A very nice razor, greatly balanced with a very classy look. Due to the fact its adjustable its possible to make it "your" razor with a turn on the knob.. The grip is a bit slick but I havent had any problems with it.. Its a hefty razor with a tad short handle but ohh what a shaver.. One of the quirks of this razor is the blade insertion, one must aline the little notches in the head and top of the razor, but aside from that its very user-friendly.. I rate this as one of my favourites.. It might even beat the famous Merkur HD
I never thought I had to say that, but - this razor is a perfect 10 for me. This is hands down the best DE I've ever used and it stopped my search for other razors. There's no way I'll ever get a better one than my two Progress - one in gold, one in chrome :happy093
I Have to Agree It's my most used DE. Dial it up or dial it down. Take your pick. Works with a wide range of blades equally well including the dreaded Feather. Yes, check your alignment. You will also notice at times that when you tighten the blade down you might not get it down to 1. So, if you normally shave at "4", you need to go up three from where the beginning number is showing. Check your blade and try again.
To me, this is the best razor out there. I don't like Gillettes and they don't like either. I'm strictly a Merkur man (with the occassional Schick Krona mixed in) and the Progress is the best Merkur. Everything is great about it except for two things: the blade exposure and the dial numbers. Sometimes the razor head will expose one side of the blade more than the other. I don't know why it happens. Perhaps it's the blade sliding to one side while screwing the razor head. Whatever the cause, one side will be extra aggressive and the other side will unusable. As for the dial numbers, when you insert a blade and screw everything back, the dial rarely goes back to the first setting. It's not a big deal but I'd like it to go all the way back to 1 - not 3.675.
I hadn't noticed the blade exposure problem. I'll keep an eye open for it. I did notice the dial problem. The knob goes just below 1 with no blade in it. I just assumed the setting was zeroed with no blade. I shave in the shower (Gasp!) and found the handle is slippery. I solved that problem by rolling a stack of 20 O-rings (#7) over the handle. Very grippy now!
I just received mine & shaved twice. First setting at #2 then up to #3. I must say I have been reading a lot about how difficult this razor is to adjust & the grip is slippery. Well I must have received a newer model. Easy to line up the head & razor just match the notch to the diamond & tighten. I end up at #1 & adjust up to #3. Bingo no problem. I have no trouble with the grip as I don't shave in the shower. I think this is a bad habit some guys get into. The finish like several other Merkurs I have is fantastic.
Best on the market If Im in a rush and dont use a straight this is hands down the best DE I own (and I have more than a few) Issy
Well I put off getting one of these for years. After using it for over a week I've found it to be a great razor. I've found the 3 to be the setting for me. The reason I rated the price so low was because of the quality. The plating is weak, The handle is rough, which doesn't hurt the grip but it feels like nicks. The plastic knob is rough with excess plastic sticking out. Poor! Yes, I have contacted the vendor and am awaiting word. Love the way it shaves though! The discussion thread is here!
Simply the finest razor I know of. Equally suited to both beginners and the more experienced it really deserves a perfect 10.
This is my go to razor. It has a great look, a fine heft to it and best of all, it's adjustable. As far as ease of use, you MUST be on your game, regardless of the setting to avoid those annoying nicks and weepers. Key word is technique. I don't care for the loading of the blade, however. Once the blade is loaded into the head, and you twist it to tighten down, it doesn't line up on the number 1 setting, leaving you to guess which setting it really is on. With the possibility of setting this razor on a 10, even though it's numbered 1 through 5, there is a plus after the 5 to set it even higher. Good luck with that! Grip is slippery when you have lather residue on your fingers. Would be much better with a knurled handle IMHO. Price is acceptable, but a tad overpriced as far as I'm concerned. Different sites vary, sometimes greatly in pricing, but for the most part, 50 - 55 bucks seems to be an average price. Bottom line, I love my Merkur and is definitely my go to razor. The longevity of the shave is superior to any other I've used, including the cherished Fat Boy. But make no mistake, this bad boy is a BEAST!
Not really for me, but ok I had this razor sent to me as a gift by my uncle in Israel several years ago, and I found it to be a decent razor, but not the best. I believe it is too aggressive for a beginner to use, and even myself, I have a very hard beard, and I've been DE shaving all my life, and I still think this razor is too harsh for me.
I had a problem after shaving with the Progress; as I turned the dial it fell out in my hand. It had just arrived in the mail the day before. Mekur sent a replacement ring to retain the shaft and it is very difficult to install.
I have had my razor less than a week and third shave, thus far the best shaves I've ever gotten, even though I've said that about all my new toys, but this time somehow different. First pass I use fairly agressive with the grain at 4.5 then across I back down to 3.5 against 2.5 and slight buffing 2, produces a smooth non-sensitive BBS shave every time. Two things I don't like is the slick handle and unpainted numbers, for the price it would seem they could paint the numbers like they did years ago on the vintage models. I believe this will disturb my RAD significantly, and thus further hurting the economy. Now does anyone know who can paint on numbers that will-not come off baked on or something? Great Razor just wish I had bought one several hundred dollars back so i could have bought more soap, cream, scuttles, and brushes. LOL
I'm thinking about buying one of these. I have no contemporary adjustables. I wish the knob wasn't such an eyesore. Can anyone comment on the balancing? I'm curious, as this is a relatively heavy razor. Thanks. Jeremy
I really love my progress. if I'd have gotten it first,I may well have stopped buying any others. I'm gonna get around tosending mine in to replace the knob. someday, so many things I wwant to do, only so many expendable dollars. but I really like the progress. the futur is also awesome. the shave with both of these lasts so long into the day, I could nearly skip and still look presentable.
it does, it's heavier than it appears. someone complained recently after having tried made into a mergress, saying it threw the balance off. but I think it's heavy enough to take a little more weight on the handle without it feeling uncomfortable. but everyone's different.
I ordered one today; the long handle version. I thought my RAD was cured after getting the ATT Atlas but I read too many reviews and became fixated on it.
Thats not true, the cure your rad, buy a brush. To cure bad, buy a new soap. To cure sad, start looking for straight razors. Once you have srad, start honing. Once your into sr finishing stones, all your acquisition disorders will be diminished, mostly because youll have no money left.
