Merkur Razor

[Pho]

watch this guys videos

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_VxFXpdLvG0

Heh have you watched some of his other videos? Very informative if not slightly odd. .

How important is being able to adjust the blade (i.e. with the futur)? Or rather, what difference would it make to the cut, such as adjusting the minimum cut from say 0.3mm to a maximum cut of 2.0mm etc. Basically, is the adjustability actually worth it.

 

[audiolab]

I think adjustability is useful only when you have your technique right. More important is getting the angle of the blade right and learning a “map2 of your face, where the hairs grow in different directions which allows you to know if you are going against the grain or not.

I have used a non adjustable since Christmas and only now feel I would try one. For me worrying about the adjustment and technique meant too many variables going on so I wouldn’t know what was improving my shave. I get consistent results every time now and it only differs when I try a different blade.

If you are an experienced DE shaver probably an adjustable is just your thing, if you are new to it I would recommend an HD or other non adjustable (but not a slant head).

 

[Pho]

I think adjustability is useful only when you have your technique right. More important is getting the angle of the blade right and learning a “map2 of your face, where the hairs grow in different directions which allows you to know if you are going against the grain or not.

I have used a non adjustable since Christmas and only now feel I would try one. For me worrying about the adjustment and technique meant too many variables going on so I wouldn’t know what was improving my shave. I get consistent results every time now and it only differs when I try a different blade.

If you are an experienced DE shaver probably an adjustable is just your thing, if you are new to it I would recommend an HD or other non adjustable (but not a slant head).

That makes more sense then . I guess in some ways that as the adjustable is only an extra ~£10 it's probably worth getting from the start, as I'm sure the razor itself will last for years anyway and will pay for itself within a matter of months (what with the costs of mach 3 blades etc).

 

[Psycho Sonny]

mate the adjustable isnt really adjustable such as you change the setting every other day

you just find with setting is best for your skin and beard

the perfect setting for me is 2

for other people its 3

others it 6

you just find whats best for you - then you get the best shave possible

otherwise if i didnt have an adjustable i wouldnt be getting such a good shave as i do with mine on the perfect setting

yeah the guy is a bit of a weirdo - so would anyone be if they are into shaving as much as they are on the badger and blade forums

i do reccoment getting some decent soaps

i use geo f trumpers range

and truefitt and hills creams are really good

basically what you need is a kit with your razor

badger brush and stand (synthetic ones are better - rated 10/10 in fhm but i have a proper badger brush, your better off going with synthetic they cost a quarter of the price and do the same job. if not better)

decent soap or cream

mixing bowl

thats it - wouldnt bother with any of the other crap

just watch thats guys videos - there are like 40 of them so will take you a few hours but its worth it to know everything about shaving

 

[audiolab]

That makes more sense then . I guess in some ways that as the adjustable is only an extra ~£10 it's probably worth getting from the start, as I'm sure the razor itself will last for years anyway and will pay for itself within a matter of months (what with the costs of mach 3 blades etc).

If only a tenner difference then I'd go with the adjustable, as said above its not something you tweak every day. It will take a while to find the best setting and combimation of blade and soap that works for you.

 

[Pho]

mate the adjustable isnt really adjustable such as you change the setting every other day

you just find with setting is best for your skin and beard

the perfect setting for me is 2

for other people its 3

others it 6

you just find whats best for you - then you get the best shave possible

otherwise if i didnt have an adjustable i wouldnt be getting such a good shave as i do with mine on the perfect setting

yeah the guy is a bit of a weirdo - so would anyone be if they are into shaving as much as they are on the badger and blade forums

i do reccoment getting some decent soaps

i use geo f trumpers range

and truefitt and hills creams are really good

basically what you need is a kit with your razor

badger brush and stand (synthetic ones are better - rated 10/10 in fhm but i have a proper badger brush, your better off going with synthetic they cost a quarter of the price and do the same job. if not better)

decent soap or cream

mixing bowl

thats it - wouldnt bother with any of the other crap

just watch thats guys videos - there are like 40 of them so will take you a few hours but its worth it to know everything about shaving

Cheers for that. Definitely seems like an adjustable is probably my best option then as both you, audiolab, and many others seem to recommend them.

So let me get this straight. I need a razor (obviously), a selection of blades (if I wanted to test out a few different ones), a brush and bowl and some soaps and creams.

Does anyone have any recommend sites for getting all these from? I will look around myself but I'm sure there are a few which are always recommended.

