Merkur Futur Clone....My thoughts.

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Rich Daverson, Apr 8, 2017.

  1. Rich Daverson

    Rich Daverson Member

    Shave nation has them in stock and they ship from the USA very qiuckly..
     
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  2. LevelupShaves

    LevelupShaves Well-Known Member

    So straight up I just used my Qshave Futur clone today for the first time and I loved it. I set it on 6 and just went for it. This was easily the best shave I have ever had. I didn't know what I was missing this whole time. I did nearly cut myself under the chin though this is a kind of slippery razor with a decent bit of size so manuvering around curves can be a little dicey. Other than that though I am very impressed. Out of curiosity anyone who has used this and the real Futur is there anything that justified a 5x price difference?
    [​IMG]

    Sent from my XT1609 using Tapatalk
     
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  3. dustmite

    dustmite Well-Known Member

    Finally got around to this razor. I loaded a fresh Feather, and lathered up with Stirling Glacial Eskimo Tuxedo. I started my shave on 2, and quickly made my way to the top of the dial. I tend to like aggressive razors, but with the Feather, 6 was just too harsh. 5 seems to be the balance point for me with this blade. I had a good shave with it, but it's a bit awkward to get under the nose and along my ears. I ended up using an injector to finish up those spots. I had no sting from the alum, and 2 passes with some touch up yielded a comfortable BBS shave.
     
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  4. MObigfoot

    MObigfoot Active Member

    I don't want to throw cold water on this thread but I thought I needed to post an update to my previous post.

    I bought a Qshave Futur Clone back in May. I have used it almost daily since then and it gave excellent BBS shaves. I use it set on 3 and may go up or down 1 from that level and may have occasionally had a weeper. Last night on a setting of 2.5 I got a pretty good nick. I had been noticing that the razor seemed to be giving a different shave feeling from one side of the razor to the other. I looked at the blade cap to blade edge gap and it was noticeably greater on one side. I would guess about 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch from one side of the razor to the other. I checked this alignment when I first got the razor and periodically after that and it was always spot on.

    I carefully tried moving the blade cap from blade side to blade side and was shocked to find that it is very loose now and will move approximately 1/16 of an inch from side to side.

    I have never disassembled this razor and always check to align the two dots inside the head with the curved cap end. It just seems to me that the head has loosened with about 100 days of snapping the cap on and off. I change blades after 3 shaves.

    I am now contemplating buying a Merkur Futur thinking that the quality would be better and would keep the blade gap more consistent. I have had a Progress for more than 2 years and it has kept it's tolerances and has had no problems.

    Has anyone else experienced this with the Futur clone? Do you think I just got a bad razor? I really liked the way it shaved. If anyone has used both can you please comment on their similarities / differences. Thanks
     
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  5. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    My Ming Shih hasn't had as much mileage as yours but it seems to be holding up well without a blade gap issue. I'm sure others will put in their experiences and maybe a possible fix.
     
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  6. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    I've had no alignment issues with my Q-Shave.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
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  7. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    Another YouTube comparison of the Merkur & knock-off
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2017
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  8. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    What was your general conclusion? I'll be honest, I really dislike going through videos. It's probably because I'm a speed reader, and extremely blunt IRL - I always want to just 'get to the chase'. (I had to give up at just over 2 minutes in, to put my daughter and myself to bed)
     
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  9. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    Both will do the job. Better quality piece from merkur...hence the price difference.
     
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  10. RazorDr

    RazorDr Member

    After reading many good reviews of Merkur futur and its clone, also ensure Mingshi2000 is not a illegal counterfeit since Merkur patent had truly expired, I got one latest version from China website to try. After accustom to its heavy weight and gap adjustment quickly, its my go to razor now. So good that i decided to share my experience here.

    Its design is futuristic. Built quality still rock solid at a reduced weight 80g vs Merkur 120g(older clone is 100g-120g). Nice flawless satin finishing, clever design of flip open cap to replace blade easily, and no alignment problem mentioned in some feedbacks(time will tell). Adjustment mechanism is smooth. I would believe its a Merkur futur if not for the packaging and tiny fraction of price. Many websites shoddy pictures didn't do justice to this great quality razor. It has German quality and design at unbelievable China price.

