sight because I couldn't figure out how to change the blade. I've been wet shaving since day one shaving back in 1978 at 16, used those disposables once in a while, but they are not good on my beard.
El futuro será forzado por la condiciones que ahora estamos ignorando. La tierra no se va a acabar, se acabará la humanidad si no cambia. Yo ya deje de usar las hojas de afeitar plásticas y regresé a este sistema. Por lo menos se sabe que el metal es reciclable y en ningún caso contaminante. Además el AHORRO de dinero es importante y la calidad de la afeitada es muy buena. Cordial saludo desde Medellín, Colombia.
Feather Blades are the best ones out there! LOVE EM! The Futur though.... beat with an ugly stick and unnecessarily complex. A nice 3 piece razor is all Anyone ever needs!
I have 4 double edge razors of several brands and this one is my least favorite. Primarily because it’s bulky, heavy and hard o shave with! Going back, I probably would not have purchased it .
I just bought this as my first safety razor, and tried it out today for the first time, and it was the worse experience ever! It was so dull, it got cought up in my hair, and it was bouncing over my skin. I started out at number one, and worked my way up to 6, but it was no difference. I used a Derby Extra blade in it, and then I changed it out for a really sharp Feather, but it was just the same. I had to go over the same area over and over again......while with my old Gillette Mach 3, its so i easy.....it just glides over the skin, and Im smooth as a baby. I also bought some Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood, and o boy how that sucked! It dried out almost instantly.....I had to ad water all the time, for it to not dry out. The Gillette with regular shaving foam is 100 times better. What a waste of money!
Oh lol man you are either extremely unlucky with dull blades (which is unlikely, considering you used two different blades) or just don't know what the hell you are doing there😂
Geeeze, great info, but i have add and he lost me very soon. talks so fast i cannot fathom what he is actually saying. Sorry Nick really not bashing, we are all different. I did watch the whole thing and decide too much money for me. hope that helps.