I've seen a few of his videos now and they do seem pretty complete .

 

[Brum Man]

The one that I linked to above is the shop I used and received excellent service. Or there is http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/ which people seem to have used and liked also.

And for what it's worth, I see non-adjustable razors being recommended far more that adjustable ones for both quality of shave and ease of use.

 

[molar]

I got my Merkur razor and a few other bits and bobs from classicshaving.com if thats any help to you. It worked out cheaper to buy all the things from there and get it delivered to the UK than it would have done to get them over here as I couldn't find one supplier that had everything I wanted.

 

[Vampire]

Connaught are pretty good for most stuff, I've used them a few times now. The 'Mitchells Wool Fat' soap they sell is superb.

http://connaughtshaving.com/index.html

They do a good selection of blades too, including sample packs of lots of different types. Well worth getting.

The thing to start with though, is to keep the variables as few as possible, otherwise you'll never know if it's your technique or using different kit which makes the biggest difference to the shave.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Cheers for that. Definitely seems like an adjustable is probably my best option then as both you, audiolab, and many others seem to recommend them.

So let me get this straight. I need a razor (obviously), a selection of blades (if I wanted to test out a few different ones), a brush and bowl and some soaps and creams.

Does anyone have any recommend sites for getting all these from? I will look around myself but I'm sure there are a few which are always recommended.

I've seen a few of his videos now and they do seem pretty complete .

on the badger and blades forum theres a member that sells a blade sampler pack

from that you can sample 7 different types of blades at very low cost - you end up with like 50-60 blades of different types for under £30 - i cant remember the exact price but i know its under £30 - could be £20

 

[J1234]

Get your gear from Gentleman's Shop, perfect service every time

 

[Pho]

Cheers all . Now I just have to find the time to actually order it all .

 

[[TR]SweetSpotOz]

.

 

[thecremeegg]

Clicked Penski's google and saw a link to this thread?

I thought OcUK forums were excluded from Google's bot?

1) was it ever intentional to prevent it?
2) is it intentional to allow it now?
3) Why allow it now if not before?

They arent, when I've searched something before these forums have come up

 

[Pho]

I thought OcUK forums were excluded from Google's bot?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/robots.txt

 

[audiolab]

on the badger and blades forum theres a member that sells a blade sampler pack

from that you can sample 7 different types of blades at very low cost - you end up with like 50-60 blades of different types for under £30 - i cant remember the exact price but i know its under £30 - could be £20

I bought this sampler pack and am still using it now, great selection and would recommend that for blades.

Get your gear from Gentleman's Shop, perfect service every time

Everything else I would buy from theGentleman's shop, as Justin said service is great and proces are good.

 

[audiolab]

if people are slating the futur for having a big head then the vision has no chance because its head is twice the size

the futur beats the vision hands down, i would just stick with the HD if i was you, no point buying another razor when you have one which will last you for life

but i rate the futur as one of the best because you can adjust it to your needs and its shape is really good

as for changing blades - you only get a problem when the head is wet - which would be whilst shaving - which means you wouldnt need to change blades halfway through a shave unless your a numpty

the grip is fine, ive never dropped it and it has never slid anywhere and when i shave i get my soap everywhere so if it was gonna slide it would have

the only bad thing i can say about the futur is the head is a bit heavier than i suspected it to be, but that just means you have to hold it properly - about 60% of the weight is in the head whereas with a mach 3 only likr 15% of the weight is in the head - so had problems adjusting at first - but now im a pro - i can do a quick shave with it now - less than 15 mins or my normal shave takes over half an hour - but this is because im shaving properly - with the multi pass technique

The missus is looking for ideas for a birthday gift and I thought of getting a travel pouch for the HD and keeping packed in my travel kit (I need to leave at short notice sometimes one or two hours so keep a bag packed at all tilmes) and then use the Futur in the house.

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

 

[Ben M]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...l&hs=Vu8&q=Merkur+DE+london&btnG=Search&meta=

*n

lol at this page being the second result.

 

[Sankari]

I've decided it's time to drop the Mach 3 and get a proper old school safety razor to match my cutthroat.

Anyone used the Merkur 38 before? I'd be interested in people's experiences. Are these razors made of stainless steel, aluminium, or some other alloy?

 

[jumpy]

I think that most are either chrome or nickel plated steel - my merkur 23 is chrome plated. Some come with gold plating also. Finished include polished or brushed effect.