@twhite - It looks flat but actually has a rounded base plate and a concave topcap. The blade is thick and does double duty as the spring. @IAmTheJody - The 3 blades lasted a lifetime The adjustment mechanism is so simple its genius, you could easily do the same for your Tarmax. Its just a long screw that tightens against the topcap screw and locks it. Patent info here:
Vintage Merkur Progresses They are all from the mid to late 1950's (Edit: To Early 1960's) The first is not a Unicorn but a pretty hard find. The numbering starts at 0 and they are paint filled in red. I wouldn't call the middle one a Unicorn but close to one. It has the Pollopas base plate. The numbering also starts at 0 and are paint filled in red as well. The right hand one I believe is a Unicorn. All Pollopas except top cap and adjuster plate, adjuster indicator at the top.
Those are great . Do we have any idea when the change to all metal head took place? Mine I'm guessing is a 70s or 80s model but no idea how to date with any precision. Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
No idea, I can't find anything. There is a catalog from 1962 on gut-rasiert that still shows both the pollopas models. That's the latest that I could find.
The Pollopas ones were sold as early as 1956 maybe 55 which is the first year the Progress was sold. https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/evolution-of-the-merkur-progress.55091/ Those I'd opine are unicorns. I only know of 2 collectors who own one you being the 2nd after posting.
I've only seen a couple and the guard's were pretty badly cracked. Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
What is interesting is the knobs on the modern Progress razors predate the Progress razors since they were used on the Walbusch B5 razors.
I just checked ebay and a full 830 set just went for $200+ last month. I totally missed the auction or I'd have bid it. Link should be okay to post since the auction is completed. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1649333960...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
For a "plastic" razor they are not light, drop it and a crack forms - Hazard a guess and say thats why they stopped using Pollopas. That auction is this 830 and I only found it with less than 24 hours to go. The problem with hunting for Progresses is that what do you search for that comes up with the Pollopas ones but doesn't bring up lots of "normal" ones.
Not sure if it's a Unicorn but have ZERO info on this razor I got and have modified a Gem blade for a future shave. All it has is a picture on the box and the razor only has a Nov. 14, 1911 Patent Date The lever on the front raises the blade tray to secure the blade. The blade is narrower than a Gem blade and had to be cut down as well as removing the spine. If the spine isn't removed the lever would not close to secure the blade as it was to thick with the spine attached.
This one? This was Traut & Hine offering preceding the more common Dandy razor. Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Yep, head is identical but a round and fixed handle (non-removable) Never seen another one so I'd say it's a unicorn......
Here are 2 Filomatics that are on the fence and maybe over on the other side in the unicorn fields. Both these far as I know were only given away as free razors when you bought the Titano DE or F1 inyector blades. The injector razor only accepts single edge injector blades and will not work with Schick II twin blades. They had an F2 injector razor that did but that razor is a direct copy of a Gillette Twinjector. The DE razor is interesting in that you have to load a DE blade on the cap with one blade tab between the cap and base plate before flipping over and locking the cap with a switch on the base plate. The only Filomatics I know of that would be even rarer than these are the same DE as here but with colored handles, one in green, red and 1 or 2 other colors that elude me what they were right now.