    The first trial give me my best shave in life, ultra smooth, clean and with no irritation, nicks or burns ever. Except only one cut in my first shave when it slip due to my soapy hand and its slippery handle couple by heavy weight, at a careless high setting of 4.5. So the blade slice across the skin like slicing sashimi, reminding me to be more respectful of this great razor. Down to 1.5 setting, it shaves whisker ultra smooth yet so gentle impossible of any cut. At setting 4, it can mawn down even my few days head hair well, deliver flawless ultra smooth shave with the weight doing all the job. Yet to try 5-6 settings. Just wonder how will be the shave at original 120g weight, when 80g is already so heavy.

    No clogging of hairs after many passes due to Merkur clever design of deep grooves drain hole. The edgeless all round design head gives an ultra close smooth contact to skin unlike ploughing effect of traditional combed edge razors. XTG and ATG is easy too with it smooth head giving no friction. The big head make shaving under the nose abit challenging initially, but after a few shaves you will overcome easily with gaining confident of its "very gentle blade exposure" mild design.

    Many reviews have remarked on its extra aggressiveness and biggest blade gaps or exposure among all razors. In my direct experience, its actually more mild and safe than Muhle R89. Blade gap and exposure are actually different. Blade gap is the gap distance between the razor blade edge and the razor comb, deciding how long and thick the hair can get into gap to be shave off, thus deciding its effectiveness. Whereas exposure is how much angle the blade is bend and protruded out from the curvature line form between upper plate edge and the lower plate comb. Exposure decides the razor aggressiveness resting on your skin, and thus its tendency of cutting your skin too. I have a razor with very narrow gap, but its more aggressive than both R89 and Mingshi2000 due to its protruding blade, capable of slicing off a thick layer of skin when i am in a rush.

    It adjusts the blade gap by moving upper plate height, enable it to shave different length of hairs effectively. The blade exposure is pretty the same between setting of 1 to 6, designed to be extra mild render it ultra smooth without possibility of cutting unless you move it in lateral slicing direction or pressing unnecessary.

    It's complete smooth handle with no knurling on surface makes it slippery when wet. If you keep your hand free from soapy foam, it still give a good grip with its curvy handle design. Because of less grip than knurled handle, one tends to be more cautious in exerting any pressure while shaving. May be this is the intended design purpose, a abnormal heavy weight with puzzling smooth handle design, to ensure one will let the weight do the shaving without exerting any slightness of pressure, thus achieving ultra smooth and optimized effective shave.

    Conclusion:
    This is an incredible excellent quality razor at absurb price that make little sense for one to pay $60 for a Merkur or Muhle that may give any marginal better quality. But for it's revolutionary design and quality, its still worth to pay for a Merkur futur for lifetime usage and collection joy, possibly passing on to your next generation. At below $5, its cheaper than most cheap razor in market. Yet it delivers superb smooth shave that is so different from traditional DE razor, even better than top notch Muhle in my comparison.
     
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  11. Norseman

    Norseman misunderstood Dark Lord of the Sith

    You know, I searched alot after such a thread and I couldn’t believe there wasn’t one dedicated to such an interesting razor. I searched for qshave, Ming Shi and even Futur clone and came up with nothing.
    So I decided I should make my own. And 20 minutes later a 24 page thread appeared in my feed.

    After this embarresement the Internet Search College called. They wanted their diploma back.

    The upside is that I now have a great new thread to read :)
     
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  12. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    Actually lost it reading that. Can't stop laughing. Mental.
     
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  13. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    Well... enjoyed this thread. Well done to all that contributed.

    The comment about it's material being "mental" was enough that I'll probably read it all again another day :happy097:
     
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  14. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    Oh also I've just ordered one. £4.99 with 5 blades and free delivery. Can't lose. Unless it doesn't turn up.

    And it does say mental.

    20171010_220931.png
     
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  15. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    You have to be mental not to get one.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
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  16. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    Well, my sliver of a mental razor never did arrive. I'm giving up hope and going to make the assumption that after 5 months, it's not coming!
     
  17. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    Good for you! I just hope you didn't order from Uncle Ding.
     
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  18. MetalHead88

    MetalHead88 Well-Known Member

    Lol good old uncle ding.

    Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
     
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  19. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    Who could forget ol' Uncle Ding. Well, he did refund me my $2.96.
    :eatdrink013:
     
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  20. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    Who is uncle ding??
     
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